[nero]

I just bought a NIB blued Colt Government Model 80 series 9mm, it's serial number is FR079xx. Can anyone here tell me what year it was made? Thanks.



nero

 

[ohiobuckeye]

I think you may have what's known as a "Frankenstein" around this neck of the woods. The "FR" s/n prefix was used on a batch of frames (complete lowers) sold by Colt through CDNN a few years ago. At one time you could buy a couple of different complete lower configurations, and a complete lower in a Colt hard case with all the normal pistol manual and paperwork for less than 200 bucks. If memory serves me correctly, I think I paid 169.00 each buying them six at a time. I still have one of them waiting to be built into a 40 cal "Gold Cup". I have no idea how many of these frames were sold, but they pop up occasionally, with everything from WWII military slides to Gold Cup uppers on them. There was an assortment of new Colt series 70 slides being sold at the same time, and people were buying the frames and slides and using a mix of parts to build complete guns.

 

[nero]

Thanks, Ohiobuckeye.

Though the info you gave me has made me a little uneasy. I purchased this 1911 on GunBroker two days ago, but have not received it yet (the seller gave me the serial number via email in response to my email asking him about the pistol, but he didn't tell me it was a "Frankenstein") /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif. Now I've got my fingers crossed hoping that it will function OK....

How was the quality of the "FR" frames that you purchased? Are/were those frames caliber interchangable, in other words would they function OK with a Colt 80 series 9mm slide/barrel?

Again, thank you.


nero

 

[ohiobuckeye]

The frames were of excellent quality...Identical to the frames used on the Colt production guns. The overall quality of the resulting "Frankenstein" would depend on the quality of the upper parts used, and the skill of the assembler, but the lower half would be as good as any new Colt Government model. I have no way of knowing for certain, but I remember someone telling me at least one batch of the frames sold were leftovers from the defunct 9X23 Government model, so they would definitely be compatible with any of the 9mm/38 super family of cartridges. CDNN was selling Colt packaged 38 super barrel/ magazine kits that worked just fine with one of these frames and a 9mm or 38 super slide.

 

[nero]

Thanks, Ohiobuckeye. I anticipate receieving this pistol sometime next week, and I'll shoot it the following monday. I post how it functioned then.


nero

 

[nero]

Well I took my 9mm 1911 to the range this morning. I put 200 rounds of Walmart's Winchester white box 115gr FMJ through it. I experienced 2 stovepipes and 3 or 4 FTFs. Brass ejection was a bit erratic, and I was hit in the forehead with hot brass about 10 times. The pistol shot POA, though the trigger has a bit too much take-up and is a bit heavier than I'd like.

I'm going to drop it off at a local gunsmith tomorrow to see if he can tune the extractor to improve reliability and brass ejection. I'm also going to see to if he can improve the trigger a bit. Finally, I'm going to see if he can replace the spur hammer with the older type round commander hammer. I'll let you'll know how it performs after the gumsmithing.

nero