Lightweight Commander type pistols

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Scott Tschirhart
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Lightweight Commander type pistols

Post by Scott Tschirhart »

Whenever the idiots on the left get to acting stupid, I tend to be drawn back to the 1911. But I also notice after wearing one fit a few days I feel the strain.

Time to find another lightweight Commander. So I found a well used Dan Wesson Guardian.
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Re: Lightweight Commander type pistols

Post by Scott Tschirhart »

But if it’s not reliable it isn’t worth carrying. So I loaded up a bunch of different magazines with my old IPSC load.
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Re: Lightweight Commander type pistols

Post by Scott Tschirhart »

125 rounds as fast as I could load and shoot. Pretty clear that it shoots to the sights and it’s reliable because it never stuttered.
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Last edited by Scott Tschirhart on Wed May 04, 2022 5:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Scott Tschirhart
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Re: Lightweight Commander type pistols

Post by Scott Tschirhart »

8 rounds of Winchester 230 gr ball ammo carefully fired at 25 yards:
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Re: Lightweight Commander type pistols

Post by Scott Tschirhart »

I loaded it up with 230 gr ball and stuck it in my britches where it has been riding for the past week. No lower back strain.
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Re: Lightweight Commander type pistols

Post by Lastmohecken »

The Lightweight Commander is my favorite carry gun. I usually carry a Colt Lightweight Commander of some flavor. I own a few. A Lightweight Commander has been my go to carry gun for 30 years or more.

I am currently carrying factory Hollowpoints but used to carry my own semi-wadcutter handloads just like you have pictured, and won't hesitate to again, if I need to.
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Re: Lightweight Commander type pistols

Post by Lastmohecken »

The Lightweight Commander is my favorite carry gun. I usually carry a Colt Lightweight Commander of some flavor. I own a few. A Lightweight Commander has been my go to carry gun for 30 years or more.

I am currently carrying factory Hollowpoints but used to carry my own semi-wadcutter handloads just like you have pictured, and won't hesitate to again, if I need to. I have usually always carried in a Milt Sparks IWB holster.
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Re: Lightweight Commander type pistols

Post by OldWin »

Can't be beat!
I've packed this old Enhanced Colt LW Commander for a long time. I feel very well armed with it. I have made only a couple changes (this is an old picture. It wears stag grips now). I carry Hornady 200gr XTPs in Wilson mags and shove down in a Milt Sparks Summer Special.
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Re: Lightweight Commander type pistols

Post by Sarge »

A good LW Commander is a great carry gun and Dan Wessons are fine pistols. You shoot that one real well Scott.
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Re: Lightweight Commander type pistols

Post by 44shooter »

I have a Kimber CDP Custom. A Gov model length slide on a lightweight frame. Very nice to shoot and handle
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Re: Lightweight Commander type pistols

Post by Griff »

I've carried a steel framed Combat Commander for over 40 years. My favorite sidearm. First tuned by a departmental gunsmith, feeds EVERYTHING!
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Re: Lightweight Commander type pistols

Post by AJMD429 »

.
I agree wholeheartedly with the proof-of-reliability testing.

I wouldn't carry my Para Ordnance P-14 until at least 500 Golden Sabre factory load hollow points fed without malfunction. They did, so I decided "it's reliable"... :D The frame is aluminum so it is an easy carry, other than the handful of ammo it holds weighs a ton. I wear a Blue Alpha belt so that helps. https://www.bluealphabelts.com/product- ... uty-belts/. The narrow ones work in regular dress pants or jeans.
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Re: Lightweight Commander type pistols

Post by Scott Tschirhart »

I've got a steel framed Commander from Nighthawk. A Texas Border Special designed with the help of my old friend Jim Wilson.

But it is a bit much weight to carry every day like I used to. Gold bead front sight. Everything you need and nothing that you don't. It is a well-designed and very accurate pistol.
Last edited by Scott Tschirhart on Thu May 12, 2022 4:00 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Lightweight Commander type pistols

Post by Sarge »

Somebody must have tampered with gravity in the last 30 years, because it pulls a lot harder on me too ;)
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Re: Lightweight Commander type pistols

Post by 2ndovc »

I've been carrying mine quite a bit lately. More since I got the Simply Rugged rig. Carries nicely and not too hard on me if I'm in the truck all day.

Image

Best part is the trigger is just as good as my National Match. :D

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Re: Lightweight Commander type pistols

Post by Grizz »

IDK if the Springfield qualifies as a "Commander type" or not.
signal-2022-05-05-092107.jpeg
Interesting thing to me is that the XD digests everything I've fed it, while the 1911-A1, Philippine version feeds ball ammo flawlessly but chokes on my cast lead loads.

The 1911 has the best trigger. My wife prefers shooting it to anything else. I mean, if there were anything else. ***
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Re: Lightweight Commander type pistols

Post by Grizz »

Sarge wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 9:03 am Somebody must have tampered with gravity in the last 30 years, because it pulls a lot harder on me too ;)
That plus the continually shrinking seats in airliners could almost persuade me of a conspiracy of some kind . . .
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Re: Lightweight Commander type pistols

Post by Scott Tschirhart »

The nice thing about a .45 is that it works (terminally) fine with ball ammo, SWCs or hollow points.
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Re: Lightweight Commander type pistols

Post by OldWin »

Scott Tschirhart wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 6:56 pm The nice thing about a .45 is that it works (terminally) fine with ball ammo, SWCs or hollow points.
Yup.
This is why I like the 45.
The 9mm is all good when it can take advantage of modern bullet technology. However, in times like these, where ammo availability and cost is always a question, the good ole 45 works with whatever is available.
I often carry a Combat Commander in the woods. I just stuff it with ball and go.
For me at least, it isn't a viable option with the 9mm.
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Re: Lightweight Commander type pistols

Post by CowboyTutt »

Always wanted a Dan Wesson Commander pistol here in "commifornia" but none were available for sale here. Actually I have not been able to find any Dan Wesson guns for sale here IIRC. Grateful to have my Kimber Custom Eclipse II in steel with the 5 inch barrel in 10mm. -Tutt
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Re: Lightweight Commander type pistols

Post by Catshooter »

Scott,

Nice piece. What is your IPSC loading?

