Jan 27, 2014 - To tell your basic born-on date frame for your MKIV, look at the serial number. The prefix “70G” was used from 1970-1976, “G70” from.
Information courtesy of THE SIGHT M1911A1 The MKIV Series 70 Government Model Colt pistols were manufactured from 1970 to 1983 and have '70G' as a prefix in the serial numbers on the models made from 1970 to 1976. The models made from 1976 to 1980 have 'G70' suffixes.
Models made from 1979-1981 have 'B70' suffixes and models made from 1981 to 1983 have '70B' prefixes. The Series 70 had, in addition to the Government model, a Series 70 Combat Commander, Series 70 Lightweight Commander, and Series 70 Combat Government. The Series 70 featured an accurizer barrel bushing for improved accuracy. Can't really add much to what the fellas have said already except, buy a new Series '70 repro for less money, if you plan to make it a regular shooter and or plan to customize it. On the '70 repros, look for the '71' prefix on the serial number. The other thing is, Colt did not produce Commanders in Series '70 configuration nor did they ever rollmark any as such.
To be a Series '70 it has to have the 'Accurizer barrel' and the collect bushing, the Commanders had neither. Some will claim that when Colt used the '70' as a prefix, it makes them a Series '70, that is not the case. It is only a numerical prefix, you will find late model Series '70s with an '80' prefix, but they are true Series '70s and have none of the Series 80s additional parts. Can't really add much to what the fellas have said already except, buy a new Series '70 repro for less money, if you plan to make it a regular shooter and or plan to customize it. On the '70 repros, look for the '71' prefix on the serial number. The other thing is, Colt did not produce Commanders in Series '70 configuration nor did they ever rollmark any as such. To be a Series '70 it has to have the 'Accurizer barrel' and the collect bushing, the Commanders had neither.
Some will claim that when Colt used the '70' as a prefix, it makes them a Series '70, that is not the case. It is only a numerical prefix, you will find late model Series '70s with an '80' prefix, but they are true Series '70s and have none of the Series 80s additional parts. Ha - I found my first one(70 gov model) in a pawn shop. Dummies didn't know what they had.I picked it up for $150!!!! And yes.I checked the nubmers it's a real original 70.
Slide fit was even rather tight.no major burring areas or anything. Only thing I ended up doing was replacing a few bits and pieces like the recoil spring (but kept all the originals in a bag so I still have them). I've had folks at the range offer me upwards of 700 for it. Needless to say if you know what you're looking for.you can find deals (err in my case steals).
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Does anybody know what year a 70 series Gold Cup National Match is with a serial number of 14XXXN70? I'm having trouble finding the N70 suffix referenced on the internet. According to the book 'Colt, An American Legend' by R.L.
Wilson, the first Colt Gold Cup Serial number of 1982 was 11067N70, and the first number of 1983 was 27051N70. So your gun was manufactured in 1982, probably about March.
In 1983 Colt ended production of series 70 Gold Cups and switched over to series 80 production, starting with serial number FN01000. The last series 70 Gold Cup produced was serial number 28674N70.
Does this help? Looks like 1977 to me. Does this help? During 1970 the change to the new series '70' begins and serial numbers changed also. S/N 70G01001 to 70G 4550 S/N 70G05551 to 70G 12,450 S/N 70G18001 to 70G 16,400 S/N 70G34401 to 70G 8600 S/N 70G43001 to 70G 30,000 S/N 70G73001 to 70G 15,900 S/N 70G88901 to 70G 11,099 During 1976 a range change of serial number begins. S/N 01001G70 to 139 12,900 S/N 13901G70 to 451 31,299 S/N 45200G70 to 891 43,986 S/N 89186G70 to 999 10,813 During 1979 a range change of serial numbers begins on March 20, 1979.
S/N 01000B70 to 300 29,008 S/N 30009B70 to 729 42,981 S/N 72990B70 to 999 27,009 During 1981 a range change of serial numbers begins on Oct. S/N 70B00001 to 70B 11,246 BTW, Series 70's are very desirable.