Series 80

[StrawHat]

In reading about the 1911 take down and reassembly, you can file a notch in the slide stop to prevent the mark.  If I keep this one, it will show a lot more marks than that little scratch.  Most of my revolvers have a lot of finish removed from use.  Adds to the character.

[Hawg]

I don't see how filing  a notch in it would help. If you push it straight in it won't leave a mark but get a little careless and you have to push it up to get it lined up and that's where the scratch comes in.

[StrawHat]

Pictures down in the thread might explain it better than I could.

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_5_18/81884_How_to_avoid_the_Idiot_Scratch__picture_tutorial.html

[Hawg]

OK I gotcha now.

[Tom-ADC]

Interesting read and easy mod.

[treadhead1952]

Hi All,

While I have owned and carried my fair share of 1911's over the years, once I got my Ruger P-90 DA/SA that was all it took for me.  I prefer to carry it with nine in, hammer down on a full chamber ready to rock and roll.  With two spare magazines on my belt I feel all warm and fuzzy when I go out and about.  I still like the Remington Golden Saber HP rounds in .45 ACP.

[StrawHat]

400 rounds down range so far.  No problems, all factory 230 JRN.  This summer I will start working up loads.  Hopefully with the Lyman 452423, the 235 grain Keith SWC.  Originally designed for the 1917 revolver, quite a few folks are reporting good results through the 1911.  I hope I will be one of them.  If not, I will need to find another cast bullet, preferably not a RN.

So far, no warm and fuzzy feeling but who knows, normally by this time, I have already sold the pistol to buy another revolver!

My brother is building a 1911.  His will have a Commander slide and an Officers frame.

[ssb73q]

400 rounds down range so far.  No problems, all factory 230 JRN.  This summer I will start working up loads.  Hopefully with the Lyman 452423, the 235 grain Keith SWC.  Originally designed for the 1917 revolver, quite a few folks are reporting good results through the 1911.  I hope I will be one of them.  If not, I will need to find another cast bullet, preferably not a RN.

So far, no warm and fuzzy feeling but who knows, normally by this time, I have already sold the pistol to buy another revolver!

My brother is building a 1911.  His will have a Commander slide and an Officers frame.

Hi StrawHat, before putting time into casting and sizing hardcast bullets for the 1911, consider buying bullets from Oregon Trail, see:
http://www.laser-cast.com/45Cal.html

The laser cast bullets are the hardest lead bullets available. You will never have any leading and they load into brass without lead shaving. They may cost more than other bullets, but IMO the high quality is well worth it. They also have a little silver in the alloy, good for werewolfs. 

Regards,
Richard

[Hawg]

You don't need super de dooper hard lead in a 1911. Soft lead works just fine without leading.

[StrawHat]

Been casting for nearly 4 decades, not going to stop now.  Can't stand the thought of buying cast bullets.  Usually cast from the wrong alloy, too hard.  I like binary alloys, makes it simple to adjust hardness.  For the ACP I will start with 30/1, lead/tin.  Probably need to go to 20/1 but will start at 30/1.  Size the bullets to just over groove diameter and lube them.  Properly sized, the bullet can be a lot softer than most folks realize.

Will probably try my recipes for the 45 AR to start and if one works, stay with it.  231, Bullseye and Unique will be my starting powders.  My brother likes to experiment more, I keep things simple.  Trying to narrow down the powders on my bench to as few as possible. 

One nice thing, if I get the loads too soft to work the self loader, I can shoot them in my revolvers.  Just looking to enjoy the summer.

[ssb73q]

You don't need super de dooper hard lead in a 1911. Soft lead works just fine without leading.

Hi Hawg, I tend to agree with you about soft lead not creating leading in the bore. I notice that with my cap and ball revolvers. Before using the hard Laser Cast bullets, I used to cast my own and use Bull-X bullets. Those bullets were hard, but not as hard as the Laser Cast and they would lead up my 1911s like crazy. Since using Laser Cast, I never have a hint of any bore leading in my handguns. Maybe soft lead would also prevent leading?

Regards,
Richard

[Captainkirk]

Wish I had a 1911 to compare notes with you guys. All I got is my Mini-Me 1911 (Colt Gov't .380) but would love to own me a Plain-Jane 1011 someday.

[StrawHat]

I got the Series 80 as an attempt to improve my relationship with the 1911.  In the past my affection for revolvers has always pushed self loaders to the very back of the bus.  I would buy them, shoot one or two magazines and then sell them.  High Powers, Lugers, 1911s, S&W 39-2s, 645s, you name them, I would get rid of them within 6 months.  (The only self loader I kept longer then that was a S&W 3913 that I carried on the straps of my vest under my uniform shirt when I was a LEO.)  I really like the 45 ACP and have many revolvers for it.  I am trying to just "like" this 1911.  Eventually, I hope to be comfortable enough with it to carry it.  That will depend mostly on the load I can work up for it.  I have several loads for the revolvers that will not work in a self loader, but they are great hunting/defense loads.  I will cast up some of the 235 grain SWC Keiths and see how they function.  I also have recipes for slightly heavier bullets.  First, I will try the standard weight.

[DoubleDeuce1]

Strawhat,
I love my Series 80. Carried daily for years and it never let me down when the going got rough. I had the front sight on mine dovetailed into the slide, parallel to the barrel and fixed with a set screw. It is rock solid. I also have an Ed Brown extended beaver tail, Ed Brown combat hammer, and an Ed Brown extended slide safety. A solid barrel bushing and competition trigger finishes it off. Wilson Combat, eight round stainless mags with bumper pads for feeding purposes.

I also have an old Series 70. I carried that for a long time. It is slightly heavier than the 80. The 70 has had at the very least, half a million rounds through it. I only had to replace the springs a couple of times, and install a new slide stop because the original one broke. I added a solid barrel bushing too. The split ones just didn't hold up for me. I "shot" the front sight off three times. I had it staked in twice, and silver soldered on. When that one let go, I finally had a new front sight dovetailed into the slide like on the Series 80. The 70 model still runs like a sewing machine and will digest just about anything.  This has got to be my favorite auto loader. The Colt Government Model 1911A1 is the Gold Standard for my money and my life.

[Pustic]

I don't have a Colt .45 ACP, but I do have a Llama Especial .380.