I need information on the Colt Officers 1911, I just got one

[den888]

I also have a Colt Enhanced Officer's Model in SS, produced in 1994. It serves primarily as my HD gun. Mine is reliable and easy to shoot. My only complaint is that it shoots a little low to the point of aim.

Officer's ACP's were produced starting in 1984-85, if my memory serves me correctly.

There have been some complaints that with heavy use, that the recoil spring plug can shear off when fired, rendering the gun inoperable. I'm not sure if this is exaggerated or not, but if you search some of the 1911 forums, you can find information on a modification which will address this potential fault.

Here's mine -





Enjoy your Colt, it's a great gun and will serve you well.

[Vsanzbajo]

What do you mean by inards? What are those?
And I am having problems taking it apart for cleaning. Any one in the Bay Area would be interested on helping and showing me how to do it?
Thanks

[johnthomas]

What do you mean by inards? What are those?
And I am having problems taking it apart for cleaning. Any one in the Bay Area would be interested on helping and showing me how to do it?
Thanks

Man, you must be from California, lol. Inards are inside parts.

http://surplusrifle.com/pistol1911/index.asp

[Vsanzbajo]

I am actually from Spain, but live in California. English is my 2nd language.

[johnthomas]

I am actually from Spain, but live in California. English is my 2nd language.

The site I sent you has plenty of pictures, lol. By your questions, you will be fine. Your English is better than my Spanish. I was in Spain once, one of the people in my group was Mexican. He told me to stick with him because he speaks Spanish. The first guy he spoke Spanish to asked him to speak English because he couldn't understand what he was saying, lol.

[den888]

Officers Model Disassembly and Assembly is different from a 1911 (from the Colt manual) -

With a Officer's ACP, you need to -

1/ Ensure gun is unloaded

2/ Depress the recoil spring plug, then manually turn the barrel bushing COUNTERCLOCKWISE and pull it out.

3/ Then take a flat head screwdriver and insert it into the slot of the recoil spring plug, press in and turn left or right about 1/2 a turn. (There is a locking notch in which the recoil spring plug lug fits into the slide. You can see it by turning the gun upside down and looking for a 1/32 inch notch.) Once the recoil spring plug has been turned, it will be under extreme pressure from the dual recoil springs. Slowly control the plug from the receiver and pull the recoil spring plug out from the slide. (Wear eye protection, just in case.)

4/ Remove recoil springs, then proceed with dis-assembly of the pistol as you would a standard size 1911.

5/ The trick is the reassembly. Reassemble as with a standard 1911, except when reinserting the recoil spring plug, you need to make certain that the recoil spring lug is inserted into the locking notch that I mentioned. Then, re-insert the barrel bushing. In my owners manual, Colt requests that you check to make certain that the recoil spring plug must be flush with or sticking out only slightly beyond face of the barrel bushing after assembly. After reassembling, Colt suggests exercising the slide by pulling it back and letting it slam on an empty chamber. Colt also suggests that you carefully examine the breach face to make certain that the firing pin is not sticking out. If it is, it could cause your pistol to discharge when a round is chambered.

[movie zombie]

What do you mean by inards? What are those?
And I am having problems taking it apart for cleaning. Any one in the Bay Area would be interested on helping and showing me how to do it?
Thanks

i had problems too! and the booklet that came with it wasn't that helpful.

however, i can do it now. where do you live?

also, see this:

http://stevespages.com/pdf/colt_mkiv_series_80_&_90_pistols.pdf

that i finally found online. its better but still not totally helpful.

the taking apart is actually easy...its the putting it together again......

mz

ps i admit i haven't finished reading this thread at this point as i just got home and when i got to your response i decided to just respond. somoneone may already have provided you with the needed info.

[movie zombie]

where in spain, Vsanzbajo?

mz

eta: when you put it back together, the lug must be perpenticular to the pistol in order to line up properly and not get jammed.....which is where i went wrong initially.

[Vsanzbajo]

I am from Sevilla, and I am in crazy Berkeley. Anyone close willing to meet and help.
Thanks

[movie zombie]

had a spanish class at cabrillo in aptos near santa cruz and another student in the class spent a year in sevilla and she loved it!

there is a safety issue re taking your colt apart: take great care when removing the plug as it can have a lot of power when it comes out...enough to put your eye out. i haven't had a problem with that but i take great care. i'll send you a private e-mail. i think it can be done via the phone....do you skype?

mz

ps a short stubby screwdriver is helpful with the plug and i've found on line the following to help with the bushing:

http://www.johnmasen.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=J&Category_Code=O

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=391/Product/CAN_T_MAR_trade__1911_AUTO_BUSHING_WRENCH

i haven't ordered either as i'm able to get the bushing out w/o it. however, i may order it just to make it easier to remove. will send pm [private e-mail]. confession: i had to go to a gunshop to get help...........and then i spent several hours at home just taking it apart and putting it back together again.

[Vsanzbajo]

Yes I Skype

[movie zombie]

private message sent.

mz

[randy]

Officers were only made after the 80's? I didn't know that. I've usually only dealt with Colt Govt. models. Everything else have been AMT's Detonics, Springfields, etc. They made Combat Commander's in the 70's tho, right? I recall thinking about buying a series 70 Colt Commander lite, way back when. Dunno, could be just selective memory.



Yes I did johnthomas. He did not have that info, among others, in his post originally! He added it after I asked for more info! Look at the time stamp for my post and the OP's time stamp for his edit. AND like I just said above, I didn't know they didn't make Officers before 1980! You know what they say about assumptions!

I don't think you are going to find a Commander that says 70 series on it either. They just were Combat Comanders until the 80 series came out.