colt mkiv 90 User Guide
MK IV/SERIES 80 AND 90 PISTOLS:
GOVERNMENT MODEL
COMBAT COMMANDER. COMMANDER. (LIGHTWEIGHT)
COMBAT ELITE. DELTA ELITE. OFFICER'S ACpe COLT DEFENDERTM
Copyright@ 1996 Colt's Manufacturing Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
This instruction manual should always accompan"y this pistol.
When you lend, give or sell this firearm, be sure this manual goes with it.
TM
M1991A1. MODELS COMBAT TARGETTM
FRONT SIGHT SLIDE
BARREL
........
BARREL
BUSHING
RECOIL SPRING
PLUG
FIGURE 1-COLT"GOVERNMENT TRIGGER
SLIOE ST08"
NOTCH
EJECTION PORT
IOTHER SIDEI\REAR SIGH~
DISAS$EMBL Y
NOTCH
SLIDE
ITOf'
TRIGGER GUARD
/
MODEL" MK IV/SERIES 80
*'
~ CAUTION: ALWAYS KEEP AND CARRY YOUR PISTOL EMPTY, WITH THE HAM-
FIRING PIN LOCK
(WITHIN SLID£!
~ ".
,"0
H~ER
SLIDE LOCK
SAFETY NOTCH
SLIDE LOCK
SAFETY
GRIP SAFETY
STOCK
RECEIVER
MER FORWARD EXCEPT WHEN YOU INTEND TO SHOOT, so that your pistol
cannot be fired when you do not mean to fire it.
A
ili CAUTION: USE ONLY CLEAN, DRY ORIGINAL HIGH QUALITY COMMERCIALLY
MANUFACTURED AMMUNITION IN GOOD CONDITION which is appropriate to
the caliber of your pistol-see following table and Section 3 Caution 14. And
never carry the pistol with a round in the chamber until ready to shoot.
BARREL SUITABLE AMMUNITION:
CHAMBERED FOR: 38 Super 9mm 10mm
45 ACP Auto Luger Auto
45 ACP
38 Super Auto
9mm Luger
1Omm Auto
40 S&W
yes no no no
00 ps 00 00
no no yes no
no no no yes
no no no no
40
S&W
no
no
no
no
yes
SECTION 1 PRECAUTIONS
READ AND UNDERSTAND ALL THE FOLLOWING PRECAUTIONS BEFORE
REMOVING THIS FIREARM FROM ITS PACKAGE.
This Colt product is classified by the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Division
of the Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Treasury Department, as a firearm or
dangerous weapon; it is, therefore, potentially lethal!
&WARNING: IFTHIS FIREARM IS CARELESSLY OR IMPROPERLY HANDLED
UNINTENTIONAL DISCHARGE COULD RESULT AND COULD CAUSE INJURY,
DEATH, OR DAMAGE TO PROPERTY.
&CAUTION: CAREFULLY READ THIS INSTRUCTION MANUAL WHICH GIVES
BASIC ADVICE ON THE PROPER HANDLING AND FUNCTIONING OF THIS
COLT FIREARM PRIOR TO LOADING AND FIRING. However, your safety and
the safety of others (including your family) depends on your mature
compliance with that advice, and your adoption, development and constant
employment of safe practices.
If unfamiliar with firearms, seek further advice through safe handling
courses run by your local gun clubs, NRA approved instructor, or similar
qualified organizations.
SAFETY
DEPENDS ON YOU
CD
NOTICE
Colt shall not be responsible for injury, death, or damage to property resulting
from either intentional or accidental discharge of this firearm, or from its
function when used for purposes or subjected to treatment for which it was not
designed. Colt will not honor claims involving this firearm which result from
careless or improper handling, unauthorized adjustment or parts replacement,
corrosion, neglect, or the use of wrong caliber ammunition, or the use of
ammunition other than original high quality commercially manufactured
ammunition in good condition, or any combination thereof. Colt will not honor
claims involving this firearm for any reason or cause when such claims are
made by the second or subsequent owner.
