My New Love

[Safari Jack]

Here are a few pics of my new baby. I have wanted a Colt Commander for years, because it is my favorite gun ever, and now I have one. Best part is, all I had to do is trade a Ruger Security Six in .38 cal for it! I don't know much about it as far as how old it is, or even what series it is. All I know is that it used to belong to the former Captain of our local Police Department, and that my dad wanted to trade for my revolver after owning this gun for only 45 minutes, and never even fired it! It is in very good shape though, and I am very happy with the trade. I hope to get it to the range this weekend. If anyone knows anything more about this gun please feel free to let me know what I have.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b360/slowfoxbird/Gun%20Stuff/100_3079.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b360/slowfoxbird/Gun%20Stuff/100_3081.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b360/slowfoxbird/Gun%20Stuff/100_3082.jpg

[wichaka]

Great gun, great trade!

First there are no 'series' Commanders.

Next, looking at the roll marks on the slide, it appears your Commander was made before 1970.

If you don't want the serial number known, you can PM it to me, and I can give you the year it was made.

Again...nice Commander!

[daveohno]

That's a great looking Commander at a very reasonable price!

[Safari Jack]

Great gun, great trade!

First there are no 'series' Commanders.

Next, looking at the roll marks on the slide, it appears your Commander was made before 1970.

If you don't want the serial number known, you can PM it to me, and I can give you the year it was made.

Again...nice Commander!

So a Commander is a Commander huh? That's cool. I'm still pretty new to all the different 1911 models. I'll get that number over to you. If it was made before 1970, that makes it waaayyyy older than me, and waayyyy older than I could have ever guessed because it is in such good condition, and my stupid camera really does not do it justice.

[ajax]

Great trade for a fine looking Commander. Congrats!

[wichaka]

Well the number you gave is from 1976, but the roll marks on the slide show that was made before 1970.

Around 1970 or so and after, the roll mark on the right side, or under the ejection port should read COLT'S COMMANDER MODEL, for the alloy framed models, and COLT'S COMBAT COMMANDER for the steel framed versions, like the examples below;

So someone has switched the slide on that gun at sometime in it's life. I prefer the roll mark on your slide, to the more block looking print.


This one was made in 1979;

http://w3.gorge.net/scshields/lw1.jpg




Although this is a Combat Commander (steel frame), you'll see how the roll mark was changed from the nice looking print on yours, to a more block print.

This one was made in 1976 as well;

http://w3.gorge.net/scshields/pats8.jpg

[Safari Jack]

Well that's some really interesting info wichaka. Thank you very much for the info. I am just really shocked that it's that old. I love the gun, but I'm gonna put a flat mainspring housing on it to make it fit my hand better, and I want to fit a bushing to it, and ambi safety, and a trigger kit. Prob just get a nice drop in trigger kit cause I dont have all the tools to do a super fancy job at this point in time. With it being that old do you think its time to do the springs in it? I also noticed it does not have a shock buff in it, should it have one of those?

[DV52]

Great gun, great trade!

First there are no 'series' Commanders.

Next, looking at the roll marks on the slide, it appears your Commander was made before 1970.

If you don't want the serial number known, you can PM it to me, and I can give you the year it was made.

Again...nice Commander!
Interesting,I love to see your's when you show them.I have a commander that onthe right side says series 80.WELCOME to the fourum safari jack nice commander you picked up....

[Landman]

Safari Jack,

That's a great looking pistol and a wonderful trade.

wichaka,

There must have been some overlap in the rollmarks during that era because I have a NIB Commander made in 1978 that has the same rollmarks as this pistol made in 1976. Below are some pictures of mine. I believe Jack's pistol is all original. It would be interesting to find out why the difference in rollmarks during that time.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h196/onexco/Gun%20Collection/ColtCommander1978_01_Small.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h196/onexco/Gun%20Collection/ColtCommander1978_02_Small.jpg

[Safari Jack]

Thanks Landman, it is by far the best pistol I have ever had as far as condition goes. Yours is very beautiful! Love the grips!

[Landman]

Thanks Landman, it is by far the best pistol I have ever had as far as condition goes. Yours is very beautiful! Love the grips!

