1911 commander ?'s

AP101 · June 23, 2007, 20:10

am wanting to get a 1911 for my best friend for his birthday. He is a big fella, but I think the 5" bbl will be a little too long for him for ccw---I am thinking a commander. Do they have a full length grip frame? and any suggestions as to a good one?---I am thinking a stainless Kimber

DJ · June 23, 2007, 20:33

I have a Colt Lightweight Commander. It has a full length grip frame, takes 7 round magazines. I love the thing for concealed carry.
Mine's Colt, the Kimber's are supposed to be good guns. Springfield makes Commander sized guns. I'd give those a good look, too.

flight 556 · June 23, 2007, 20:50

All colt commanders have the 4 1/4" barrel. The only shorter grip is on the CCO which has the officers frame and commander slide. Kimbers and Springfields shorter guns have 4" barrels. I'd buy the colt if you can afford it.

garybob · June 23, 2007, 22:34

good choice on the commander style .45 I'm a big guy myself and although I've carried my fullsize springfield, I bought my Kimber Pro Carry II exclusively for ccw. Full size grip which holds 8 in the mag and 1 in the pipe. Alloy frame. IMO Kimber makes one of the best 1911 style pistols out there. A full size 1911 is around 38 oz. empty and my Kimber weighs 26 oz. You most definately feel that after 10-12 hrs.

SS · June 24, 2007, 00:01

I have a Kimber Tactical Pro II (4" bbl) that I use for CCW here in Texas. Aluminum frame, all the "custom" features (night sights, checkered under trigger guard, front, and back straps, ambi safety, beavertail), full length guide rod, coned barrel (no bushing), and a spring-loaded external extractor. It came that way from Kimber, I gave a little over $800 for it NIB about 3 years ago. The gun has functioned without a hiccup right out of the box, hits point-of-aim with any 230 grain load I run through it (usually Hydro-shocks). With 3 Wilson 8rd mags and one up the pipe, I'm good to go. In the past I had a Para P13 and a Series 80 Colt Stainless Commander, both were waaay too heavy for CCW (especially the Para). The Kimber has shown no signs of rust, even though I sweat all over it in the summer.

SS

BattlePack · June 24, 2007, 05:31

Commander size is perfect for CCW in my opinion. I use an older Kimber CDP Pro. As stated, a commander sized gun will have the full size grip and 4 to 4.25" barrel.

You may want to take a look at a Dan Wesson CBOB. It's an all steel commander size with bobtailed grip. It's on my list of future purchases. Also the STI Ranger II (??) may be worth a look. Lots of good choices out there.

B Wood · June 24, 2007, 06:01

I have two Kimbers. One has been a pure dream.......and the other has literally made me scream.

Early Kimbers were amazing. QC was fantastic, and they built their reputation on them. I have a CDP Compact that I love. 100% reliability. This gun does NOT have the Series II safety, and does NOT have the External extractor...(important points for this discussion).

My Kimber that made me scream, was a first run Pro Eclipse Series II. This gun has rarely worked correctly, and has been back to the Kimber factory so many times that it knows the way there. It rarely shoots more than 20 rounds without a malfunction. It has suffered failures to feed, failures to fire, failures to eject with numerous brands of factory ammo, and numerous people TRYING to shoot it. With that being said.....let me tell you a bit about Kimber.

Kimber brought out the Series II safety as a response to being able to sell pistols in the California market. The Series II safety works by depressing the grip safety. The grip safety engages a pin that pushes UP out of the frame, and engages another pin on the slide that serves to block the firing pin. The problem was that the bottom of the pin had a casting / forging mark on it, that made engagement inconsistent. A person could pick up a Kimber, load it, depress the grip safety, squeeze the trigger...hammer goes forward, but the pin in the slide would still not be engaged properly and thus block the firing pin from going forward. This results in the failures to fire.

External extractors were brought out by Kimber since they had "problems" tuning or installing internal extractors. Bad news was the external extractors were WORSE than the internals......Kimber loved to talk about how they KNEW .45's.........and the rest of us were basically idiots. Long story short....they phased out the external extractors.

As for the Series II safety....it is still there. USMC Det 1 specified the Series II safety NOT be installed on their pistols. The guns built for Det 1 were amazing. They worked. Kimber has since offered the non-Series II safety guns...(Warrior series) for sale.......since they continually get blasted for the Series II safety.

