Colt Combat Commander 1911 9mm

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creekman

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Does anyone else have this gun- if so , what do you think of it-especially the trigger? I'm not sure it is as good as I thought it would be- or is it just me?
Have been shooting pretty well lately, but shooting the Commander twice did not shoot quite as well as with my other guns. Maybe it just takes getting used to....also, is there any "trick" to shooting a 1911?
All suggestions and comments appreciated.
 
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Heck yeah, I bought one of the newer ones in 9mm (ignore the other two pistolas in this picture):

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The trigger isn't S&W revolver single-action good, but it's fine. A Combat Commander was the first centerfire handgun I ever bought, back when they were a new thing. :o

I've been reading about wonderfully crisp 1911 triggers ever since that time, so they must exist; I hadn't seen one, even on the two Wilson Combats I own. I probably don't get around enough.

So I sent this Gold Cup to Cylinder & Slide. There's a bit of a wait, but it was well worth it:

standard.jpg
 
creekman said:
Does anyone else have this gun- if so , what do you think of it-especially the trigger? I'm not sure it is as good as I thought it would be- or is it just me?
Have been shooting pretty well lately, but shooting the Commander twice did not shoot quite as well as with my other guns. Maybe it just takes getting used to....also, is there any "trick" to shooting a 1911?
All suggestions and comments appreciated.
Click to expand...
I have had my 9MM Combat Commander for probably 20 years now.

I am pretty sure I did a trigger job on it after I bought it. I am seldom pleased with the trigger that any factory puts out.

It is not as accurate as my XI Elite, but that is to be expected, the Elite is basically a Gold Cup

creekman said:
is there any "trick" to shooting a 1911?
All suggestions and comments appreciated.
Click to expand...
The same "trick" that we use to get good with any firearm practice, Practice, PRACTICE
 
creekman said:
Does anyone else have this gun- if so , what do you think of it-especially the trigger? I'm not sure it is as good as I thought it would be- or is it just me?
Have been shooting pretty well lately, but shooting the Commander twice did not shoot quite as well as with my other guns. Maybe it just takes getting used to....also, is there any "trick" to shooting a 1911?
All suggestions and comments appreciated.
Click to expand...

Maybe shooting a lot more would help. Practice and all that.

I've got a good mix of handguns, and Colt 1911's account for, I think, about 8 of them.
My 9mm Commander and 9mm Govt. along with the other .45's of each of the sizes all feel the same to me.
So maybe you just need to shoot more and get used to the characteristics of the feel of the gun and trigger.
 
The hold is really important and most of us tend to hold it wrong.If you google around a bit for Jeff cooper I seem to remember some stuff onholding it in the right way(it was a long time ago)
 
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creekman said:
.also, is there any "trick" to shooting a 1911?
All suggestions and comments appreciated.
Click to expand...

Yes, focus on the front sight and control the trigger pull. Seriously, I’ve got lots of handguns, that cover all the modern action variants there are. To me, 1911 are the most accurate, easy to shoot with semi auto pistols there are. I shoot; Nighthawks, Les Baers and Kimbers. For me I always had to modify the grip safeties on the conventional hammered Colt 1911s, but not on the rowelled hammered Colt Commanders.

Sometimes shooters who shoot safe action pistols have difficulty adjusting to the short trigger pull and quick reset. They end up diving on the trigger. I have to remind myself that a 1911 trigger doesn’t pivot. I have to make a conscious effort to pull the trigger straight back.

You’ve got a great pistol. Get some ammo and shoot it a lot. I bet it will become one of your favorite pistols and lead to the purchase of more 1911s.
 
I bought one for my wife 25 years ago, she didn't like it, I shot it very well. Better and faster than my 45 1911s. I have been kicking my butt for ever selling it, for 20 years.
 
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@OP,

When you are looking at service grip panels, almost any brand is acceptable. When you start talking grips with thumbrests, shelves, and Palm swells, then you may need to consider the manufacturer.

