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Thread: questions on recent acquired Colt 45-22 conversion kit

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  1. #1
    Join Date
    19th April 2018
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    questions on recent acquired Colt 45-22 conversion kit

    Hello all;
    I am a newbie here, but not to shooting...my passion for over 60 years.
    I have and enjoy a Colt government model 1911A1 series 80 . Recently I acquies a Colr 45-22 conversion kit in brown pape box with Colt logo, cointaining Colt identified slide with 22 conversion barrel floating chamber (I once met Carbine Williams!) spring slide lock and ejector and 1 magazine..
    There are no identification numbers on any parts, only the Colt data on slide.
    I assembled the conversion kit as per instuctions, and carefully, gently slid it onto the 1911A1 receiver. Te conversion kit doesn't work. The gun with not drop the hammer. I feels like the safety is on permanently!
    I dissembled and reassembled the pistol 3 times, thinking I made a rookie error... same results hammer will not fall. Trigger with not trip the mechanism. I retuned the pistol to 45acp status and pistol works fine!
    My questions are...
    * is the 1911A1 model any different from othe r government models that the kit will not work?
    * Does the unnumbered state of the kit say its a fake?
    * Wht is the action frozen, with trigger unable to drop the hanmmer when pulled.
    Thanks for any and all help you can give me!
    smokem

  2. #2
    Join Date
    29th August 2017
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    Your frame has a lever which actuates the firing pin block plunger. It's next to the disconnector hole. Series 70 guns didn't have this safety mechanism.

    If your 22 slide does not have this plunger and is not clearanced for this lever, it will interfere with the trigger movement.

    Compare the two slides; you should see the plunger in the 45 slide; is the 22 slide relieved in that same area?

    The above is based on this:

    "I feels like the safety is on permanently!"

    If the trigger actually does move back, then the 22 slide could be interfering with the disconnector.

    -
    Last edited by megafiddle; 19th April 2018 at 15:52.


  3. #3
    Join Date
    2nd June 2004
    Location
    Terra
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    I'm inclined to think the problem is the Series 80 lever not having clearance to allow full trigger travel. There are two ways to go with this:

    1. Detail strip the gun, remove the Series 80 levers, and install a spacer (available from Brownells). But you'll have to repeat the process and re0install the series 80 parts when you go back to .45, unless you also remove the Series 80 plunger and spring from the slide.

    https://www.brownells.com/search/ind...ller&ksubmit=y






    2. Have the .22 slide machined to provide clearance for the Series 80 lever. This would only have to be done once, and then there would be no need to swap out parts in the receiver. But -- you'd be making an irreversible modification to a collectable Colt conversion kit.
    Hawkmoon
    On a good day, can hit the broad side of a barn ... from the inside

  4. #4
    Join Date
    28th January 2006
    Location
    The Great American Desert
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    Have the same issue. Here is my made in 78 around an older Gold Cup except I forgot to put the No. 2 slide stop in the picture and they do not come with the recoil spring guide rod. I have extras and just leave that one on the spring.



    I am lucky enough to have several pre 80 series Colts, even Gold Cups I use it on. One good question and something I have NOT done is use it on my new, made in 2015 MkIV Series 70 GCNM or even my somewhat new made in 2013 Colt Series 70 Gov.

    When I bought mine I got the box and papers and on one of the papers was the initial purchase price of something like $78.50. Not THAT cheap as I bought a new in 78 Gov in 78 for about $240 as I recall. I knew about these back then but they were considered as "not all that accurate" and more of a "training tool" for shooting the 1911 in 45ACP by the wise ones at gun ranges and in gun stores. Mine was more like $300 something around 2006 or so. It is not all that accurate when I compare it to my Ciener or Kimber conversion units and my Marvel .22 conversion unit is probably my most accurate.
    NRA Life Member

  5. #5
    Join Date
    7th June 2004
    Location
    Western Washington
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    As strange as it may seem, the kit that converts .45 to rimfire is a ".22-.45 conversion".
    The .45-.22 was an extremely rare kit to convert the Service Model Ace to .45.
    "A grip safety is just another excess moving part. I have never known one to prevent an accident, and moreover, it is difficult to postulate a circumstance in which it might." Jeff Cooper
    Likes (1) :
    GR8GIFT (2nd July 2018)


  6. #6
    Join Date
    31st December 2006
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    smokem, I believe the other guys have nailed it.

    FWIW, I took my Conversion kit to a machinist and had him machine a groove in the kit slide to clear the '80 series Colt plunger lever. The kit was then usable on both '70 and '80 series frames without issue.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    31st July 2005
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    My Colt .22LR Conversion Kit sits on a Rock Island Armory (Armscor) 1911 .45 frame I scored from GB.

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