IMPORTANT
Before it left the factory this firearm was tested, carefully inspected, and
packaged. Colt cannot control product handling after it leaves the factory;
therefore, please examine this firearm carefully at the time of purchase to insure
that it is unloaded and undamaged. The dealer will be pleased to assist you in
making this examination and endeavor to answer your further questions.
This instruction manual should always accompany this firearm. When you lend,
give or sell this firearm, be sure this manual goes with it.
0
SAFETY DEPENDS ON YOU
SECTION TITLE
1 PRECAUTIONS
2 M~in Features
3 Safety Instructions:
Cautions
Safety Features:
Trigger Guard
Slide Lock Safety
Grip Safety
Safety Stop on Hammer
Disconnector
Inertia Firing Pin
Firing Pin Lock
4 Function:
Ammunition Selection
Loading
To Load a Magazine
To Load the Pistol
LIST OF SECTIONS
PAGE
1
4
7
7
15
15
15
16
17
18
18
19
20
21
22
22
23
SAFETY DEPENDS ON YOU 0
SECTION TITLE
Carrying Modes
Unloading
To Unload
Colt Accro Adjustable
Rear Sight 28
Firing 29
To Fire 30
5 Maintenance: 33
Stripping for Cleaning 34
Assembling after Cleaning 39
When to Clean 45
How to Clean and Lubricate 45
Cleaning the Magazine 48
Storage 51
Servicing and Repair 52
6 Parts Illustrations and Lists 55
7 The Customized Gun 60
PAGE
26
27
27
SECTION
The Government Model MK IV Series 80 retains a quality of endurance
acknowledged since 1911. Manual and automatic safety devices, including the
Series 80 Firing Pin Lock, can be depended on to serve you reliably and safely
provided you handle the pistol properly. The Delta Elite and Combat Elite are
the same size, and have most of the features of the Government Model.
The Combat Commander and Commander Model (Lightweight) semi-automatic
pistols are identical in appearance and function. They differ from the Govern-
ment Model in size, weight and barrel configuration, and they differ one from the
other in that the "Lightweight" has an aluminum receiver in place of steel. The
Officer's ACP is similar to, but smaller than, the Commanders. It has a different
barrel bushing configuration.
These pistols are available in different calibers and in different metal finishes
which are shown in the table opposite. This instruction manual applies to all
these variations of the pistols and to commemorative issues of them currently
marketed by Colt.
The Government Model is illustrated throughout this manual and those illustra-
tions also apply to the Delta Elite, Combat Elite, and Combat Target, all Com-
mander pistols, the Officer's ACP and the Colt Defender unless otherwise shown.
2.
.
MAIN FEATURES
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SAFETY DEPENDS ON YOU
CONVERSION UNITS... IMPORTANT If you purchase a Colt 22 or 9mm
Conversion Unit, NOTE that only a Series 80 Conversion Unit is compatible with
a Series 80 pistol. Do NOT install a Series 70 Conversion Unit on a Series 80
pistol.
Pistol Type
Government Model
38 Super or
9mm Luger
45 ACP
Combat Elrte
45ACP
38 Super
40 S&W
Combat Target
45 ACP
Delta Elite
10mm
Combat Commander
38 Super or Fixed blade front.
9 mm Luger
Colt MK IV/Series 80 Semi-Automatic Pistols
Barrel
Length
5"
5-
5"
5-
5"
4~-
Finishes
Co~ Blue
Colt Blue,
Stainless Steel,
Nickel or
Satin Nickel
Blue slide
w/stainless receiver
Matte Blue
Matte Stainless
Blue
Colt Blue
Magazine
Capacity
9 rounds
8 rounds
8 rounds
9 rounds
9 rounds
8 rounds
8 rounds
9 rounds
SAFETY DEPENDS ON YOU
Sights
"'.."
notch rear.
f""
Fixed blade front.
Sight radius 5 ';'-
adjustable rear.
f~-.
