The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Handguns => Topic started by: bafsu92 on November 30, 2010, 09:49:40 AM
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THE NEW COMMANDER .45 DESIGN BY WILEY CLAPP
(http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/nvssurf/2029255.jpg)
We showed it at SHOT show 2010 in the Colt booth with Wiley answering questions for 4 days. Quantities are not yet limited. First production April 2010 Suggested Retail $1379
Series '70 style action with no firing pin safety and improved trigger pull
Alloy receiver for a light pistol that carries easy
Original style small safety, slide lock and magazine catch, no extensions
Front & rear slide serrations
Long black trigger, flat S&A mainspring housing
Colt's new beavertail grip safety for comfort in long shooting sessions
Special Novak sights – extra-wide notch and bead front for any-light shooting
Tactical Oval grips with forward taper and fingerprint checkering
Pete Single 25 lpi checkering on the pistol's front-strap
Special factory serial number run
Part# 04840WC
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The 21st Century Commander is a great pistol. I like it a lot. Sweet to carry, sweet to shoot and accurate to boot. It has a very nice trigger as well -- no need to send it out for more work.
I saw this Commander at the NRA convention. After trying every 1911 in the place, as we were leaving I tried this one and fell in love. I saw Wiley Clapp there, but he was not at the booth when I got to fondle the Pistol.
If you can chin the dollars, I can recommend it highly. This Commander brought me back into the 1911 fold. Truth to tell I never left it, but I do well in competition with my Sig here at our club.
BTW there were other very nice 1911s at the Colt booth this year with the Series '70 works. It is really great to see Colt coming back from self-imposed exile. I have been partial to Colt automatics since I was a boy with my .22 Woodsman Sport.
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BTW there were other very nice 1911s at the Colt booth this year with the Series '70 works. It is really great to see Colt coming back from self-imposed exile. I have been partial to Colt automatics since I was a boy with my .22 Woodsman Sport.
+1
There are many high quality 1911's out there...but for some reason, none of them quite get to me like a Colt. It just has such a natural 'ring' to it when you say it............."Colt 1911"............
I also love the looks of the New Commander.
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I'm glad to see Colt coming out with stuff that consumers want. They have obviously listened and done something about it. They went through a period where I think they made a lot of mistakes and put out some less than stellar pistols thinking that brand loyalty was number one. I'm sure they saw what nice series 70 pistols were selling for these days. After about ten or fifteen years of having their ass kicked by Kimber, Springfield and others they finally got the message. I'd rather buy a Colt 1911 but not most of the ones they were putting out through the mid-90's until recently. I hope they do more of this type of pistol but I have to say they started with my favorite. I've always been partial to the lightweight commander configuration. I'm going to start looking around for one of these to see what the street price is. Unlike a lot of other pistols I don't expect to much of a discount on these. I wouldn't be surprised if demand outweighed supply once word of these spread a bit more.
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Well it looks like there's no shortage of them on gunbroker. It looks like they can be had for right at $1200 on the low end to $1350 on the high end. I guess I might have to sell a couple toys.
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I saw one at a dealers recently. He must have been really proud of it -- $1475.
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Bought my last Colt around 1992......may have to start saving some shekels......always wanted a lightweight commander.
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I've got enough items on arfcom right now to get this if I can sell rather than trade. This has moved up to pretty close to the top of my list.
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Bought my last Colt around 1992......may have to start saving some shekels......always wanted a lightweight commander.
IMO they don't balance very well.
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IMO they don't balance very well.
I've shot them a lot.... I've just never run across one for the right price or when I had money.
A DNR ranger friend that I grew up with has had one for years and I liked it a lot. No problems with balance, but every set of hands is different.
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That's the truth Peg and also what makes 1911's so great. If your willing to play around a bit and change grips, trigger and mainspring housings it's hard not to make a 1911 fit someone's hand. As far as the balance goes that's just an individual thing. I love the aluminum frame in a Commander but prefer a steel frame in a full sized 1911 and can't get an officers sized that feels good in any material. The closest I've ever come is the Para Warthog.
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I've also been interested in a Colt Defender, but never able to shoot one.
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My wish is simple. I just want one of each model of Colt and Para USA. Starting with the lightweight commander.
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IMO they don't balance very well.
It must be an individual perception. I think the Commander's balance is just great. But I can't fathom a Glock. I think Glocks are good pistols, but every one I have tried is just wrong for me. I also find nothing to complain about on the SIGs, but others have said they are top heavy or something which I can't see or feel.
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Commanders do balance great, its the light wieghts that don't A little to much weight on the front.
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It must be an individual perception. I think the Commander's balance is just great. But I can't fathom a Glock. I think Glocks are good pistols, but every one I have tried is just wrong for me. I also find nothing to complain about on the SIGs, but others have said they are top heavy or something which I can't see or feel.
I just got rid of my Sig 220 and have my 226 listed. I gave in after years and picked up one of each. They're great pistols, as well made as any out there but the bore line is just to high above my hand to feel right. I like the 239 and want to pick one up but the older Sig designs just don't work for me.
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Which is why there are so many flavors. In pistols, there are only a few basic designs to choose from in quality manufacturers (SA, DA etc). The difference is in the frame. Same with shotguns. I went through base models of high end guns like kleenex till I found one that fit me. I probably lost $1000 on the trades. But then I found the Merkel Model 8. It is a little heavy, a little overbuilt, and it won't win a beauty pagent as its pretty plain Jane (just the way I like a gun). Still, it might as well have been built for me. The Webley's, Bernadellis, Cittori's etc I traded through to get it were good guns, but this one is mine. I will never part with it.
I'd say $1400 is a bit steep for a pistol, but if it works for you, and I mean really works? Its money well spent. Just MHO.
FQ13
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I saw one at a dealers recently. He must have been really proud of it -- $1475.
We have one in the shop. I believe its going for about $1300 or so.
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Check out the Feb 2011 issue of Combat Handguns. The "New Clapp Commander 1911 Colt .45" is the cover photo. Pedants, like me, note the quotation marks. That is how the pistol is referred to on the cover. I haven't read the article yet, but from the cover I will bet it is favorable. If it isn't I'll let you know.
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Did you go into the future to get that magazine? ???
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It must be an individual perception. I think the Commander's balance is just great. But I can't fathom a Glock. I think Glocks are good pistols, but every one I have tried is just wrong for me. I also find nothing to complain about on the SIGs, but others have said they are top heavy or something which I can't see or feel.
I love my lightweight LT Colonel from PARA USA, the balance is perfect for me with the alloy frame and it's a joy to carry at just over 32 ounces loaded with 230 JHP. I'll probably keep if for the rest of my life.
I was one of the folks who said that Sigs are a bit slide heavy but after running a few hundred rounds through my daughters, I'm kinda singing a different tune. Loaded with 14 rounds of 9mm, it's balance is perfect! ;D
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Check out the Feb 2011 issue of Combat Handguns. The "New Clapp Commander 1911 Colt .45" is the cover photo. Pedants, like me, note the quotation marks. That is how the pistol is referred to on the cover. I haven't read the article yet, but from the cover I will bet it is favorable. If it isn't I'll let you know.
So your saying this is a case where getting the Clapp is a good thing? ;D
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Did you go into the future to get that magazine? ???
Not into the future, Frank. It was on the magazine rack in the PX. I am always amazed at how they determine what date to put on these things. It always seems so far into the future.Combat Handguns has always been way out there. The Feb 2011 date on the cover is hard to find and hard to read. My bet is they do that so the magazines can sit on the shelf longer. I don't normally buy the magazine, but the cover made me do it. I still haven't read it -- too many other things to read first.