New Colt XSE-Just Got it!

[Rocket 6R]

After a long and exhaustive search I actually located this pistol locally and bought it today. I do have some questions regarding the pistol. Should these pistols have throats like this? http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f382/prsalazar/Picture328.jpg

Also, I noticed a .001" to .002" long tool marks on the breach face! http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f382/prsalazar/Picture337.jpg

Also, does anyone know how to properly adjust the trigger? I have already played with it and it seems OK, the hammer still falls when pulling the trigger. I did adjust it all the way in at first, but then the trigger would not fall.

Oh, here is the picture of my new baby. I paid $899+tax for it. http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f382/prsalazar/Picture343.jpg

Thanks, Rocket 6R

[Rocket 6R]

Here is another picture of the throat.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f382/prsalazar/Picture329.jpg

Thanks, Rocket 6R

[wichaka]

Is this pistol new? I've seen the dimpled throats on Colts, but yours looks like someone has done some work on it. They didn't get the throat ground out evenly. Don't think it'll cause any problems though. But if it does, contact the seller immediately.

As for the trigger adjustment screw..........make sure its adjusted right or it'll mess up your trigger pull, and how smooth it is.

Turn it all the way back in so you cant drop the hammer. Now back it out until the hammer falls, then back it out another 1/4 -1/2 turn. If you don't, the sear will drag on the hammer hooks and make everything feel gritty, and ruin the pull weight.

[Rocket 6R]

The pistol is NEW! The throat looks like a butcher got a hold of it. The pistol must have been produced on a Friday afternoon from Colt.

There are some other things that have bothered me. When the mainspring housing was placed in the frame by mounting the retaining pin they slightly gauged the hole, no way in hell they used a brass punch for that. Also, when the grips were installed they misaligned the grip screw to one side of the stock and put a nice imprint on the stock from the screw. Together with these issues, the throat and the breach face I'm not real happy with Colt's quality control. I could have paid over $200 less for a Springfield. I thought Colt was the best or at least one of the best!

The trigger pull has some creep in it and lets off at about five or six pounds.

Thanks, Rocket 6R

[Hunter]

The throat is correct on your Colt. All of the Gold Cup Trophies come that way and it is to aid in feeding SWC ammo.

[Rocket 6R]

Hunter, are you kidding about the throat? I've never seen a throat in my life look like that. Don't get me wrong, I do believe what you are saying. It's just that throat looks really odd. However, I'm glad to see my throat was cut right. Sorry if I started to bash Colt a little. I worked 12 hours yesterday and my patients for anything was low. I do believe in Colt and their products. This pistol is the third 1911 that I've owed from them.

There are some tool marks on the throat though, it might be hard to see them in the picture. Should I polish them with fine grit paper and some rubbing compound?

Thanks, Rocket 6R

[wichaka]

Hunter, if you have a dimpled Colt barrel........could you post a pic of it?

I've seen a few, but the throat looks a bit off center and the dimple looks opened up.

Take a close up pic of the tool marks..........as long as they aren't rough, they should be ok. If they are rough, just smooth them out, dont try to take them out, as they may be too deep.

[John]

And that pistol does not look like a Gold Cup.

[Hunter]

I do have my barrel from my Trophy and I will get a picture taken asap of it (I do not have a digital camera but a friend of mine does so give me a few days please) and try and post it. When I first looked at the Gold Cup Trophies the one I field stripped was used at a good price. When I saw the barrel throat I thought to myself that someone had attempted a throat job that went terrible wrong. I showed the barrel to the gunsmith there and he had no idea what was going on so I passed on the used Trophy. I went to another gun store that had 2 Trophies new and both the barrel throats looked the same as the other used Trophy. I took a chance and bought the blued Trophy and called Colt when I got home. The lady told be the extra clearance was added to the throat in the target models to aid in feeding SWC target loads. So far every Trophy I have looked at has had that type of throat. My other Gold Cups without that type of barrel feed SWC great so I am unsure how much it really helps but my Trophy feeds everything great as well. I also have a Colt Series 80 Government model 1911 in .38 Super that is not a target model but also has the throated barrel. I will get pictures of both Colts and barrels for you all.

