Colt Lightweight Commander Durability?

doc540 · October 7, 2009, 11:20 AM

500 rnds/mo of .45 WWB hardball gonna damage or wear it out quickly?

What say you?

azredhawk44 · October 7, 2009, 11:36 AM

500 a month? Wow. That's 6K a year.

Get the steel frame.

Then again... 500 rounds of WWB will cost you about $150 or so. About $1800 a year.

If you spend that on ammo, you can afford to replace the gun every 5 years. I've heard estimates of about 25K rounds for alloy frame 1911's. Maybe it's 50k rounds... I dunno.

I've got a LW Commander XSE that has about 600 or so rounds through it. Carry a lot, shoot it little. I do put a few rounds through it each range session, but I do most of my shooting with a full size Colt 1991.

doc540 · October 7, 2009, 11:53 AM

"Then again... 500 rounds of WWB will cost you about $150 or so. About $1800 a year."

A LOT cheaper than my previous vices and hobbies.

gyvel · October 7, 2009, 02:18 PM

A customer came into our store with an alloy Commander with a cracked frame. We sent it back to Colt, and their reply was: "Sorrrrrrrrrrrrry..."

(aka Tough S**t)

Just thought you oughta know that.

doc540 · October 7, 2009, 02:28 PM

I wouldn't expect them to warranty mine which is 18 years old.

But thanks for the info.

AZAK · October 7, 2009, 02:54 PM

If you are seriously going to shoot a Colt Commander a lot, I would be thinking about getting the steel framed version; I know that is what I did.

The cost of getting a new "1991 Colt's Commander" is pretty small when considering the ammo cost. And I personally enjoy the "heft" when dealing with the recoil. (I am assuming range gun primarily with this rate of ammo consumption; however, as a carry gun, I do not find it a problem what-so-ever.)

Sounds like you are looking forward to a good year!

Dave T · October 8, 2009, 11:39 AM

I have owned 3 Commanders (the original name - "Lightweight" is the new nomenclature). All three cracked after shooting standard pressure ammunition, mostly my handloads.

The first one cracked at the dust cover (on both sides) after only 2500 rounds. I sent it back to Colt and they replaced it (1975). The second one (the replacement) cracked at the slide stop lever cut-out at 2000 or 3000 rounds and at the lever pin hole after around 5000 rounds. The one that replaced that one cracked at something like 3000 or maybe a little more. There was a crack from the cut-out for the thumb saffety back to the grip safety opening. There were two cracks from the mag release holes on both sides, running back to the cut-out under the grip pannels. This was on 5-8-99. I switched to Glocks and have carried them since. Love 1911 45 ACPs but the all steel ones are too heavy for daly carry for me, the light ones don't hold up and I don't like needing to have a gunsmith on retainer to fix or modify them.

YMMV,
Dave

doc540 · October 8, 2009, 12:14 PM

Well, let's just hope this 1991 holds up better to WWB hardball.

michael t · October 8, 2009, 12:20 PM

I have a 1951 Commander still going and I have no idea how many rounds or owners its had. My later LTW Commanders are more for carry as I have steel for range . If you really going to buy and shoot 500 rounds a month I go with the steel If you going to be like most people and shoot a Lot less I go with the LTW

gyvel · October 8, 2009, 12:42 PM

Quote:

I wouldn't expect them to warranty mine which is 18 years old.

Actually, when we sent the cracked frame gun back to Colt, the customer didn't expect them to warranty it. He was willing to pay and was hoping they would replace the frame. They just out and out refused to do it, which I thought was very cavalier on their part.

Dfariswheel · October 8, 2009, 08:57 PM

Back in the 1960's famed gun writer Skeeter Skelton did a test in which they shot 10,000 rounds through a Commander.

After the test, all they found was a crack in a non-critical area on the frame.
The type of aluminum used has been improved since then.
Still, the Commander is intended to be carried a lot and shot less than a steel gun.
Personally, I'd use a steel gun for high round shooting.

October 7, 2009, 11:20 AM	#1
doc540 Senior Member Join Date: December 30, 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 1,430	Colt Lightweight Commander Durability? 500 rnds/mo of .45 WWB hardball gonna damage or wear it out quickly? What say you? Last edited by doc540; October 7, 2009 at 11:32 AM.

