I had a compact Scandium. Muzzle flip was pretty severe. I found it hard to control and I couldn't make the gun run. To many FTF. I eventually got get up with it and traded it. Maybe the commander model is easier to control.

 

I bought one. The guy ordered it in 2 tone round butt Commander E series configuration. He shot 1 box of shells and traded it for a Glock and some money. I bought it used for $950. Nice gun. Sights are dead on. I like the external extractor. Barrel seemed to want a bit of polishing and a finish reamer to get the leade right for my SWC reloads. Now it feeds anything.

It was my first alloy 1911 in .45 acp. I had never fired a really lightweight.45. Was a bit afraid of the recoil. Not bad though. After 100 rounds, I prefer steel 5”. The (S&W E series) is probably not the 1911 to pour 40,000 -60,000 full house loads through. If I had to pay full retail I would also consider a Dan Wesson Guardian in .45. Have one of those in .38 super. I rarely ccw. Just me I guess. That said, I would feel good about the S&W E series as a ccw. 5”steel GI 1911 is awfully hard to beat as a ccw.

The finish on the S&W seems about the same as the Dan Wesson. Dan Wesson feels slightly more natural in my hand. The feel is a subtle difference. To each his own. Not sure there is really a bad 1911. These days. And with a bit of TLC almost any 1911 can be made to run beautifully. Most are damn good out of the box.

 

I have a S&W Model 1911PD Commander that has never failed to deliver. Is recoil a little more pronounced? Yes but still manageable. With my bad back it’s easier on it when I carry the PD.

 

I have a S&W Model 1911PD Commander ...

The choice of Jesse Stone

http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Stone_Cold_(2005)

 

I have one and love it, one of my favorite 1911's.

 

Scandium is marketing speak for aluminum. They sprinkle 2% pixie dust and now it is more expensive....not a fan of any alu frame guns but ff the goal is to EDC and to shot very little, maybe a good choice on a short barrel.

 

This is not a true statement. Scandium has a specific purpose.
Because of its rarity, scandium is among the most expensive elements. Price for pure scandium fluctuates between 4000 and 20000 US dollars per kilogram.
Adding scandium can also make the aluminum alloy have good superplasticity. After superplastic treatment of aluminum alloy with about 0.5% scandium, the elongation of the alloy can reach 1100%. True, it is only added in small amounts, but that's all that's needed, apparently.
So in other words, it makes the aluminum a lot stronger.

 

Experiences with S&W Scandium 1911?

Few years back I was trying to pick between a DW Guardian and SW PC 1911, went with SW because I had no personal experience with DW and my basic 5” ESeries was a decent gun.

Out of the case, the PC gun was accurate and reliable with good trigger. As mentioned above, recoil is a bit more stout vs steel 5” but I think manageable. Thumb safety was a bit mooshy if I remember right.

I ended up sending mine to Rob at ACW for a few finishing touches like new sights, trigger, thumb safety, slide stop and removing checkering from the round portion of the MSH. It was snagging on clothes and annoying me. Came back as a perfect carry!

I was concerned originally that it did not have a ramped barrel, but have experienced zero issues related to that so far. I do prefer magazines with anti-tip-down followers though. Maybe it’s that special scandium stuff [emoji3].

At the end. Would buying a Guardian give me a gun that needed less changes to get it to my liking - probably. Do I regret buying this one - not at all.

I have now also purchased a Guardian in 38S, so I guess the right answer is both!

 

Experiences with S&W Scandium 1911?

Few years back I was trying to pick between a DW Guardian and SW PC 1911, went with SW because I had no personal experience with DW and my basic 5” ESeries was a decent gun.

Out of the case, the PC gun was accurate and reliable with good trigger. As mentioned above, recoil is a bit more stout vs steel 5” but I think manageable. Thumb safety was a bit mooshy if I remember right.

I ended up sending mine to Rob at ACW for a few finishing touches like new sights, trigger, thumb safety, slide stop and removing checkering from the round portion of the MSH. It was snagging on clothes and annoying me. Came back as a perfect carry!

I was concerned originally that it did not have a ramped barrel, but have experienced zero issues related to that so far. I do prefer magazines with anti-tip-down followers though. Maybe it’s that special scandium stuff [emoji3].

At the end. Would buying a Guardian give me a gun that needed less changes to get it to my liking - probably. Do I regret buying this one - not at all.

I have now also purchased a Guardian in 38S, so I guess the right answer is both!

I sure like the grips on the Guardian!