Kimber customer service has been sporadic. If you buy one, and you send one back...you will become familiar with "Dennis". Dennis has a "history" shall we say. Good luck dealing with him.

As for my Series II safety equiped Kimber....it is the most expensive paperweight I have ever bought. Kimber kept saying..."you have to break it in....with 500+ rounds".....problem was it wouldn't fire 1 round.......It made NUMEROUS trips back. They rebuilt the entire gun in 3-4 trips. It still SUCKS. They did break the right side of the ambi safety on it the last time they had it.....(it was sent back to be with an inoperable right side ambi safety). They did Fed Ex a replacement........but this level of customer service sucks.

I will only buy NON-Series II Kimbers, and internal extractor models. Everything else you are at risk.

You have been warned.

You would be better off buying a H&K USP / USP Compact

AP101 · June 24, 2007, 07:13

thanks for all the info. I bought a used kimber 5" forget the model---slide feels shitty when cycled by hand--has two tight spots, bbl bushing isn't the tightest either. Have put about 3,000 rounds through it---never a jam ftf fte---the most accurate 1911 I have ever owned---I guess I will give Kimber another shot. I am totally unimpressed with Colt---I had a Combat commander I couldn't hit the target with at 25 yards---where I am getting a 2" offhand group with the Kimber.

STGThndr · June 24, 2007, 07:50

FWIW Look for a used Series 70 Combat Commander. NOT the lightweight Commander version. Size shouldnt be a problem, and the quality is there. Nice gift btw.

DJ · June 24, 2007, 11:04

My first .45 was a Colt Combat Commander. I couldn't hit a bull in the ass at 10 paces with it. I traded it on a Colt Series 70 Gold Cup. Beautiful gun, shoots well too. I ran across a Colt LW Commander a bunch of years ago and decided to buy it. That little SOB shoots like a house afire. Nothing at all like that Combat Commander I had. I think my LW is pre-Series 70.

cwo4uscgret · June 24, 2007, 11:59

I have a Combat Commander (a series 70) which I really like a lot; it has scrimshawed cultured ivory grips (real ivory powder molded in resin):

But when I carry a 1911 style pistol concealed I like my ParaOrd Stealth Warthog in .45 acp. 10 round double stack magazine; 3" barrel. Accuracy? Well to carry off-duty we have to qualify with it...I carry a Glock 17 for a duty gun; best possible score is 150. On that qual day I shot a 150/150 with the Glock and a 150/150 with the Warthog. The group from the "hawg" was tighter then the Glock!

It is personal choice obviously, I have also carried, concealed, a full-sized SA 1911A1 hi-cap; government sized .45 with a 15 round double stack magazine. With the right holster it works.

StarPD · June 24, 2007, 15:45

I had a Colt lightweight Commander.
Loved it.
Broke my heart when I had to sell it along with my other guns to finance a divorce. If I was to buy another 1911, it would be another just like it.

**bob_e95482** · June 24, 2007, 16:58

I love my Colt LW Commander. If I had a CCW it'd be my carry weapon.

AndyC · June 24, 2007, 17:30

Quote:

Originally posted by cwo4uscgret
I have a Combat Commander (a series 70) which I really like a lot; it has scrimshawed cultured ivory grips

Nice; now, if you CG boys would take the training wheels off your boats, you might even be people with whom I might take a beer

Radio · June 24, 2007, 19:55

I know some guys love their stock grips, or pearl or bone or some other type, but nothing fills my hand properly on my LW Series 70 Commander like my Pachmayr grips.

--Radio

cwo4uscgret · June 25, 2007, 01:15

Quote:

Originally posted by AndyC

Nice; now, if you CG boys would take the training wheels off your boats, you might even be people with whom I might take a beer

Funny Lad you are Andy...hoist a pint of scrumpy for me in Pompey will you? We could play a few games of 501 straight away, double out what do you think?

AndyC · June 25, 2007, 08:54

Sounds good to me - welcome aboard the 'files

**Blackmore** · June 25, 2007, 20:55

Quote:

Originally posted by BattlePack
I use an older Kimber CDP Pro.

Series I with internal extractor? I found one for a great price on AA a couple of years ago and it has been my favorite handgun ever since. You just have to make sure the frame and feed ramps haven't been buggered by certain magazine followers if you buy a used one.

owlcreekok · June 25, 2007, 21:51

I've been learning about the intricacies of building one's own Commander. Except for the frame has been a lot of work and I am waiting for a guide rod and spring exchange, I think I am going to like my parts Commander. I had a couple of parts 1911 Gov't models in years gone by. Never a burp from a one that was not my fault.