Fixed blade front.
Sight radius 6'1,
As above.
FIXed square notch
high profile rear.
FIXed blade front.
3 Dot
Sight radius 6'1,
Fixed square
Sight radius
5'\1'-0
Barrel
Pistol Type
Combat Commander 4Y.."
45 ACP
Commander Model
(Lightweight)
45 ACP
Officer's ACP
45 ACP
Officer's ACP
(Lightweight)
45 ACP
M1991A1
45ACP
MI991AI
45 ACP Commander
M1991A1
45 ACP Compact
Series 90
Colt Defender
45 ACP
Length
474"
3%"
3'/.
5"
4Y.(
3'/.
3"
Finishes
Colt Blue, 8 rounds 3 dot fixed
Stainless Steel
or Satin Nickel
Colt Blue 8 rounds
Co~ Blue
or Stainless Steel
Co~ Blue 6 rounds
Parkerized 7 rounds
Matte Blue
Parkerized 7 rounds As above but
Matte Blue
Parkerized
Matte Blue
Matte Stainless
Slide with EIec1roless
Nickle Coated
Aluminum Receiver
Magazine
Capacity Sights
front and rear.
Sight radius 5',4"
As above.
6 rounds
6 rounds
7 rounds
As above but
with sight radius 5Y.
As above.
Fixed square
notch rear.
Fixed ramped
blade front.
Sight radius 6Y2
with sight radius 5',4"
3 dot fixed
front and rear.
Sight radius 5\18
Co~
Competition
Sights
NOTE: These features may change, for example, with the introduction of a new
caliber or new features.
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SAFETY DEPENDS ON YOU
SECTION 3 SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
We want you to enjoy shooting your Colt pistol, but we want you to enjoy it
safely. You may be an experienced safe shooter already familiar with the
procedures in this instruction manual, or you may never have handled a gun
before. Either way we urge you to READ THIS ENTIRE INSTRUCTION
MANUAL CAREFUllY. YOU MUST FOllOW THE SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
FOR YOUR SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF OTHERS.
&WARNING: When you squeeze the trigger, you must expect the gun to fire,
and you must take full responsibility for firing it. Your care can avoid
accidental discharge, and }l:ouwillthereby avoid accidental inju!y and death.
&
GENERAL HANDLING CAUTIONS I
I
1. ALWAYS HANDLE YOUR PISTOL AS IF IT WERE LOADED so that you
never fire it accidentally when you think it is unloaded.
2. NEVER POINT YOUR PISTOL AT ANYTHING YOU DO NOT INTEND TO
SHOOT so that if it fires accidentally, injury, death, or damage to property
will be prevented.
. -
SAFETY DEPENDS ON YOU
0
3. NEVER TAKE ANYONE'S WORD THAT A GUN IS UNLOADED: check for
yourself with fingers off the trigger and gun pointed in a safe direction, so
that you never fire the gun accidentally when you think it is unloaded.
4. ALWAYS MAKE SURE YOUR PISTOL IS NOT LOADED AND SLIDE IS
LATCHED OPEN BEFORE LAYING IT DOWN, OR HANDING IT TO ANOTHER
PERSON, so that it cannot be fired when it is unsafe to do so.
5. ALWAYS KEEP AND CARRY YOUR PISTOL EMPTY, WITH THE HAMMER
FORWARD except when you intend to shoot, so that your pistol cannot be
fired when you do not mean to fire it.
6. ALWAYSBE AWARE OF POSSIBLE RISK FROM DROPPING YOUR PIS-
TOL. Some parts of the mechanism could be damaged. You may not see the
damage but if it is severe, the pistol may discharge and cause injury, death,
or damage to property. If your pistol has been dropped, have it examined by
a competent gunsmith before using it again.
7.NEVER LEAVE PISTOL COCKED READY TO FIRE as this condition is
extremely dangerous, and pistol could easily be accidentally discharged,
causing injury, death, or damage to property.
