Finally picked up my first Colt...tell me all about it!

[SpeedRacer]

So I went to my co-workers house today and am now the proud owner of my first Colt, first .45, and first 1911. :D

What I know about it:
Colt Commander Lightweight
Series 70
Fun as hell to shoot

What I'd like to know:
What year it was made (Serial: CLW0138XX)
Recommend some nice 3-dot sights

It shot great, but the stock sights just aren't very enjoyable. The gun is still very tight, not even completely broken in yet. The blue is in GREAT shape other than a few small unavoidable wear marks.

http://www.thegraphixlab.com/Curt/commander1.jpg

Sorry the picture is crappy, my digicam and photography skills both suck. :o

Anywho...I guess I'll be around for a while now. And likely to ask lots of newb questions.

[stans]

Not a bad picture. Keep her cleaned and lubricated, practice with round nose bullets to avoid damaging the aluminum frame feed ramp and beware of the metal split follower type mags (I think Chip McCormick might be the ones), the edges can tip forward and nick the frame feed ramp. Even standard 1911 mags can nick the feed ramp, so be on the look out for nicks.

[Joni Lynn]

1972 is the year of production. Production that year began with CLW013051.
1973 began with CLW016901, 1971 began with CLW009751.
If it were mine I would have 3 dot adjustable Novak sights installed. They look good and are pretty much snag resistant.

[mitchjoe]

SpeedRacer:

Congrats! That's a fine looking Commander. I agree the mil sights are not the fastest sight picture, but I actually prefer them for shooting targets.

mitchjoe

[SpeedRacer]

Thanks for the info and comments everyone!

As for the sights, I have always done better with 3-dots. For some reason I just can't get a good sight picture without the contrast of the dots. It's a problem I've always had. :(

[John]

Do I see a WWII thumb safety there? Is that the safety these guns, of the '70s were supposed to have?

[wichaka]

Good eyeballs John, that's not Commander Original..........

[SpeedRacer]

Intersting! What type of thumb safety should it have from the factory? I did find out a full length guide rod has been installed, so while it's almost stock it's definitely possible some small mods were made.

[John]

The normal thumb safety should have a bigger shelf, like this one here (which is not from a real gun, but it shows you what it should be wearing):

http://forum.m1911.org/images/airsoft/commander/Pict1341.jpg

[RickB]

I'd probably stick with a set of stake-on sights of the original syle. On my Commander, I had a M1991A1 rear, and MGW front installed. They're bigger and easier to see than stock, but don't look out of place on an older gun. If you have to have 3-dot, I think King's makes a nice set.

[John]

King's are the most handsome alternative to these small sights. They look very much like the higher profile sights used these days by Colt, if not better. For anyone who does not want to go to Novak's or other "exotics", these are nice alternatives.

[SpeedRacer]

Thanks, the King's Hardball 3-dot is exactly what I was looking for. Factory look and no slide hacking involved. :D

Here's another newb question what size tenon would I order for the front...narrow, medium or wide?

[John]

I think your gun has the narrow tenon front sight.

[SpeedRacer]

Thanks, my research came to the same conclusion. Unfortunately while looking I also found lots of info on staked front sights being loose and wiggly. How common is this problem?

[John]

I won't trust a staked-on sight, without silver-soldering it from inside the slide. Some of them come of, some of them don't, but I do not like visiting my gunsmith often, so when I go, I like the business to be done and finished with it.

[SpeedRacer]

I'll check with my local shop and see if they do the silver solder method. If not, would installing a front dovetail lower the value of the gun? Would it need to be refinished?

I'm not so concerned about value anymore as I've decided to make this gun a shooter, but it could be a small factor in the decision.

[John]

Well, cutting the dovetail means that some refinishing is required, maybe you can get away with some Cold Blue. A dovetailed front sight is much more preferable to a staked-on, but it has that drawback the slide has to be reblued or Cold Blued.

As for the value, as you said, this is not a collector's item so I wouldn't worry about it.

[wichaka]

Speedracer.......if you find the front sight you want, I'll stake it for ya...........aint have one come off yet!..........and I don't use solder.