I have a Colt Commander that has yet to burp. Dump it as fast as I can get it in the general area of the silouette ,,,no ftf,fte, just bangbangbangbang.

The 1911 smith that has been helping me will say, when you mention Kimber, "They made real good .22 rifles once." He rolls his eyes and goes back to work. One time, he did elaborate. He offered that a Kimber carrying feller should just tell a threat that he carries a Kimber. Should scare the bad guy enough to retreat. (more eye rolling)

They must do SOMETHING right, they sell a lot of them. But then, McCormick, Ed Brown and the like sell a lot of parts too. Some fine tactical as well as race guns say "Essex" on the frame.

**Lee Carpentieri** · June 26, 2007, 03:57

Whats left of Colts pistol product line has been hand built by the Colt custom shop for the last 6 years now. I bought a Colt 1991A-1 commander last year from Specilized Armament Warehouse. 3 dot sights and a 4 1/2 pound trigger pull from the custom shop at Colt. Dealer price was 525.00 plus shipping. It loves and so does my hand the 185grn Jhp ammo.

June 23, 2007, 20:10	#1
AP101 Banned Pending Resolution of Marketplace Issues. FALaholic #: 7375 Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Pa Posts: 402	1911 commander ?'s am wanting to get a 1911 for my best friend for his birthday. He is a big fella, but I think the 5" bbl will be a little too long for him for ccw---I am thinking a commander. Do they have a full length grip frame? and any suggestions as to a good one?---I am thinking a stainless Kimber

June 23, 2007, 20:33	#2
DJ Registered FALaholic #: 126 Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Brookville Pa Posts: 2,129	I have a Colt Lightweight Commander. It has a full length grip frame, takes 7 round magazines. I love the thing for concealed carry. Mine's Colt, the Kimber's are supposed to be good guns. Springfield makes Commander sized guns. I'd give those a good look, too. __________________ *Proud Air Force dad* I'm a "barbarian" and I VOTE! "He might have gone on livin' but he made one fatal slip, he tried to match the Ranger with the Big Iron on his hip." Marty Robbins, "Big Iron"

June 23, 2007, 20:50	#3
flight 556 Registered FALaholic #: 3944 Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: north texas Posts: 578	All colt commanders have the 4 1/4" barrel. The only shorter grip is on the CCO which has the officers frame and commander slide. Kimbers and Springfields shorter guns have 4" barrels. I'd buy the colt if you can afford it. __________________ When you understand the nature of a thing, then you understand what it is capable of.

June 23, 2007, 22:34	#4
garybob Registered FALaholic #: 7691 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Arkansas Posts: 399	good choice on the commander style .45 I'm a big guy myself and although I've carried my fullsize springfield, I bought my Kimber Pro Carry II exclusively for ccw. Full size grip which holds 8 in the mag and 1 in the pipe. Alloy frame. IMO Kimber makes one of the best 1911 style pistols out there. A full size 1911 is around 38 oz. empty and my Kimber weighs 26 oz. You most definately feel that after 10-12 hrs. __________________ Strive to be prepared!

June 24, 2007, 00:01	#5
SS Registered FALaholic #: 27557 Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: NE Texas Posts: 26	I have a Kimber Tactical Pro II (4" bbl) that I use for CCW here in Texas. Aluminum frame, all the "custom" features (night sights, checkered under trigger guard, front, and back straps, ambi safety, beavertail), full length guide rod, coned barrel (no bushing), and a spring-loaded external extractor. It came that way from Kimber, I gave a little over $800 for it NIB about 3 years ago. The gun has functioned without a hiccup right out of the box, hits point-of-aim with any 230 grain load I run through it (usually Hydro-shocks). With 3 Wilson 8rd mags and one up the pipe, I'm good to go. In the past I had a Para P13 and a Series 80 Colt Stainless Commander, both were waaay too heavy for CCW (especially the Para). The Kimber has shown no signs of rust, even though I sweat all over it in the summer. SS __________________ That's a Smith & Wesson, and you've had your six.

June 24, 2007, 05:31	#6
BattlePack Registered FALaholic #: 5773 Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: richmond Posts: 689	Commander size is perfect for CCW in my opinion. I use an older Kimber CDP Pro. As stated, a commander sized gun will have the full size grip and 4 to 4.25" barrel. You may want to take a look at a Dan Wesson CBOB. It's an all steel commander size with bobtailed grip. It's on my list of future purchases. Also the STI Ranger II (??) may be worth a look. Lots of good choices out there.

