Combat Commander 9mm good deal?

[PhantomAce]

OK guys, before you flame me... I have not seen it yet, so I do not have any pictures.
But I am considering taking a look at the following if the general consensus is it may be an OK deal:

Colt Combat Commander 9mm at a local gun shop, price is $550.
The salesman on the phone told me it is 75% finish condition, perfect working order, and it is a consignment sale.
Comes with 2 magazines, and nothing else.

Only reason I am considering it is I am looking for a shooter with a "lighter" kick for my 5'-0" wife, but trying to keep intact familiarity with the 1911 style of my 45's for maintenance and shooting feel.

Any thoughts on Colt 9mm, and is this a "decent" price if gun is in proper condition?
Not looking for a collector, just a good reliable shooter. I know I can probably get a knock-off for less, but a Colt is, well, a Colt, after all.

EDIT: Added info. Just called back, gun is blued finish with Colt wooden grips.
Serial starts 07"Boy" "Sam"3XXXXX.
(Site filter won't let me add the actual letters, but they're the same as the commonly used initials for male bovine excrement)
Would that make it a series-70 or series-80?

Opinions?

Thanks.

Mike.

[kenhwind]

The condition would justify the price IMO. Seventy five percent seem a bit rough, but a Combat Commander in 9mm would be nice.

[FlameRed]

I have been looking for one for a long time. My problem is that all the sellers think they are made of solid gold - even in that condition. I was looking at one at a show just a week ago and the F'n guy behind the table had the F'n nerve to tell me that his prices were too low on the one I was looking at and he had not had time to retag it. He crossed out the price on the tag and jacked it up $100 while I had it in my hands. Really P'd me off. Needless to say I just walked away cursing him.

If the gun had no rust or pitting I would jump on it for that price and probably have it refinished. I am just one of those "life is too short to shoot an ugly gun" guys. It would make an excellent shooter.

[lksstbls]

I paid $599 for a beater .45acp "pre-80 Series" CC a while ago, and I think that's about what it's worth. I don't have any idea what kind of premium the 9mm caliber would command. Sounds like a decent deal to me.

I think you'd have to go to Colt Customer service (1-800-962-COLT) to get a manufacture date. You might also check with www.proofhouse.com to determine whether it's pre-80 Series (made before 1983). Technically, there were no "70 Series" Commanders or Combat Commanders. No Commanders were made with the collet barrel bushing which was the hallmark of the Colt 70 Series Pistols of the '70s and early '80s.

Good luck.

[paul45]

75 or 76, since you don't give much serial number.

[PhantomAce]

I think the serial starts "70", not "07", just from looking at the proofhouse listings.
I didn't ask for the whole serial, I figured the beginning would be good enough to find a build range, my bad.
In any case, looking at the proofhouse info, it sounds like a '76 build.
Commander wouldn't be a "series-70" anyway, so I'm guessing it would be "built" very similar to my '67 WW-I commemorative (pre-s70), right?

Again, just a good "shooter" with a smaller ammo load, Colt feel and familiarity is what I'm after, not a collectors piece.
So, in general, worth a drive across town for a close look or no?

Thanks!

Mike.

[paul45]

So, in general, worth a drive across town for a close look or no?

Yeah, I probably would.

[Hawkmoon]

Buy it. I paid $550 for one a few years ago, and then spent a lot more getting it to run and returning it to original configuration. It is now my favorite 1911.

You'll love it.

[rdhrt]

buy it,or you will hate yourself for passing it up.

[weisse52]

As long as it is not badly rusted or pitted I would go for it.

My first 1911 was a Combat Commander in 9mm. I would pay that in a heartbeat even if it was rough just to get my hands on one again.

If you pass then PM me with name and number of shop.

[PhantomAce]

weisse52:

I was planning on taking my wife to the range this morning to break in the new .45 and have her try a 9mm, and then going to look at it after. But, my 12 year old is home sick today, and the gunshop it's at closes early this afternoon (something about the owner and a trap shoot?) so it will have to wait until at least tomorrow.

