1911 Commander V.S. 1911 Compact

No the compacts generally use an officer sized frame and the newer smaller 1911 compacts doaway with the barrel bush and use a tapered barrel, making it very dificult to get longer aftermarket barrels. The best we can do without breaking the bank is an officer frame with a Commander slide.
 
Now I'm really confused.... Commander, Compact and Officer? Are they all different frame sizes?
 
No they are not.

A Commander uses the same frame as a full size 1911, except the barrel is 4.25" instead of 5". Most of these frames are not made of "lightweight" materials.

An Officers 1911 uses a smaller frame and is often made of lightweight materials.

Now, for example, a Compact 1911 can be an Officers frame with a compact slide on top of it, such as the one that goes with a 3.5" barrel. (This gun is prohibited due to the barrel length, but is the lightest, smallest and most easily carried and concealed).

A hybrid Compact, if you will, uses the Officers frame with a full size Commander slide and barrel riding on it (4.25") and is restricted, not prohib.

A visual example can be seen on the Dan Wesson website at www.cz-usa.com - compare the two bobtail .45s they offer. The stainless vs. the black one. Notice the differences on the frames, including the lighter weight and smaller handle size on the black one.

I hope this clears it up!
 
compact or commander?

Just to confuse you even further Norinco calls their standard frame 1911A1 in .45ACP that has the 4 1/4" barrel a "compact" when they should really call it a "commander".... ;)

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NAA.
 
"Commander" is a registered trademark owned by Colt hence the reason for Norinco to mark their Commanders the way they do. Para came up with LTC for their version.

Take Care

Bob
 
"Commander" is a registered trademark owned by Colt hence the reason for Norinco to mark their Commanders the way they do. Para came up with LTC for their version.

Take Care

Bob

Well, that covers that off.... ;)

http://www.gosafetystore.com/blank?pageid=5&catstart=0&prodstart=0

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NAA.
 
Is this an accurate description?

The Government model 1911 is your normal 5 inch barrel 1911 with the full frame

The Commander model is a 4.25 or 4 inch barrel 1911 on a government sized frame

The Officer model is a 4 inch or less barrel on a reduced frame
 
The dust cover or forward part of the commander frame is shorter too. It accepts full-frame mags though and that's a plus.
I have learned if I can't readily get NEW mags for a gun, then I don't want it.
 
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