8. NEVER LEAVE A LOADED PISTOL UNATTENDED. Someone, especially a
child, may fire it and cause injury, death, or damage to property.
0 SAFETY DEPENDS ON YOU
9. ALWAYS INSTRUCT CHILDREN TO RESPECT FIREARMS. If you teach
your children to shoot, teach them or get them trained by a qualified in-
structor to treat and use the pistol properly, and always supervise them
closely. Always stress safety so that your children will not fire the pistol
when it is unsafe to do so.
RANGE CAUTIONS
~I
10. ALWAYS BE SURE YOUR BACKSTOP IS ADEQUATE to stop and contain
bullets before beginning target practice so that you do not hit anything
outside the range shooting area. THINK! What will you HIT if you MISS the
target?
11. ALWAYS PUT A KNOWLEDGEABLE AND RESPONSIBLE PERSON IN
CHARGE TO MAINTAIN SAFETY CONTROL WHEN A GROUP IS FIRING ON
A RANGE. Obey his commands so that discipline is maintained to reduce
the likelihood of accidents.
12. ALWAYS CARRY YOUR PISTOL EMPTY WITH SLIDE LATCHED OPEN
WHILE ON A RANGE until preparing to fire, keep it pointing towards the
backstop when loading, firing and unloading, to eliminate the risk of injury,
death, or damage to property.
I
SAFETY DEPENDS ON YOU
0
LOADING CAUTIONS I
&I
13. ALWAYS BE SURE BARREL BORE, CHAMBER AND ACTION ARE CLEAN
AND CLEAR OF OBSTRUCTIONS. Clean a fouled pistol immediately so that
it will function correctly and safely.
14. ALWAYS USE ONLY CLEAN, DRY, ORIGINAL HIGH QUALITY COMMER-
CIALLY MANUFACTURED AMMUNITION IN GOOD CONDITION WHICH IS
APPROPRIATE TO THE CALIBER OF YOUR PISTOL. (See Table on inside
front cover). Gun and ammunition manufacturers design their products within
exacting engineering safety limits. Handloads and remanufactured ammu-
nition are sometimes outside those limits and can be so unsafe as to blow
up the chamber, slide and receiver and cause injury, death, or damage to
property.
SHOOTING CAUTIONS I
&I
15. NEVER DRINK ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES OR TAKE DRUGS BEFORE
OR DURING SHOOTING, as your vision, coordination and judgment could
be seriously impaired making your gun handling unsafe.
16. ALWAYS SEEK A DOCTOR'S ADVICE IF YOU ARE TAKING MEDICATION,
to be sure you are fit to shoot and handle your pistol safely.
@
SAFETY DEPENDS ON YOU
17. ALWAYS WEAR AND ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO WEAR EAR PROTEC-
TION WHEN SHOOTING, especially on a range. Without ear protection, the
noise of even one shot from your pistol, and other guns close to you, could
leave a "ringing" in the ears for some time after firing, while the cumulative
long term effect could be permanent hearing loss.
18. ALWAYS WEAR AND ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO WEAR PROTECTIVE
SHOOTING GLASSES. Flying particles could damage eyes and cause blind-
ness; but protective shooting glasses should prevent such injury.
19. ALWAYS KEEP THE SAFETY ON WHEN PISTOL IS LOADED AND COCKED
UNTIL YOU ARE READY TO FIRE. This will minimize risk of an accidental
discharge.
20. ALWAYS KEEP CLEAR AND KEEP OTHERS CLEAR OF THE EJECTION
PORT. Spent cartridges are ejected with enough force to cause injury. The
ejection port must also be unobstructed by your hand to insure safe ejection
of live rounds. Never place fingers in ejection port; they could be burned by
hot metal or injured by the slide moving forward.
21. NEVER SQUEEZE THE TRIGGER OR PUT YOUR FINGER INTHE TRIGGER
GUARD UNTILYOU ARE AIMINGAT A TARGET AND READY TO SHOOT.
This will prevent you firing the pistol when it is pointing in an unsafe direction.
