James J. Walters wrote:Wow
Dan, you pretty much covered everything there! Thanks!
I guess the only thing left to add is the M1911A1 and the Walther PPK.
I'll start working on the page sometime next week. If anything else should be added, please post it here.
Colt recently reintroduced the Series 70 Government Model as a Custom Shop offering. As I've mentioned in other posts, Magnum's gun was
probably a Series 70, though it may have been a pre-Series 70 as well (no way to tell without seeing the markings and/or seeing it disassembled).
The interesting thing about the reissue of the Series 70 by Colt, is, mechanically it is actually a pre-Series 70 Government Model (which is a good thing in many peoples' opinion, including mine). The only mechanical different between the pre-Series 70 CGM and the Series 70 CGM was the latter had an "Accurizer" barrel bushing rather than the original solid bushing. This did make the guns slightly more accurate, but the "Accurizer" bushing was also prone to breakage after extensive usage.
So anyway, this newly reissued Series 70 has the traditional solid barrel bushing, same as military and pre-Series 70 CGMs had, and since that was the only mechanical difference, that makes it a "Series 70" in name only. I suppose they called it a Series 70 to distinguish it from a Series 80, which has an internal passive firing pin lock safety, which purists absolutely despise.
The gun isn't cheap however (cheaper than a Rolex GMT though). Last I knew, they were $900-$1000.
Here is a link.
Here is a review of the new Series 70, with better pictures than Colt's site has.
They come with M1911-style "Diamond pattern" grips. Original Series 70s, as well as military M1911A1s, and Magnum's CGM, had full checkering (no diamond-shaped patterns around the grip screws), like
these, so that would be something one would want to replace if they wanted it to look like Magnum's CGM. The material should be walnut.
Here is a link to the Walther PPK. The picture shows a stainless steel version. I'm not sure if they are still available in a blued finish. They are available in .32 ACP and .380 ACP. The traditional chambering for a PPK is .32 ACP, and that is most likely what Magnum's was chambered for.