This pistol is mentioned quite a bit. Might I suggest a Google search and do some reading and have specific questions after your effort. Preston

 

If you read my question I AM asking specific questions: 1. What date range is considered desirable for this particular model? and 2. Were the pistols produced in the 80's considered as good as the 1970's? Better? Worse?

And btw, a quick Google search using Colt Commander Model and 1911Forum didn't yield answers to these questions. YMMV. Thanks.

 

Sorry, enjoy your pistol. Preston

 

Whats to know...It's steel frame commander. If it goes bang every time it is well made..Quality will always very. Pics? Is you use the search function here you will find everything you want to know..Early 80's is better then late 80's in my experience. It's all relative.

 

Whats to know...It's steel frame commander. If it goes bang every time it is well made..

This sums up the thread

Off topic: Next time I'd probably ask more specific questions and have a better attitude...

 

Asking broad questions seems to always bring out those that think they know more than I. Bad attitude makes me think of that punk in North Korea that wants to make the world think he is very bright but is in for a big suprise. Because he can bully his people, kill his brother, brag and he is still a Dumb A-s.
I love Commander size 1911's and I shoot mine every week. I will say that I am more accurate with the full size at the range but with more practice I will be better with more practice.

 

OP

I think your questions were fair to ask.

I had an early 90s stainless commander, and given the quality, I would be surprised if the Commanders of that time were considered to be of any real value.

But ask me about my 1999 Magum Carry...

 

O.P. Enjoy yer Combat Commander I like the balance with
the 4.25" Bbl. Slide

The Combat Commander of the 1950s/early '80s made before Colt
began the 80 series w/it's Firing Pin Safety - Pre-80 series are
preferred and AFAIK consistent quality for the pre-80 Series.

For a time during the 70s Colt offered the Combat Commander
with a Satin Nickel finish but it flaked and was discontinued

I had a blued Combat Commander in .45 ACP in the mid-late 70s
and regret letting that one get away. I now have a 1991 Series
Commander w/steel frame no 'Combat' on the roll mark just
Commander. also blued.

Also just got a Llightweight Commander in 9x19
& enjoying it at the range.

Get good 8 Rd mags, I use Wilson Combat ETMs

Randall

 

Monadh, thank you for the kind words and sharing your experience. In my experience research is like a funnel, novices usually ask the broad questions, and with time as you drill down into a subject the questions become more specific. I guess that simple fact is lost on some people.

Randall, great information, thank you! The one I bought was made in 1981, so hopefully it'll be GTG once it arrives. I hope it's a shooter because I plan to carry it.

 

In the big picture the Colt Combat Commander was introduced in 1970. The Colt Commander was introduced in 1949 but the first year of real production was 1950. Up until 1970 all Commanders had Aluminum alloy frames. The Combat Commander had a steel frame.

In general, condition being equal, the value of what is now often called pre 80 Series Combat Commanders is highest for the first year and drops the later they were made up until 1983 when Colt introduced the Series 80 mechanical firing pin safety on all of its 1911s.

I have two pre 80 Series Combat Commanders. The top one was made in 1982 and the bottom one in 1980. I traded into the top one for about $450 out of pocket and the 1980 I bought in a LGS in 2015 for $650.



Early, like early 70s Combat Commanders may have the lightened slide and all Commanders had the sand blasted grips with Nickle meds till about 1976 when then got the checkered grips with Gold meds.

 

Dakota, great information thank you. Those are sweet! They look almost new. Do you carry them, or are they safe queens?

The prices have really gone up, I'm embarrassed to say what I paid....$850 before tax.

 

All depends on condition , don't be embarrassed on the price, the only place price is a concern is if you are buying on a web based auction , otherwise your location and how bad you want it dictate the price.

I can't add anything more than what Dakota posted , that pretty much sums it up

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I found mine online on Cabela's website in their Gun Library. I'm happy to say it looks barely used, and best of all no idiot scratch!:rock:

 

I've got a couple 80's Colts (full size govt, 1984 and 1987) and 2 mid 70's Gold Cups. Honestly.....i cannot tell a lick of difference between them quality wise.