That said, I will try to get a look at it (hopefully tomorrow, office issues and children permitting), and if I don't pick it up, I'll pass the info along.
It's in Las Vegas, and I didn't ask if they would ship, but I'm guessing they probably would for a "fee" (of course).

In the meantime, I've been looking on-line for price comparisons, and I'm starting to get the impression that if it's in decent shape then it's probably a pretty good deal. Don't know if they'll let me photo it, but if they will I'll take a couple shots with my crackberry to e-mail you if I pass on it. There's always a chance they could sell it in the meantime, but I doubt they will, given the location of the place and the fact that it's middle of the week and all. Will keep you posted either way.

Mike.

[daveohno]

If it hasn't been fiddled with too much by Bubba and his dreml, that's a fairly low price for a 9mm Commander. I looked for months and finally bought one for several hundred more. I'd suggest that you bring money with and decide if you want to part with the money after you look at it.

[dakota1911]

Read the other posts. I would have to look at it but the price is not that bad by todays standards.

[PhantomAce]

Yeah, I'll take green with when we go look at it.
Wife and I have already decided to go the range in the morning to break in the new .45, and we are going to stop and look at it either on the way there, or on the way back.
If my wife likes shooting a 9mm at the range, then it will be a done deal I think. And, the little delay in between might give me a chance to walk on first visit and get a little negotiating room.
They said it's on consignment, but there still might be a little play in the price, at least I'm hoping.

Either way, I'm gonna see it, and at least try to get some pics and info for weisse52 at minimum.

I asked the guy at the range earlier on the phone if they had any 9mm Commanders, and he was pressing an STI version pretty hard for $769.
Dunno if I want a Colt knock off though, I'd rather have the real thing pre-80 series.
(Note: I did NOT call the one I'm looking at a 70 series! LOL)

[Hawkmoon]

... we are going to stop and look at it either on the way there, or on the way back.
Oh, stop! Just buy it -- it's a steal of a deal. Shooting a 9mm Commander isn't much worse than shooting a .22. If you buy it on the way TO the range, you'll get to shoot it. If your wife hates it (and I seriously doubt that's possible), the worst that'll happen is you turn around and sell it for a hundred bucks or more profit.

[PhantomAce]

Hawkmoon:

If I had my druthers, I'd go look, assess condition knowing I had done my research (which I have now for 2 days), determine if it was worth it or not, and buy it if it was.
Wouldn't take me 10 minutes tops before I'd either be on the way out the door or filling out registration paperwork.
But, it's not for "me", and women can be fickle. I have to get her to decide she wants it. (Never mind that we all now I'll probably shoot it 10-X more than she ever will, that's immaterial.)

Besides, she gave me almost zero grief when I bought that Commemorative for myself last week, have to make her feel like it's her choice this time.

Been married almost 20 years, I know the rules now, kind of...
;-)

[PhantomAce]

Well... I bought it.
We went to the range first, broke in the .45 and rented a 9mm Glock for her to try out. She actually liked the Colt 45 better than the Glock 9 (kind of scary). Then we went to the little GS to look at the Combat Commander.
I had my mind made up in about 5 minutes on it. Took it immediately back to the range and wife and I put about 50 rounds or so through it.

Finish is actually really good with the exception of one burr/scratch on the left side of the slide near the muzzle, hardly noticeable though. I bet it didn't have 500 rounds through it total before we bought it.
The only thing wrong with it was previous owner over torqued a screw on the left grip at top, and cracked the grip from the screwhole up.
We took it to a local gunsmith afterward and had him put a new anchor for the screw in that spot because it looked stripped on the old one, cost all of $5 to have it done.

Thing shoots wicked good. Having never fired it before I put 9 shots in fairly short order all in the face of a target at 30 feet at the range, which is good enough I think.
Wife put 3 or 4 clips through it, and all hit the center of mass on a target at 30 ft. as well.

Have a thing at school with my youngest tonight, but will try to post pics later when I get home and clean it.

Oh, and I got it for $500 as well (talked them down $50). Purchase, sales tax and Brady the check total was less than $570...

