At any rate, it was really easy to place shots in the proper locations, even when trying to do so fast. The Commander version just “hangs” better than the Government model to me, at least. No empties hit me in the head, landed on my hat, or tried to burn out my eyes something I really appreciate in any 1911 design. Feeding and ejection were 100 percent and then some. The Colt Commander ate them all without a burp or hiccup. I put about 300 rounds of ammo of various description through the Commander, using bullets weighing from 200 to 230 grains from +P hollow points to standard pressure full metal jacketed. Browning invented and nobody has improved upon instead they are now making take-down and reassembly more difficult with the “sounds good” - but less reliable - full-length guide rod. The recoil spring assembly is the tried-and-true (so-called) GI system. The Dual Spring Recoil System reduces felt recoil while extending recoil spring life. The ejection port is slightly lowered, but not flared. The now de rigueur three-dot sights were easy to see and perfectly regulated for 230-grain loads right out of the box. The all-steel frame and slide upped the weight to 33 ounces, making the Colt less pleasant to carry, but nicer to shoot. That, in combination with the upswept beavertail safety and Colt G10 grips, contribute to overall improved ergonomics. The Commander also features an undercut trigger guard. I much prefer the short, white aluminum jobs, whether adjustable or not. The trigger is the long, solid aluminum model (in black) which I dislike. The thumb and grip safeties are usually the first things that go. 1911s are the most customized pistols ever made. It’s thin but covers the round, trademark Commander hammer nicely to prevent “bite.” The thumb safety is the standard job the one everybody wants to replace right away. The pistol had the “Standard” grip safety (according to Colt), but some Geezers like me refer to it as a Rat-Tail grip safety. Blue finishes were as you would expect from Colt: Deep and excellent. Metal-to-metal fittings were tight and smooth working. My sample did not say “Combat” on the slide just Commander, but the workmanship was first rate. The safety makes it harder to get a really nice, safe 3.5- to 4-pound trigger pull, at least according to most gunsmiths who specialize in such things. Today’s version is built on the Series 80 platform, utilizing a firing pin block that (in theory, at least) prevents an accidental discharge if the pistol is dropped on its muzzle from a height of six feet onto a concrete surface. Perhaps it’s like superposition, existing only in the mind of the observer, but some people (like me) believe that to be a real 1911 (small, medium, or large) it must say COLT’S on it. In 1970, Colt began making the Commander with a steel frame, calling it the “Colt Combat Commander” and it’s still produced today. 45 ACP as well as 9mm and also in the red-headed stepchild. So in 1950, Colt started producing their version for the retail market, calling it the Commander. Colt’s entry - a shortened 1911 with an aluminum frame (called Coltalloy) wasn’t adopted (neither was the Smith and Wesson M39). Back then, US Government requirements were issued stating that the new pistol had to be chambered in 9mm parabellum (Latin is even neater than French) and couldn’t exceed seven inches in length or weigh more than 25 ounces. The first time the US Army tried to get rid of the 1911 Government model in. 45 ACP had to go it wasn’t “continental” enough, I guess. After WWII, some desk-pogue decided that the 1911 in. Why do governments always have to screw things up? Take the US Army’s attitude towards our service pistol used successfully through two world wars, for example.
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