[doc540]

opened the box at 4pm

200 shots downrange by 6

first mag thru my new (to me) Combat Commander

Oh, this is gonna be FUN!

[boz1911]

Pretty sporty for a Commander.

[kar45]

doc540, on Oct 31 2009, 12:40 AM, said:

opened the box at 4pm

200 shots downrange by 6

first mag thru my new (to me) Combat Commander

Oh, this is gonna be FUN!

I knew you were gonna like it..."Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's 9mm Commander"

[Duane Thomas]

Now back to your "shoot a one-hole group" homework assignment.

We can settle for one full gunload into one hole at five yards as a nice beginning standard.

[doc540]

Duane Thomas, on Oct 31 2009, 01:23 PM, said:

Now back to your "shoot a one-hole group" homework assignment.

We can settle for one full gunload into one hole at five yards as a nice beginning standard.

apart from the "originality" issue...what, if anything, would you recommend for improving the sights on my Commander?
There's no front dovetail, just a staked blade.

Illuminated, white dots, machine a dovetail?

[oldtrooper]

Welcome to the Colt Commander world. With a Milt Sparks Executive's Companion inside the waist band holster it's the only one I now leave home with. The only modification I have done with it was to carefully open the fixed rear sight, paint the white dots there black and paint the staked front sight red. It was my intention to have "better" sight installed but that was five years ago. Opening up the rear sight "68 year old eyes here" made the biggest difference. My eyes seem to pick up the red better after trying other colors.

This month the retired troopers did the qualification to keep our HR-218 current and the Commander kept the thirty rounds inside the PPC Target X ring. This sight arrangement works for me, so I can only say try different sights to see what works best for you. If I do my part it will take a full popper down at 40 yards and really points well when drawing and firing instinctively at five yards on in to contact distance.

I have a Lt Weight Commander in .38 Super but the Commander in .45 ACP with 230gr bullets works best for me so the Super stays home. I carry Winchester 230gr HP and for IDPA matches and practice I use 230gr Bear Creek Molly bullets loaded to major power factor.

[Duane Thomas]

It's really possible, when we have a 1911 we love, to start doing many things to it that aren't, when you get right down to it, necessary. There are a lot of good fixed sights out there for 1911s. But really, I'm with oldtrooper on this, there's just not a whole lot wrong with leaving the sights in place that are already on the gun, and carefully opening up the rear notch with a file. A bit of cold blue thereafter and you're down the road.

I would recommend also knocking off the sharp edges on the front of the rear sight body, especially around the rear notch. I once had my hand slip while doing a simulated tap/rap/bang malfunction clearance drill at a class, my Colt Government Model was fitted with the exact same rear sight as your Commander, and the sharp edges on that sucker laid open two of my fingers almost to the bone. A bit of dehorning and you should be good to go.

[doc540]

Duane Thomas, on Oct 31 2009, 10:36 PM, said:

It's really possible, when we have a 1911 we love, to start doing many things to it that aren't, when you get right down to it, necessary. There are a lot of good fixed sights out there for 1911s. But really, I'm with oldtrooper on this, there's just not a whole lot wrong with leaving the sights in place that are already on the gun, and carefully opening up the rear notch with a file. A bit of cold blue thereafter and you're down the road.

I would recommend also knocking off the sharp edges on the front of the rear sight body, especially around the rear notch. I once had my hand slip while doing a simulated tap/rap/bang malfunction clearance drill at a class, my Colt Government Model was fitted with the exact same rear sight as your Commander, and the sharp edges on that sucker laid open two of my fingers almost to the bone. A bit of dehorning and you should be good to go.

Thanks

I painted the sights yesterday morning while everyone slept late.

Front blade: orange

Rear notch: white on the small, flat surfaces beside the notch.

Seems easier to sight with it, but as you told me earlier, "shoot a match a the real world evaluation".

When I drop it off for the trigger work tomorrow, I'll ask Gary to smooth those edges.

[Duane Thomas]

Consider having the rear notch opened up a bit at the same time. You might not be yet at the point where that makes a difference in your shooting - but you will be.