Colt Commander

[phillip]

I was at the gun show yesterday an Sharon spotted a Colt Commander in 38 Super. She likes the way it feels in her hand (Why is Jukebox hero going thru my head). I asked the dude if he had one in 40, And his response was "they dont makem in 40, Wat you see is wat you get". Humphh...... How hard do you think it would be to convert one to 40?....."Next to impossible" :rolleyes: Whatever dude. My question is, Is the Commander a size of 1911? Ive got a Colt MK IV in 45, And its bigger. I dont think this is due to the caliber. Someone straighten me out on this please.

[xdshooter]

I bought my Sister in Law one in stainless 45 acp. She's 5'3", and pretty small (about 110 pounds), yet she handles the bigger round just fine. I did switch the grips out for some semi-slimline. If she can handle the 40, I'd bet she could handle the 45.

BTW I don't mean to start the whole 40 vs 45 debate, but why spend the money to convert to 40 when 45 is available?

[Deltaten]

phillip:
The Commander is a Colt of a different length. It comes in 4.25" and has an alloy frame.
The Combat Commander is the same in a steel frame model. COlt didn't make a .40.. tho Springfield and possibly Kimber did.

No moss growin' on a .38 Super, my friend. JUst be cautious about hot loads in an unsupported bbl.

HTH,
Paul

[whirlibird]

Two ways to convert it to .40,

The easiest and most cost effective (man hours and retained value) is to fit a second slide and barrel such as This (http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=115570892) and This (http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=115482148) and have a complete second upper for your frame.

The other option is to open up the breech face of the .38 Super slide some .018" (eighteen thousandths), from .406" to .424" (plus a cushion) which would make it very sloppy if you changed the barrel back to .38 Super. But with the opened up breechface and a new barrel, you'd be good to go with some minor tuning and fitting.

.45 is easy enough to shoot, as is .38 Super, check out the Cor-Bon and Silvertips in the Super, you'll be surprised.

[1811GNR]

You can probably find a .40 from Kimber or ParaOrdnance. You might find a 10mm and get a .40 barrel for it.

[BUFF]

Like Deltaten said, the only difference size-wise between a Colt 1911 (Government Model) aand a Commander is that the Commander's barrel and slide are 4-1/4 inches long while the 1911's are 5 inches long.

Colt Commanders in .38 Super are fairly scarce and somewhat collectable. What was he asking for it?

The Winchester Silvertip 125 gr. jhp is probably a good stopper. It will also kick less than any .40 S&W loading in the same weight of pistol.

[RRotz]

Originally posted by Deltaten
phillip:
The Commander is a Colt of a different length. It comes in 4.25" and has an alloy frame.
The Combat Commander is the same in a steel frame model. COlt didn't make a .40.. tho Springfield and possibly Kimber did.

No moss growin' on a .38 Super, my friend. JUst be cautious about hot loads in an unsupported bbl.

HTH,
Paul

The newer Colt Commanders have a steel frame, at least mine does from a few years ago.

[Deltaten]

Guess they dropped the alloy frame then.. oh well.
Anecdotally..
The sweetest, little O frame I ever shot was a former shooting partner's custom .38 Super comp gun Commander. Bobbed carry-comp, all the bells and whisles and a big dot on top./ Ran like the proverbial raped ape, felt like a .22 and straight as a laser. Ya had to work ta miss with it :D

[phillip]

Originally posted by xdshooter
I bought my Sister in Law one in stainless 45 acp. She's 5'3", and pretty small (about 110 pounds), yet she handles the bigger round just fine. I did switch the grips out for some semi-slimline. If she can handle the 40, I'd bet she could handle the 45.

BTW I don't mean to start the whole 40 vs 45 debate, but why spend the money to convert to 40 when 45 is available?


She shoots a 9 now. Swill shoot my 45, But she doesn't like the recoil. I figured 40 is about halfway between so if she ever decides to start shooting for competition she will be ready to go.

[phillip]

Originally posted by BUFF
Like Deltaten said, the only difference size-wise between a Colt 1911 (Government Model) aand a Commander is that the Commander's barrel and slide are 4-1/4 inches long while the 1911's are 5 inches long.

Colt Commanders in .38 Super are fairly scarce and somewhat collectable. What was he asking for it?

The Winchester Silvertip 125 gr. jhp is probably a good stopper. It will also kick less than any .40 S&W loading in the same weight of pistol.

900 bucks. I remember my Pops had, IIRC, a GI 38 Super 1911. He always said it was a sweet shooter. Then someone stole it out of his desk drawer :mad: .

[phillip]

Originally posted by Deltaten
phillip:
The Commander is a Colt of a different length. It comes in 4.25" and has an alloy frame.
The Combat Commander is the same in a steel frame model. COlt didn't make a .40.. tho Springfield and possibly Kimber did.

No moss growin' on a .38 Super, my friend. JUst be cautious about hot loads in an unsupported bbl.

HTH,
Paul

Man, I could have sworn that rig was shrunk a little. Yourgoing to make me go out to the truck and look at mine.