I suppose it is only fitting that we start our roundup with a Colt as they were the first company to manufacture the 1911. This year their submission came to us from their Custom Shop and started life as a stainless steel Series 80 Commander that their craftsmen skillfully assembled. It’s a handsome gun, in a utilitarian way, sporting a smoke gray Decobond-Ionbond corrosion-scratch resistant finish. Parts like the magazine well, beavertail grip safety and rear sight come from Stan Chen Customs (chencustom.com) and are great parts expertly fitted and blended in the Custom Shop. Its front strap is sharply checkered and, in combination with the Stan Chen mag well and beavertail, allows the shooter to get a very high grip on the gun.
The front sight is tritium and combined with the Chen rear sight makes a great sight picture. The trigger is also tuned, breaking at a crisp 2.75 pounds with little take-up and a firm reset. I had a lot of fun reactive steel targets at Gunsite with this pistol.
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Ken Campbell (KC): “There is nothing sharp on this Custom Commander to cut the hands. It’s not the pretty deep blue you could dip your finger into like Colts of years ago but it’s not ugly and it is not reflective.” Campbell took the unloaded gun and ran it against his belt to make sure the rear sight could be used for tactical one-handed racking. He was successful and remarked that the sights are quick to use. Regarding price versus value Campbell said, “Good guns cost a lot of money—if your budget allows it this is a good buy!”
Lew Gosnell (LG): “This is probably the nicest Colt I have seen in the last 10 years! I am particularly impressed with the fit of the beavertail. The sights are definitely a Custom Shop install as there is no slop in them and the sight picture is perfect. It has a great trigger with no creep or overtravel. For the money I think this is a great buy as it would cost over $3,000 to have a custom gunsmith do this work to your existing gun!”
