Just picked up a Colt Lightweight Commander made around 1972 I think.

Took it out today for the first time with some winchester 230s, set a can up 30 yards out, nailed it the second shot. Needless to say I'm happy, but cold (it was 9 degrees and windy).

Never owned a 1911 before and the only one I've shot was a Norinco and I couldn't hit anything with it, so I was a little concerned when I picked the Colt up.

I plan on shooting it regularly, so are there any wear-preventative measures I should consider?

I've heard of recoil buffers, but wonder what else I could do to keep it tight (this thing has ZERO play right now).

I've got some 225 grain nevada lead bullets that I think I'll load up. All I have is Red Dot right now, so I'll give that a try and report back...

Nothing you can do to keep it tight except not shoot it. Stay away from +p loads for anything but carry, they have been known to crack the older alloy frames. Good find, I've been looking for one now a couple years, but they are scarce unless you want to overpay for one.
RedDot works fine for target loads in 45acp. I also like WST. Good shooting, stay warm.

Nice piece. I just picked up a Smith and Wesson scandium framed commander length 1911. This thing is a shooter. I seem to shoot better with a 1911 than any of my other pistols, past or present, with the exception of a Colt Woodsman Matchtarget I bought in high school. I got stupid and sold it several years ago. Still not done kicking myself for that one.

I have had 1 Colt and 2 other 1911 style pistols. All steel frames. I put recoil buffers in all of them. I have no idea if it kept the frame from getting beat up or not. But for 5 bucks I would try them.

On the Colt I put in a guide rod after reading that they take out side play in the slide and increase life of the gun. It worked like a champ but but the gun got way to finicky for me. I sold the rod at a match.

I loaded a midrange charge of WW231 and 230gr round nose lead with standard primes. They ran all the guns without a hitch. I had tried 200gr swc but could not get them to feed reliably from a stock gun.

A good friend of mine has a comander that he bought around 1979 and retired it about 1999. I estamate that the gun has seen 60k rounds. The frame is cracked at the slide stop pin. I don't know if he used a buffer. About every 10k or so he did have the slide tightened.

Good luck with yours.

Dick, where does the recoil buffer go in a 1911? Do you need it even if you use stronger springs?
Thanks, Peter.

Put the buffer goes on the the recoil guide then put on the recoil spring. I never did mess with changing springs. I did put a Videcki trigger and a Chip McCormick sear in the Colt. They were both drop in and worked very well.
I traded my Colt in 1997 for a S&W 745. It was a good trade for me. Nothing wrong with the Colt I just shot the 745 better.

Most of my Commanders are in .38 Super but since they run loads in the 1250-1450 fps range they recoil about the same as a .45.

Some of the guns have over 10K rounds through them and are still tight. Keep the gun clean and well greased. I have been using either Shooters Choice or Sentry grease that come in the syringe. It doesn't migrate or dry out like oil does.

Buffers... Have been using the Kings Recoil Buffer in all my 1911s since the 1970s. The original ones were made by pistolsmith Al Dinan. The unit looks like a standard recoil spring guide but has a spring loaded tip about 3/8" long. The tip contacts the recoil spring plug and slows the slide down that last 3/8" of travel...as none of my frames have cracks I can't say it doesn't work...

The problem with a buffer as in ShokBuff, those little donuts that go over the recoil sping guide, is that a) they wear out b) they some times come apart while firing c) If you pull the slide all the way to the rear on a Commander without the buff installed you will see that the sliderelease goes past the slide release cutout in the slide. With the buff installed the slide stops with the sliderelease and notch in the slide lined up. I had a buff in a Commander and the slide would lock open mid magazine...took the buff out and it stopped. As the gun recoiled the slidestop would rotate on it's pin and lock the slide open during recoil. The heavier the loads the more it would do it. It won't do this with a Government Model because the when the slide is pulled back with the buff installed the sliderelease and notch don't line up.

Another thing to watch is the dinging of the feedramp when using hollowpoint ammo. This happened with a friend's Kimber ProCarry. She had the feed ramp smoothed and the frame hardchromed..end of problem. Several of my Commanders have a full hard chrome job or at least the frame...ends all wear of the aluminum.

Commanders are great guns...great balance and fast from the holster..

Bob

RJM,
I've had mine apart to clean and noticed it does have a blue buffer. Guessing maybe a Wilson Combat.

Can you still find the Kings units?
I'd like to try it. I'm loading lead for now, but it's too cold to try anything right now...

I'd like to know what makes the frame crack (usually at the slide release pin).

Too bad you just can't steel bed to prevent battering...

