Help Identify Finish 70S LWT Commander Pics

[Ariz Commander]

I need help identifying the finish on my 70 Series (1982) LWT Commander. When I first saw it in the case I thought it was stainless. I now know it is Nickel, but is it Electroless or Coltguard? What's the real difference? I am trying to find the right slide stop, thumb safety and grip safety. A couple of the members have told me they have grip safeties available, another member (Thankfully) advised me there was a difference in the two finishes. I seem to recall a Bright Nickel (mirror polish) and a Satin Nickel (a dull textured look). I know this is not one of these, so which is it.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b290/ArizCommander/Imag0012.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b290/ArizCommander/Imag0009.jpg

[RickB]

I think all the lightweights of that era were blued with anodized frames. The first pic looks like hard chrome; a very "white" silver. The second pic looks more like nickel. Either way, I don't think it's a factory finish.

[clare44man]

Yes, it looks like a hard chrome finish to me. There are a lot of variations in the color of these finishes also, so it is going to be difficult to get a really good match if you refinish any parts. You do realize that your grip safety is 'fitted' to the frame ears (probably part of why the gun was hard chromed since the finish was altered in this area) and those people who can sell you the stock grip safety will be the short style. Those are really can 'bite' you if you have large hands. I would keep the grip safety that is on the gun, find a blue thumb safety and slide release and enjoy a nice 'two tone' gun. You might also buy another fitted grip safety like is on the gun (excellent for shooting) in stainless. It won't quite match, but if you have it bead blasted then bring the finish back up again with a little steel wool, you should be able to get a pretty close match. You could do the same with a thumb safety and slide release. In either case, it looks like you have an excellent gun there. 44 Man

[mitchjoe]

Ariz Commander:

clare44man is right, the frame tangs have been modified to fit the grip safety (it's not a rubber-covered job is it?...hard to tell from the pic). As well, the front sight looks like a Millett Dual-Crimp (requires drilling two holes in the slide). If you want to return the pistol as close to original appearance as possible, you'll also need a hammer; the current one looks like a King's part (weird though, since it's basically the same as the factory Colt part).

The two different pic's make it tough to tell, but from the 2nd pic, satin stainless parts wouldn't appear to be that good a match. I'll be making a 2nd pass through the gun show tomorrow & I'll keep my eyes open for any of the nickel stuff you mentioned.

An alternative (provided you like the pistol well enough) would be picking up any of the original style parts & shipping the pistol out for a new hardchrome or nickel finish. :D If you're looking for a more OEM type rear sight, I believe the King's HardBall rear sights are a match height-wise w/ that Millett front sight.

Agreed, that's a sweet pistol & definitely worth the effort!

mitchjoe

[stans]

Looks like hard chrome to me. If it were mine, considering the modifications (dual crimp front sight and beavertail grip safety are non-reversible), I'd ditch the extended slide stop and thumb safety and make it a carry gun.

[Ariz Commander]

Thank you for all of your comments. I wish I could get a better picture to post. In real life the pistol more closely resembles the 2nd picture, I am pretty sure that the finish is in fact nickel, wether it is Colt factory or not I don't know. I was aware that the grip safety and sights were replacements. I did look inside the slide and mitchjoe is right, there are two holes drilled into the top of the slide where the front sight attaches. In examining the pistol closely I believe that the frame is "Raw" meaning that it has no protective finish. It appears to me that the frame sides have been polished and that the underside and edges of the back strap may have been bead blasted or something similar giving them a "frosted" appearance. Does anyone have any pictures of known Coltguard or nickel pistols of this period that they can post so we can compare? I have an old Blue Book that says the nickel finishes were discontinued in 86. Some thing else I had not thought of, My slide says "COLT'S COMMANDER MODEL" I did not think anything of this until a local gun shop employee tried to convince me Colt was wrong on the manufacture date, the gun store guru says it must have been made before they started calling them Lightweight Commanders (1970?) with the introduction of the steel frame Combat Commander. What do you think? Parts Gun?