Model 70 Changes

[Ried513]

I just purchased my first Colt and first 1911 last week. I have been looking for quite some time and stumbled across a great buy on a NIB Goverment Model 70 in stainless steel. Really nice gun. I would like to replace the hammer with a skeleton hammer, replace trigger with a 3 hole and replace factory fixed sights with fixed white 3 dot sight. I plan on retaining all parts removed and plan on having Colt do the work. Will this devalue the gun by doing these simple mods? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

[Joel_H]

Those mods are reversible (assuming you don't mill the slide for the different sights), so if you retain the old parts it should not affect the value. But really, if you're planning to keep it who cares if the value drops?

[dsk]

I don't generally buy guns with the idea of flipping them, but you never know if you need to sell or something else comes along that requires sacrificing something you currently have. Therefore the question of harming future worth is a valid one.

[slowandheavy]

Would'nt the skeleton hammer require a different grip safety?

[Shad Roe]

Originally Posted by Ried513

I just purchased my first Colt and first 1911 last week. I have been looking for quite some time and stumbled across a great buy on a NIB Goverment Model 70 in stainless steel. Really nice gun. I would like to replace the hammer with a skeleton hammer, replace trigger with a 3 hole and replace factory fixed sights with fixed white 3 dot sight. I plan on retaining all parts removed and plan on having Colt do the work. Will this devalue the gun by doing these simple mods? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

A skeleton hammer on a S70 would sure look funny to me.

Have you read dsk's sig line? It really does make sense.

No need to be in a hurry about personalizing your 1911. Time will tell you what you really want to change,if anything.

Congrats on a fine Colt!

[Rick McC.]

I'd suggest that you shoot it a while as is; then see what changes you think it needs.

Rick

[Hootch]

I did that to a Springfield 1911 A-1. I replaced the grip safety, Trigger, sear, hammer and thumb safety.

I then realized that while it was nice, It now looked just like my modern 1911 examples. I missed it being a stock A-1. So I put it back together the way it was supposed to be (I kept the original parts).

Now I am happy and all is right with my springfield.

Like others have suggested try the gun out as is for a bit and see how you like it before you go switching stuff out on that nice series 70. The only things that got changed on my series 70 was the grips

[1911shooter474]

It might have seemed a great buy at the time, but now it seems you really want the Colt XSE.It just might be more cost effective to trade it in on one.

[Ried513]

You read my mind. I was originally looking for an XSE but this one came up and was too good to pass up. Good Colts are really hard to find at reasonable prices, so when this one presented itself I jumped on it.

[1911shooter474]

Originally Posted by Ried513

You read my mind. I was originally looking for an XSE but this one came up and was too good to pass up. Good Colts are really hard to find at reasonable prices, so when this one presented itself I jumped on it.

I sure understand this as I found my XSE one day bought it and found a 1971 a day later and bought it also. Just thought I need them both, both have shot with no problems both have great triggers.

[Fazer386]

Originally Posted by Rick McC.

I'd suggest that you shoot it a while as is; then see what changes you think it needs.

Rick

Shoot it, shoot other guns with similar modifications and ask for input. A commander style hammer and fitted grip safety with a trigger job is a good place to start. Add sights when you know what direction the build is going.

[TEA]

So far, the only thing I think I'd change on my Series 70 is the sights. That small front sight is hard on my aging eyes.

[stovlar]

the pistol your talking about is a repo model 70 and not an original so anything you do will not devalue it.