Colt Officers Lightweight Enhanced 45acp

03hemi · May 10, 2019

I literally just picked this up off law-a-way from my LGS, please excuse the filth. It's a Lightweight Officers "Enhanced" model 45acp. I know a little about the Officers already and know the LW Enhanced model wasn't the most produced version, so I'm looking for a production number on these little gems. Considering I only gave $675, I think I did pretty good. I've seen them go for as much as $1000.
Please pardon the filthy beast, she'll get some TLC over the weekend and I'll put some after photos up. The grips have to go and be replaced with something deserving of such a nice pistol. Thoughts, how many made like this and possible value?
The obligatory pictures.
Thanks,
Tray

colt_saa · May 10, 2019

Is that a 1991 Lightweight Officer's ACP? Or is that a 1911 Lightweight Officer's ACP?

I had a 1911 Lightweight Officer's ACP in the 90s, but it had a high polished slide.

I recall that the 1991 has much more matte finish

Lee Barner · May 10, 2019

colt saa, I have the 1991A1 "compact" which has the matte finish. it is marked COMPACT on the slide instead of officers acp. lee

Ivan the Butcher · May 11, 2019

Many people scoff at the accuracy of compact 45's. I have or had 6 different compact 45's on the 1911 style platform. My favorite is my Para-Ordinance C6.45LDA "Para Carry".

The story of the accuracy is this: When a friend passed away suddenly at Easter 2003, another friend and I left his "Viewing" to go celebrate his life by shooting 45's! Since is was spur of the moment, we didn't have target guns or ammo, we had the guns on our side and our carry spare ammo! We made it to a farm, and set up 20 ounce plastic pop bottles we had emptied for the occasion. The living friend didn't believe in starting close and working back, so all 17 of my shots were at 45 yards! Using Federal 230 grain "Hydra-Shoks" I kept every thing in 6 inches! (mostly 4" with a couple of pulls to the right-to my shame)

I also used to have a Springfield Officers size steel frame (it came with Colt mags!), It shot Winchester 185 grain STHP in 3 inch groups at 25 yards. (this was the only factory 45 that didn't shoot 230 gr Fed HS to the sights I have ever owned!)

See if one of those ammos will shoot POA. Your practice ammo can shoot off POI, But you will want ammo that goes dead on when it counts!

Ivan

stansdds · May 12, 2019

For $675 I think you did really well. Keep a close eye on the barrel bushing, it's thin and they have a reputation for cracking and breaking. Consider an EGW bushing. Also, you will want to make sure it is reliable with your desired ammo. The shorter the barrel on the 1911 pattern pistol, the more prone it is to feed jams.

03hemi · May 13, 2019

colt_saa said:
Is that a 1991 Lightweight Officer's ACP? Or is that a 1911 Lightweight Officer's ACP?

I had a 1911 Lightweight Officer's ACP in the 90s, but it had a high polished slide.

I recall that the 1991 has much more matte finish

It's a 1911 Lightweight Officer's ACP (I believe, how do you tell?), how does that effect the value? Just found out it has no MIM parts in it which is interesting considering it's an 80 series. I think I'm going to have all the carbon steel parts polished and blued and re-anodize the frame black.
Someone else commented on the bushing as well so I'll have to check into swapping it out too.
With new grips and finish it will make a really nice piece, here she is in "tear down" mode and I found no broken parts by the way.

colt_saa · May 13, 2019

03hemi said:
It's a 1911 Lightweight Officer's ACP (I believe, how do you tell?), how does that effect the value? Just found out it has no MIM parts in it which is interesting considering it's an 80 series. I think I'm going to have all the carbon steel parts polished and blued and re-anodize the frame black.
Someone else commented on the bushing as well so I'll have to check into swapping it out too.
With new grips and finish it will make a really nice piece, here she is in "tear down" mode and I found no broken parts by the way.

The 1991s were not finished as nicely as the 1911s. They all still worked the same, kind of like the Smith and Wesson Value Series of auto loaders way back when.

If you have the box, the label would have the product code on it. I think that Lee Barner nailed it when he said his 1991 was marked Compact instead of Officers ACP.

I would not worry about the bushing until it is something to worry about. The old saying goes"If it works, Don't fix it"

While I sold my Blue Lightweight, I still own and shoot My Ultimate Stainless. The bushing is just fine.

TheHobbyist · May 13, 2019

First, you did great on the purchase. I would think most would ask $ 875.00 for it depending on where you are in the US. Price is hard to say, because you never know what someone will pay or trade for it, but you could easily make $ 100+ immediately for it.

Someone mentioned the barrel bushing, that's a good reminder. I owned a few that did crack. Not a big deal obviously to replace, but better to get one right away. For a few years, I kept the last one, in case anyone said it was folklore.

Also, either I had the worst luck or there was some sort of design issue with the front site. On three different compact Colts, the front site would be AWOL after a range session (while shooting). It's just a little bit of metal peened over and could come loose and fly away. After about the 4th Colt that I had do this, I took a break for a little while. These examples are very, very uncommon, but sometimes I wish someone gave me the advice so I could have secured the sites better at least.

29aholic · May 13, 2019

I carried OM's forever. At one time I carried two lightweights as a "Detroit Reload". IIRC I always replaced the dual recoil springs with a single heavier one. Accuracy for the most part was phenominal for a short gun like they are.

SC_Mike · May 13, 2019

I think you did well on the Colt, IMHO good price.

Here's my 1991A1 Officers Model Colt for reference.

03hemi · May 14, 2019

I know I did very good on the price, especially since this is an "Enhanced" Officers Lightweight, they just don't come around very often.
I've had an all stainless Officers before, unfortunately, someone decided to replace the original frame with a full size "Essex" frame before I got it destroying the value so I took it and did a re-finish on it, kept it for a while then traded it for a Sig C-3, here it is. I removed the Ivory grips first. It was a great little shooter too.

stansdds · May 15, 2019

03hemi said:
I know I did very good on the price, especially since this is an "Enhanced" Officers Lightweight, they just don't come around very often.
I've had an all stainless Officers before, unfortunately, someone decided to replace the original frame with a full size "Essex" frame before I got it destroying the value so I took it and did a re-finish on it, kept it for a while then traded it for a Sig C-3, here it is. I removed the Ivory grips first. It was a great little shooter too.

It is far more likely that someone obtained an Officer's ACP upper assembly and mated it to an Essex receiver.

03hemi · May 15, 2019

stansdds said:
It is far more likely that someone obtained an Officer's ACP upper assembly and mated it to an Essex receiver.

True, didn't think about that but probably be more likely.

03hemi · May 29, 2019

Amazing what a little light scotch brighting and oil will do, started the "Wilsonization" process on it too. The trigger has already been done by a very well known 1911 guy here in GA to so that won't be touched as it has almost no creep, breaks like glass around 3.5lbs with zero overtravel.

KEN L · May 30, 2019

03hemi said:
I know I did very good on the price, especially since this is an "Enhanced" Officers Lightweight, they just don't come around very often.
I've had an all stainless Officers before, unfortunately, someone decided to replace the original frame with a full size "Essex" frame before I got it destroying the value so I took it and did a re-finish on it, kept it for a while then traded it for a Sig C-3, here it is. I removed the Ivory grips first. It was a great little shooter too.

Love the Leverletto prop rod!

03hemi · Jun 3, 2019

Thank's, that's a Bill DeShives.

Colt Officers Lightweight Enhanced 45acp

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