THE CLASSIC COMMANDER
The Colt Commander Model was originally introduced in 1949 with the first examples being chambered in 9mm and featuring an aluminum frame. The following year the 45ACP Commander was in full production but it wasn’t until 1970s that Colt began to produce a steel framed version known as the Combat Commander. Since its introduction many aficionados and knowledgable gunmen have regarded the 45ACP steel framed Commander as the perfect carry gun. Not only is the steel frame more durable and better suited to soak up the recoil of the 45ACP, but for many shooters the shorter slide makes the overall package ideal for concealment work.
The steel framed Commander remains extremely popular today as a well balanced and shorter alternative to the Government Model and the gun seen here represents my idea of the classic custom 45ACP Colt Commander. A pistol that is traditionally styled with key features selected to be functional, comfortable, and never outdated.
The classically styled Commander seen here is a full-house work from my bench utilizing only the best quality components. The heart of the gun is a Kart barrel mated up to a bar-stock slide stop and stainless steel EGW barrel bushing. The front strap is high-cut and hand checkered at 30lpi with a hand-checkered mainspring housing to match. The slide top is flattened and serrated with a modified Heinie rear sight and custom fabricated gold line front sight. Rear slide serrations match the rear sight and two extractors, both matched with serrations, are included. Thumb safety and grip safety are meticulously fit and shaped from bar-stock parts and a short length trigger and standard length mag-release add to the classic appeal. A bordered slide, beveled mag-well, and weld-up frame and slide fit are just some of the additional features with everything detailed, de-horned, and finished in a traditional hot-salts blue with capped off with Spegel ironwood stock panels.
Included with the pistol was a made to order book, leather covered, that documents the work on the base gun via a series of photos taken while the build was in progress. The book offers the owner a unique vantage point on some of the operations used to build the gun and concludes with the a full photo set of the finished work.