SAFETY DEPENDS ON YOU
@
22. ALWAYS BE ABSOLUTELY SURE OF YOUR TARGET AND THE AREA
BEHIND IT BEFORE YOU SQUEEZE THE TRIGGER. A bullet could travel
through or past your target up to 1% miles. . . if in doubt, don't shoot. THINK!
What will you HIT if you MISS the target?
23. NEVER SHOOT AT A HARD SURFACE SUCH AS ROCK, OR A LIQUID
SURFACE SUCH AS WATER. A bullet may ricochet and travel in any direction
to strike you, or an object you cannot see, causing injury, death, or damage
to property.
24. NEVER DISCHARGE A FIREARM NEAR FLAMMABLE MATERIAL. Flame
and sparks erupt from the firearm when discharged. They could start a fire
or cause flammable liquids and gases to explode.
25. NEVER FIRE YOUR FIREARM NEAR AN ANIMAL unless It is trained to
accept the noise; an animal's startled reaction could injure it or cause an
accident.
26. NEVER INDULGE IN "HORSEPLAY" WHILE HOLDING YOUR PISTOL as
it may be accidentally discharged.
27. NEVER WALK, CLIMB OR FOLLOW A COMPANION WITH YOUR PISTOL
COCKED READY TO FIRE, out of its holster, or with the hammer in any
@
SAFETY DEPENDS ON YOU
position other than forward on an empty chamber, to eliminate risk of acci-
dental discharge. When hunting, hold your pistol so that you can always
control the direction of the muzzle.
MALFUNCTION CAUTIONS
&I
28. FAILURE TO FIRE: ALWAYS HOLD PISTOL, KEEPING IT POINTED
TOWARD THE TARGET OR A SAFE OPEN AREA AND WAIT 30 SECONDS
when pistol fails to fire. If a hangfire (slow ignition) has occurred, round will
fire within 30 seconds. If round does not fire, remove magazine, eject round
and examine primer; if firing pin indent on primer is light, off center, or non-
existent, have pistol examined by a competent gunsmith before firing again.
If firing pin indent on primer appears normal (in comparison with similar
previously fired rounds) assume faulty ammunition; segregate misfired round
from other live ammunition and empty cases, reload and carry on firing.
I
NOTE: Dispose of misfired rounds in accordance with ammunition
manufacturer's instructions.
29. NEVER USE YOUR PISTOL IF IT FAILS TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. AND
NEVER FORCE A JAMMED ACTION, as a round may explode causing serious
injury, possible death, or severe damage to your pistol.
SAFETY DEPENDS ON YOU
@)
CLEANING AND STORAGE CAUTIONS
&I
30. ALWAYS MAKE SURE YOUR PISTOL IS NOT LOADED BEFORE
CLEANING, STORING, TRAVELING, LAYING IT DOWN, OR HANDING IT TO
ANOTHER PERSON, so that it cannot be fired when it is unsafe to do so.
31. ALWAYS KEEP AND STORE YOUR PISTOL AND AMMUNITION IN SEPA.
RATE LOCKED RECEPTACLES OUT OF REACH AND SIGHT OF CHILDREN
AND UNTRAINED PEOPLE, to minimize the risk of pistol and ammunition
being easily available for loading and firing.
GUN ABUSE CAUTION I
&I
32. NEVER ABUSE YOUR PISTOL by using it for any purpose other than
shooting.
33. NEVER DRY FIRE THE PISTOL WHEN THE SLIDE IS REMOVED FROM
THE RECEIVER, and do not alter parts as the level of safety could be reduced,
NOTE: Please note that we have chosen to use the word "SQUEEZE" in this
instruction manual instead of "PULL" or "PRESS" when trigger movement is
described; this is simply to remind you of the need for a gentle squeezing action
to achieve accuracy.
I
@
SAFETY DEPENDS ON YOU
SAFETY FEATURES
Colt MK IV/Series 80 and 90 semi-automatic pistols incorporate several positive
safety devices which, if properly employed, can minimize the danger of acciden-
tal firing. These safety devices are described on the following pages.
