Slick Colt Commander 45acp....

[Xfuzz]

Decided to go walk a local gun show Saturday.
Most prices listed on S&W and Colts were naturally insane.

Until I walked up on this....

1980 vintage Colt Commander (Lightweight).
Likely never carried and shot very little.
No wear on this 43 year old Colt.

I have always favored Commander models.

 

[Grayfox]

Very Nice!

My primary carry gun for almost 30 years now is a 1959 Lightweight Commander in .45 ACP. Excellent pistols.

 

[Yendor357]

Wow, that's beautiful. A slug such as myself ought not own things like that.

Are you going to shoot it?

Did you line up the screw slots?

You take good pictures.

 

[Xfuzz]

Yendor...

Yes
No
Thanks

 

[Drm50]

Nice pistol. I have a couple myself. I have one that was kind of a kit gun. It had nice professional BoMar sights and checkering on rear of slide. Had some Bubba work on it too. The cone hammer was cut out leaving a nub that was almost impossible to thumb cock. Got me a hi quality spur hammer to replace that. Then found that sear had been ground on so in went new sear and disconnect while at it. Still have to tune thumb safety, snow day job. The gun impressed me cutting holes at 25'.
The other is a flashy one, for formal occasions. It has the Idiot Scratch but other than that looks like never carried or shot much.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

Prefer the Combat Commander myself but that is an excellent find.

 

[Baxter6551]

Lightweight Commander was my first off duty gun 1978. Still have it. Ramp polished to feed the Speer "flying ashtrays". Pachmayr main spring housing and Kings sights. Still going strong.
These days however it's a Springfield Compact Range Officer Elite 9mm

 

[petepeterson]

I want to find one of those in the worst way....

Congrats on the get!

 

[03hemi]

Nice Commander, I have a few. What'd you have to give for it?
Just curious what they're bringing at shows now.

 

[zeke]

Have switched both the 1911's actually carried to that style of safety, and they came with same style hammer. And they both have lightweight frames.

Congrats, that be an excellent pistol!

 

[Xfuzz]

It will pair nicely with my Combat Commander...

It was partly covered in a glass case under some
Randall Knives & Sheaths.
Marked at $1200....10 Bens later it became mine.

Below pic is my 1978 Combat Commander.

 

[Norton 750]

Those tiny sights are hard on my old eyes, but even as a Smith guy I can really appreciate a 1911. That one looks great!

 

[03hemi]

One of my Commanders, this one's all steel with Boone Trading's ivory.

 

[LEO918]

​

One of my personal favorites.

 

[Greyman50]

Nice!, have 3 LW's, just keep finding them. My CCW is a 70's one I customized.

 

[6GUNSONLY]

Very nice. My first 1911 and second handgun ever was a Colt Commander bought new in 1977. $200 out the door. Still one of my favorites.
My current lightweight Commander model is a Ruger version. My only present Colt is a 1980satin nickel Combat Commander. Congrats on a cool find.
My Ruger:


My only Colt:

 

[rockquarry]

I've had a number of Gov't Models but never a LWT Commander. How's the recoil with full power .45 ACP loads? Is it significantly greater than with the same ammo in a Gov't Model?

The Commander and LWT Commander with the rowel hammer and standard grip safety are easily the best lookers.

 

[6GUNSONLY]

I've never thought much about the difference in recoil energy between an alloy frame commander and an all-steel one, so I'm gonna say that in my experience, the difference is "not much". All my 1911 .45s are Commander length, so I can't really compare to a full size 5" government model gun. Others may have different subjective experiences. I did shoot my buddy's new alloy frame 1911 with full-size 5" slide recently, and found it very pleasant to shoot.

 

[dsf]

A couple of years back I found a Series 80 Commander that someone had jazzed up with beavertail grip safety, extended thumb, hammer, plastic trigger and rubber grips. Fortunately nothing permanent. I put it back to original condition, with a few nods to Series 70 features -





BTW, the booze is gone but I still have the Colt and a half box of the Churchills.

