Colt Commander history / 1911 experts

[Aero Denezol]

I found this information online re: the development of the Colt Commander:

"...a U.S. government post-World War II trial to find a lighter replacement for the M1911 pistol that would be issued to officers. Requirements were issued in 1949 that the pistol had to be chambered for 9 mm Parabellum and could not exceed 7 inches in length or weigh more than 25 ounces"

Do any 1911 experts here know if the military, border patrol, or police ever adopted the Colt Commander?

I couldn't find any information.

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[Pops1911]

Neither could I. Sorry.

 

[Aero Denezol]

Yeah, there is no info about it online. It seems likely the Commander was never adopted in any official capacity. And yet it's remained in production all these years, just based on popularity with the civilian shooters.

 

[spider]

They were looking for a lighter and shorter gun, but it didn't work out for a military contract. Instead commercial market got it, and I am very happy to have owned a few.

 

[dennyjoe]

I just bought one last week ... looking forward to shooting it

 

[Yotehunt]

As mentioned, it was tested in the field. But it was politically driven to start, test and end testing.

Now getting another early 50's 9mm LW would be a treat. Imagine being so pompous that you need to have a pistol that was lighter and an inch shorter than the enlisted man fighting in the trench. Luckily the U.S. military still valued "manly" projectiles during that era.

 

[bbbass]

As mentioned, it was tested in the field. But it was politically driven to start, test and end testing.

Now getting another early 50's 9mm LW would be a treat. Imagine being so pompous that you need to have a pistol that was lighter and an inch shorter than the enlisted man fighting in the trench. Luckily the U.S. military still valued "manly" projectiles during that era.

Then came the "Officer's" model. LMAO.

I know people that own them!

 

[nammac]

Commander length is my favorite 1911 length. Don't have anything useful to add to the history of it. As for the officers, had a late 80's blued Colt Officers ACP, those weren't Colt's finest hour, no doubt...

 

[nammac]

Here's another article on the history of the commander model, seems the government abandoned the idea, never contracted, never issued.

https://www.texasranger.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Artifacts-Colt-Combat-Commander.pdf

 

[salmon creek gary]

My former air force outfit "rolled their own" Commander-size 1911s. They were re-manufactured from a heap of 1911A1s obtained from the navy. Armorers at Lackland AFB in San Antonio lopped a bunch off the barrel and butt, added an ambidextrous thumb safety, changed the trigger guard shape, applied some spiffy stippling, and topped each one of with a lovely Parkerized finish.

Although OSI saved several thousand 1911s from destruction by the navy, less than 2000 were ever modified. I can't remember the precise per-copy cost for the modificatiion, but it was less than $50. Each issue holster probably cost more. At that low price, no de-burring was done, so these babies shredded suit coats so remarkably fast that emery cloth and cold blue became popular with OSI agents. As shown in the pictures, a few agents prettied-up their sidearm up by inletting a dime-size copy of the OSI badge in the scales.

What was the point? Well, it was all driven by the need to replace OSI's model 36-1 revolvers because air force was no longer procuring .38 special ammunition and .38+P was dangerously stretching cylinders. Although the U.S. military switch from .45 to 9mm sidearms was already foregone, that was too far in the future to solve OSI's immediate dilemma.

Bottom line: Due to the modified .45's heavy recoil, worrisome weld failures, low capacity, and perceived poor accuracy, most OSI agents were very eager to turn in their "custom" .45s when the less-concealable Beretta 92F pistols were finally issued.

 

[cigars]

Then came the "Officer's" model. LMAO.

I know people that own them!

Just remember, Nike is a marketing company, not a sportswear company.

 

[gmerkt]

Yes, there was a sort of "Commander" pistol issued by the US Army. To General Officers. Called the M15, it was in .45 ACP. Fabricated at Rock Island Arsenal. Began in 1972, discontinued in early 1980's. I worked in a G4 section when one of our division officers got his first star. And authorization for the pistol which we had to order for him. Which came with a special belt and the GO buckle.

 

[bbbass]

Just remember, Nike is a marketing company, not a sportswear company.

I thought it was a missile...

 

[cigars]

I thought it was a missile...

Yes, true. They had a ring of Nike missile batteries surrounding DC during the Cold War. There was an abandoned site where I lived in Northern Virginia. It was pretty cool. It was fenced off but they had a historical marker just outside.

 

[bbbass]

Yes, true. They had a ring of Nike missile batteries surrounding DC during the Cold War. There was an abandoned site where I lived in Northern Virginia. It was pretty cool. It was fenced off but they had a historical marker just outside.

Just a short thread steal: I went scuba diving in an old missile silo on a base in E WA state. I thought it was a Minuteman but somebody on the forum another time said they thought it was something else. IDK. It was a pretty cool facility and not really open to the public, but I guess some rancher owned it then.