Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Ruger LW commander $699.99!

Folks, I am honestly thinking of buying one! It does not look like a half bad 1911. Trigger is not the best but for a carry gun does not seem to bad. Anyone have any good or bad too say about the new aluminum framed Ruger Commander?

Here's a range report I posted a few weeks back:

I've been looking forward to the Ruger Lightweight Commander 1911 since I bought my first 5" steel SR1911 back in '11. I got the first one through the door at my local shop this afternoon, and I'm happy and impressed. The fit and finish out of the box are excellent: no burrs or sharp edges where they're not supposed to be, and the machining is crisp and the finish tasteful. Barrel to slide lockup is tight, and barrel to frame fit is smooth with just a bit of sideways wobble when the slide is down which is just fine by me.

It was nice weather this afternoon so I went to the range. I dry fired the gun a few dozen times, sprayed it with Ballistol (it came from Ruger pretty dry) and loaded up the two 7-round magazines Ruger had included. Long story short, 100 rounds of 230gr FMJ (Winchester white box) went down the pipe and there were no failures of any kind. The sights are right on at 10 yards, and once I adapted my hold to the very slim factory grips I was able to hold pretty decent groups given the sights (three dot Novak's: quality pieces but I can't stand dots on a rear sight). The only bobble from the gun was a slight loosening of the grip panels, but a quick twist with a hex bit solved that issue. The grooves on the front strap, while not as grabby as checkering, are pretty good at settling the gun down and by the end of the range session they'd worn a bit of a welt on the third finger of my right (gun) hand.

All in all a nice lightweight Commander at an afforable price. If you're in the market for one, it'll be hard to beat. Unlike comparable Kimbers, it has the standard guide rod and the Series 70 fire control system, both of which I prefer over the Kimber/Swartz and full-length guide rods of the Kimber Commanders.

I have a full size Ruger & it hasn't been shot enough to know how it will be yet.

I also handled one of the LW Commanders in a LGS a couple of weeks ago & was VERY favorably impressed in the overall finishing of the gun & the trigger on this one was about perfect.

But if you don't like the trigger as it is, that easy to fix.

For the money, I don't think you could possibly go wrong or do much better. If I needed another 1911, I'd jump on one of these really quick. I especially like the slim grips.

You might have to figure out what its "weaknesses" are though & post then on the current thread, though.

MM

Lot of gun for the money. The one I fondled at my LGS appeared to be very well made and finished. My only complaint was that it didn't come with Factory Night Sights.

Yeah, I've been eyeing one too. Held it today and liked what I saw. Thinking maybe they will follow up with a bobtail though.....

the first thing I noticed on the Ruger was that it did not have that safety. I think I read it has a titanium firing pin. I have a Kimber that has worked fine for years, and was thinking of the Smith E series guns, but this Ruger for this price, why not?

The Ruger isn't quite as nice or as well appointed as the S&W, but it's also about $300 less, too.

The Smith has tritium sights, a flattened & nicely machined slide top which I like a lot & the Bobtail/round butt frame if that spins your prop.

Just depends on what you're looking for...............

MM

I like the external extractor on the Smith, but have not seen an E series in a shop in a while. The night sights I have had on a dozen pistols I use only to find the gun in the dark. Crimson trace grips would be next I guess.

after shooting the ruger reps gun, I bought it! It shoots just as good as my kimber covert in my hands, COM at 10 yards no problem. Need to take it to my hunting lease and wring it out. I will probably get the crimson trace grips.

I handled one of the Ruger LW commanders in my buddy's shop last week and really liked the little bastid. Wouldn't mind messing around with one of the for a carry gun at all.

From the photos of the target Oregon45 posted, they look to be a pretty good shooter.

I think they would make a dandy carry pistol.

Great...........ya finally pulled the trigger (pun intended)

MM

Got to play with a couple of the Ruger 1911's lately, they seemed to function well, fit wasn't bad nor was the accuracy. But don't see any reason to even think of one. Same price (700.00) as my Kimber Pro-Carry I bought back in 96. So they have to cut corners somewhere.

From the 25 yard line.

96 was 19 years ago - prices of things have changed a bit since then.

Quite honestly - I'd not think of Kimber today at all when looking at a 1911. Owned 2 of them.

Speaking with a 1911 guy whom I respect - he places the Ruger right below a Colt and ahead of a Springfield when talking about a 1911 to build off of. Basically #2 overall.

I am not any kind of expert, I shot the ruger Reps gun better than I shot my Kimber Pro Carry. Probably the sights, I can see the Ruger sights better. For $744 out the door with a $22.00 box of range ammo a Ruger hat and 30 minutes free range time!

Ruger dude says that Ruger makes a lot of 1911 frames for a lot of different venders what ever that is worth.

Ruger owns Pine Tree Castings which makes frame for many others including Caspian Arms. As near as I can tell Ruger and Caspian frames are identical with the exception of Caspian using a steel ramp insert as an option on alloy frames where Ruger inexplicably uses Titanium.

hope the insert does not fall out! the firing pin is titanium as well. I briefly had a DPMS gen2 gun that had steel insert with the feedramps. The 8 year old Kimber I have does not have such treatment in its aluminum frame but I don't see much if any wear in that area. I use Wilson magazines.

From what I have seen, I would tend to agree with this order.

Just do not hotrod the gun much with loads that need heavy recoil springs. It is a find gun as is.

Based on the quality of the small parts I rank the Rugers with the basic Kimbers, but less expensive.