For those considering a Colt Defender (or, more broadly, officer-size 1911's):
The littlest 1911
These past few days (7-30-25) it has been so hot in my area, I have changed from wearing a full-size 1911 pistol to the Colt Defender. This is an officer-sized 1911 with a stainless steel slide and aluminum frame, chambered in 9x19mm. It is easier to wear around in shorts while out in the woods, etc. and just feels more comfortable.
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It is, also, properly speaking, the “littlest 1911” made (that I know of).
There are smaller 1911-style pistols, such as the Kimber Micros or a version made by Sig, or Colt Mustang, which retain the look of the 1911 – just scaled down – and most of its controls. However, mechanically, they function differently. The Defender is the smallest ‘true’ 1911 that, except for grip and barrel length, is identical to full-size 1911’s in mechanical function. In fact, it will even take full size magazines. It does have a bushing-less barrel, but that is a feature sometimes found on full length and mid-size (commander-size) 1911s, as well.
I find it easy to wear about outdoors in hot weather.
The Defender is ideal for this sort of thing; it is light, short, compact, and shoots well. The grip and barrel are shorter, but the placement of the controls remains identical to larger versions, so no adjustment in handling is needed. The thumb safety, slide lock, etc. are exactly where you expect them to be after using a full size or commander size 1911.
I had not been carrying the gun much because, living on 40-some acres and being able to open-carry a full size pistol, compact pistols’ main advantage – ease of concealment – was not an issue. However, there is another advantage to smaller guns which is often overlooked, which is, independent of the need to conceal them, they are simply less bulky, and heavy. Thus, smaller or more compact guns can be useful when engaged in work in the yard, woods, etc.
This is the reason behind chest holsters, tanker holsters, hunting guide holsters, etc. – keep the gun from getting in the way. Aside from moving the gun off the belt and to a less obtrusive place, another way to accomplish the same is to wear a smaller gun, like the Colt Defender.
The Defender:
This particular model is a Lightweight defender with an aluminum frame. It began life as a limited-edition purple frame and stainless slide. The previous owner had the frame ceracoated black, so it now has a more understated appearance. It is an improvement. I had seen it prior, as I knew the previous owner, and it reminded me of grape juice, or the Plymouth Prowler. Now it is black and silver and looks like a proper 1911, albeit, the two-tone is inverted. It sports thin grey g10 grips with the Colt logo.
The three-dot Novak sights are easily acquired and the action is smooth despite the series 80 mechanism.
The gun shows signs of careful finishing; the corners of the slide are rounded, the bottom edge slightly beveled, etc., all what one would expect of a ‘dehorning job’ but apparently done from the factory. Internally it is well finished as well no obvious tool marks. Criticisms of Colt’s quality have certainly some basis in fact, but this gun is well made. The finish of the slide is varied; brushed and shiny on the sides, matte and bead-blasted in appearance on the top, front and rear to reduce glare. The slide stop and safety lever and grip safety are also finished in this dull method.
The Defender is dependable and accurate for cqb or self-defense or practical pistol distances. I can usually put multiple hits on a playing card at ten yards. At 10-15 yards, hitting my 1x1’ steel targets from the draw is not a problem. On paper, the gun usually produces decent groups if the shooter does his part.
Magazines:
The gun wears best with a flush-fit magazine, but Ed Brown magazines with screw-on rubber extenders to the baseplate allow a slightly fuller grip if one desires. The gun functions reliably with Mec-gar, Ed Brown, Chip McCormack, and Wilson combat magazines, including full-length ones. The stock Colt-branded magazine will sometimes fail to lock back or experience feed issues, but this is not unheard of. Sometimes 1911’s are magazine-sensitive; sometimes stock magazines are overused and develop tired springs. With common magazine brands used by many shooters, however, the Defender is reliable.
The gun even feeds from full-size 1911 magazines, though they protrude from the grip.
Speaking of grips…
The Grips:
The grips on the Defender are grey g10, and are slim. They certainly make the gun thinner and potentially easier to conceal; the texturing is aggressive enough to hold onto when shooting. And they even look nice. However, like many g10 grips on aluminum frame guns, the grip screws loosen up, because unlike organic material (i.e., wood) the grips do not compress under the screw heads. Some rubber o-rings under the grips screw heads fixed this problem; the grips have not loosened up since they were installed.
A nice pair of checkered wood grips would be a nice addition, but for now it has the stock grips.
A good all-around pistol:
The Colt Defender may be intended for concealed carry, but its smaller size and lighter weight coupled with standard controls and control placement, make it also an ideal everyday pistol, concealed or not.
Recoil is negligible even with the aluminum frame in 9mm, and the gun handles like a full size 1911 except it has a reduced sight radius. Thanks to the undercut trigger guard, it also offers a full finger grip length despite its reduce height grip frame.
There are smaller, more compact 1911s, but what sets this apart is except for the shorter dimensions, everything is in the same place.