I'm Stoked!

[Hawkmoon]

I'm Stoked!
Phhhttt!

Who cares about you? The question we're all asking is: How does your wife like it? (It was going to be her gun, wasn't it? Yeah ... right.)

[kenhwind]

We want pictures!
We want pictures!

Had a Combat Commander .38 Super, nice gun, the LW XSE was nice, but I'm begining to think like you'all about the traditional look.
A Super .38, with a 9mm conversion a .45 upper, ooh I like the idea.

[weisse52]

We will haunt you if you do not post pictures......

[bobbarrios]

Unless that thing has some extreme problem, jump all over it. I would think long and hard before a refinish. I think a Colt should look like it has been used.

My 2 cents

[PhantomAce]

OK, some lousy pictures shot in my home office tonight under minimal fluorescent lighting after doing a "field clean" on it. Will try to take some "fluffy" ones in the sunlight in a few days for the Colt Pictures thread. But in the meantime, these will have to do.

First of all, I REALLY like the finish scheme.
It's totally blued, but it's Glossy on the sides of the slide, frame, and small pieces, and Matte on the top of the slide, under side of frame, etc.
Essentially, vertical surfaces gloss blued, everything else is matte blued. It really does present quite nicely I think.

What to look for in the pics:
-There's still oil on the rails and in nooks and crannies of it, so what you see is not corrosion or anything, these are just "after lube" pics.
-I did notice a very small "idiot scratch" when I started to take it down. It doesn't really show here, but it is a tigt arced line about 1/3 the length as normally seen on most guns with this issue, and very light. Basically a >1/8" long scratch below the slide latch, not even 1/2 way to the trigger relief on the side, and not completely through the bluing.
-The scar in the nose on the left side is really the worst mark on the whole gun.
-I did notice the finish is a little light on the edge of the safety, and you can't see it in the pics, but the right side of the slide at the very nose is also "slightly" light. Think it might have been holstered as a carry, but not for very long.
-The finish is almost entirely intact on the barrel, but there is some light wear in the corners of the trigger.
-Everything else is VERY minor, you really have to look to find anything else.

I'm standing by my estimate that this doesn't have 500 rounds through it. This gun is still tight. The fact that the barrel is still almost entirely blued instead of rubbed to bare metal on the bushing leads me to that assessment.

Now, YES, my wife likes it. As a matter of fact, when I told her that I thought this would be the "range" gun going forward, I got the "that's my gun, you need to ask me first" bit. That, by itself is a HUGE seal of approval. I can tell you, it is a pleasure to shoot, almost to the point that I think I would grab it before either of my 1911 45's.
Handles well, shoots straight, ammo is cheap, and still makes a decent hole if you need it for protection.
Yeah, I'm glad I went and looked, I think I scored major on it.

Seriously, having done my research, and then seeing this one, I'm guessing it would go between $800 and $1,200 right now on GunBroker, and I didn't have to pay shipping or FFL fees...

Can you tell I'm stoked?
THIS one's a keeper
;-)

http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/ww310/PhantomAceLV/DSC06248.jpg

http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/ww310/PhantomAceLV/DSC06241.jpg

http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/ww310/PhantomAceLV/DSC06247.jpg

http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/ww310/PhantomAceLV/DSC06249.jpg

[paul45]

Darn.......You did real, real good! Great piece for an even greater price!!

[Rich-D]

PhantomAce, I like the gun! At that price, you did very well indeed!

Best of Luck!
Rich

[kenhwind]

Your first implication seemed like the gun was well used, but that is a nice looking Combat Commander. Being a 9mm at least 800 bucks IMO.

[PhantomAce]

Thanks guys.
Yeah, I think we made out on this one.
It came with 2 clips too. One used, the other brand new, both Colt labeled.

Scary thing is, it was a consignment deal at the GS, and since I offered less than they had it tagged for they had to call the seller to get his approval. I heard the conversation, the seller only netted $400 out of the deal.
He must have wanted to sell it pretty badly.