June 24, 2007, 06:01	#7
B Wood Registered FALaholic #: 5579 Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Low Country SC Posts: 1,530	Be very careful of Kimbers I have two Kimbers. One has been a pure dream.......and the other has literally made me scream. Early Kimbers were amazing. QC was fantastic, and they built their reputation on them. I have a CDP Compact that I love. 100% reliability. This gun does NOT have the Series II safety, and does NOT have the External extractor...(important points for this discussion). My Kimber that made me scream, was a first run Pro Eclipse Series II. This gun has rarely worked correctly, and has been back to the Kimber factory so many times that it knows the way there. It rarely shoots more than 20 rounds without a malfunction. It has suffered failures to feed, failures to fire, failures to eject with numerous brands of factory ammo, and numerous people TRYING to shoot it. With that being said.....let me tell you a bit about Kimber. Kimber brought out the Series II safety as a response to being able to sell pistols in the California market. The Series II safety works by depressing the grip safety. The grip safety engages a pin that pushes UP out of the frame, and engages another pin on the slide that serves to block the firing pin. The problem was that the bottom of the pin had a casting / forging mark on it, that made engagement inconsistent. A person could pick up a Kimber, load it, depress the grip safety, squeeze the trigger...hammer goes forward, but the pin in the slide would still not be engaged properly and thus block the firing pin from going forward. This results in the failures to fire. External extractors were brought out by Kimber since they had "problems" tuning or installing internal extractors. Bad news was the external extractors were WORSE than the internals......Kimber loved to talk about how they KNEW .45's.........and the rest of us were basically idiots. Long story short....they phased out the external extractors. As for the Series II safety....it is still there. USMC Det 1 specified the Series II safety NOT be installed on their pistols. The guns built for Det 1 were amazing. They worked. Kimber has since offered the non-Series II safety guns...(Warrior series) for sale.......since they continually get blasted for the Series II safety. Kimber customer service has been sporadic. If you buy one, and you send one back...you will become familiar with "Dennis". Dennis has a "history" shall we say. Good luck dealing with him. As for my Series II safety equiped Kimber....it is the most expensive paperweight I have ever bought. Kimber kept saying..."you have to break it in....with 500+ rounds".....problem was it wouldn't fire 1 round.......It made NUMEROUS trips back. They rebuilt the entire gun in 3-4 trips. It still SUCKS. They did break the right side of the ambi safety on it the last time they had it.....(it was sent back to be with an inoperable right side ambi safety). They did Fed Ex a replacement........but this level of customer service sucks. I will only buy NON-Series II Kimbers, and internal extractor models. Everything else you are at risk. You have been warned. You would be better off buying a H&K USP / USP Compact __________________ Don't Blame me....I voted for Fred Thompson http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...ooter/CRAP.jpg

June 24, 2007, 07:13	#8
AP101 Banned Pending Resolution of Marketplace Issues. FALaholic #: 7375 Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Pa Posts: 402	thanks for all the info. I bought a used kimber 5" forget the model---slide feels shitty when cycled by hand--has two tight spots, bbl bushing isn't the tightest either. Have put about 3,000 rounds through it---never a jam ftf fte---the most accurate 1911 I have ever owned---I guess I will give Kimber another shot. I am totally unimpressed with Colt---I had a Combat commander I couldn't hit the target with at 25 yards---where I am getting a 2" offhand group with the Kimber.

June 24, 2007, 07:50	#9
STGThndr Registered FALaholic #: 14583 Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Southern Colorado mtns and desert Posts: 3,409	FWIW Look for a used Series 70 Combat Commander. NOT the lightweight Commander version. Size shouldnt be a problem, and the quality is there. Nice gift btw. __________________ Turning and turning in the widening gyre The falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity. W.B Yeats

June 24, 2007, 11:04	#10
DJ Registered FALaholic #: 126 Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Brookville Pa Posts: 2,129	My first .45 was a Colt Combat Commander. I couldn't hit a bull in the ass at 10 paces with it. I traded it on a Colt Series 70 Gold Cup. Beautiful gun, shoots well too. I ran across a Colt LW Commander a bunch of years ago and decided to buy it. That little SOB shoots like a house afire. Nothing at all like that Combat Commander I had. I think my LW is pre-Series 70. __________________ *Proud Air Force dad* I'm a "barbarian" and I VOTE! "He might have gone on livin' but he made one fatal slip, he tried to match the Ranger with the Big Iron on his hip." Marty Robbins, "Big Iron"