October 8, 2009, 11:39 AM	#7
Dave T Senior Member Join Date: April 17, 2000 Location: Mesa, Arizona Posts: 1,458	I have owned 3 Commanders (the original name - "Lightweight" is the new nomenclature). All three cracked after shooting standard pressure ammunition, mostly my handloads. The first one cracked at the dust cover (on both sides) after only 2500 rounds. I sent it back to Colt and they replaced it (1975). The second one (the replacement) cracked at the slide stop lever cut-out at 2000 or 3000 rounds and at the lever pin hole after around 5000 rounds. The one that replaced that one cracked at something like 3000 or maybe a little more. There was a crack from the cut-out for the thumb saffety back to the grip safety opening. There were two cracks from the mag release holes on both sides, running back to the cut-out under the grip pannels. This was on 5-8-99. I switched to Glocks and have carried them since. Love 1911 45 ACPs but the all steel ones are too heavy for daly carry for me, the light ones don't hold up and I don't like needing to have a gunsmith on retainer to fix or modify them. YMMV, Dave __________________ RSVN '69-'71 PCSD Ret

October 7, 2009, 11:36 AM	#2
azredhawk44 Junior member Join Date: September 28, 2005 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 6,465	500 a month? Wow. That's 6K a year. Get the steel frame. Then again... 500 rounds of WWB will cost you about $150 or so. About $1800 a year. If you spend that on ammo, you can afford to replace the gun every 5 years. I've heard estimates of about 25K rounds for alloy frame 1911's. Maybe it's 50k rounds... I dunno. I've got a LW Commander XSE that has about 600 or so rounds through it. Carry a lot, shoot it little. I do put a few rounds through it each range session, but I do most of my shooting with a full size Colt 1991.

October 7, 2009, 11:53 AM	#3
doc540 Senior Member Join Date: December 30, 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 1,430	"Then again... 500 rounds of WWB will cost you about $150 or so. About $1800 a year." A LOT cheaper than my previous vices and hobbies.

October 7, 2009, 02:18 PM	#4
gyvel Senior Member Join Date: August 30, 2009 Location: Northern AZ Posts: 7,172	A customer came into our store with an alloy Commander with a cracked frame. We sent it back to Colt, and their reply was: "Sorrrrrrrrrrrrry..." (aka Tough S**t) Just thought you oughta know that.

October 7, 2009, 02:28 PM	#5
doc540 Senior Member Join Date: December 30, 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 1,430	I wouldn't expect them to warranty mine which is 18 years old. But thanks for the info.

October 7, 2009, 02:54 PM	#6
AZAK Senior Member Join Date: May 15, 2008 Location: the object towards which the action of the sea is directed Posts: 2,123	If you are seriously going to shoot a Colt Commander a lot, I would be thinking about getting the steel framed version; I know that is what I did. The cost of getting a new "1991 Colt's Commander" is pretty small when considering the ammo cost. And I personally enjoy the "heft" when dealing with the recoil. (I am assuming range gun primarily with this rate of ammo consumption; however, as a carry gun, I do not find it a problem what-so-ever.) Sounds like you are looking forward to a good year!

October 8, 2009, 12:14 PM	#8
doc540 Senior Member Join Date: December 30, 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 1,430	Well, let's just hope this 1991 holds up better to WWB hardball.

October 8, 2009, 12:20 PM	#9
michael t Senior Member Join Date: May 17, 2004 Location: Out back Ky Posts: 4,044	I have a 1951 Commander still going and I have no idea how many rounds or owners its had. My later LTW Commanders are more for carry as I have steel for range . If you really going to buy and shoot 500 rounds a month I go with the steel If you going to be like most people and shoot a Lot less I go with the LTW

October 8, 2009, 08:57 PM	#11
Dfariswheel Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Posts: 7,559	Back in the 1960's famed gun writer Skeeter Skelton did a test in which they shot 10,000 rounds through a Commander. After the test, all they found was a crack in a non-critical area on the frame. The type of aluminum used has been improved since then. Still, the Commander is intended to be carried a lot and shot less than a steel gun. Personally, I'd use a steel gun for high round shooting.