Colt conversion

Dave45-70

I have a vintage Colt 1911 22 conversion, it only cames with one magazine, can anyone tell me if the Colt ACE mag will fit my conversion? thanks

Dave45-70

been looking at a colt 22 conversion on an essex frame that is supposed to be in fine shape...got me buffaloed as to whether this might be a good deal about 1/2 price some ace 22 out there..dug thru threads here but have little experience with this type setup...appreciate any facts or opinions..thanks

perry shooter

There are a number of different Colt made conversion units . The original ACE was a pistol with a slightly shorter barrel and slide 4.75 inches it had it's own Magazine that was two tone and did NOT have a floating chamber barrelserial numbers wereall numbers . Then the conversion units made for military training these came in their own box and the slide was marked wit a serial number starting with the letter U they also had adjustable sights and floating chamber barrels all magazines from this stage forward will interchange. The 1980" ACE built as a complete pistol was just a Government model with a factory mounted Conversion unit serial numbers started with SM

rufe-snow

There are two distinct generations of Colt .22 pistols called the ACE.

Most likely encountered will be the ones made in the 70's/80's, time frame. These were made for the "floating chamber" barrel. And use the same mag as the conversion units.

If you have a original "ACE" mag, from the Colt .22's made in the 30's & 40's? Don't use it. It's a very valuable collectors item nowadays. If original and in good shape? You likely could buy 3 or more of the later ACE model mags. From the money you get, by selling it to a collector.

Hawk Carse

The Colt Conversion, so marked, has the floating chamber of the Service Model Ace pistol and should take the same magazine.

The original Ace with one piece barrel and shorter, lighter slide, was not the basis for any conversion and had its own magazine. Which are not available that I know of anyhow.

JudgeColt

Do not confuse the Ace and Service Model Ace. They are not the same, as Hawk Carse points out. The magazines are not interchangeable. The Ace was not made after World War II. The Service Model Ace was reintroduced in 1978 and was generally discontinued again in 1982.


Except for the late Ace II (which does not use the floating chamber), all Conversion Units use the Williams Floating Chamber, and all vintages of magazines will interchange functionally, if not aesthetically.