What Commander to buy?

diananike

diananike

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So I'm in the market for a new pistol.
I don't have a 1911 or a .45 so that's what it's gotta be.
Only Commander size need apply.
Any recommendations?
I was looking at one of the S+W Scandium ones anyone had any experience with them?

smith_sw1911sc.jpg
 
I haven't handled a Dan Wesson (yet) but the list of people who think they're the best combination of price/quality at the high end of the 1911 market is enough to convince me that that's what I'd get. Actually what most owners say is high end quality, mid range price.
 
+2 for the DW CBOB, I own one and it will me among the last of my handguns to be sold. A very good second choice is a Colt Lightweight Commander. Regards, Richard:)

My Colt Lightweight Commander:
coltlscommander2.jpg
 
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Too bad the Dan Wesson isn't a lightweight, alloy frame.

I love the bobtail, but I'd sure like a alloy frame.

What do you guys think, is the weight savings worth going to an alloy

I could always get a smith to bobtail for another 150-200$
 
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I'm usually a dedicated Colt 1911 guy when it comes to "commanders" but I gotta admit that the latest series Norinco 'compact' is well worth the money:

2007-09-08_213709_zzzNorcC1.jpg
 
That Norinco sure looks good comparing 400$ to the other 1000$ guns.

But after handling that Smith and Wesson I want something of real quality.
Maybe if I got a 'Rinco redone by ARMCO. If he could bobtail one....
 
diananike said:
That Norinco sure looks good comparing 400$ to the other 1000$ guns.

But after handling that Smith and Wesson I want something of real quality.
Maybe if I got a 'Rinco redone by ARMCO. If he could bobtail one....
Click to expand...

Hear what your saying but having been in the 1911 game for ~ 25 years looks, name etc are second behind reliability/performance for me. When I saw that this Norc compact digests Fiocchi 230 JHP's with the ease you'd expect from 230 gr hardball I was sold on it. Econo or not.

But getting a smoothed out Norc from Armco is always a good idea, too. ;)
 
I bought a new Dan Wesson .45 bobtail commander last year (see my past posts on it if you wish) after doing a lot of research, both practical and otherwise.

The DW is over the top in terms of quality, performance and fit and finish. I can truly say it is a high end gun for mid range money. I bought it from CGN sponsor ArmsEast where Walter took excellent care of me and a friend of mine who also bought one at the same time.

As for the weight issue, I prefer a non-lightweight frame because the lightweights seem unbalanced to me, with a relatively heavy slide balancing up on a light frame. When shot, the lightweight bucks more and is not as nice to shoot, nor as accurate.

So if you live in Canada, you're not allowed to actually carry the gun anyway, so weight savings are not worth it, IMHO. I do urge you, if you haven't already done so, to actually try shooting commanders of both regular and light weight configurations before you buy anything, else you make a commitment to something you will end up not liking to actually shoot (which is what two friends of mine did with Colt lightweight .45 commanders).

Practically speaking, I find the weight difference not worth it, and not that much to begin with (but then again I am a big guy, so it's a personal issue of preference). As well, the bobtail design is excellent, and fits my hand like a glove - again, if you haven't done so, compare this for yourself too.

Good luck and I hope you make a well informed choice that you will be happy with!
 
I have a Star PD. A Commander sized pistol with alloy frame. I have 3 other full sized all steel 1911's.

The PD is target pistol accurate. Shooting offhand (one handed) at 20 yards I just put 11 of 12 shots into the black. And this was not my target load, but a fairly snappy one with 6g 7625 and the 185 gr cast bullet.

Recoil does not seem too bad, but then when I switch to a full sized steel gun the same ammo does feel softer.

The sights on the PD are fairly simple - adjustable. One thing I have noticed with the PD is that when I do load development it seems to shoot everything very well, with little difference best to worst, wheras the other 1911s have a definite bell curve to the various loads.

If you are going to shoot a lot of factory ammo, or full power loads I think a steel frame is a better choice for recoil and gun durability. Alloy is for carrying, not shooting.

I would not have believed that a light gun with a short sight radius could be so accurate. But now that I have seen it, my standards for Commanders has gone up. Before you buy, is it possible to test the actual pistols, so you get a 'good' one? Probably not.

PDGROUP.jpg
 
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You can't get a Norinco on a Form 6NIA

diananike said:
That Norinco sure looks good comparing 400$ to the other 1000$ guns.

But after handling that Smith and Wesson I want something of real quality.
Maybe if I got a 'Rinco redone by ARMCO. If he could bobtail one....
Click to expand...

When you said that weight was an issue, and that you really wanted an alloy frame, I just assumed that it was intended for concealed carry in the United States.

The Norinco cannot enter the United States.

If it isn't intended for concealed carry, then it's weight is probably less of an issue then is it's recoil and it's overall shootability. You really might want to rethink your prejudices about alloy vs. steel frames.
 
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