[rmw]

Do the XSE's have the series 80 fp blocking safety

[Rocket 6R]

Do the XSE's have the series 80 fp blocking safety

YES THEY DO!

[WBB]

Congrat's on your XSE, Rocket 6R. Here is a pic of the barrel throat on a XSE Commander I bought new about 3 weeks ago, have not fired a round through her yet. This one looks smoother at bottom center, maybe this will help.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v649/WBB1911/bbl010.jpg

[Rocket 6R]

WBB, thanks for the picture. Yep, it looks just like mine, I feel much better. I plan to shoot the pistol between now and the weekend. I'll give a range report on it. I will be firing Winchester "white box" and some of my tasty reloads.

By the way, I ordered a Galco Royal Guard concealment holster for it (I have a CCW for my state) and also ordered a Wilson flat mainspring housing.

Thanks, Rocket 6R

[wichaka]

Do the XSE's have the series 80 fp blocking safety


Yes........

[wichaka]

All of the dimples throats I've seen are a lot narrower..........I stand corrected.

[WBB]

What is the dimple everyone is talking about? I'm a plumber, not a gunsmith.

[John]

Bah, nothing to worry about. It's just a symptom that Wichaka developed, last time his Novak magazine failed. 1911Tuner kept telling him that the dimpled Metalform magazines are the ones to use, Wichaka didn't believe him, so last time his Novak ones failed, he got that psychiatric symptom, he adds the word "dimple" in front of every 1911 part name.

So now we have dimpled barrels, dimpled beavertails, dimpled firing pins etc. :p

[wichaka]

Novak???????? Wilson my friend..........WILSON!

To help feed wad cutters and Hp's, Colt came up with a dimpled throat on their barrels. It resembles a sort of a trough up the middle of the throat of the barrel.

[RickB]

I would not adjust the trigger overtravel screw on a Series 80 by repeatedly dropping the hammer with the trigger improperly adjusted. That is, Don't turn the screw all the way in, and then drop the hammer over and over as you turn the screw out 1/4 turn at a time. Each time you drop the hammer with the trigger improperly adjusted, you run the risk of damaging the hammer, sear, firing pin, firing pin plunger, or all of the above. Better to turn it all the way OUT, then test for drag as it is turned in a bit at a time. You not only have to make sure that the sear is not dragging on the hammer, but that the firing pin is not dragging on the plunger.
It won't hurt a thing if the overtravel screw is removed altogether, but shooting with it adjusted too "tight" can mess up a lot of the lockwork.

[NickF]

Congrats on your new Colt -

Looking forward to the range report.

[Rocket 6R]

RickB, thanks for the post. I have adjusted the trigger as explained by another member on a prior post. The trigger is about 1/2 turns out from the trigger locking up. The trigger seems fine. I hope shooting it will take care of some of its creep.

Thanks, Rocket 6R

[Ric4509]

Rocket 6R - with all the imperfections you found on your new XSE my feeling is that it's not COLT but someone had tinkered with your XSE. And it is call DIMPLED barrel. I've heard COLT employees use that term.

[wichaka]

Each time you drop the hammer with the trigger improperly adjusted, you run the risk of damaging the hammer, sear, firing pin, firing pin plunger, or all of the above. You not only have to make sure that the sear is not dragging on the hammer, but that the firing pin is not dragging on the plunger.


Ok, I'm confused.........the only damage you'll get from an improperly adjusted trigger.........is messed up hammer & sear contact surfaces.........which in turn messes up a nice feeling trigger meaning nice pull weight, no creep.

As for damaging the firing pin and "firing pin plunger" I'm lost there. maybe I've missed something........
Also I've not heard of a firing pin plunger............

Maybe we're saying the same thing...........just different terminology? :confused:

[Rocket 6R]

Rocket 6R - with all the imperfections you found on your new XSE my feeling is that it's not COLT but someone had tinkered with your XSE. And it is call DIMPLED barrel. I've heard COLT employees use that term.
No one other than Colt messed with the pistol!