2ndovc,

That's a nice looking holster. What are the two straps (?) on either end for?
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Re: Lightweight Commander type pistols

Post by 2ndovc »

Catshooter wrote: Fri May 06, 2022 12:16 am Scott,

Nice piece. What is your IPSC loading?

2ndovc,

That's a nice looking holster. What are the two straps (?) on either end for?
Stole a picture from the Simply Rugged site. Loops go on the outside so the holster can be tucked inside your waistband. Carries and draws nicely. Re-holstering takes a bit more effort.
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Re: Lightweight Commander type pistols

Post by Catshooter »

Ahh, I see. Thanks.
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Re: Lightweight Commander type pistols

Post by Scott Tschirhart »

Catshooter wrote: Fri May 06, 2022 12:16 am Scott,

Nice piece. What is your IPSC loading?
A bit hotter than it probably needed to be but I always shot 5 gr Bullseye under a 200 gr H&G68. I've been shooting this load for more than 40 years now. Never actually killed anything bigger than an armadillo with it though.
Last edited by Scott Tschirhart on Thu May 12, 2022 3:57 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Lightweight Commander type pistols

Post by JOG »

I've been carrying a Colt lightweight commander for a little over a year now.
Pretty much my favorite carry gun these days.
A good holster and belt and your all set.
Definitely in 45acp.
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Re: Lightweight Commander type pistols

Post by MingoKid »

I have a Ruger lightweight commander. For the money and titanium ramp, you really can't beat it. I've done a bit of carry with it recently and shooting. I can't really down it even with a well used Glock 17. Personally, I'd trust either one to put between me, or my family, and miscreants. It carries very well also. MK
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Re: Lightweight Commander type pistols

Post by Ysabel Kid »

My EDC is a Para-Ordnance P12.45. 13 rounds of .45 ACP in a small package. Hard to beat. :D

My duty (church safety team) is a full-size 1911. I carry what I shoot well, and the .45 is a proven man-stopper that doesn't over-penetrate. Again, hard to beat.
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Re: Lightweight Commander type pistols

Post by CowboyTutt »

Ysabel, that makes total sense to me. My full size Kimber 1911 is in 10mm but I can adjust the load and bullet as I handload to slower velocities, greater expansion and not over-penetrate as you said. Sound advice for close quarter work. -Tutt
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Re: Lightweight Commander type pistols

Post by Ysabel Kid »

CowboyTutt wrote: Wed May 11, 2022 9:37 pm Ysabel, that makes total sense to me. My full size Kimber 1911 is in 10mm but I can adjust the load and bullet as I handload to slower velocities, greater expansion and not over-penetrate as you said. Sound advice for close quarter work. -Tutt
Smart on downloading the 10mm. I'd be really worried about over-penetration with the full-power loads. In fact, we don't allow magnums for that reason; too much risk of overpenetration with too many people all around. One of my other carry guns was my Ruger GP-100 in .44 Special, for similar reasons, but SLED's (South Carolina Law Enforcement Division) change in the qualification course means revolvers are basically out.
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Re: Lightweight Commander type pistols

Post by 450 Fuller »

Carry a steel Commander -hard chrome finish to protect during summer heat. Roy's Leather or Milt Sparks rigs...
During colder months its 1911 Colts like the full-size Series 70 forged steel with NM barrels.
Have a couple of them, accurate and handle +P loads real nice.
Extra magazines are an excellent idea-8 rd or what reliably works in your pistol.
As Jeff Cooper stated: carry what will stop a fight.

Research shows that smaller than Commander sized 1911-styled pistols
may encounter reliability issues. I stick with J. Browning's original design.

Carried an original in Vietnam with the 5th Special Forces Gp (ABN)-MACVSOG.
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Re: Lightweight Commander type pistols

Post by marlinman93 »

I've never owned anything but full sized 1911 style handguns, but I would like a smaller/lighter 1911 if I came across one reasonably priced. Lot of times I pack my compact 9mm due to it's light, small size; but I'd rather be packing a .45 instead.
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Re: Lightweight Commander type pistols

Post by Scott Tschirhart »

marlinman93 wrote: Fri May 20, 2022 9:13 am I've never owned anything but full sized 1911 style handguns, but I would like a smaller/lighter 1911 if I came across one reasonably priced. Lot of times I pack my compact 9mm due to it's light, small size; but I'd rather be packing a .45 instead.
Going to a lightweight commander is a significant reduction in weight, but I don't notice that there's much difference in recoil.
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Re: Lightweight Commander type pistols

Post by marlinman93 »

Scott Tschirhart wrote: Fri May 20, 2022 6:03 pm
marlinman93 wrote: Fri May 20, 2022 9:13 am I've never owned anything but full sized 1911 style handguns, but I would like a smaller/lighter 1911 if I came across one reasonably priced. Lot of times I pack my compact 9mm due to it's light, small size; but I'd rather be packing a .45 instead.
Going to a lightweight commander is a significant reduction in weight, but I don't notice that there's much difference in recoil.
I was looking at Rock Island's 3.5" barreled version. Sportsman's Warehouse sells them for under $500, but not sure if they're a alloy or steel frame. I actually would prefer steel if they are as I doubt it makes much weight difference. Mainly I'm looking for a smaller size that's easier to conceal for summer carry.
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