I suddenly have the need "want'' for a Commander Size 1911. I have been looking at the Colt 1991 Series in Stainless Steel. I like the old style bushing over the Bull Barrel and the fact Colt is not putting a lock on the mainspring housing. What is the difference between the 70 Series and 1991 Series Colts? Thanks

Dan Wesson CBOB. Best gun for the money.

AFAIK there is no "Series 70" Commander/Combat Commander. IIRC Colt found the collet bushing that distinguishes the Series 70 did not work with the Commander slide and barrel.

About 8 years ago Colt started making "new" series '70 and 1991 series pistols. They are not like their early counterparts. I hesitate to respond to the OP because I gave up collecting 1911's (Colts) about 8 years ago, and stuff has changed. If you want a 1911 style pistol buy a Colt. All others are just copies. The fact is others have made copies of the design and some are better, but it ain't a Colt. If the '70 and 1991 both have the series '80 style safety then it's a crapshoot. The '70 will cost more, because. I just sold a blue series '80 Commander, I'd look for one of those, if I was you. They made them in stainless also. Everybody should have one at least Colt 1911. Mine is an old Argentine with a military slide.

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SOS USA

I've got to put my two cents in here-even if it is only worth a quarter of a penny.........The Dan Wesson (CZ) IS about the best "bargain" for the dollar. IMHO I've been shooting my commander bobtail 10MM and it is an accurate pistola. I've made a few changes to it, but I run some fast stuff through it. I have a 1958 Colt National Match that is INCREDIBLE to say the least, but the newer Colts are like a Harley-Davidson. They run and they have a great name, but there is better stuff out there unless you need to be validated by others opinions of what you have. My STI custom is nice, but it is spendy. My Wilson Combat CQB is one of the finer ACP's I've ever had the pleasure of owning or shooting. But, again....spendy. My Dan Wesson Match Patriot 10MM shoots awesome right out of the box!!!! And under 1K!!! The Dan wesson-CZ commander bobtails are right around 1K new even here in Alaska. At the end of the day, I don't care what you buy and what you shoot. I would, however like to see you get something that rivaled a $1700-$2200 dollar custom and have money left to buy ammo and take the family out to dinner........Good luck and good hunting in your choice........Sprefix

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Go big or stay home

I acquired a Rock Island Armory Compact a few years ago that I am very pleased with. It's all steel, not lightweight. Came with a 5lb. trigger out of the box. It will shoot into 3.5" at 25 yards, on par with my Springfield Armory, and not too far behind my Colt Series 70 Gold Cup. It is a 6 round magazine and 3.5" barrel. I did replace the (G I style) sights with slightly taller more easily seen sights, and installed a Brown Beavertail grip safety. While it isn't Colt quality, it shoots nearly as well, and costs about 1/3rd. I have about 1000 rounds though it, and has no FTF's. It feeds 200 gr. SWC's as well as it does 230 ball.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

I have a blue series 80 combat commander that i carried daily for probably ten or twelve years, 'til a new Sheriff decided he didnt like cocked n locked. Anyway, that gun has always shot better than I could shoot. I added an ambi safety 'cause i am a lefty, and Wilson Combat sights. When I retire for good I will go back to it in a heartbeat. Look for a good used Series 80 like mine, and it will do right by you. John

Buy a Series 70 or 80 Colt. The firing pin safety on the Series 80 does not to any practical extent adversely effect the trigger pull. If you want to spend 2 grand, buy a Colt and have it customized.

They are great guns. Shoots almost as accurate has my DW Pointman.

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Still Running Against the Wind

I have a Colt XSE series Combat Commander that my wife bought for me when I retired from the Air Force. I replaced the flat beavertail grip safety with a Wilson Drop-in beavertail safety and put Crimson Trace laser grips on it, otherwise it's factory stock. I had a gunsmith polish the action, and it has a 3.5 pound trigger with a crisp break. This is the one .45 I own that I'll never sell.

The older guns will not have the firing pin safety. I believe the 1991 models all have it, but I am not a Colt man. Can't say what they are doing, these days. In their price range, I think the S&W's 1911s are better buys, and suit my tastes better (configuration) than Colts, but I am not a slave to the Colt mystique and don't buy guns worrying about resale values.

