Colt Commander
Encyclopedia
The Colt Commander is a single-action, semi-automatic, magazine-fed, and recoil-operated handgun
based on the John M. Browning
designed M1911
. It was the first mass-produced pistol with an aluminium alloy frame and the first Colt pistol to be chambered in 9mm Parabellum.
Colt made several variations of the Commander and offered it in .45 ACP
and .38 Super
chamberings. Other variants followed with different degrees of factory accurizing and materials.
's candidate in a U.S. government post-World War II
trial to find a lighter replacement for the M1911 pistol that would be issued to officers. Requirements were issued in 1949 that the pistol had to be chambered for 9 mm Parabellum and could not exceed 7 inches in length or weigh more than 25 ounces.
Candidates included Browning Hi-Power
variants by Canada
's Inglis
and Belgium
's Fabrique Nationale, and Smith & Wesson
's S&W Model 39. Colt entered a modified version of their M1911 pistol that was chambered for 9 mm Parabellum, had an aluminum alloy frame, a short 4.25-inch barrel, and a 9-round magazine. In 1951, Colt moved their candidate into regular production. It was the first aluminum-framed large frame pistol in major production and the first Colt pistol to be originally chambered in 9 mm Parabellum. The first year's production included 45 ACP and 38 Super chamberings.
In 1970, Colt introduced the all-steel "Colt Combat Commander", with an optional model in satin nickel. To differentiate between the two models, the aluminum-framed model was re-named the "Lightweight Commander".
The "Colt Combat Elite" was specialized for combat-style match shooters. The .45 ACP model comes with two 8-round magazines and the .38 Super model with two 9-round magazines.
The "C.C.O." or "Concealed Carry Officer's" pistol mated the slide and barrel assembly of the Commander with the shorter frame of the Colt Lightweight Officer's ACP.
Handgun
A handgun is a firearm designed to be held and operated by one hand. This characteristic differentiates handguns as a general class of firearms from long guns such as rifles and shotguns ....
based on the John M. Browning
John Browning
John Moses Browning , born in Ogden, Utah, was an American firearms designer who developed many varieties of military and civilian firearms, cartridges, and gun mechanisms, many of which are still in use around the world...
designed M1911
M1911
The M1911 is a single-action, semi-automatic, magazine-fed, and recoil-operated handgun chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge. John M. Browning designed the firearm which was the standard-issue side arm for the United States armed forces from 1911 to 1985. The M1911 is still carried by some U.S....
. It was the first mass-produced pistol with an aluminium alloy frame and the first Colt pistol to be chambered in 9mm Parabellum.
Colt made several variations of the Commander and offered it in .45 ACP
.45 ACP
The .45 ACP , also known as the .45 Auto by C.I.P., is a cartridge designed by John Browning in 1904, for use in his prototype Colt semi-automatic .45 pistol and eventually the M1911 pistol adopted by the United States Army in 1911.-Design and history:The U.S...
and .38 Super
.38 Super
The .38 Super or .38 Super Automatic is a pistol cartridge that fires a diameter bullet. The Super was introduced in the late 1920s as a higher pressure loading of the .38 ACP or .38 Auto. The old .38 ACP propelled a bullet at . The improved .38 Super Auto pushed the same bullet at...
chamberings. Other variants followed with different degrees of factory accurizing and materials.
History
The pistol that would eventually be named the Colt Commander was Colt's Manufacturing CompanyColt's Manufacturing Company
Colt's Manufacturing Company is a United States firearms manufacturer, whose first predecessor corporation was founded in 1836 by Sam Colt. Colt is best known for the engineering, production, and marketing of firearms over the later half of the 19th and the 20th century...
's candidate in a U.S. government post-World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
trial to find a lighter replacement for the M1911 pistol that would be issued to officers. Requirements were issued in 1949 that the pistol had to be chambered for 9 mm Parabellum and could not exceed 7 inches in length or weigh more than 25 ounces.
Candidates included Browning Hi-Power
Browning Hi-Power
The Browning Hi-Power is a single-action, 9 mm semi-automatic handgun. It is based on a design by American firearms inventor John Browning, and completed by Dieudonné Saive at Fabrique Nationale of Herstal, Belgium. Browning died in 1926, several years before the design was finalized...
variants by Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
's Inglis
John Inglis and Company
John Inglis and Company was a Canadian firm which made weapons for the United Kingdom and British Commonwealth military forces during the World War II era, then became a major appliance company....
and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
's Fabrique Nationale, and Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson is the largest manufacturer of handguns in the United States. The corporate headquarters is in Springfield, Massachusetts. Founded in 1852, Smith & Wesson's pistols and revolvers have become standard issue to police and armed forces throughout the world...
's S&W Model 39. Colt entered a modified version of their M1911 pistol that was chambered for 9 mm Parabellum, had an aluminum alloy frame, a short 4.25-inch barrel, and a 9-round magazine. In 1951, Colt moved their candidate into regular production. It was the first aluminum-framed large frame pistol in major production and the first Colt pistol to be originally chambered in 9 mm Parabellum. The first year's production included 45 ACP and 38 Super chamberings.
In 1970, Colt introduced the all-steel "Colt Combat Commander", with an optional model in satin nickel. To differentiate between the two models, the aluminum-framed model was re-named the "Lightweight Commander".
Variants
The "Colt Commander Gold Cup" was designed to offer competition-ready out-of-the-box performance in National Match competition. It came with one 8-round magazine plus a separate recoil spring and one 7-round magazine for wadcutter ammunition.The "Colt Combat Elite" was specialized for combat-style match shooters. The .45 ACP model comes with two 8-round magazines and the .38 Super model with two 9-round magazines.
The "C.C.O." or "Concealed Carry Officer's" pistol mated the slide and barrel assembly of the Commander with the shorter frame of the Colt Lightweight Officer's ACP.
Colt Commander (1951-1969); Lightweight Commander (1970+)
- Chambering: 9x19 mm Parabellum, .45 ACP, .38 Super.
- Barrel Length: 4.25-inch.
- Overall Length: 7.75-inch.
- Weight: 27 oz. / 1.68 lb. (0.76 kg.)
- Magazine: Single column box magazine. 7-round (.45 ACP), 9-round (9 mm, .38 Super).
- Finish: Blued Steel.
- Features: Aluminum Coltalloy (tm) frame.
Colt Combat Commander (1970+)
- Chambering: 9x19 mm Parabellum, .45 ACP, .38 Super.
- Barrel Length: 4.25-inch.
- Overall Length: 7.75-inch.
- Weight: 36 oz. / 2.25 lb. (1.02 kg.)[Steel model]. 37 oz. / 2.31 lb (1.05 kg.)[Stainless Steel model]
- Magazine: Single-column box magazine. 7-round, 8-round (.45 ACP), 9-round (9 mm, .38 Super).
- Finish: Available in Blued and Nickel-Plated steel or Stainless Steel.
- Features: All-steel construction (frame and slide).
Colt Commander Gold Cup National Match
- Action: Single Action
- Chambering: .45 ACP or .38 Super.
- Barrel Length: 5 Inches
- Overall Length: 8.5 Inches
- Weight: 36 oz. / 2.25 lb. (1.02 kg.)[Steel model]. 37 oz. / 2.31 lb (1.05 kg.)[Stainless Steel model]
- Magazine: Single-column box magazine. 8-round (.45 ACP), 9-round (9 mm, .38 Super).
- Finish: Blued steel and Matte or Bright Stainless steel.
- Features: Undercut front and Colt Fully Adjustable Elliason rear sights; one-piece wraparound Checkered Rubber Composite grips.