confused about 1911 technical specs...

[joostin4]

I've seen a lot of 1911 threads pop up lately asking about preferences and recommendations. Fortunate for me since I recently made up my mind to buy one. Two things still confuse me about making a decision though...

1. People keep mentioning 80's series colts and 70's series colts. The 70's series is preferred even though it has no firing pin block safety? Isn't the firing pin block an added safety feature? Why is that not a good thing?

2. I've seen mentions of an "ILS" and how it should be removed/altered? Specifically on Springfields? I'm somewhat decided on buying a Springfield loaded for my first 1911 so it worries me that I don't even know what an ILS is. What is it and why should it be removed/altered?

3. Is there anything else a noob like myself should know about the finer details on the 1911? Anything else in terms of the really technical stuff that I should know about before making my first 1911 purchase? (I'm looking at a springfield loaded with ambi safety. I'm left handed.)

[Black Majik]

1) The S70 nomenclature is usually used incorrectly to refer to a 1911 clone without a firing pin safety (such as the S80 or swartz safety). But Series 70 pistols also came with collet bushings which tend to break the fingers off.

2) ILS stands for "internal locking system" which is Springfield Armory's added "safety." It is a lock in the mainspring housing, it could be swapped for a different mainspring housing to get rid of that "feature."

In general added safeties are no preferable since it's more parts, meaning more which could go wrong. Also, people claim triggers are better, or can be tuned better with 1911s without a FPS to those with.

If a FPS is a must, I prefer the S80 system to the Swartz system. But, none is the best.

[9mmepiphany]

...and there you have a complete and accurate answer, all in one post

[joostin4]

1) The S70 nomenclature is usually used incorrectly to refer to a 1911 clone without a firing pin safety (such as the S80 or swartz safety). But Series 70 pistols also came with collet bushings which tend to break the fingers off.

2) ILS stands for "internal locking system" which is Springfield Armory's added "safety." It is a lock in the mainspring housing, it could be swapped for a different mainspring housing to get rid of that "feature."

In general added safeties are no preferable since it's more parts, meaning more which could go wrong. Also, people claim triggers are better, or can be tuned better with 1911s without a FPS to those with.

If a FPS is a must, I prefer the S80 system to the Swartz system. But, none is the best.

Does that mean Springfield 1911's don't have a series 80 style firing pin block nor a swartz style safety? It only comes with the ILS?

[G-forceJunkie]

yes.

Does that mean Springfield 1911's don't have a series 80 style firing pin block nor a swartz style safety? It only comes with the ILS?

[joostin4]

Does that mean Springfield 1911's are not drop safe since there is nothing stopping the hammer from striking the firing pin when dropped?

[Q619]

Does that mean Springfield 1911's are not drop safe since there is nothing stopping the hammer from striking the firing pin when dropped?

Springfield uses a titanium firing pin and a heavy firing pin spring to ensure it's drop safe.

[JanG]

rock island armory has none of those extra safeties and it still passed the drop test... or did it?

[The War Wagon]

Does that mean Springfield 1911's are not drop safe since there is nothing stopping the hammer from striking the firing pin when dropped?

20 years ago, I bought a S&W 1006, with the straight backstrap. Turns out, SOME of those models could fire accidentally if dropped, so S&W sent me free of charge, a curved backstrap to replace it. Problem then was, I couldn't get a decent or comfortable grip on the pistol.

It was then I read some sage advice from Col. Jeff Cooper, in his column "Cooper's Corner," in Guns & Ammo magazine. He'd heard about the issue as well. He said, "the secret to preventing such an accident was, DON'T go around dropping $700 pistols on the pavement."

I put the straight backstrap grip BACK on, and carried that pistol daily for 12 more years. I never dropped it on pavement, either.

[bartt]

The ILS is not in the original design, it was added by Springfield, don't know why.
The original design (AFAIK) was intended to be carried cocked and locked. The locked thumb safety should prevent firing whether dropped or trigger inadvertently pulled. In addition the grip safety interlocks with the thumb safety to prevent the hammer falling without a grip on the gun.
I think JMB did a stunning job on the design, simple effective and very safe.
HTH..

[9mmepiphany]

The locked thumb safety should prevent firing whether dropped

Unless it is dropped on the muzzle...in which case the inertia of the firing pin could case it to move forward with enough force to ignite the primer of the chambered round. Not eveny dropped gun falls on the hammer

The is why SA uses a lighter firing pin and heavier firing pin spring

[Mute]

I personally wouldn't lose any sleep over the whole drop safety issue. Even with a 1911 with no firing pin safety, you'd just about have to drop it from about 6ft high onto a concrete floor, directly onto the muzzle to make it go off. Another stupid CA gun law brought to you courtesy of the idiots up in Sacramento.