CD Commander makeover

[sscav]

I purchased a used CD Commander .45 about 2 years ago for my daughter to use as a carry pistol in college. Unfortunately, a previous owner had "bubba'd" it by changing out the barrel (with a cut down 5 inch one), recoil spring, guide and bushing so it would hang up about 1/4 inch out of battery 3 shots out of 5. Had to give it a hard rap to get it into battery.
Living in southern Vermont, I didn't have a gunsmith to take this pistol to and get it running right, so it has languished on a shelf in pieces.

Fast forward to now, and I'm wondering if it would be possible to put an Essex Arms commander 9mm slide and a Colt type commander 9mm barrel, take it to a gunsmith to get all the appropriate parts fitted, and hopefully make it work.
The Essex commander slide is a bit longer than the CD, but it seems like it would work. I don't know.
Does this seem feasible, or is it something that would work, but would be cheaper and easier to just buy another Colt style 9mm commander.
Sorry to ask the noob type questions,

Brian

[Convert]

I'm no gunsmith, but that being said, I'd imagine that any competent gunsmith would be able to make the Essex slide and Colt barrel work for you.

Half the battle with any firearm, especially a 1911, is making sure the parts will play nice together. Chopping down a 5" barrel for a commander-length gun is hardly what I would call "playing nice", so it comes as no suprise that you were having so many malfunctions.

For the new setup, as long as you have a commander frame, a commander slide, a commander barrel, and the correct bushing and small parts for the 9mm setup, I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work. How much longer is the Essex slide compared to the CD?

[sscav]

The slide I was playing with was the wife's Colt Commander slide. The Essex commander slide is the same length.
It seems to be about 1/2 inch longer than the CD, but a side by side comparison also shows that the breach face on the Colt slide only goes back to the back part of the mag well, with the recoil spring and bushing installed. I don't know if that's because of the recoil spring being the wrong length, the recoil spring cap being too long, or the bushing being the wrong one. I'll have to disassemble the recoil spring off the gun and just cycle the slide to check the travel.