How does one build a 10mm Commander in Cali?

[harrygunner]

I think a Commander sized 1911 10mm would be the perfect carry gun for me.

However, so far, I live in California. My youngest kid will be out of the house soon and I'm leaving the state.

But, in the mean time, is there a base gun I can buy that a gunsmith can use to build something like the Dan Wesson 10mm CBOB?

Know any gunsmiths that are good at such conversions?

I've had trouble finding used Colt Commanders in .38 Super or 9mm as a base gun.

Springfield makes the PB9113L, a full sized .38 Super. If the slide is tossed, can a 4.25" 10mm slide/barrel be fitted?

Generally, does anyone have suggestions on how a Kali captive can have something like the DW 10mm CBOB?

Thanks

 

[rcmodel]

I would be of the opinion that an alloy frame Colt Commander would be a very poor choice for a 10mm project.
The steel frame 1911 didn't prove to be exactly successful when Colt tried it with the Delta Elite years ago.


rcmodel

 

[grendelbane]

I also would not want an aluminum frame 10mm. If a steel frame Combat Commander is what you are after, then yes, a 10mm slide and barrel could be fitted to a .38 Super frame. The full size frame can be altered to Commander dimensions. Seems like an expensive way to do things, but then I do not live in California.

I am not sure how well a Commander would handle full house 10mm loads. In my Delta Elite I use a small radius EGW firing pin stop, a 20 lb recoil spring, and a 25lb mainspring. This is a good combination, and it works quite well.

 

[brasskeeper]

The comander frame is the same size as the government model. the only difference is the lenth of the slide.

Now the officers model has a smaller frame than the other two.

You should be able to use a slide from a 1911 that is either 40S&W or 357 sig as they have the same case head as the 10mm. You will have to get a 10mm barrel and you will have to change the ejector on the frame but its easy to remove and replace.

I went through this when I built a 9mm. I used a gov model 45 frame and bought a 9mm slide, barrel, bushing, magizine, and ejector.

I have no idea what the laws are in California.

 

[Jim Watson]

Probably your best bet in a new certified gun would be to buy one of the Colt Commander .45s and have the whole upper assembly replaced in 10mm. The Commander receiver is NOT the same as a Government Model's and you had just as well start with the right part.

Sorry, I do not know of a California gunsmith personally, but King's has a good reputation. If you are allowed to send a gun away for work, I think Ted Yost has done work on 10mm Commanders.

Me? I'd try to get by with .45 +P.

 

[brasskeeper]

Ok Jim teach me something, what is the difference between a commander frame and a Gov model?

 

[Jim K]

The basic differences are the length of the dust cover ahead of the trigger guard and the length of the tang behind the safety.

So the Commander frame is shorter and, given the same material, lighter than the standard GM frame.

Jim

 

[Old Fuff]

More then just the dust cover, the recoil spring tunnel in the Commander frame is legthened, and the barrel (particularly the lower lug) is cut back to work with the lengthened recoil spring tunnel.

Getting a reliable 10mm pistol built on the Commander platform would be diffricult to say the least. I would strongly suggest that you stick with the .45 ACP. Because the barrel is droped by a link with a fixed hole spacing you can't do much to increase the dwell time during which the slide and barrel are locked together.

 

[brasskeeper]

Well I learned something. Thanks guys.

 

[brigadier]

What part of California do you live in? I know some gunsmiths, and they may be willing to do a 10mm 1911A1 conversion.
Regarding the 1911 handling the 10mm Auto. Use heavy recoil springs and you should be fine, alloy or steel. The alloy they use in handgun frames is highly under rated if you ask me. I've been able to crack steel handgun parts much easier then the variations of aluminum they use in handguns and the hardness is up there as well. Aircraft aluminums clearly dent easier then steel though, so a buffer is a good idea overall. However, tightly enclosed moving parts and overall pressure resistance should not be a problem. MRI use to make an alloy frame Desert Eagle in .44 Magnum, which the barrel presses against the frame with the full recoil force before the gun starts to kick. They've been known to handle the beating of monster .44 Magnum loads over and over again without problems.

 

[harrygunner]

Thanks for the responses.

I decided to make lemonade out of lemons (living in Kali).

I am very pleased with the .45 ACP Yost-Bonitz built where I was able to specify
exactly what I wanted in a gun. So, I've contracted a gunsmith to make a 10mm 1911 Commander exactly as I want it.

The frame will be a carbon steel forged frame from Springfield. Everything else, internal and external will be new.

The grip will be bob-tailed to enhance concealment. The Commander slide gives me a slightly easier draw from the holster. (I've noticed a small difference when drawing my Sig 229 compared to the full sized 1911.)

The 10mm should give comparable performance from a 4.25" barrel that the .45ACP does with the 5" barrel. I've been using Double Tap ammo in the .45 and in my Glock 29. I like both and feel both will do the job.

I'll give particulars and photos when the gun arrives. May be a couple of months.

 

[Boxhead]

Agree that an alloy frame will be a problem with the 10mm. I bought a used Para 16-40 and had a second 10mm barrel fitted. Or you can buy a 40 and have it rechambered to 10mm. In my Para the same magazine feeds both. I just swap out the recoil spring. I wanted to be able to shoot cheap 40's that I do not want to bother handloading. By the way, I left California 10 years ago, best decision I have ever made...

 

[Misfire99]

I sort of made my own. I used an aluminum 1911 frame and put an officers model slide with a para-ordinance ramp barrel with a fully supported chamber. It also has a guide rod and a good trigger job. It doesn't pull my pants down when I wear it and it's easy to point and shoot. And believe me it shoots very well. Mines a little more utilitarian then Boxheads Para but it works just fine. Nice Para by the way Boxhead.

 

[worker]

I am kind of considering the same question as the original poster.

There is a 10 % discount for THR members (till end of nov) for the
fusionfirearms builds. The 5 inch model (scout) prefitted
parts are 595 now (that's without the discount).

So I am kind of building up to that.

Unfortunately, what I am kind of not 100% sure about,
is that I really want a double stack frame.
And I just do not think I can find anything in the price
range... for a good doublestack frame.

over on pistolsmith forums, people told me that the only
frame they would do it on would be Caspian (i assume
because it has legendary metallurgy) ... but I know
very little about this stuff myself.

On another hand I can just for $230 another upper
for EAA witness match (single action) and have
.38 super/10mm (and later 9mm/.40) in one gun with
4.75 inch barrel single action that shoots very well...