Adjustable Sight Commander

[vwfool]

For some reason I've decided that I need one of these for my next 1911. I carried a Kimber Compact Stainless for 3 years; loved the barrel length but not the griplenght. I now carry a GM 1911 I've had forever (sold or traded it off 3 times, and always got it back. ).

My qestion is how many of you out there have and carry a Commander size 1911 with adjustable sights? Does anybody know of a factory gun in this configuration besides the 4" Kimber Eclipse? I don't have anything against Kimber; I just wanted to check out all the options. If nothing else I can always get a Commander size slide assy. and put a Bo-mar on it.

Anyhow your thoughts and pictures of your adjustable sighted commanders would be great.

 

[Old Fuff]

My lightweight Colt Commander has low profile fixed sights which are zeroed for a 6:00 hold at 25 yards, and center at 50 yards. I've had it for a little under a half century and never found adjustable sights to be necessary. If you must have adjustble sights consider having a Bo-Mar "melted" into the back of the slide, but for the purpose you have in mind I consider them over-kill.

 

[vwfool]

I did not say it but if I buy an entire gun I would prefer a lightweight. I really do like the way the melted Bo-mars look, too. It may be a little overkill in the sight department, but my eyes are kinda wierd. I hate 3 dot sights. I liked the sight picture of the Kimber I had. It was a Series I, not a Series II with the current sights. The Bo-mars I've looked at seem to have the same sight picture.




OLD FUFF

I don't want to start a thread within a thread but is there any truth to the garbage about lightweights wearing out a lot faster? I do not really think it matters much because I don't plan on firing 20K rounds through it, and like you said, you've had yours for nearly 50 years.

Thanks to you and hopefully others later tonight.

 

[Jim Watson]

A Bomar sight in a concealment holster will poke you in the side. I think fixed sights are good for any use except bullseye target shooting. If you just must have adjustable, look at the MMC. If they manage to stay in production after changing hands as recently reported.

You can have an adjustable sight installed in the "protected position" with the blade at the same place as the GI fixed. But I am with Old Fuff, it just isn't necessary for anything but precision target shooting.

 

[stans]

I generally shy away from adjustable sights on a carry gun, just one more thing to break or snag on clothing. I limit my adjustable sight guns to range and match shooting. Just my dos centavos.

 

[gggman]

Well, it's not a lightweight, but it's extremely accurate. And I do carry it sometimes.

 

[Delmar]

gggman
Nice pistol-do you have any problems running hardball loads thru it? The reason I ask is because it appears you have an Eliason rear sight and from the picture, you have the roll pin holding it in place.

 

[Delmar]

oops

 

[Sean Smith]

The Bo-mars I've looked at seem to have the same sight picture.

If you just want the Bomar-style sight picture, get a set of Heinie fixed sights.

http://www.heinie.com/1911sights.htm

don't want to start a thread within a thread but is there any truth to the garbage about lightweights wearing out a lot faster?

It is not "garbage," it is objective fact. Compare the properties of 7075 aluminum with 4140 carbon steel for details.

 

[Old Fuff]

Vwfool:

>> I don't want to start a thread within a thread but is there any truth to the garbage about lightweights wearing out a lot faster? I do not really think it matters much because I don't plan on firing 20K rounds through it, and like you said, you've had yours for nearly 50 years. <<


Yes and no. Possibly maybe?

Colt lightweight Commanders are (or at least were) built using forged aluminum frames. Other companies used die-cast (not investment cast) frames, and these sometimes gave problems. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend a Colt, but might be more careful with others until I knew where their frames were coming from.

While my personal gun is close to a half-century old (and what does that say about it’s owner?) it has “been carried much more then it’s been shot.†I would estimate between 4000 to 5000 rounds of ball and 200 grain semi-wadcutter handloads. I have avoided any +P+P+P … cartridges, and replaced the recoil spring on three occasions (which might or might not have been necessary). As is the case with most Colt automatics built during the 1950’s it has proved to be totally reliable, and I haven’t discovered any structural problems of any kind. I think a lot of the “aluminum frames won’t hold up†stories involve non-forged frames, and/or a diet of heavy loads combined with a too-weak recoil spring. Also, you do not want to use a lighter main spring as part of a trigger pull job, because it also works to buffer the slide.

 

[gggman]

.

Nice pistol-do you have any problems running hardball loads thru it? The reason I ask is because it appears you have an Eliason rear sight and from the picture, you have the roll pin holding it in place.

Delmar, thanks a lot. You're right, the Eliasons are held in place by the original roll pin. I haven't had any problems with this in the 12 years I've owned it. I have shot hardball, but mostly I shoot 200 gr. LSWC through it. I have owned several full size 1911 pistols over the years, and still own a Combat Target model, but the Gold Cup Commander is the most accurate 1911 I've ever owned

 

[vwfool]

Thanks for the Heinie link, Sean. I actually like the sights and the way their webpage actually shows a real picture of the sight picture as you would see it, not just a drawing of what it should look like.I might just have to call them up sometime soon.

As far as the frames go, I know lightweights will wear out faster than steel. Like I said, I want to know the truth about it being a lot faster. Some people I've heard (read) say that they wear out really fast in comparrison to the steel. BUT!!, like I said I don't plan on firing 20K rounds through it, probably not 5K even. I plan to shoot it, but it will be a carry alot and shoot a little gun for the most part.

Nice looking Gold Cup Commander by the way.