New XSE - Commander Lightweight - Range Report

[BigSlick]

Went to the range for a few hours today with my new XSE Commander.

I took the following ammo, in various weights from 180-230gr, ball, JHP and semi-wadcutter :

S&B
Fiocchi
IMI
Winchester white box
UMC
PMC
Hornady
Winchester Supreme T
Winchester Silvertip
Aguila
My own handloads

I cleaned and lubed the Commander last night and took two factory mags (replaced original follower with Tripp followers) two 47B Wilsons and two unknown mfr with flat dimpled followers.

No FTF, no FTE, five fail to load. The gun was running glass smooth for about 300 rounds then I shot the S&B out of it. The batch this box came from has got to be the absolute filthiest ammo I have ever fired.

Even the 185gr SWC fed great, loaded ahead of 5.3 grains Titegroup.

I field stripped the gun, wiped the caked on residue from the S&B off the ramp and and continued another 40 rounds or so.

Impression :

Trigger has a slight amount of slack, almost imperceptable creep, but snaps at break 4.4 lbs (measured). Sights are typical three dot Novak style - excellent. I replaced the wood grips with a pair of Hogue finger grooves and the improvement was fantastic.

The lighter weight frame allowed for slightly snappier recoil than a steel frame gun. About like a P226 stamped frame with 147 grainers in it. The SWC handload is somehwhat a powder puff, but still cycled without a problem.

The silvertips produced the most recoil and flash.

The mags all dropped free except one of the no-names, but it finally started to fall free after about 15 rounds thru it (what could I expect for 8 bucks ?).All mags locked the slide upon empty.

The duck-bill wasn't too bad, but it is MUCH better than nothing.

I am going to do a little shopping for a new IWB and clean it up good.

For a stock pistol, it's better than many I have by a long shot. Pleasant to shoot (moreso with the Hogues).

Probable improvements will be to polish the trigger just a little, and take out the slack, go to a set of tritium sites and think a little more about the duck-bill.

Barrel lockup is tight, accuracy at 25 yds (sandbags) averaged around 2½". I could see some ammo grouped MUCH better than others. The IMI and 200gr Hornady XTP are both hella good. The Aguila was all over the place with inconsistent recoil too. S&B grouped OK, but the wax-like residue was nasty and stunk to high heaven.

Brass was ejected in a relatively small area about 10 feet away. Firing pin strike was uniform on everything, no brass shavings anywhere in the gun.

Overall, I am happy as a clam with it. I will work a few more reloads thru it to see if I can find a sweet spot and carry the XTP until/unless I can find something else that groups so well and burns clean.

The only downside is I have to go and reload all the brass now :D

BigSlick

[meateater]

Hello BigSlick,
Thanks for the report. It looks like you got a winner, congratulations. I'll be picking up a blued government XSE Saturday.

Any other XSE owners care to comment? I'm all ears.

Steve

[Paul B]

Big Slick,

Thanks for the report.

One question...does the XSE have a full length or standard length guide rod?

None of the the shops I frequent have an example in stock and I have been unable to find the info on-line. In fact, I've been waiting for a Series 80 Commander since September. I'm told new civilian market Colt's are hard to come by.

I appreciate your response.

pb

[LAZYACE1975]

One question...does the XSE have a full length or standard length guide rod?
The XSE series has a full length guide rod. My XSE L.W. Commander has ran superbly right of the box. I'm still going to send it to Precision-Gunworks for a little "customizing" :cool: ;) as soon as my budget will allow. Be safe, Lazyaxe1975.

[Paul B]

Thanks for the response LazyAce.

Considering modern manufacturing capabilites and tolerances, do you think the FLGR is necessary? Does an FLGR add significantly to accuracy? Does it enhance operation? Or are they one of the items needed in the past that continues on because of the 'cool' factor?

I appreciate any and all responses.

Thanks..

[ottobon100]

BigSlick. Glad you are happy with yours. I'm not so sure about mine. Here is my range report. Some of it matches your findings. Purchased brand new yesterday. First 100 rounds downrange this morning: half a dozen stovepipes and at least a dozen times it failed to go fully back into battery. Stops about a 1/2 inch shy as if it is hanging up on something. Stronger recoil spring or trash the Series 80 parts??? Probably a half dozen times it hung up attempting to chamber a round. Round ended up half-way into the barrel. It wasn't any certain order either; e.g., first round or last round (polish feed ramp?). Using new Wilson 47D mags and S&B 230 gr FMJ ammo. Different from my other 1911's - 2 Kimbers and 1 Para. I won't be carrying this as protection anytime soon! My Kimber Pro Carry hasn't lost its place. It is "purty" to look at though! :(

[Bruce Foreman]

Thanks for the response LazyAce.