I carried a 45 Colt Lwt. Commander for many years, shot it no less than 3000 rounds, gave it to my son about a year ago...I shot mostly Federal 240 gr. H.P. ammo as that was furnished by my employer...I also have a Browning HP that has quite a number of Plus P Plus rounds through it...Its a great gun.

The only change I made on my Colt was a trigger job, simi fitted bushing, opened the port, and throated it. It has never jammed, not once.

We've come a long way with 1911s,

Brownells lists a EGW firing pin stop plate that's square not radiused. It slows the slide a bit AND is oversized a tad to eliminate extractor clocking

Call Wolff Springs for a HD mainspring and a new recoil spring (bonus a free HD firing pin spring!)

Brownells also lists RED buffs in several thicknesses, beware too thick will not allow your Commander to lock open.

That was my first pistol bought in 1980 in .38 SA, I used it a few years then sold it to a friend who used it intensively in IPSC. Never had a problem with it except the front sight had to be silver soldered and the plunger tube replaced and recrimped. and of course changing springs.

I had one about 10-12 years ago that I tried to get to shoot but I was never able to get it even close. Mine was the lightweight which made it harder for me to hold on target. I tried MMC adjustable sights and a couple of tune up projects to no avail. I guess that they do have a collector's value though.

I ended up trading it on a Paraordinance P-14 and then put about $600 into it with after market parts. I could tell that things were going good when the gunsmith dropped off the gun and said that if I ever wanted to sell it he would be a buyer. It has turned out to be a super accurate shooter and only gets neglected due to too many other guns in the safe.

This is the first pistol I ever shot. Wonderful weapon, hope you didn't pay to much for it, if you can still shoot the bowl of a tablespoon upright at 10 yards you own a fine piece.

I have to take a bit of issue with the +P comment. It is against manufacturer's recommendations, but you should not use them "for anything but carry" unless you've trained yourself with them. Learn to shoot what you'll use for "normal duty" (whatever the pistol's purpose is) and yes you can use lighter loads to drill.

Honestly, I think you've found a gem. Do the tritium sights in it, shoot a variety of ammo through it, buy the best mags you can reasonably afford (no, $15 per is not a good magazine), completely disassemble and clean, and keep training. Don't worry about the slop unless it's a competition pistol. If it goes into battery is what your concern should be early on, especially with an older weapon.

Scrappy,
I paid $595 for the Commander.
I posted a pic below. It has holster wear on the muzzle as you can see, but it wasn't misused or fired much. A fellow at 1911.org sent me a correct-era commander trigger which I installed and like much better.

I'm working on loads for it right now. I'd like to shoot lead, but it leads a lot right now. Could be bullets, could be velocity, not sure yet.

I may have paid a little much, but I've seen worse. I just picked up a Sig 220 Sport for $600 a few weeks ago. I know I didn't overpay for that, but Colts seem more collectible. I'll do a field report for both in the next couple days and post them here...

-mark

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My Colt .45 ACP Lightweight Commander, Kramer's Pro-Line strongside holster, and extra eight round magazine with Win. 185 grains Silverips. Those are MMC fixed sights.

I bought it in 1980 from a retired Coast Guard Lt. Commander. It was manufactured in 1964. It is my standard concealed carry. Very accurate, too.



I wouldn't be without mine.

L.W.

I think, from memory, that the trigger you show isn't actually "right" - as in as came with the gun from Colt - for your Commander.

My brother had the standard weight Commander in 45ACP with the brushed nickel finish. It was a fine gun. I used to use an early straight 1911 with the half-round sight. I found that every bit as quick aligning as any modern high profile sight in the 1980s.

quote:

I think, from memory, that the trigger you show isn't actually "right" - as in as came with the gun from Colt - for your Commander.

My brother had the standard weight Commander in 45ACP with the brushed nickel finish. It was a fine gun. I used to use an early straight 1911 with the half-round sight. I found that every bit as quick aligning as any modern high profile sight in the 1980s.

Enfield Spares, you're correct that is not the original trigger on my Colt Lightweight Commander. It is a lightweight one. Nor is the barrel, although you can't see it. Bar-Sto barrel & Bushing. The original grips were the plastic, ugly Coltgrips, which I immediately replaced with a set of grips from a Colt Govt. Model .45 ACP on which I'd put Herrett's grips.

My eyesight was not good enough to easily pick up that front sight, therefore the MMC fixed sights. They work just fine for me. The slide release is a special one from pistolsmith James Hoag of Los Angeles.

Soooooo, main thing is, it is my carry pistol for self defense. Works for me.

L.W.