 

Go try it out and judge for yourself. I am betting it will be ok. They are nice pistols.

 

Commanders are wonderful variants of the quintessential 1911 platform. There is no absolute answer to your questions as some prefer the pre-80s, some don't mind the 80 series safety, some prefer this roll mark and others another. Somewhat consistently the older they are the more desirable but most especially in the better condition and the rarer configurations. Quality varied among genres, but also within as well so I don't think there's an absolute there either. Regardless they are all fantastic and at least for me preferable to a 5" gun. Research and learn, but most of all shoot and enjoy it.


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Pre-Series 80 Commanders in excellent original condition typically sell fast and for top dollar regardless of what year they were made and whether they're Lightweight or Combat. Try not to be drawn into the "Colt's good years and bad years" debate. I have a Commander made during their "bad years" (early 1990s) and it's the best-shooting Commander I ever owned. By contrast I've owned Colts made during their "good years" and they turned out to have issues. Judge each pistol on its OWN merits, not by what year it was made.

 

I don't carry either of those pre 80 Combat Commanders. These days I have a 2013 Colt/Talo Clapp Commander I carry.

With mine the 82 is in superb shape plus the fit and finish is very good. It also has a nice trigger. I traded it to a friend who is very much into revolvers for a Ruger Blackhawk in 45 Colt I bought about 2002. The fellow had barely shot it but sadly threw out the box etc. a couple years after he bought it. It gets shot every now and then but not a lot.

With the 1980 I was looking for an a pre 80 Series for a project I had in mind. With it the fit and finish looked good in the LGS. They were O.K. with me field stripping it in the gun store. After cleaning, lubing and putting about 50 rounds through it for function testing I detailed stripped it.



I knew this pistol had a very nice frame to slide fit etc. It did have a not great trigger, but that didn't bother me. What surprised me was I think someone already had put in a new barrel bushing and link pin. Very close fit on them. I put in an EGW trigger pull reduction kit with the exception I put in a new black Colt Defender hammer. I also put in almost all new springs. I put in a new Titanium Colt firing pin and new stocks from Altamont. The arched steel MSH was replaced with a flat one sourced from an old Gold Cup. I also fit a new long trigger from Harrison Design. So today the 1980 looks like this.



The last step I have is to put dots or something on the small sights, which I want to keep on the pistol. I bought a Plano pistol case and put all the take off parts in there so I or a future owner could return the pistol to pretty much how I bought it.

 

Some of the Colts produced during the strike years 1986-1990 had some quality control issues that were attributed to an unhappy workforce. I have guns from that period that are fine. My Combat Commander was made in 1978 (bought new for $260 out the door) and I have had no issues with it. It is one of the "dreaded satin nickel guns" but it had held up fine with proper care. I wouldn't hesitate to buy any Commander from the '70's to the early '80's, based on a hand-held inspection first.

 

Some of the Colts produced during the strike years 1986-1990 had some quality control issues that were attributed to an unhappy workforce.

I have a 1989-vintage Government Model that has been one of my best (and most frequently shot) handguns. I've long since looked for another one just like it that I could leave stock, but when I discovered another '89 Gov't at a local Cabelas a couple years ago it was a perfect example of Colt's "worst" days. The exterior finish was rough, the slide was extremely loose on the frame and the action felt like it had sand in it. It was so close in SN to mine that it was probably made the same month, perhaps even by the same people, but they were clearly having a really bad day when they put that one together.

 

Dakota, those mods you made to the Commander are very subtle and blend in very well with the overall retro look. Great job, and thanks for the pics, you're giving me ideas....

Texagun, that is a fine example of the stainless. Don't see too many of those, new or vintage, on today's shelves.

Hopefully my new Commander will arrive today and I can take some pics.