Colt Ace conversion to .45

[mexicancolt1]

I have a newer colt ace dated to about 1978. I enjoy shooting .22 from it, but would like to use a heavier caliber. Can anyone tell me if you can easily convert the ace to a standard 45 caliber pistol? Would I need an older, almost impossible to find .22 to .45 conversion kit? Or can I use a standard colt .45 slide, barrel, spring, slide lock and magazine?

[Jeepers]

3) Colt "ACE": Caliber = .22 Long Rifle S/N 1 to 10,935 = April 1931 to July 1941
(The last 190 or so were assembled from spare parts in 1947) Parts only partially
interchangable with a .45 caliber M1911A1 pistol.

4) Colt Service Model "ACE" : Caliber .22 Long Rifle S/N SM 1 to SM 3,836 = Feb.
1936 to Jan. 1943 ( Between 1935 and Sept. 1945, 11,961 Colt Service Model "ACE"
pistols were made and their parts were fully interchangable with the .45 caliber
M1911A1.

5) Colt Service Model "ACE" : S/N SM 3846 to SM 13,803 = April 1945 to Sept. 1945
( Between 1938 and Oct. 1946, a total of 2149 .22-.45 conversion units were made
to convert .45 caliber pistols to .22 caliber. They were: S/N U1 to U2670. From 1938
to 1940, .45-.22 conversion units were made to convert Service Model "ACE" .22
caliber pistols to .45 ACP. They were: S/N U1 to U112.)

does this help ?

[mexicancolt1]

Thanks for the info, but I do not own a pre-war model. It was made between 1978-1982. It sounds like I may be able to use standard series 70 parts.

[Mac Attack]

I may be wrong but I believe all frames are the same and the only thing you would have to swap out would be the ejector and a complete top end. I have a Colt Ace conversion unit and was able to use it on a .38 Super, 9 mm and .45 ACP frames without any issue. On my 9 mm Combat Commander I was able to find a complete series 70 top end and all I had to do was change out the ejector to make it work. I will let other people chime....

[mexicancolt1]

Has anyone tried using a .45 slide on a standard post-war Colt ace?

[sequoia_nomad]

I'd enjoy it for what it is and just save up that lunch money for a centerfire 1911.

[bjl333]

Your ACE is just a S70 45 frame with a 22 upper. I have both a S70 GCup and a S70 ACE. The slide might need a little fitting to go on your frame, but it should function fine.