OT - Got the 1911

[86er]

I have a relative that always carried a Colt .45 when I was a kid. I distinctly remember the butt sticking out of his pants and the "COLT 45" written on the bottom of it. In my recent search to get a 1911 of my own I called to ask him what he had and to get his thoughts on it. Well as it turned out, it was carried for 25 years during a career as a CIA Agent. The story was told to me that in 1970 he went to Hartford to the Colt plant to have a gun made. His friend there put together a gun for him and it was personally sold to him at the factory the next day. He demanded the "new" slide that was marked Colt's Combat Commander, but he wanted it on an alloy frame. Another specification was that the gun be "all black, including the barrel". I was told he was near the Colt factory again in 1975 and stopped in to visit with his friend. They looked at his gun and discussed the hard use and many rounds it had seen. His buddy at Colt, (Dave) really recommended a steel frame to replace the alloy frame. He agreed to have his slide and all original parts fitted to a new steel frame. In that configuration it was carried for another 20 years. He said the gun has 5000 -6000 round through it. He fired hardball for practice and carried SuperVel exclusively. Towards the end of our conversation, he said "why, do you want that gun"? He doesn't have any guns now and lives in the Carribean so I had no idea it still existed. Well, nearly 20 years ago he disassembled the gun and coated it with Vasoline, wrapped it in wax paper and then plastic and put it in an ammo box. It was buried in his friends backyard (in case he ever wanted it again)! I had someone get it and send it to me. What I found was a nearly mint pistol but the grips were totally ruined. Somehow the vasoline ate the grips (that were wrapped separately). He told me there were 3 Colt magazines in the box but there was only one blued magazine with no markings on it. (I think he can't remember about the mags but probably figured they were good one's and gave them to his friend). I degreased the gun, put it together and went out to buy mags and grips. I found 2 Wilson Combat mags and a set of checkered Colt grips in the "Junk Bucket" of a local gun shop. Total for all of them was $40. I fired a box of hardball ammo and a box of Golden Sabre's. Works like a charm. I e-mailed Colt about this and told them I "inhereted" serial # so and so and what could they tell me. The return e-mail is very interesting. In part and substance it reads:

In April, 1970 and undisclosed client appeared at our Hartford facility. The pistol supplied in a direct sale had original serial # 70SCXXX. This was a pistol assembled by our gunsmith shop from components picked from the floor by our client. The gun was a Combat Commander in 45 ACP caliber fitted with smooth rosewood grips. The client specified the pistol to be "completely black". On February 21, 1975 the same client presented himself at our plant. The pistol was examined and the client was reconvenienced with a new steel frame bearing serial # 70BSXXX to keep the numbers of the original serial number.

I've ordered some thin, uncheckered rosewood grips as it originally had, and a ClipDraw to go with them. After a two decade vacation, this gun is back to work

[dr walker]

That's a great story. Looks like a fine gun that should serve you well.

[rjohns94]

very kewl Joe. Nice to have it come from the family. Blessings.

[FWiedner]

That's my idea of a firearm. All business.

Congratulations, Joe. May it serve you well.

[CEMENTHEAD]

Cool !! Best of luck !!

Thanks, Tom

[jdad]

Joe,
One of the members of our collector group is Lowell Pauli. He is the Historian, for the Colt Collectors Association. He has attempted to collect every pistol model variant produced. I'm sure he would be thrilled to hear your story and see pictures.

I'll PM you his phone number and email.

David

[Rimfire McNutjob]

That's fantastic plus it comes with family history.

[awp101]

Wow!

[piller]

Very nice.

[pokey]

Very nice.

me too.

[Lastmohecken]

That's a nice gun, with quite a story behind it. I have a Springfield that is almost identical in configuration, except for a ambi-safety, (I am lefthanded), and I have Wilson checkered grips on mine. It is my favorite carry gun.

Mine has the lighter alloy frame, like his originally did. The old Colt Lightweight alloy frames were known to develope cracks, after about 5000 rounds, and the alloy feed ramps sometimes got beaten up over time, by the ends of the bullets hitting the ramp, in the cycling process. I wonder if he eventually had problems with the allow frame, which caused the second visit to Colt, and the second frame being all steel.

