...And one on the way

[Kilo3YankeeTango]

Hello all from the new guy. I have been gleaning morsels of information from here for a while and figured I would finally join in. Only have one Colt now, a Ser. 80 Enhanced SS govt. Purchased it this year from a good friend; it had sat in the closet over 10 years after having 32 rounds through it.http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc99/tinarm/colt.jpg

But I have found another. I was in my local store intending to put a deposit on a Kimber Custom II when I spotted an ORM 1991 commander that needed a home. Is it one of John's? Anyway I should be able to bring it home next week.

BTW..John you can see my Elecraft K2 and IC-756 in the background.

Bob K3YT

[lavern23]

Welcome to the group. Nice looking colt!

[daveohno]

Welcome to the forum, Colt's are always one of your best firearms purchases you can make. The value stays consistent because of the high demand.

Do you plan to shoot her? Make sure you check her over, she is 10 years old, maybe the springs need changing. Here is the link for detail stripping the pistol.
http://www.m1911.org/full_striping.htm
Here is the parts diagram:
http://www.m1911.org/full_partname.htm
If you need springs, Wolff seems to be the go to place in these parts, you can order a spring package that will include all the springs for the pistol and a magazine spring:
http://www.gunsprings.com/1ndex.html

[elijdub]

Welcome to the forum K3YT!!! Congrats on your new purchase! Hope to see some pics soon ;)! The Colt Commander (in all it's variations) is my very favorite pistol (maybe i've mentioned this before :o...;)).

Great "tips" from Dave above. +1 on Wolff springs. Nice Gov't, BTW!!! Looks like an aftermarket (arched) MSH....which looks great on the gun!

While your new ORM probably isn't John's (due to the strict laws of Greece), he may claim overseas ownership :D!

[Tommy D]

Welcome, and congratulations on your new purchase. Ya got to be careful, them Colt's become addicting!
Those grips really look good on the stainless Govt. Real nice.

[d90king]

Welcome to the forum and congrats on a nice Colt.

[Kilo3YankeeTango]

Thanks all. Actually had her for about 6 months. I've put about 800 rounds through her. Yes I did put Wolff springs in her since I had had great results with them in my Ruger single actions. The nylon arched mainspring housing was stock, as was the nylon trigger. Both have been swapped out for a skeleton trigger and a flat checkered SS MSH. Also put in a Wilson Combat sear, even though I think the stock Colt sear was pretty good to begin with. The stags were for dress, I shoot with the stock wrap around rubber grip. Also have a RIA GI I bought at the same time.

I used to have an E nickle Combat Commander I bought new in 1982, but it went with everything else after getting married in 85. Just got back into firearms ownership about a year ago after the last bad hurricane (Wilma) and of course the NO escapades. Everything was down here in Palm Beach County, and some places didn't have power restored for a couple of months. Now being a ham radio operator, sure, I could get a hold of emergency personnel if needed but feel a lot better now with everything I have acquired and re-familiarized myself with in the past year.

Glad I finally got on here.

[Rich-D]

It is a beautiful gun! Now it will enjoy the company of another beauty!



Rich

[clughog]

Very nice pistol...and welcome to the Forum! Looking forward to pictures of that Commander, too.

[ColtCustom45]

Great Colt, congrats.

[John]

Ah, nice to see a new member who is learning quickly. Of course and it is one of mine. You are just safe-keeping it for me, until I find a way to import all the guns I own in US to Greece (I know the way, I just don't like it. The local version of jail is not as hospitable as the US ones).

Nice pistol Sir.

And nice ham gear.

[daveohno]

Greek jails must be pretty scary if they're worse than the US version. :scared:

[Zscorp]

Do you plan to shoot her? Make sure you check her over, she is 10 years old, maybe the springs need changing. Here is the link for detail stripping the pistol.
http://www.m1911.org/full_striping.htm
Hrl]

Would springs go bad by no use just sitting for 10 years?

[elijdub]

Greek jails must be pretty scary if they're worse than the US version. :scared:
SERIOUSLY!!! I mean, we're not Turkey or Brazil or anything...but they're pretty bad here!
I always thought European Jails were like spa resorts :D.

[elijdub]

Would springs go bad by no use just sitting for 10 years?
If they were under tension of any kind then i'd say "yes", but not under tension would be questionable....i'm just not sure. I'd guess they could sit around, un-unsed, for a long time without "going bad".
There are some formerer armorer's, etc., here on the forum that can probably answer this better than I ;).

[Rich-D]

I did have a recoil spring on a PPKS go soft after sitting in my safe for 15 yrs. The gun only had a few hundred rounds through it, and was about 20 years old.


Rich

[LOBO]

Congrats on your Colts!!!!

[elijdub]

I did have a recoil spring on a PPKS go soft after sitting in my safe for 15 yrs. The gun only had a few hundred rounds through it, and was about 20 years old.


Rich
..Makes sense... I'd think a spring could last a good while, though 10 years might be pushing it. Personally, for the $7, i'd just go ahead and replace it...especially if you need 100% reliability (for carry/defense).

[Joni Lynn]

Welcome to the forum and congrats on your Colt!