Colt 1911 .22 LR Conversion kit Question?

[SFOGUN]

Hi Guys, I jut picked up a Colt 22 LR Conversion Unit for Government Model Series 70 and have a couple questions.
Can I use this kit with any Colt 1911 Frame or does it have to be SPECIFICALLY a Series 70 Frame?
Reason I ask is I have a Pre Series 70 Govt I want to slap this on.
Thanks for your assistance!

[chuckdc]

Hi Guys, I jut picked up a Colt 22 LR Conversion Unit for Government Model Series 70 and have a couple questions.
Can I use this kit with any Colt 1911 lowers or does it have to be SPECIFICALLY a Series 70 lower?
Reason I ask is I have a Pre Series 70 Govt i want to slap this on.
Thanks for your assistance!

As long as it is a full-size 1911 and doesn't have the Series 80 safety "stuff" in it, it should work. The key thing is that anything POST Series 70 with the firing pin safety will NOT work, because of the safety. I have the Colt conversion kit (the floating chamber kind) and it works just fine on my Norinco 1911, which is a clone of the pre-Series 70 1911.

[GM4spd]

The key thing is that anything POST Series 70 with the firing pin safety will NOT work, because of the safety.

Not true,you can use the 80 series frame but it requires a little work.You just
have to remove the safety lever from the frame and you are good to go.
You must reverse this process when you put your 80 series slide back on.
The lever that must be removed is at 2 o'clock in my picture,Pete

[SFOGUN]

Thats good news thanks everyone! But just to be clear, I added the above photo
of the safety lever difference between the 70 & 80. I understand I need to remove the ORANGE part
like you did GM4spd hence should I also remove the GREEN part?
Also understand its got to be a full Fame but doesn't a Commander have a full frame just a shorter slide/barrel?
Thanks again, appreciate the help!

[GM4spd]

Thats good news thanks everyone! But just to be clear, I added the above photo
of the safety lever difference between the 70 & 80. hence should I also remove the GREEN part
Thanks again, appreciate the help!

Green part is a non issue with the Orange piece gone. Note you can also replace
your small Accro rear sight with a Gold Cup larger Eliason rear sight! Pete

[SFOGUN]

Thanks Pete I'll give that a go. Just picked it up yesterday from Gunbroker so still needs to be shipped. I know Im going to end up building a whole new 1911 for this kit.
Nice set up by the way!

[38super]

Real Colt Ace mags are spendy, after mkt clones are iffy. GSG 1911 rimfire mags work and are cheaper. There's a +4 follower available too.

[SFOGUN]

Real Colt Ace mags are spendy, after mkt clones are iffy. GSG 1911 rimfire mags work and are cheaper. There's a +4 follower available too.

I just looked up Ace Mags on eBay... $60 - $175 Ea.
Hard to be a Colt purist with those prices!

[finzahome]

Just picked it up yesterday from Gunbroker so still needs to be shipped. I know Im going to end up building a whole new 1911 for this kit.

[SFOGUN]

Just received this conversion kit advertised as all original parts ..
Me thinks extended Slide Stop levers weren't around in the 70's?
Spring also seems like a regular 1911 45 spring...

[kendog4570]

Just received this conversion kit advertised as all original parts ..
Me thinks extended Slide Stop levers weren't around in the 70's?

Actually, extended slide stops started on the Norwegian licensed Colts around 1914. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kongsberg_Colt
The proper slide stop for your kit is not extended, and should have a number "2" stamped on the back side.

Spring also seems like a regular 1911 45 spring...

That too is specific to the .22 unit.


Don't lose the ejector. Easy to do since it is a loose part, and replacements are pricey, when you can find them.

[GM4spd]

Actually, extended slide stops started on the Norwegian licensed Colts around 1914. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kongsberg_Colt
The proper slide stop for your kit is not extended, and should have a number "2" stamped on the back side.

That too is specific to the .22lr

This is important,the WRONG number slide stop will eventually damage the
Tit on the mag follower that activates the hold open. You will lose the
hold open and in some cases the mag can get jammed in the frame.Colt
numbered them for a reason. 1 is for a 45 or 38 Super,2 is the Ace,3 is
for the 9mm. Pete

[SFOGUN]

Something ells doesn't fit. I just tried the kit using a PRE 70 Series Colt (Should work) but I can't get the Frame and slide to line up
unless I remove the Spring and the Ejector. Seller advertised as an original kit but I'm finding this is a Franken Kit. Really disappointed.
Thinking I should return this and look for a true original kit. This is why selling price on GB was $440 not $1000 it seems.

[ironhorse1]

It will work, just keep trying.

Something ells doesn't fit. I just tried the kit using a PRE 70 Series Colt (Should work) but I can't get the Frame and slide to line up
unless I remove the Spring and the Ejector. Seller advertised as an original kit but I'm finding this is a Franken Kit. Really disappointed.
Thinking I should return this and look for a true original kit. This is why selling price on GB was $440 not $1000 it seems.

If it will fit without the spring and ejector then it will fit if you can diagnose the problem.

The most likely cause is the stamped ejector hitting the frame mounted ejector. You may need to modify it to allow it to move all the way back.

I had the same issue putting mine on an RIA frame. Since I had already recut the stamped steel ejector to fit a 9mm 1911 I ordered a new one.

Numrich sells a cast metal ejector. To get it to work on the RIA I had to undercut
the new part until it would move under the frame mounted ejector.

This can be checked out by laying the part on the frame or seeing at which point the slide stops moving rearward.

The spring should be fairly light for the conversion.

If you remove the firing pin disconnect on an 80's series slide then you must also remove the lever.

After the lever is removed you must install a shim in its place to keep the hammer centered. The shim is available from Brownnels and may require fitting.

Don't give up yet. These are fun to shoot and love standard velocity ammunition. Don't ever use Stingers as they lead badly.

I hope that this helps and if you need more info just post, pm or email.

irh

http://www.brownells.com/handgun-parts/frame-parts/frame-hardware/index.htm

https://www.gunpartscorp.com/Products/1358650.htm

[SFOGUN]

Thanks for the advise Pete & IRH, the gun broker seller isn't returning my emails
or my voicemail so Im probably stuck with this kit. I will make it work though...
Just ordered EGW Ace Slide Stop:




I'll have to make some minor modifications to the extractor to make the slide cycle properly but this is all in the fun of getting a new toy!