Colt Government Model .45 ACP Pre-Series 70 (1966) – Full-Size 1911, Blued, Commercial C-suffix
This 1966 Colt Government Model is a pre-Series 70 commercial 1911 in .45 ACP with the C-suffix serial pattern and classic blued carbon-steel construction. It features fixed sights, brown checkered plastic grips with molded-in Rampant Colt roundels, and correct commercial slide and barrel markings. Its bore is bright and clean with excellent rifling, and it comes with two 7-round magazines, the original box and manual, and a Galco IWB holster.
Condition
Overall Condition: Good condition, showing some signs of prior use and handling.
Bore Overall Condition: Good - Clean, well-maintained, minor wear marks.
Bore Rifling: Excellent Rifling - Sharp lands and grooves.
Specific Condition Notes: The bore is bright and clean. There are scratches on the slide, frame, and barrel from prior handling and use. The pistol presents well for its age.
What's Included
- Original box
- Colt Government Model owner's manual/booklet ("Colt's Automatic Pistols")
- 2x 7-round steel single-stack magazines (one magazine body marked '45 ACP')
- Galco rough-out leather IWB holster with belt clip
This full-size Government Model reflects the pre-Series 70 configuration, predating the Accurizor collet bushing and the later Series 80 firing-pin safety. It uses the standard short-recoil, single-action 1911 system with a 5-inch barrel, 7+1 capacity, a short solid trigger, and both a manual thumb safety and a grip safety.
Construction and features are consistent with mid-1960s commercial production: a blued carbon-steel frame and slide, rear-only vertical cocking serrations, a non-lowered ejection port, and an arched mainspring housing with vertical serrations. The wide, checkered spur hammer and fixed sights (staked blade front, square-notch rear) are correct for the period.
Markings and proofs are clear and desirable for collectors. The left side of the slide is marked "GOVERNMENT MODEL" and "COLT AUTOMATIC CALIBER .45" with the Rampant Colt, while the right side reads "COLT'S PT. F. A. MFG.
CO. HARTFORD CONN. U.S.A." The barrel hood is marked "COLT .45 AUTO." Additional factory marks include the Colt triangular "VP" Verified Proof on the left trigger guard bow and an "2" inspection/assembly mark on the right bow. It retains the standard recoil spring plug with checkered face and a solid barrel bushing.
As a 1966 U.S.-made commercial example with the C-suffix serial pattern, this pistol represents a well-regarded era of Colt Government Model production. The clean bore with sharp rifling and intact period-correct details make it a strong choice for collectors and 1911 enthusiasts. The package is rounded out by two magazines, the original box and manual, and a Galco IWB holster.