 

Have the Perf Center guns. The 5 inch is all steel of course. There is a little more noticable recoil on the Commander size pistol shooting them on the same day with the same ammo but to me it is not objectionable.



Of course another person may well have different observations than me. I think S&W has a patent for the method they use to make the Scandium Aluminum alloy. Still other gun manufacturers could use a different process and use it or even pay S&W to use their process.

 

Now you had to go ahead and bring out the big brother PCSC, didn't ya Dakota? The PCSC Commander is certainly one on my bucket list, and I love the orange grips myself and wouldn't change a thing. Thanks

 

She's a sweet shooting pistol. I must confess, I've never really paid any mind to what may be mixed with the aluminum, nor to what percentage. I used my standard criteria when picking this one up: I liked her looks and feel. I did have to change the grip panels, though, as I like them over-sized. She has not disappointed!

 

Thanks

Thanks for the great information everyone. Just what I needed to hear.

 

I have a LW Commander PD that came with the CT grip. It's been my carry pistol for years.

It's not pretty since I sweat a lot, but it works. It's always been more accurate than my Colt XSE.

Due to a squib I had to have a new barrel fit. Now it's EXTREMELY accurate. The smith did a very good job.

Yes it's snappy, it's a LW Commander. But it's easy on my destroyed back, it's a 1911, and it's 45 ACP.

It's the carry it a lot and shoot it a little. I always try and run a mag through it when I go to the range.

 

BrokenGrunt and others: take no offense but snappy is to me is like saying a gun is a “tack driver” and other oft repeated gun descriptions.

Even a .22 lr has recoil; just not as much of a reaction to the controlled explosion of the powder pushing the round out the end of the barrel. A lesser degree than .22 Magnum but or the a .22 Short.

All guns have recoil it’s an act of Natural Science. I knew a woman once, Mabel, who was probably 95# dripping wet and 4’9”. She told us one night about shooting an elephant gun, said it hurt a bit, left a bruise, but didn’t knock her on her butt. Another woman about 5’9” and 160# screamed like a little girl from the recoil of the .40 S&W chambered pistol she carried in her duty belt, on the border.

Most of us have learned about recoil at a young age, an example? Your dad’s friend, winking at your dad, says: here 12 year old kid, shoot this (12 ga) shotgun. Never told how to shoulder the gun, the poor kid ends up on hi ass! I had a Detonics Pocket Nine that evening win cheap range ammo it hurt to shoot it; no fun at all!

Is recoil from an alloy framed Commander more noticeable then from an all steel Government Model? It is. Recoil from a .45 ACP round (to me) is more of a push; from a .40 S&W, more of a violent slam. First time I shot a .44 Magnum, I tried to muscle the recoil. My neighbor - his gun and reloads laughed at me! Told me to maintain control of the gun (don’t drop it, don’t let it split your forehead open) just roll with it!

Tack drivers as gun’s; many gun’s, in the hands of skilled marksmen (and women) are probably capable of tack driving accuracy - take a 2x4, tap some carpet tacks partway into the wood; make it roofing nails, and say use 6 nails at let’s start at the 5 yard line and se how many tacks you drove in! No, I haven’t done it yet, it’s on my list of things to try!

Have fun with it!

BrokenGrunt - I’m a 100% Disabled Vet with a titanium plate and screws in my neck; 2 replaced knees, a spinal cord stimulator implant to ease the pain, so I hear you.

 

I had a round-butt Smith 1911 scandium frame pistol. It functioned flawlessly and was dead-on. But I found the front strap checkering to be too aggressive for my taste. Just wasn't comfortable to shoot for me. So ultimately I sold it. If you like the feel of the pistol I don't think you'll be disappointed with the reliability or accuracy.

 

I forgot that base model has the 17lpi and PC model has 30lpi.

 

Also have an early S&W in Commander size. I bought it in 2005 new in a LGS but the fired case dates it to 2004 manufacture. It is a nice pistol and I did replace the wood stocks with some carbon fibre grips from Carbon Creations.



Never have shot it much as soon after I bought it I bought a Colt XSE LW Commander which I can shoot a lot better. Also I understand the Series 80 mechanical firing pin safety Colt uses but not the Mochak mechanical firing pin safety S&W used in this pistol which is no longer used in the new Perf Center guns or the E Series.

 

I have a 1911 PD that had some feeding issues with certain HP ammo but with a very slight "tune up" it works fine now. Love the pistol. Love the weight and handling. One of my favorites.