June 24, 2007, 11:59	#11
cwo4uscgret Registered FALaholic #: 19025 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Midwest Posts: 203	So many choices! I have a Combat Commander (a series 70) which I really like a lot; it has scrimshawed cultured ivory grips (real ivory powder molded in resin): But when I carry a 1911 style pistol concealed I like my ParaOrd Stealth Warthog in .45 acp. 10 round double stack magazine; 3" barrel. Accuracy? Well to carry off-duty we have to qualify with it...I carry a Glock 17 for a duty gun; best possible score is 150. On that qual day I shot a 150/150 with the Glock and a 150/150 with the Warthog. The group from the "hawg" was tighter then the Glock! It is personal choice obviously, I have also carried, concealed, a full-sized SA 1911A1 hi-cap; government sized .45 with a 15 round double stack magazine. With the right holster it works.

June 24, 2007, 15:45	#12
StarPD Registered FALaholic #: 4773 Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Phoenix, Posts: 5,299	I had a Colt lightweight Commander. Loved it. Broke my heart when I had to sell it along with my other guns to finance a divorce. If I was to buy another 1911, it would be another just like it. __________________ George StarPD ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

June 24, 2007, 16:58	#13
bob_e95482 Senior Member Bronze Contributor FALaholic #: 19820 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: northern ca Posts: 637	I love my Colt LW Commander. If I had a CCW it'd be my carry weapon.

June 24, 2007, 19:55	#15
Radio Registered FALaholic #: 263 Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Eastern Washington State Posts: 9,868	I know some guys love their stock grips, or pearl or bone or some other type, but nothing fills my hand properly on my LW Series 70 Commander like my Pachmayr grips. --Radio __________________ Train Like You Fight: Second PLace is NOT an Option. --E.M. (Ted) Dannemiller II* "You seem to fantasize about me a lot. Maybe you should tell your boyfriend? He could dress up like me or something." --*K.O.A.M.*, November 9th, 2009 "You're better off hoping she don't miss, it's quicker that way." --ce, December 15, 2009

June 25, 2007, 08:54	#17
AndyC Porridge Wog Contributor FALaholic #: 19755 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Euless, TX Posts: 11,061	Sounds good to me - welcome aboard the 'files __________________ My Iraq Pics Preferred Travel Agent - 72 Virgins Dating Club

June 25, 2007, 21:51	#19
owlcreekok Registered FALaholic #: 15323 Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Tejas Posts: 9,331	I've been learning about the intricacies of building one's own Commander. Except for the frame has been a lot of work and I am waiting for a guide rod and spring exchange, I think I am going to like my parts Commander. I had a couple of parts 1911 Gov't models in years gone by. Never a burp from a one that was not my fault. I have a Colt Commander that has yet to burp. Dump it as fast as I can get it in the general area of the silouette ,,,no ftf,fte, just bangbangbangbang. The 1911 smith that has been helping me will say, when you mention Kimber, "They made real good .22 rifles once." He rolls his eyes and goes back to work. One time, he did elaborate. He offered that a Kimber carrying feller should just tell a threat that he carries a Kimber. Should scare the bad guy enough to retreat. (more eye rolling) They must do SOMETHING right, they sell a lot of them. But then, McCormick, Ed Brown and the like sell a lot of parts too. Some fine tactical as well as race guns say "Essex" on the frame. __________________ "It is necessary for the welfare of the nation that men's lives be based on the principles of the Bible. No man, educated or uneducated, can afford to be ignorant of the Bible." - Theodore Roosevelt - (1858-1919) 26th President of the United States FOUNDER- Free ggiilliiee Foundation hehe

June 26, 2007, 03:57	#20
Lee Carpentieri Curio & Relic Gold Contributor FALaholic #: 4936 Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: N/A Posts: 4,179	Colt pistols Whats left of Colts pistol product line has been hand built by the Colt custom shop for the last 6 years now. I bought a Colt 1991A-1 commander last year from Specilized Armament Warehouse. 3 dot sights and a 4 1/2 pound trigger pull from the custom shop at Colt. Dealer price was 525.00 plus shipping. It loves and so does my hand the 185grn Jhp ammo.

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