There is really no point to a Commander unless you are buying the lightweight model. An all-steel model saves you 3/4" of barrel and slide, but is a bit more violent. The butt of the gun is more difficult to hide than the slide. I like the lightweight gun a lot, but for an all steel model, the 5-inch gun seems more logical - although I have seen some pretty jazzy little compensated Commanders in .38 Super made up to approximately the same overall length as a Government model.

Carrying the lightweight model is not a lot more burdensome than carrying a J-frame, a steel one considerably more so. Frame cracking is a concern, but not an overpowering one. I have more confidence in S&W to handle a cracked frame problem than any other company I can think of.

I agree with the poster who said to buy the more modern design with the firing pin safety. If you keep your gun clean and know what to watch out for, I think the safety is no real drawback. It doesn't make a lot of sense on a Gold Cup, but that doesn't count in the world of cookie-cutter/lawsuit-mentality manufacturing.

Thanks for the info

I recently traded into a nice Combat Commander. It is all steel which at first I thought a bit heavy-ish.....until I shot a thousand rounds or so....

It has an absolutely wonderful balance that works very well for me.
I've had the various 5" 1911s, the Tactical Tupperware, the alloy wondernines/wonder45s/wonder10s/etc.

The Combat Commander works far better for what I like, than the alloy Commander.

To each his own.

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Dum vivimus Vivamas

I think that this reply has some very good feedback, and answers the OP question (and yes, the 1991s all have the firing pin safety...). I also agree that you should go with the Series 80 for carry.

The Series 70s inherently have a better trigger pull, but in my opinion it is not truly noticable unless you are doing some serious target shooting (or just have a bad trigger job on a Series 80...). The lightweight Commanders will kick a bit more than the all-steel version. This will not matter much if you are primarily using it for carry purposes.

I have a lightweight Commander, and a '70s Series' Combat Commander, and really like them both, but when it comes to carry, I usually go with my Colt Defender... To the retentive types out there, I know there is not really such a thing as a '70s Series Commander,' but this is the common vernacular used for such guns, as it's the same firing system as the Series 70 guns (no FPS), but just does not have the slotted bushing (which according to some is probably a good thing...). I believe the 'proper' term for these guns is "Pre 80s Series..."

I do believe there are some very good quality 1911s that are not Colt (including S&W), but to me, there is nothing like a Colt 1911. In my opinion, if you are going to have just one, get the Colt. Good luck with your decision.

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NRA Life Member

Have a look at the back cover of this months American Rifleman.

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Regards, Ron
USASA 1965/69

I would disagree that the Series 80 is better for carry, however, I would not say I prefer a 70 Series either. Given the preference, I would always prefer gun without the 80 Series lockwork, but in reality it makes very little difference to me. I have had Colt built for me in both Commander and Government Model sizes in both 70 and 80 Series and either set up is fine with me, although I generally prefer the Commander sized guns.

I do prefer the lightweight Commanders for carry, though.

Well, if your gonna go fot it, go overboard...thats my motto! I owned a Dan Wesson CBob and liked it. Then I shot a friends Ed Brown Kobra Carry.......the CBob has a new home and I have 2 Ed Browns for carry now. I know, I'm an idiot. But I LOVE these 2 pistols!!

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Nothing to see here,move along

The only Kimber I'd like have back was a steel frame series 1 compact. As far as full size I detest the forward cocking serrations.

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SOS USA

Marshall357 - Have you considered something like this?

Product: Model SW1911 Compact ES

This gun interests me. Have yet to see one.

I like the Commander-length barrels, but the Commander has a full size lower frame, which makes concealment a bit harder. My solution years ago was to get a Kimber stainless compact. It combines a 4-inch barrel with the compact (Officer's length) frame. This one features the earlier internal extractor, short adjustable trigger, tritium sights, and Wilson magazine, which holds seven rounds. If you are going to carry a .45 1911-style pistol, I consider this one to be about ideal. Kimber's quality, accuracy and reliability are exceptional.

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

I gotta get me a set of those grips!!
Might I ask, where you found them?

Now I really have to think about it!! Thanks Guys

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Memory of Randy Freas-Rimfired

Mickey D; nice looking rig you've got there...

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NRA Life Member

Yes, it is! I just despise these awful modern hammers that make the gun look like it was customized by some Goth-minded teenager with a Dremel tool. That gun has a proper one - and nice stocks, too.