colt 1911s

[CaliCoastie]

I'm new to the 1911 world, but just got my para ordnance super Hawg out off layaway on the 15th. Then shortly there after i found a colt 1911 i put on layaway.
She felt good which is why i jumped on a pistol for more money than any of my rifles. Can anyone tell me about the colt wiley capp talo commander pistol? Our barring that colt 1911s in general? Thanks

 

[Texan Scott]

Oh, fellas.... this one's got it BAD. Someone needs to "help" him with stories and pictures.

Have you shot the Para much yet? Interested in your assessments.

 

[tipoc]

The Wiley Clapp gun has been well received.

tipoc

 

[2wheels]

Colt 1911s in general are pretty good, not the best, but pretty darned good in their price range.

I've got two Colts so far, a New Agent and a TALO edition CCO. I've been very happy with both.

Now, if I saw a Wiley Clapp TALO edition Colt at anywhere near a decent price, I'd jump on it right away! That's one awesome looking carry 1911.

TALO is a distributor BTW, they special order small numbers of custom variants of guns from companies like Colt, so there aren't that many of those Wiley Clapp Commanders in existence. Chances are you won't see another one for a long time if you don't jump on this one.

http://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/talo-colt-21st-century-commander-review/

 

[GZOh]

Got both 'basic' models... Well made, flawless shoots... a MUST for any 1911 collection!



Or better still... Two of JBs BEST!!!

 

[MICHAEL T]

Now sell that hawg and go get a 2nd real 1911 .

 

[CaliCoastie]

Hey now that Hawg fits my hand great, haven't had a chance to shoot her yet but she feels good. Thanks for the input, everything i have read sound great now i just have to get her our of layaway, and I'm happy i took the dive on her. Be happier when i have her in my safe but......

 

[Fishbed77]

Colt > Para

 

[Drail]

On some days maybe.

 

[dbro822]

My dad has the Wiley clapp colt, love it. Feels really nice in the hand and shoots spot on. The taper in the grip feels like it helps drive the pistol into the target, and the brass bead front sight is easy to pick up. It is one on my have to have one short list.

 

[NOLAEMT]

On some days maybe.

Only those ending in "Y"

 

[cyclopsshooter]

The Wiley Clapps are fine pistols. The ones that I have had through my display case have been 50/50 whether it had a crisp trigger break or not.

Some basics off the top of my head

Novak Sights with gold bead on narrow front post.
Forged steel slide.
National Match barrel and bushing (CNC match fitting anyway)
Aluminum frame with front strap checkering.
70 series firing system.
70 series cast steel thumb safety.
Forged steel slide-stop
Beavertail grip safety with memory bump.
Forged steel hammer
All other small parts forged or cast steel aside from the Metal Injection Molded (MIM) mag catch, mag catch lock, sear, and disconnector. These parts are easily upgraded to steel if you choose to do so.

You also have a pistol that was milled very close if not very very close to John Browning's original spec. Meaning they are very reliable out of the box.

You have one of the best production 1911s. To do better you practically have to go boutique... Which is way above most peoples pay grade.

(Do note that there have been problems with the Colt 8 round mags. You may experience a bolt over base failure feeding the last round. If this occurs, buy Wolf +5% 7 round mag springs.)

Enjoy!

 

[1911 guy]

Older Paras, ten or more years, are good. The newer stuff is very hit or miss, mostly miss. They're resting on their laurels and putting out junk that people buy on name recognition. I really don't mean to rain on your parade, but after a while shooting, you'll find that the Clapp pistol will stand head and shoulders in every way over the Barely Ordnance, I mean Para Ordnance.

 

[Luv 2 Shoot]

Have to agree with 1911guy - new Para's not the same as old. I have a P-14 I bought new in '95 (when Para was still in Canada). I recently handled some new P-14's in some shops and I would not put them in the same quality class.

 

[tbreihan]

In my opinion, Colt's are the best value in the low- to mid-priced 1911 segment.

1) They use the fewest MIM parts of major manufacturers in their price range, and the parts that are made of MIM (sear, disconnector, and mag catch) are intelligently chosen.

2) They are built closer to the original spec than most or all of their competition (barrel links, barrel lug lock-up, slide to frame fit, etc.) Basically, they are tight where they need to be for accuracy, and loose where they can be for reliability.

3) They feed (IME) any commercial hollow-point out of the box.

4) The government models use a GI-length recoil assy. or a full-length recoil assy. that can be taken down without tools.

5) In fact, they can be properly disassembled with only their own parts, as originally designed. The Series 80 require an extra step to remove the firing pin, but even the grip screws are the proper slotted type to be removed with a .45 ACP case rim.

6) High quality factory magazines.

The downside is they are a little rough relative to machining and have sharp edges (worse 2-3 years ago, better today) and the plunger tubes aren't very well staked generally. The metal finish is also very good (brushing, polishing, bluing, etc.)

They are built like a fighting gun should be.

 

[bannockburn]

CaliCoastie

I think you would find the TALO Wiley Capp Commander to be a bit of a step-up in terms of quality and price over your Para Ordnance Super Hawg. The TALO Wiley Capp Commander is one very fine pistol, essentially a Colt Commander (Series 70 for want of a better description), with some very well thought out upgrades done to it. It comes with Novak sights with a brass bead front sight, a fitted Gold Cup barrel, a checkered front strap by Pete Single, a matte non-reflective blued slide with a matte black anodized aluminum frame, and distinctive custom grips from the Altamont Company.

There's one on gunbroker.com with a Buy-It-Now price of $1575. A bit on the pricey side for sure but I think it's a quality gun from Colt with just enough customization done to it to make it a very effective defensive pistol.

 

[CaliCoastie]

Thanks for the input guys, i can't wait to get the gun in hand. The trigger breaks like glass (one of the things that sold me). I'm not paying the gunbroker price, around 1350. And its nib, i can't wait to get it home, also can't wait to soot that para, I'll let y'all know how that turns out.

Btw i have a feeling these are going to be addictive....

 

[CaliCoastie]

Picked out up today and snuck it into the house past the wife, i don't know how to break it to her..... And yes she will notice (her preferred caliber its 45acp so I'm screwed). But it was worth it, i can't wait to get these guns out to the range (just got a s&w 638 for 224 that i need to shoot to)

 

[Baba Louie]

...i don't know how to break it to her..... And yes she will notice (her preferred caliber its 45acp so I'm screwed).

"Honey, I got this just for you... Now, let's go break it in."

Later, you can tell her you "decided the Hawg just didn't sound right for you... a Hawg? Honey I've been thinking... so I bought you this really cool little Colt. Whaddyathink Dear? Let's go break it in. You decide, which one would you prefer?"

Sometimes that might even work... sometimes.

If her preferred cal is .45 what does she shoot it in, I wonder? Better stock up on a lot of ammo I fear.

Consider Colt as the baseline against which you measure others as they were the original mfg and have been doing this for, oh... awhile now. Some are better, some maybe not as much. Some are made in the USA, some are not. Some hold value over the long run, some... well, you get the idea.

Colt's aren't the end all be all, but they run a pretty good race of measuring up and for me, they are the measuring stick to judge others by, fair or not, accurate or not. And even they have had their issues in the past.