 

[Valmet]

Love a vintage Commander. I've had my 1968 LW for over twenty years and while it isn't something that gets carried anymore, it's one of the last handguns I'd part with.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

My Combat, Commander has the satin finish, had a gunsmith install MMC sights, much easier to see. Though I have zero success in finding another
satin finish slide.
Years ago when I was in the NJNG an NCO brought his Commander, everyone who fired his compared to mine said they preferred mine.

 

[robvious]

My late father's... we used to shoot bowling pins on Monday nights.. even got a 22 conversion for it back then to shoot rimfire pins... it's a brushed nickel 1972, the slide was coated with black oxide & polished by a family friend that worked at an industrial plating company.. turned a lovely chocolate maroon color.. kinda oxblood... been worked over a little bit by Cylinder and Slide.. dad used to shoot with Bill back in the 70's and 80's.. I shagged brass.. they are wonderful...

 

[Lonestar57]

That's a super nice LW Commander. Back in the 80's I carried a Combat Commander for years as an off-duty piece. I still have these three, a 9mm, 38Super, and 45ACP. It wasn't on purpose, but they are also consecutive years; 71' 72' 73'.

 

[03hemi]

Although not a Commander it is a LW Officers. After eliminating it's weak spot (end plug) I rebuilt this for carry with Wilson Combat Bullet Proof parts & sights, EGW LGW w/ flat recoil spring, Clark hand fitted endplug, Stan Chen magwell, 35 degree crown and finished with a worn carry finish that only get's better with age.
I only use WC mags w/ delrin followers, it's said the metal followers can dig into your feedramp on the last round and chew it up. Not sure, so I play it safe and like WC mags better anyways.
I have several, but I only carry one of two.
I don't prescribe to the "gun of the day" club.
Before complete disassembly:

 

[Rodan]

The 'commander' is my favorite 1911. They just always seemed to shoot a little better for me than a 5" gun. I carried Commanders on and off duty for many years, steel frame on-duty and lightweights off. The Enhanced Combat Commander was the one I carried longest at work.

Of the lightweights, the Kimber CDP Pro is my favorite for carry.

 

[zeke]

Although not a Commander it is a LW Officers. After eliminating it's weak spot (end plug) I rebuilt this for carry with Wilson Combat Bullet Proof parts & sights, EGW LGW w/ flat recoil spring, Clark hand fitted endplug, Stan Chen magwell, 35 degree crown and finished with a worn carry finish that only get's better with age.
I only use WC mags w/ delrin followers, it's said the metal followers can dig into your feed ramp on the last round and chew it up. Not sure, so I play it safe and like WC mags better anyways.
I have several, but I only carry one of two.
I don't prescribe to the "gun of the day" club.
Before complete disassembly:

Had same problem with early variations of the 3 inchers owned, until switching to these 6 rd megars.
1911 Officer Magazines - Mec-Gar USA Inc - Firearm Magazines
Also was more careful over what style hollow points being used. Now have Kimber version with ramped barrel, and Ruger commander with feed ramp insert.

 

[Miracle Man]

Very nice find, congrats

 

[petepeterson]

Nice!, have 3 LW's, just keep finding them. My CCW is a 70's one I customized.

Where??? In FLA? I think I need to move.
I've seen one in the wild, and it looked like it got peeled out of a tank tread. I need to get out more.

 

[max]

I have had a Combat Commander in satin nickel for many years. I have King-Tappan sights on it and it shoots well. I recently bought a Tisas LW Commander version in 9mm and I really like it.

 

[03hemi]

Had same problem with early variations of the 3 inchers owned, until switching to these 6 rd megars.
1911 Officer Magazines - Mec-Gar USA Inc - Firearm Magazines
Also was more careful over what style hollow points being used. Now have Kimber version with ramped barrel, and Ruger commander with feed ramp insert.

I buy the 7 or 8 rnd 47D steele base compact mags by Wilson myself.