Rocket 6R

[szup]

I prefer the method of backing the overtravel screw out and then turning it in, in small incremments while lowering the hammer with my thumb after each turn. It is then that you will feel if you have gone too far. You will feel a slight hitch.
As for taking out the creep once it is adjusted exert some pressure on the rear of the cocked hammer and dry fire it about 10-15 times. Not too much pressure. This will clean it up nicely.

[RickB]

As for damaging the firing pin and "firing pin plunger" I'm lost there. maybe I've missed something........
Also I've not heard of a firing pin plunger............

Maybe we're saying the same thing...........just different terminology? :confused:

The Series 80 firing pin block system is dependent on trigger movement to lift the firing pin plunger (the "button" visible at the rear of the disconnector rail) out of the way of the firing pin. If the trigger overtravel screw is adjusted too tight, there can be insufficient travel to lift the plunger clear, and the firing pin will give it a good whack with every pull of the trigger. This can result in peening of the firing pin and/or plunger. That said, on the one Series 80 I have in which I've not removed the S80 parts, I had no trouble adjusting the overtravel in the normal way, checking for hammer/sear drag, as the firing pin was free before the sear. I wouldn't assume that to be the case, and would check both the hammer/sear and firing pin/plunger for drag. For the latter, hold the trigger to the rear, and the hammer cocked, and use a punch or pen to push the firing pin forward; it should move with no bumps or drag.

[wichaka]

Ok Rick.........I'm with ya now.............forgot about the slide parts. I aint messed with a Series 80 in awhile.

Yep, I agree..........to avoid this, remove the plunger assembly before adjusting the trigger.

[Rocket 6R]

I went to the range today and fired the new XSE. Attached to this post is a picture of my two Colts and the target I fired at. http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f382/prsalazar/Picture355.jpg The blued Colt is a pre-70 government (1956) and the other is my new Colt (XSE).

New Colt XSE Government: I fired 121 rounds through the pistol (35 rounds of Win. "white box", 35 rounds of Fed. American Eagle, 28 rounds of 230 gr. LRN (reloads), and 23 rounds of Rem. Golden Sabers (reloads)).
The pistol ran without any problems. She gobbled up everything that I feed her.

Blued Colt pre-70 Government (1956): I had a Wilson BulletProof extractor put in and fired about 50 rounds through her with various types of ammo without a problem.

Target: the range was at 15 yards (45 feet) off a bench rest.

(Disclaimer) I'm no expert pistol shot. I think a better shooter could have cut those group sizes by 1/3 or better.

The lower right group was shot with the pre-70 Colt (2.3" group with Golden Saber reloads). The far lower left and lower middle group was from my new XSE (both groups are at 1.4" with Rem. Golden Saber reloads). You'll notice that the point of aim is 2.5" to the left on both groups and 1.1" to 1.3" high with the XSE. I then drifted my rear sight and fired the center group (between the pistols in the picture) and it now shots dead on, but about 1.5" high with the XSE. This last group is an 8 shot group that measures 1.7" with my Rem. Golden Saber reloads with the XSE.

So, I can say that I'm very happy with my newest Colt!

Thanks, Rocket 6R

[Hersh]

Here is a pic of the barrel throat on a XSE Commander I bought new about 3 weeks ago, have not fired a round through her yet.

I'm getting in this thread a bit late, but wanted to chime in on the barrel. The one in my ORM Commander looks exactly like the pic WBB posted.

Fwiw

[Hunter]

Here is my Colt Gold Cup Trophy with the throated barrel. Sorry if the picture quality is poor.
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h264/Hunter1911/Gun2.jpg
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h264/Hunter1911/Gun5.jpg
My Colt .38 Super with the same throated barrel
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h264/Hunter1911/Gun3.jpg
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h264/Hunter1911/Gun4.jpg

[dakota1911]

I am getting into thread late also. It would be interesting to know when Colt switched to the "dimpled" throat. My Defender 90 I bought a couple of years ago has it. A recently produced, engraved, Gov model from Colts custom shop has it, and while shopping the other day at my favorite gun store I was looking at Colt Commanders and they all had it, including the lightweight I put on lawaway.

But neither of my Gold Cups from the 70's have it, including one I bought new, and, of course my Gov. Model I bought new in 74 and several older Gov models I bought used do not have it.