Colt Mark IV Series 70 Government Model ??

[travisaasen]

Hi!

I recently just added this Colt to my stable. I'm kind of curious what I just adopted? The finish is park? The grips are aftermarket. The front and rear site are labeled mmc? I'm kind of a traditionalist - like my stuff sort of original so I have some work to do or have done. :)

So what the heck is this? What is this worth? I'm afraid I might have over paid, but it was a local deal with a friend. Are these rare?

Any help/thoughts would be appreciated.

http://home.earthlink.net/~hotbrass/Colt%20mark%20IV%20Series%2070/Colt%20Series%2070%20Mk4%202.jpg

http://home.earthlink.net/~hotbrass/Colt%20mark%20IV%20Series%2070/Colt%20Series%2070%20Mk4.jpg

http://home.earthlink.net/~hotbrass/Colt%20mark%20IV%20Series%2070/Colt%20Series%2070%20Mk4%203.jpg

http://home.earthlink.net/~hotbrass/Colt%20mark%20IV%20Series%2070/Colt%20Series%2070%20Mk4%204.jpg

http://home.earthlink.net/~hotbrass/Colt%20mark%20IV%20Series%2070/Colt%20Series%2070%20Mk4%205.jpg

[Hunter]

It has been modified to be sure but that makes it no less of a Colt. As far as worth that is hard to say. How does it shoot?

[clughog]

Nice pictures! Wish I could get mine to come out that sharp. Enjoy, and congratulations!

[travisaasen]

It has been modified to be sure but that makes it no less of a Colt. As far as worth that is hard to say. How does it shoot?

Just received it tonight - I hope to shoot it either this weekend or next. Ballpark value is all I'm looking for.

Thanks for the compliments on the pics. It's taken some time to learn how to use my camera & the lighting setup I have in my gun room.

[Hawkmoon]

I'm like you, I tend to want important stuff (like Colts) to be either in their original configuration, or easily returned thereto. The one you have is a pretty pistol, but it needs more than grips and sights. Unless my perspective is off, it's Government model but it has a Commander hammer and an aftermarket beavertail grip safety.

CDNN has recently had various Colt grips on sale, some with the gold medallion in the panel. I think that pistol would look well in a set of wood double diamond Colt grips with the medallion.

The front sight is tolerable, and it doesn't appear that the rear dovetail has been enlarged, so you can probably use a standard Colt hi-profile white dot sight from Brownells. Just replacing the grips and the rear sight will make it look a lot more like a Colt.

[travisaasen]

I couldn't agree more on the grips!!! Should this pistol be in a blued configuration or should this actually be parked?

[wichaka]

Should be blued.......polished sides/flats and with matte on the rounded parts.

[garrettwc]

I'm seeing the same things as Hawkmoon. Trying to look close at the beavertail and it looks the frame has seen some grinding, frame tangs don't have the distinct point they should.

MMC sights fit the factory dovetail so you should be able to change those back if you want.

[OD*]

Can't add much to what the fellas have said but, the sights are by Miniature Machine Corporation (MMC) and are actually quite good.
Wilson Combat used them for years.

[dakota1911]

I don't have any left from that period that are totally stock. The one below I bought new in 1974. It has had about 22K rounds through it and I carried it for awhile. In 1975 I had a gunsmith my Dad knew put better sights on it and open up the ejection port as I reloaded heavily in those days and shot lots of practice ammo with cast bullets that were less than full power. Except for that I have all the parts to return it to stock. I like a flat mainspring housing and longer trigger with overtravel adjustment on it. This is probably due to the fact that the first 1911 I shot when I was 10 was a WWI vintage pistol, plus most of my shooting in the 70's was bullseye and the .45 portion was done through Gold Cups of the day. About two years ago I got the fake ivory grips from Brownells and put on it.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e193/dakota1911/1911A170_r.jpg

The grips that were on it when I bought it, which I still have, are just like the ones on this pampered Gold Cup I bought new in 1977, about the time I stopped shooting as much and got more involved with career and family. The Gold Cup is 100% stock except for springs and the roll pin in the rear site broke at 3K rounds, but I replaced it with another roll pin ordered from Colt. It now has 4K rounds through it.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e193/dakota1911/1911GoldCup_r.jpg

[Phil]

I couldn't agree more on the grips!!! Should this pistol be in a blued configuration or should this actually be parked?Looks like an Ed Brown beavertail safety with memory groves. Not much you can do about the checkering on the front of the trigger guard. The slide stop and thumb safety look to have been changed, as well. If you want to refinish it and don't care about taking it back to original (which you really can't do with the frame being modified), you might want to consider a hard chrome plating job. Makes it a really nice light grey finish, more durable and prettier than stainless IMO.
http://www.apwcogan.com/Refinishing.htm

Here's a picture of my Officer's Model, which used to be blue, in hard chrome and modified similarly to yours:
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h102/Murexway/OfficersSmall.jpg

[travisaasen]

Phil, That looks fantastic. How much did they charge?

[Phil]

Phil, That looks fantastic. How much did they charge?You can check around for quotes on plating. This gun was already plated when I bought it - all I added was Trijicon sights and an Ed Brown full length guide rod (after that picture was taken).

