1968 Colt LW Commander

[Narragansett]

I just passed on a 1968 Colt light weight 9mm Commander in pretty nice shape, Asking was 1000. Did I make a mistake?

 

[Xfuzz]

"Asking"....hit them at $900.
My 1978 Commander.

 

[mk70ss]

Is the gun worth $it 1000 to you? If so, buy it.

 

[Narragansett]

Is the gun worth $it 1000 to you? If so, buy it.

Not sure I want it, but if there was a few hundred in it if I flipped it I might want it

 

[kaaskop49]

As I've posted previously, lotta optimists out there. Nothing says you have to abide by their price. Don't know how desirable a 1911-style Commander in 9mm would be. Not to me. YMMV.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

 

[alwslate]

The old Lightweight Commanders in .45 ACP were inaccurate and subject to frame cracking if shot a lot. Don't know about the 9mms. Maybe like the older alloy S&Ws. Carry a lot and shoot little. I wouldn't pay $1,000 for one when you can get a brand new Glock 9mm for about half of that which is known to be durable.

 

[LVSteve]

There are brand new Philippine made Commander size 9mm 1911s for half that price. You don't read many complaints about them.

Can you tell I'm not a consumer of the Colt KoolAid?

 

[LEO918]

Depending on condition, that was a very fair price. I paid a little more than that for mine a couple of years ago and then added the Ivory.

 

[SouthNarc]

I just passed on a 1968 Colt light weight 9mm Commander in pretty nice shape, Asking was 1000. Did I make a mistake?

Man that's birth year for me I would have snapped it up!

 

[sigp220.45]

I paid 7 bills for this one 10 years ago, so yeah I think so.

Mine is a .45 and not a ton of fun to shoot, but it is a joy to carry. A 9mm might be the best of both worlds.

PS: No Turkish or Filipino 1911 will ever equal a Colt.

 

[Greyman50]

Have 3 Colt LW Commanders, one an early lightened one with cut outs in slide. One has been carried for about 30 years and shot quite a lot. No issues with cracking as such is most likely due to shooting lots of Hot rounds.

 

[alwslate]

I remember many years ago Skeeter decided to do a durability test of a .45 Lightweight Commander using factory ball ammo. At some point, don't remember now, the part of the frame in front of the trigger guard broke off. I am a Colt fan, still have my Series 70 1911 that I bought new back in 1974. I bought one of the early Satin Nickel steel frame Combat Commanders around 1972. Took it to an outdoor range, put up a standard 9"x11" pistol target at fifty yards and carefully squeezed off 5 rounds from a sandbagged rest. Went down to check my group size and found no holes in the target. Sold it to a friend who just wanted a truck gun and bought the Series 70 a bit later.

 

[Greyman50]

Dont have a target shot with my carry LW but has always grouped very well, having been on Army pistol team helped. Guess its each to his own.

 

[Grayfox]

Normally I don't care for 9mm 1911s. But, if it was in excellent condition, I probably would have bought that one.

 

[Valmet]

Unsure as far as price goes as many vintage Colts seem to bring $1k+ these days but not anything I’d go for as I’m not a 9mm 1911 guy myself.

 

[SLT223]

"Asking"....hit them at $900.
My 1978 Commander.

I dare say you may have used a chunk of gun luck on that acquisition. Gun luck well expended.

 

[.38SuperMan]

I’d say that’s at the top of the price range. 9mm’s in my area don’t fetch the prices a 45 brings either. Most folks identify 1911’s with 45 caliber. But a 38 Super might fetch a higher price with the right person. 38’s seem to be much rarer than 45’s and 9’s. I have a Colt LW commander XSE that I’ve had for a number of years and they seem at the time to bring premium prices. Again I think the premium is due to scarcity.

I’ve owned a few colt 1911’s and while they’re very good guns I feel other brands like Springfield and Kimber and even some imports are better values, better manufactured with better prices.

I’m a big fan of Colt revolvers and own a bunch. CZ has really improved Colt revolvers and they may very well have upgraded their 1911’s too.

As mentioned if you’re looking for a shooter the imports with steel frames are excellent choices. If you just want a colt then nothing else will scratch the itch.

 

[Baxter6551]

My first off duty gun (1978) was a lightweight commander in .45. Carried a lot not shot as much as my steel .45s. I drank the gun magazine cool aid - it was the gun to have. Had Kings sights installed and the feed ramp polished so I could shoot the Speer 200 grain “flying ashtrays” which were all the rage. Of course I also had to have the Milt Sparks “Summer Special” rig to carry it in. Still have it.
I have a Springfield Range Officer Elite Compact (commander length and lightweight) in 9mm. It is a pleasure to shoot and carry. If I were in the market I probably would have tried to get that 9mm Commander at a little lower price. They aren’t making any new ones!
And as I recall (and just verified on Wikipedia) the original Commander model was lightweight frame in 9mm. They introduced it in 1950. .45 and .38 Super models were brought out the same year.

 

[S&W Fan]

Yes there are modern lightweight versions, most with improved sights, thumb/grip safeties (Springfield Ronin i.e.) however a 1960s 9mm lightweight Colt will always have a following. Many of us here are also on a popular 1911 forum and I'm sure if that showed up in the classifieds over there it wouldn't last long. So yes, it's worth $1k if in decent condition.

 

[jaguargolf]

Brand new 9mm Lt Wt Commander on Colt website is $999

I have a new generation Lt Wt Commander, and a used one that had been to Wilson Combat, both .45 ACP. I carry the new one all the time. I have a bunch of 1911's, it's my favorite. The one that went to Wilson is very sweet.

I don't think I paid more than a grand for the new one.
I know I paid $600 for the used one 3 years ago because next to it there was a beautiful Browning Hi-Power from the same collection for the same price and I was torn between the two.