Trigger Guard
The Trigger Guard is a metal loop around the trigger to protect it from damage
and to help prevent accidental discharge.
Slide Lock Safety
The Slide Lock Safety is located on the left rear of the pistol just below the slide.
With hammer fully cocked and Slide Lock Safety applied, upper part of Slide
Lock Safety engages slide lock notch to prevent rearward movement of slide,
while an internal cam surface engages the sear to prevent forward hammer
movement when trigger is squeezed. This safety device can be applied only
when the slide is fully forward and hammer is fully cocked.
To apply Slide Lock Safety, point pistol in safe direction, keep fingers outside
trigger guard, pull slide fully to rear and allow it to return sharply forward,
leaving the hammer in fully cocked position. Press up on Slide Lock Safety
SAFETY DEPENDS ON YOU
@
until it fully engages slide lock notch (See Figure 2). When the Slide Lock
Safety is down, the sear is free to release the hammer to fire the pistol when it
is properly gripped and the trigger is squeezed.
HAMME R
$PUR
FIGURE 2-SLIDE LOCK SAFETY
Grip Safety
The Grip Safety is located on the upper rear part of the receiver (See Figure 1).
The Grip Safety is automatically applied by spring action to prevent rearward
travel of trigger unless pistol grip is firmly and properly grasped. The front of the
Grip Safety (inside the pistol frame) contacts rear of trigger to prevent its
rearward movement. When the pistol grip is positively grasped, the Grip Safety
is rotated out of contact with rear of trigger to allow trigger movement.
@
SAFETY DEPENDS ON YOU
Safety Stop on Hammer
The Safety Stop is a flat, shelf-like surface on the hammer which functions as
an automatic safety device. Itwill engage the sear in the unlikely event of
primary sear notch failure. This will prevent the hammer from falling fully
forward unintentionally and will insure against uncontrolled automatic fire. It
also prevents the hammer from striking the firing pin should your hand slip from
the slide or hammer while cocking the pistol, provided the hammer is rotated
past the Safety Stop. It is located such that when the sear engages the Safety
Stop, the sear can be disengaged by squeezing the trigger to allow the hammer
to fall forward. The hammer will fall when you squeeze the trigger. It falls
because the sear slides over the flat part of the safety stop to release the
hammer. This is intentional but will not allow the pistol to fire. It will not fire
because the hammer is already almost fullyforward when itis released from
the sear. The Safety Stop is not a manual safety and should not be engaged
by hand.
A
ili CAUTION: CONTROL HAMMER WITH YOUR THUMB AND ALWAYS POINT
PISTOL INA SAFE DIRECTION WHEN SQUEEZING THE TRIGGER TO LOWER
THE HAMMER. This will avoid accidental injury in the unlikely event of pistol
discharge, but lowering the hammer in this way should be done only when
the chamber is empty.
SAFETY DEPENDS ON YOU
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Disconnector
This safety device prevents a round being fired before it is in the chamber with
slide and barrel locked. When slide is not fully forward the Disconnector is
depressed; its lower part disengages the sear, so that the hammer cannot be
released if the trigger is squeezed. However, when slide and barrel are locked,
a spring pushes the Disconnector up into a recess in the slide; this links trigger
and sear so that the pistol can be fired by squeezing the trigger.
LU CAUTION: NEVER ATTEMPT TO CHECK OR DEMONSTRATE THE
*
DISCONNECTOR FUNCTION WITH A LOADED PISTOL. Pushing on the
muzzle with your hand or any other portion of the body is extremely danger-
ous and could result in accidental discharge causing injury, death, or damage
to property.
Inertia Firing Pin
The Firing Pin, which is shorter than its housing, is held to the rear by a spring
and cannot protrude through face of slide unless a hammer blow overcomes the
spring force and the inertia of the pin.
@
SAFETY DEPENDS ON YOU
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