My previous post has a link for Accurate Plating and their website has prices for refinishing - looks like $129 to $185 depending on the finish and prep work: http://www.apwcogan.com/Refinishing%20prices.htm. They were in Florida for a long time and I've heard good things, but haven't yet dealt with them. They'll also checker the front strap for $185, which is less than the $200 that my local gunsmith quoted me on another gun.

You mentioned changing grips and it does make a huge difference. The ones on my OM are from Doug Driscoll at Big Buck Enterprises:
http://www.bigbuckent.com/catalog0004.html Item # 01940 - the rosewood double diamond with silver Colt medallions for $54.95. Nice folks to deal with and fast on shipping.

[OJ]

For comparison only, here's my Colt's MKIV/Series 70 Government Model 45 ACP bone stock as it was when manufactured in late 1970 except for an ''extra power" firing pin spring I installed to replace the original. I had a couple of stoppages from the firing pin stop dropping down when shooting some Double Tap 230gr XTP HP loads at 1010 fps. Solved the problem.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y25/kmastf/P3130001A.jpg

Not intended as a judgment as to which is better - just my personal preference.

:D :D

[Phil]

Not intended as a judgment as to which is better - just my personal preference.
Beautiful gun. I bought the same model NIB in 1974 and later sold it - one of my less sensible decisions. The next 1911 that I buy will be that one - an original Ser 70 in blue - and I'll keep it 100% stock. I have a completely original 1986 Ser 80 Govt in stainless and a box-stock 1993 Gold Cup National Match in Ultimate stainless.

Of course, if you have a gun that someone else has already modified, it makes it easier to justify customizing it.

[191145]

If 'G70' is at the end of the serial number, it's a 1978 Gov Model. I'd say it's about a $300 gun as it is. It would cost hundreds to restore it to original appearance, not counting the parts required. The barrel is right, and the bushing for that barrel should be the collet-type with four separate 'fingers'. Everything else visible is wrong; sights, trigger, hammer, grip safety, mainspring housing, thumb safety and grips. These parts are really not expensive - it's the refinishing and restoration that would be around $300. I think the best you could do would be to make it a $650 gun if restored perfectly, so if you only have $350 in it maybe the numbers could work for you. I would probably do a black bake-on coating on the frame and slide, replace all the wrong parts (except maybe the sights) with blued correct ones and put a pair of grips on it. Original full-checkered wood grips with the medallions (not the double-diamond grips) are always on ebay for $10. This way your Mk IV Series 70 would at least look presentable and your investment would be low.

[Phil]

If 'G70' is at the end of the serial number, it's a 1978 Gov Model. I'd say it's about a $300 gun as it is. It would cost hundreds to restore it to original appearance, not counting the parts required. The barrel is right, and the bushing for that barrel should be the collet-type with four separate 'fingers'. Everything else visible is wrong; sights, trigger, hammer, grip safety, mainspring housing, thumb safety and grips. These parts are really not expensive - it's the refinishing and restoration that would be around $300. I think the best you could do would be to make it a $650 gun if restored perfectly, so if you only have $350 in it maybe the numbers could work for you. I would probably do a black bake-on coating on the frame and slide, replace all the wrong parts (except maybe the sights) with blued correct ones and put a pair of grips on it. Original full-checkered wood grips with the medallions (not the double-diamond grips) are always on ebay for $10. This way your Mk IV Series 70 would at least look presentable and your investment would be low.You would have a very nice shooter for not much money.

[OD*]

I think it's a pretty nice shooter the way it is. ;)

[Phil]

I think it's a pretty nice shooter the way it is. ;)Gee, I had almost forgotten that you don't HAVE to change everything on a gun. OD* is right. Don't worry about what you paid. It's an original Ser 70 Colt, with good sights and a nice beavertail safety. Go shoot your new gun ;)

[OD*]

Iffin' it were mine, I'd change the stocks, trigger, thumb safety and MSH to suit my tastes, other wise it looks rather business like to me. ;)

[lemppa]

Hi!

I have posted some of my pictures already earlier.

Here are two of them to show my
COLT'S MK IV/ SERIES '70
GOVERNMENT MODEL
9 mm LUGER CALIBER

I have used it very much, as can be seen on the photos.

Not much of collector's value left any more?

Most important: IT'S ALL ORIGINAL!

Regards,

lemppa

P.s. An unothodox question: Can you guys tell me the good forum to ask about Colt revolvers, in this case made in the 70's?

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e270/lemppa/Governmentleftside-1.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e270/lemppa/Governmentrightside.jpg

[Hunter]

Nice Colt 9mm you have. The 9mms are getting harder to find especially the older ones. If you go to the non 1911 forum and post your question on Colt wheelguns I am sure there is someone here who will know. OD is pretty sharp on the Colt wheelguns as well.

[OD*]

Nice Colt indeed, lemppa. http://forum.m1911.org/images/icons/icon14.gif

[travisaasen]

Very nice Lemmpa!

I've decided my series 70 is going to get plated. I have 5 1911's now...4 are collectors - I guess I have a shooter now.

[lemppa]

Thanks, travisaasen!

I am so oldfashioned that I like only the original. I used to practice IPSC with my 9 mm pistol but preferred to keep it original, anyway.

If you want a shooter and the pistol you are going to get plated and it is not in collectible condition, it's OK.

Even on this forum people are telling of buying replicas of series '70 pistols.

We all know what we want.

Regards,

lemppa

P.s. I hope I did not make this too serious.