Picking it up it is familiar, like coming home.
The littlest 1911
These past few days (7-30-25) it has been so hot in my area, I have changed from wearing a full-size 1911 pistol to the Colt Defender. This is an officer-sized 1911 with a stainless steel slide and aluminum frame, chambered in 9x19mm. It is easier to wear around in shorts while out in the woods, etc. and just feels more comfortable.
It is, also, properly speaking, the “littlest 1911” made (that I know of).
There are smaller 1911-style pistols, such as the Kimber Micros or a version made by Sig, or Colt Mustang, which retain the look of the 1911 – just scaled down – and most of its controls. However, mechanically, they function differently. The Defender is the smallest ‘true’ 1911 that, except for grip and barrel length, is identical to full-size 1911’s in mechanical function. In fact, it will even take full size magazines. It does have a bushing-less barrel, but that is a feature sometimes found on full length and mid-size (commander-size) 1911s, as well.
I find it easy to wear about outdoors in hot weather.
The Defender is ideal for this sort of thing; it is light, short, compact, and shoots well. The grip and barrel are shorter, but the placement of the controls remains identical to larger versions, so no adjustment in handling is needed. The thumb safety, slide lock, etc. are exactly where you expect them to be after using a full size or commander size 1911.
I had not been carrying the gun much because, living on 40-some acres and being able to open-carry a full size pistol, compact pistols’ main advantage – ease of concealment – was not an issue. However, there is another advantage to smaller guns which is often overlooked, which is, independent of the need to conceal them, they are simply less bulky, and heavy. Thus, smaller or more compact guns can be useful when engaged in work in the yard, woods, etc.
This is the reason behind chest holsters, tanker holsters, hunting guide holsters, etc. – keep the gun from getting in the way. Aside from moving the gun off the belt and to a less obtrusive place, another way to accomplish the same is to wear a smaller gun, like the Colt Defender.
The Defender:
This particular model is a Lightweight defender with an aluminum frame. It began life as a limited-edition purple frame and stainless slide. The previous owner had the frame ceracoated black, so it now has a more understated appearance. It is an improvement. I had seen it prior, as I knew the previous owner, and it reminded me of grape juice, or the Plymouth Prowler. Now it is black and silver and looks like a proper 1911, albeit, the two-tone is inverted. It sports thin grey g10 grips with the Colt logo.
The three-dot Novak sights are easily acquired and the action is smooth despite the series 80 mechanism.
The gun shows signs of careful finishing; the corners of the slide are rounded, the bottom edge slightly beveled, etc., all what one would expect of a ‘dehorning job’ but apparently done from the factory. Internally it is well finished as well no obvious tool marks. Criticisms of Colt’s quality have certainly some basis in fact, but this gun is well made. The finish of the slide is varied; brushed and shiny on the sides, matte and bead-blasted in appearance on the top, front and rear to reduce glare. The slide stop and safety lever and grip safety are also finished in this dull method.
The Defender is dependable and accurate for cqb or self-defense or practical pistol distances. I can usually put multiple hits on a playing card at ten yards. At 10-15 yards, hitting my 1x1’ steel targets from the draw is not a problem. On paper, the gun usually produces decent groups if the shooter does his part.
Magazines:
The gun wears best with a flush-fit magazine, but Ed Brown magazines with screw-on rubber extenders to the baseplate allow a slightly fuller grip if one desires. The gun functions reliably with Mec-gar, Ed Brown, Chip McCormack, and Wilson combat magazines, including full-length ones. The stock Colt-branded magazine will sometimes fail to lock back or experience feed issues, but this is not unheard of. Sometimes 1911’s are magazine-sensitive; sometimes stock magazines are overused and develop tired springs. With common magazine brands used by many shooters, however, the Defender is reliable.
The gun even feeds from full-size 1911 magazines, though they protrude from the grip.
Speaking of grips…
The Grips:
The grips on the Defender are grey g10, and are slim. They certainly make the gun thinner and potentially easier to conceal; the texturing is aggressive enough to hold onto when shooting. And they even look nice. However, like many g10 grips on aluminum frame guns, the grip screws loosen up, because unlike organic material (i.e., wood) the grips do not compress under the screw heads. Some rubber o-rings under the grips screw heads fixed this problem; the grips have not loosened up since they were installed.
A nice pair of checkered wood grips would be a nice addition, but for now it has the stock grips.
A good all-around pistol:
The Colt Defender may be intended for concealed carry, but its smaller size and lighter weight coupled with standard controls and control placement, make it also an ideal everyday pistol, concealed or not.
Recoil is negligible even with the aluminum frame in 9mm, and the gun handles like a full size 1911 except it has a reduced sight radius. Thanks to the undercut trigger guard, it also offers a full finger grip length despite its reduce height grip frame.
There are smaller, more compact 1911s, but what sets this apart is except for the shorter dimensions, everything is in the same place.
Picking it up it is familiar, like coming home.