At any rate, I bet he missed the lighter weight of the alloy frame, after he had it changed out to steel. By the way, I see his has the original low profile GI sights, so does mine. All of my other 1911's have higher profile sights, but for CCW carry, I much prefer the old GI sights like your gun has because a Lightweight commander really carrys pretty good, without a holster, by just sticking it in your wastband, where most modern day 1911's with higher profile front sights can eaisly hang up on a shirt tail, those GI's won't hang on anything. I usually use a holster, but sometimes it is so handy to just stuff it in the my waistband, when traveling, and getting out for a short stop, etc.

Those Wison magazines are top quality, but if you want a flush fitting magazine for CCW, Chip McCorimicks have worked very well for me, and they are good quality also.

[JReed]

That is way cool.

[Gun Smith]

Since Vasoline is a petrolium (oil) by product, it would have soaked the Rosewood in that time.

[CowboyTutt]

Joe, very happy and excited for you. Sounds like a very nice 1911!!!!

-Tutt

[Grizz]

That is a great story and a great gun with a great history.

SuperFine!

I use Kimber 8 rnd flush mags in my 1911 and so far they work perfectly.

Grizz

[Ysabel Kid]

Saving a fine gun to shoot another day! Awesome Joe - congratulations!!!

[Halfbreed]

Family history makes that gun priceless... at least to you and your prodigy, keep it in the family. I have a WWII Arisaka rifle and a Jap Cavalry Saber inherited from my Dad who acquired these shortly after their surrender in September 1945, they are both priceless to me though probably not worth much collector wise due to Dad having the Arisaka Mum ground completely smooth, the action polished, and reblued beautifully back in the late 50s.
What a treasure, and being used the way it should be, congratulations Joe.

[Aussie Chris]

That is a cool story....bet you won't be selling that one in a hurry

Would Colt still do that these days you think? I would love to 'make my own' 1911a1

[Pete44ru]

Very nice - I especially like the Colt email/letter details, as it shows how they took care of a customer.

I too, prefer a 1911 over all other auto-pistol configs - and the Commander variation most of all. (Although I switch to & use a flat MSH)

It looks like it's ready for YOUR back pocket !

.

[dkmlever]

A gun with a history very nice, enjoy using it!

[madman4570]

Very Nice Joe! Nice story also!

[kimwcook]

And the warhorse goes on. That's really neat, Joe. I'd have to change out the grip safety for a beavertail as the web of my hand tends to ride over the standard and I get hammer bit, even with the bobbed hammer. With the standard hammer I'm bleeding after the first shot.

[m.wun]

That thing would be handy if you run into one of those four horned devil goats.

[RIHMFIRE]

Great story and shooter!
To me, the best guns are the one with family history!

[Paladin]

Great story and makes the colt priceless, even the letter corroborating the story for non believers.
This is my version of the priceless colt, may have been some of the same places as yours. I got it from a Master Sergeant that was on my team a few years before he retired and put the grips on it in 2002 when the DOD stopped letting us carry our own toys overseas.

[Griff]

Joe,

Great story... and you got the VERY best autoloading pistol in history. I have an 80Series Combat Commander that was an insurance replacement for my 70Series that was stolen in 1982.

The departmental gunsmith ramped it to feed my 200 grain HPs, 185gr RN & SWCs... I carried it as my off-duty and UC gun for years. The CC, especially with the steel frame is the perfect blend of balance and power. The aluminum frame is, indeed, lighter, but has been known to develop problems in hard, continuous use. Colt did your relative, & now you, a huge favor in rebuilding it.

Gosh, I even have the brand, new wood grips that came on it... I've had Pachmyrs on it since day one.

[ceb]

Wow, don't get any better than that. What a gun, what a story!

[Old Savage]

Great gun Joe, hope you enjoy it.

[kimwcook]

Paladin, if I didn't know better I'd almost say you have my Officer's Model. I looked through my photos and I don't have a pic. I'll try and rectify that soon.

[GoatGuy]

86er, man am I envious! Love the CCC's! What a really nice piece, and the family connection makes it even more special. I feel confident it will become one of your most favored handguns. Congratulations and enjoy.

I've had a few Combat Commanders over the years and always felt they were the most practical 1911 carry example for someone of my stature and body type. Suppose I'll have to go on a hunt for one now that I've seen your fine Commander. Like lastmohecken, the only change will be for an ambidextrious safety (original factory Colt type) as I'm also a lefty. Seeing it has brought back many fond memories of earlier times in my life. Thanks for that.