[Hawkmoon]

The seller may have been pressed for cash, but on the other hand ... everyone knows Colts are junk, so you're probably the only person who has expressed any interest at all in the thing. He may consider himself fortunate to have found a sucker willing to pay $500 for a paperweight. :eb:

The photos make it look a LOT better than I had envisioned from your first description. You paid less for that one than I paid for mine (mine was $550, plus shipping, plus transfer fee); mine is refinished, not original; and mine needed work before it would function. You made out like the proverbial bandit on this deal, Sir. That is a real find, and I am envious beyond belief.

[PhantomAce]

Hawkmoon:
I'll tell you what was "junk"...
The tupperware 9mm Glock we rented for wife to try out at the range before we went and looked at this one. That thing was pathetic. She wanted to know why my 45 kicked less than the Glock, and then I explained that the Commander I wanted her to see would probably feel better to her than either of them, because of gun weight vs cartridge energy, and that is when she decided that she wanted to see it.

Guess I should send Glock a "thank you card" for making that piece of junk.
Without her shooting the Glock first she probably wouldn't have even gone with me to see this one, which would have made it real difficult for me to buy it "for" her.

[kenhwind]

I think Hawkmoon is jealous. I'm not, only envious. Shot my Sister in Laws Browning HP the other day, nice gun, but I would rather have a Commander or CC.

Many years agi Colt marketed a Series 70 MKIV Conversion Unit in 9mm, could never find one, but would have liked to have bought one for my .38 Super.

Tupperware isn't junk, a bit pricey. I have no use for striker fired automatic pistols, but I think I would buy a XD before a Glock. Had a FNP-40 nice gun, polymer frame, but it had a hammer, and they make one version that is DA and SA, up for safety, down for decocker, the way it should be.

You, oops, your wife has a nice Colt C Commander IMO, good buy.

[daveohno]

Your picture looks just like the one I bought a short while ago and forgot to start a thread for... :o

I paid a few more dollars for mine and yours looks like it might be in better shape than mine is.

[jc121]

thats a very nice 1911 and you did really well on it also. we all get lucky once in awhile, congrats on a nice find.
I have been thinking about one that is in my local shop and they are asking 800 for it. another shop has a very nice clw 9mm for 900. You can never have to many 1911,s but will have to wait a few weeks as I bought a rand on sat.

congrats again!

[John]

Heh, another victim. Another one who thinks that this Commander is his (well, his wife's).

Don't you people ever get it? ALL 9mm COMMANDERS ARE MINE, you are just assuming the responsibility of safe-keeping them, until I come and collect my possession. Gee, some people never learn!

Now take care of that baby, you hear? Or I'll hold you liable for child neglect!!!!!

:) :D :p

[kenhwind]

ALL 9mm COMMANDERS ARE MINE,
Hi John can I have the .38 Super Commanders then?
;)

[John]

Reluctantly!!!! :(

[dogdollar]

MAN.....who rated that thing 75%?
Ray Charles?
DD

[PhantomAce]

John,
I'm getting the feeling that you like that one, eh?
;-)

dogdollar:
The 75% rating was the salesperson I talked to on the phone originally before I ever saw it.
I, personally, am glad that whoever was rating it for sale was blind as a bat.
Having it here and looking at it closely, I say realistically 90%, and only because of a few scuffs, not wear and tear.
But, who was I to argue at the time?
After all, "they're" the experts, right?

[John]

I'm getting the feeling that you like that one, eh?

That, Sir, is the understatement of the year!! :p

[Rich-D]

MAN.....who rated that thing 75%?
Ray Charles?
DD

A good one! :lm:

Rich

[kenhwind]

MAN.....who rated that thing 75%
Good question I expected to see something quite different.
I think we all like it.

[Hawkmoon]

I think we all like it.
Whatever gave you THAT idea?

[PhantomAce]

Here's a scary thought for you guys...
It shoots BETTER than it looks.

And, yes, I'm STILL stoked!
;-)

Now I just need to find me one of those funky "Double Eagle" jobbies that dakota had a pic of, on the cheap, of course...
That thing has my curiosity going, which isn't always a good thing.