Considering modern manufacturing capabilites and tolerances, do you think the FLGR is necessary? Does an FLGR add significantly to accuracy? Does it enhance operation? Or are they one of the items needed in the past that continues on because of the 'cool' factor?

I appreciate any and all responses.

Thanks..

Within the last year, year and a half, several custom gunsmiths came out in articles declaring the FLGR unnecessary. Contributes only to making field stripping a little more difficult.

In the commander size colts (with standard configuration) when the slide is in battery half of the recoil spring is on the short guide rod, half contained in the recoil spring plug. In recoil the entire spring is on the guide rod so there is no place for it to "kink" or bend anyway. The guide rod configuration and what happens with the recoil spring has nothing to do with "lockup" so there is really no impact on accuracy.

Even though the recoil spring is a tad longer in the full size models, there is really no place for the recoil spring to bind anyway. I had a Norinco with a noticeably kinked recoil spring and that gun would put 5 rounds through one hole at 30 feet.

I pulled the FLGR out of my older series 80 Lightweight Commander and replaced it with the stock parts, my new custom Lightweight Commander came with standard parts. I prefer mine that way.

Bruce Foreman

[Bruce Foreman]

First 100 rounds downrange this morning: half a dozen stovepipes and at least a dozen times it failed to go fully back into battery. Stops about a 1/2 inch shy as if it is hanging up on something. Stronger recoil spring or trash the Series 80 parts??? (

Series 80 parts have NOTHING to do with feed and chamber function. Have a real "smith" who knows what he is doing check extractor tension and also gently polish the breech face.

I had a stainless Commander that would occasionally have a roung "hang up" as the back of the cartridge tried to slide up the breech face and under the extractor claw. The "culprit" was a tiny burr on the upper edge of the firing pin hole on the breech face.

Good luck

[Paul B]

I pulled the FLGR out of my older series 80 Lightweight Commander and replaced it with the stock parts...

Bruce Foreman

Bruce,

Forgive my ignorance ... Is replacing the FLGR a drop in job? Seems like it would be but I don't want to assume.

pb

[Bruce Foreman]

Bruce,

Forgive my ignorance ... Is replacing the FLGR a drop in job? Seems like it would be but I don't want to assume.

pb

Sure.

It should be in most cases. The one that was in the first Lightweight Commander I had was a two piece type. Had it's own recoil spring plug with a hole in the end that allowed the slide, recoil spring plug and all to move back in recoil with the FLGR and barrel protruding from the front.

Field stripping was done by first using an allen wrench to loosen and remove the end section so you could then turn the bushing as usual. Remaining steps were the same as with original design configuration.

I originally replaced the FLGR with original Commander short guide rod and original recoil spring plug in order to be able to do a simple "press check" by pushing back on the recoil spring plug (with finger out of trigger) to either look in chamber or feel with finger to insure gun is loaded and ready to go before demonstrating an exercise or before leaving the house. No need to have serrated front slide to do this if you don't have FLGR.

I noticed accuracy did not change and then I began seeing articles in which some well known folks were quoted as coming out against the FLGR, saying there was no impact on accuracy and while they have no negative impact either, they do make field stripping more complex.

But the install or change back to original design is mostly a "drop in" process.

Bruce Foreman

[LAZYACE1975]

Thanks for the response LazyAce.

Considering modern manufacturing capabilites and tolerances, do you think the FLGR is necessary? Does an FLGR add significantly to accuracy? Does it enhance operation? Or are they one of the items needed in the past that continues on because of the 'cool' factor?

I appreciate any and all responses.

Thanks..
Sorry I was away so long but my home PC is out & I'm forced to use my work PC till I can fix it :o . Bruce Forman pretty much covered it. I can't tell that an FLGR makes any difference other than more of a hassle to field strip, as stated. The XSE has a one piece FLGR, at least mine does anyway & I'm gonna go out on a limb & "assume'" they're all uniformly built, which means the only difference in a standard guide rod & a full length is the recoil spring plug on the FLGR has a hole in the middle to allow guide rod to pass through & the standard recoil spring plug is solid because, of course, it's short enough that it doesn't have to pass through the spring plug when the slide is cycled or racked. So changing to a standard guide rod should just consist changing the guide rod & recoil spring plug. So I concur again with Bruce that it should be a "drop-in" procedure but if I'm wrong I'm sure someone will correct me :rolleyes: . Be safe, Lazyace1975.

[Paul B]

Thanks Bruce. I appreciate the info :D and apologize for the delay in my response. I've been out of town... :o

And BigSlick ... sorry for hijacking this thread... :)

pb

[medic15al]

Does your Commander have the Novak lookalikes or the plain looking sights?

[Paul B]

Does your Commander have the Novak lookalikes or the plain looking sights?

My commander is an older model 1991A1 ... matte black finish, big ugly roll mark, plain iron sights.

new sights, checkering and better finish are on the wish list.

pb