# Bought a Colt MK IV series 80 "Officers" model



## dondavis3 (Aug 2, 2009)

I just bought a used Colt MK IV series 80 "Officers" model in .45 ACP .

It's all Satin Nickel and for a 25 year old gun is in great shape.










It has wooden grips and someone added a ambi safety (which I need) to it.

We took it completely apart in the store & wiped it down (it was already cleaned) and lubed the slide & rails.

I bought it for $510.

It only has one mag & no box or papers.

I can't wait to shoot it this weekend.

:smt1099


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## VAMarine (Dec 25, 2008)

Very nice, I'm a big fan of that Satin Nickel, it's a great finish.


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## Baldy (Jun 21, 2006)

Very nice pistol that should meet all your needs. I have a Kimber with the satin finish and I like it real well. Good luck with it. :smt1099


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## sig225 (Aug 30, 2010)

Very nice looking Colt. I had the blue Officers model as my first pistol back in the late 80's. Makes a nice little CCW ...:draw:


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## dondavis3 (Aug 2, 2009)

Well here are the details of the gun.

I went back to my shop and the gunsmith and I looked up all the details in the Gun Bible.

My new Colt Officers Model 1911 in .45 Cal.was made in 1985.

The finish is a Satin Nickel finish

It has Millett Series 100 Custom Combat Low-Profile Sights installed.

It has a Videcki Custom Trigger installed - it's a 3 hole trigger w/ over travel screw .

The Ambidextrous safety was made by Armand D. Swenson, (Fallbrock, CA, US). .. the safety's finish is either chrome or shiny Nickel.

I took it to the range and put a quick 100 rounds through it.










The gun shoots better than I do. :anim_lol:

I'm a lefty so other than a couple of fliers - I'm consistently stabbing at the trigger making me shoot just a tad low and right.

For my age - that's good enough 

I think I like this gun.

:smt1099


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## mgh (Sep 7, 2010)

I also have a SS Colt MK4 series 80 officer model that I bought new in 1995. For a short barrel gun it shoots on target.


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## dondavis3 (Aug 2, 2009)

The Ambidextrous safety was made by Armand D. Swenson, (Fallbrock, CA, US).

He makes custom 1911's and barrels and ambidextrous safeties.

Sorry it took so long to get back to you, I've been researching it.

It seems he's passed away now.

:smt1099


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## cougartex (Jan 2, 2010)

Very nice Colt. :smt023


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## Packard (Aug 24, 2010)

Just a word on finishes:

Nickel plating (when compared side by side with chrome) will have a yellowish cast to it; the chrome will have a bluish cast to it.

Nickel has a hardness rating of 400 - 600 on the Vickers scale; Chrome has a hardness rating of 1000 to 1200 on the Vickers scale. Chrome is supposed to hold lubrication well. I don't know about nickel.

Hard chrome is harder than steel and will improve the wear rate on the slides. Nickel is substantially softer than steel and will wear out eventually on the slides. This will make no real difference if the weapon is kept lubed.

"Hard chrome" is chrome plating that is applied with a thicker coating and a "contolled thickness". Plating thickness can vary quite a bit over a single part; hard chrome minimizes the variances.

Both chrome and nickel have a salt spray rating in the high 20 hour range. This would put it below zinc plating but substantially above bluing.

Vickers scale is simply a relative way to measure hardness.

Salt spray rating is in hours. The parts are placed in a hostile environment (moist, hot and salty) and observed every 2 hours looking for red rust. Once red rust appears the testing is done and the hours are noted. It gives a relative rating, not an absolute rating.


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