One item to take into consideration is the mainspring housing. If your Commander has a flat mainspring housing and the grip feels small, you may benefit from an arched mainspring housing. If the grip has an arched mainspring housing and the grip feels too big, you may benefit from a flat mainspring housing.
 
Your handgun has the Colt "Lawyer's dictated pull." You can have a pistolsmith put a much better pull on it right down to ridiculously low poundage. There is/was a big industry out there in modifying Colt 1911s. They can be the best of a self defense handguns or superb target handguns or something in between the two. IMHO a trigger pull that is crisp and averages about 4 lbs. is the optimum for a home defense and plinker. The ergonomics of the 1911 are easily modified for your size of hand and finger length by a knowledgeable pistolsmith. The slim sizing of the frame and slide lend to being easily concealed by most any sized person.

I made my living for several years pistolsmithing 1911s for most all common end usage. I have a Colt 1911 70 series Commander that was original in 38 Super. Just because I could, I fitted a 9 mm barrel and a 9 x 21 mm barrel. I don't reload much anymore so I practice with 9 mm but carry that handgun as a 38 Super. There is very good self defense ammo made in both 9 mm and 38 Super.

I like night sight sets made in the Novak style with Trijicon inserts. I have smallish hands so I use thin grip panels and a short fitted trigger.

Your original Colt 1911 is like a blank piece of canvas to an artist. Any modification that you believe will help your shooting accuracy can be done. And, some are very cheap. Find a competent Instructor that knows 1911 shooting for accuracy and get a few lessons. It will be money well spent.

By the Way; the heavy trigger will get better with thousands of rounds down range. But, you very well could save money by getting a competent pistolsmith to 'breath on it just a little'. ..........
 
I've got a Combat Commander(satin nickel) and a Gold Cup,both in .45.The CC dates from the early '70s while the GC was born in early 21st century.My CC,after thousands of dry firing,shooting and a little polishing has a better trigger than my GC.
This being said,I'm a revolver shooter more than a SAuto gun.Here are my $0.02 worth of findings.
For quick follow up shots,I feel the 1911 is great(more so in it's short 4 1/4'' form than 5'').If you want to shoot a 1911 for pure precision,the thing is less forgiving than a revolver and more sensible to the consistency of the''grabbing''force you put into it.I mean you've got to hold it more tightly and with the same consistency as a revolver.I'm not suggesting that you can hold a revolver randomly tight and loose but to me and a few friends who shoot competitively for accuracy,this fact is more important for a s.auto than a revolver.On the other hand,the revolver is more sensitive on placement of the hand on the grip(higher or lower).
The secret is if you want to get good at one or the other,don't go from one to the other.Practice only with the one you want to get good with.
 
I have Colt Combat Commanders in 9mm and .45.
The 9mm is a slightly older blued model. The .45 is SS and made when Colt was putting the sort-of solid rib atop the slide.
Both have had mods done to enhance usefulness for me - beavertail grip safeties, extended carry safeties, longer triggers, grip changes, better sights (Novak).

That being said - the .45 is the much more accurate pistol.
Actually obtained the 9mm as a training aid in shooting the .45.
Didn't really work out that way since the .45 outshoots the 9.

Just got a RIA 5" in .38 Super. It outshoots the Colt 9mm also.
 
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I picked up a colt 04840wc after I helped a general store own tidy up his firearm stock room and found this new 2 years old colt . I was at the store to look at 1911's and this pistol was a willy clap model that is a series 70 , tight slide the frame fit and except for the trigger wiggle was a real nice pistol . He aske me if I liked it , heck yes and he sold it to me for a heck of a bargain price . I like the mid size beavertail , the brass bead novak sights the small gi thumb safety and being a Lite Weight model did not hurt . Even the unique grips work well .

I did order a short Ed Brown trigger to fit to the slide to for a tighter fit and did some polishing and smoothing of edges . Rubber graphite dry powder into the trigger group parts and ended up with a sweet .3lb 8oz trigger .
 
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