 

1911pd

I’ve had a 1911pd since 2006. I had it bob tailed in 2007. I did eventually put in Woelff 16# variable recoil spring. I had trouble racking slide. Shot IDPA with if for a few years. One of my most accurate handguns. I just looked at my records, l’ve shot over 1700 rounds thru it. Also sadly haven’t shot it since 2016. I better get it out for some shooting .

 

Sw1911pc edc


On several occasions I've written about this model of pistol. This search:


https://forums.1911forum.com/search.php?searchid=49631596


Terms:
Search: Keyword(s): SW1911PC ; Posts Made By: tgt_usa ; Forum: Tactics & Personal Defense or Smith & Wesson and child forums


... oughta find most of them.


Except on days I'm warming it up on the range, it's probably been 2 - 3yrs since carrying anything else in its place. It -did- take changing the rear sight for that to become true: I wanted a sight useful for 1-hand operation. That's the only change not *strictly* cosmetic.

 

I'm only reviving this dead thread because it popped up on-line doing a search and can up-date my bucket list gun I referred to has since been added and as I re-read it, some of it was quite humorous.
My S&W "Cali-Cancer" Scandium Carry Performance Center 45acp along with her sister the "Cali-Cancer" Scandium Carry Series E 45acp.
It's nice to check one two off your bucket list.

 

Picked up an E series awhile back. Haven’t shot it yet but not worried. Had two Kimber Tacticals government and commander which had aluminum frames. Never a problem and loved shooting them.

wish I would have kept them. Still like the grey color scheme on them.

 

Tray, I was wondering what you think of the PC Scandium Commander vs. the Scandium Carry Series E 45acp. I have the E and there's a somewhat reasonably priced PC gun at a store near me. Do you see/feel a huge difference? The only other PC gun I have tried is my 442 .38 pocket gun.

 

I believe it's typically like only $100 dollars difference in the two when I bought ($1,400 & $1,500), even though they've both gone up.
The performance center is hand fitted in the PC shop, has a Briley bushing and a titanium firing pin along with the front lightening cuts, polished feed ramp, so yes, it's definately worth the difference to me, the "trigger action job" ~feels a little better, but not by much.
Run, don't walk to get it! May I ask what they're asking for it, retail new is $1,849 for the PCSC and $1,679 for the "E" on S&W's site today.
IMO, you'd still pay $3-5k for a gun with all these features from a boutique 1911 shop, they're still a steal.
Edit: just saw this today, wondering if you got it?

 

I have a standard Scandium and a Gunsite Commander (S&W) both work fine, I cannot shoot the bob-tails well (they point 6" low for me at 5 yards) but if other can that is fine by me.

I don't care for forward serrations myself but at least they are slanted and don't drag as much leather as other types.

Riposte

 

A friend has one, its beavertail and slightly greater weight make it softer to shoot than my Colt Commander but is still kind of a kicker.

I cannot shoot the bob-tails well (they point 6" low for me at 5 yards)

I bought my FLG a Brown Bobtail jig and had one of the first such conversions. I did not like the index and did not keep it long. I tried to like the Wilson EC9X but the same thing, the round butt made it come up pointing low and the fashionable deep U notch sight didn't help.

 

I owned a .45 ACP scandium frame S&W 1911 (standard, not bob-tail configuration) several years ago and carried it as an EDC and used it as my sidearm during a couple of carbine classes. The pistol always functioned well, but had somewhat erratic ejection patterns that often ejected cases directly back into my face. I shot several brands of 230 gr. ammo in it (factory as well as hand loads) and tuned the extractor, but never could get a consistent ejection pattern with the pistol. It was more an inconvenience than anything else. I eventually sold the pistol with full disclosure, and the guy that purchased it is still shooting it and seems to be perfectly happy with it. Later, I bought a Dan Wesson Guardian in .45 ACP and still carry it today. Both nice pistols, but I think the workmanship/fit on the DW is better, and it is definitely more accurate (but not by a whole lot).

 

since we are reviving the thread....

I did end up putting on a GI thumb safety...

I like mine so much I'm thinking of getting the commander...

 

According to the guys at S&W forum, whenever the topic comes up this is the 1911 PC you wanna look for.
The 945 from the "old" PC shop is the bees knees, I've got my eyes out for one of these now.

 

Any time they show up on GB they go for at least $2k. They are nice, no question, but rare. I think they only made them for 6-7 years (1998-2005).

 

I have an early S&W 1911PD without the billboard on the slide born on date 05 . One of the best 1911’s I own . Highly recommended!