You're welcome Jack. If I were you I wouldn't change anything on that pistol. At least anything that would permanently modify the pistol. An old pistol that's all orginal like that is a great find. Any permanent modifications you make to it will immediately reduce its value.

[wichaka]

Landman,

I know back then Colt would use up whatever they had on hand from previous models, and install them on the current types, to rid themselves of the old stock. It's possible that's may what have happened here.

[Landman]

Landman,

I know back then Colt would use up whatever they had on hand from previous models, and install them on the current types, to rid themselves of the old stock. It's possible that's may what have happened here.

That was what I was thinking but the weird thing is the font on the reverse side is the newer post 70 style font. Mainly the "Colt" part. Before 70 it was a single line font. Below are some examples.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h196/onexco/Gun%20Collection/ColtCommander_Rollmarks.jpg

[Safari Jack]

Oh for sure!! I would never permanantly alter the gun, and I will be saving all the original parts to put back on it of course. I will not even modify the original parts. Anything I do will be with upgrade parts to replace the originals. Do you think it would be ok to have the frontstrap checkered?

[Landman]

Oh for sure!! I would never permanantly alter the gun, and I will be saving all the original parts to put back on it of course. I will not even modify the original parts. Anything I do will be with upgrade parts to replace the originals. Do you think it would be ok to have the frontstrap checkered?

It's your gun and you should do whatever you want to it. Personally, I am a traditionalist when it comes to older Colts and I wouldn't checker the front strap. I actually do the exact opposite of what you are talking about doing. I love finding old Colts that somebody has put a beavertail on or modified it some other way and then I try to find original parts to put it back to the original condition. I would recommend cleaning it (be very careful to avoid an "idiot mark"), oil it and put a new recoil spring in from Wolff Springs. Then shoot it like it is before you do anything else. You might be surprise how great it shoots like it was designed:)

[GunN4U]

Man... those Commanders are smokin'! That's a steal, SJ... someone should call the law. :D

I'm sort of new here but has this forum ever done a Commander-only picture thread? This one's a good start.

[Safari Jack]

Anybody got any suggestions about the shock buff I mentioned earlier? It's not in there, and I am wondering if there was ever supposed to be one in there.

[Landman]

Shock Buffers are not original to any Colt 1911's. I wouldn't put one in yours, especially since it is a Commander. They seem to cause a lot of problems with the shorter slide pistols. I only tried one once in a Government Model and the pistol consistantly malfunctioned until I took it out and that is a full length slide pistol. Other people swear by them but my one experience with them was bad.

[Safari Jack]

Sounds good, thanks. Can't wait to get this baby to the range!

[wichaka]

We have a Commander thread somewhere, do a search it should come up.

I run 'buffs in all my guns, haven't had a problem yet. Some like them, some don't...not sure why.

For magazines, I would suggest something with a polymer or original design follower. Some will tend to pitch forward on the last round and strike the frames feed ramp, causing some gouging over time. Especially a problem with alloy framed guns.

Landman, here's the other side of the 1979 model, appears to be like your bottom (1978) photo;

http://w3.gorge.net/scshields/lw2.jpg


This got me to thinking, I may have the year wrong when they changed the roll mark, may have been mid 1970's.

[Safari Jack]

Nice pistol wichaka! Looks like she has seen some holster time. I know mine will for sure, that's what mine is for, its going to be my carry weapon when I get my CCW. Right now its my console gun. Maybe I will get a buffer, and try it out see if it makes any diff for me. I was mainly wondering if it was original equipment and I had something missing.

[wichaka]

Mine see's plain clothes duty use. Had a holster set made a few years ago by Gordon Davis, before his health failed.


http://w3.gorge.net/scshields/carryrig1.jpg

[wichaka]

I have another Commander that was made in '76, it's in the middle of a transformation as well. Not much, will look pretty much like the one above.

I like them simple, but with a drop-in beavertail grip safety so I don't have to grind on the frame. And keeps shooting time, pain free.

[Safari Jack]

That's some really nice leather! Really nice work. You dont have to conceal in Washington State?

[MoneyTree]

Great looking Colt Commander Jack , congratulations !

[wichaka]

One can open carry in WA State.

[Safari Jack]

Ahh, I see, that is frowned upon in Florida. Do you have to have any kind of permit to open carry?

[wichaka]

No, just need a permit to carry concealed.