Durability of Commander vs LW Commander

[KY DAN]

Eh, I've owned many of both -- Combat Commanders and Lightweight Commanders.

None of us will ever wear out a LW Commander. Unless you are 20 years old and plan on shooting your LW Commander to the tune of a thousand rounds a year for the next twenty years, I'd just say -- don't worry about it.

Well Skeeter Skelton managed to ruin a colt Lw 45acp in 5000 rounds of the then popular super vel defense ammo.

So your math is off, maybe 5 years

 

[Old Dog]

Well Skeeter Skelton managed to ruin a colt Lw 45acp in 5000 rounds of the then popular super vel defense ammo.

So your math is off, maybe 5 years

Yeah, I won't comment on the practice of running a steady diet of plus-P (which is what Super Vel was) ammo through an aluminum frame shorter-barreled 1911...

But I will say that I am acquainted with at least two gents who've run at least 15 - 20K rounds through LW Commanders with no frame-cracking (even though these pistols would keep shooting even with cracked frames).

We used to talk about this a lot in the early '00s and there were credible guys documenting 20-30K rounds through LW Commanders. Chuck Taylor loved this pistol and allegedly had an unholy number of rounds through his favorite one..

 

[halfmoonclip]

Slamfire, really great analysis. Couple things come to mind.
-A really high round count is something new in handguns. We had a mixed bag of 1911s in my old Guard armory; not sure how many had been rearsenaled. The Remington Rand in my safe has not. Doubt any of them have 2,000 rounds on them. Our guys (medics, cooks, etc) qual'd once a year with their .45s, which consisted of maybe 3 magazines.
Guns were for occasional use, and for people without a spare hand for a carbine.
-The only, likely,exception to a high round count being training bases, where class after class handles them
-This was likewise the deal in Europe, with the gun more a badge of honor/authority than a serious weapon.
-High round count is a new thing, in competition shooting here and elsewhere. And, in a chicken-or-egg question, progressive presses came along to feed the guns of those without corporate sponsorship. (They even made life easier for ordinary shooters)
Back to my argument that one thing we like about guns is their long term viability. Will we ever see plastic/poly guns in quite the same light as their all metal predecessors?
Moon

 

[nettlle]

I have read a lot of posts about the questionable life of a LW Commander but I do not think I have ever seen any posts or photos about any that have failed. It's funny to me that plastic guns are beyond reproach but alloy frames scare folks.

 

[KY DAN]

Yeah, I won't comment on the practice of running a steady diet of plus-P (which is what Super Vel was) ammo through an aluminum frame shorter-barreled 1911...

But I will say that I am acquainted with at least two gents who've run at least 15 - 20K rounds through LW Commanders with no frame-cracking (even though these pistols would keep shooting even with cracked frames).

We used to talk about this a lot in the early '00s and there were credible guys documenting 20-30K rounds through LW Commanders. Chuck Taylor loved this pistol and allegedly had an unholy number of rounds through his favorite one..

I agree these pistols will last quite some time providing two rules are followed.

1. Proper ammo

2. Proper springs

I have seen a few colt gold cups beat to death as well as a variety of other alloy and steel frame guns due to the second rule in my opinion.

I run 18.5 pound springs in my 1911's and shoot a steady diet of +p 45 acp with little recourse.

 

[halfmoonclip]

I have read a lot of posts about the questionable life of a LW Commander but I do not think I have ever seen any posts or photos about any that have failed. It's funny to me that plastic guns are beyond reproach but alloy frames scare folks.

Not sure the poly wonders get off the hook, though the 'Glock Perfection' thing has been driven into our heads. I'm sure we were all skeptical when the plastic fantastics first arrived, and they have proved remarkably durable. I'm talking Glock/SIG/Smith, not the little KelTecs or Rugers.
Widespread acceptance of the poly wonders in law enforcement has certainly helped.
But yeah, frogfur, the worry about alloy guns is a puzzlement.
Moon

 

[JDGray]

I once traded for a LW Commander, didn’t check it well enough, and the slide stop hole on the right side of the frame was wore out! The guy luckily traded me back, had to get it machined out, and a bushing installed. No thanks!!

 

[Jeff62]

I’m fan of Ruger in the LW Commander configuration
They have a titanium insert milled into the frame/ramp.