I walked into a local shop and a guy that I know personally (who previous set me up with the deal of a life time on a war time Colt 1911 made around 1918) was hanging on to this little jewel
This is a Colt 1911 L.W
it was made in 1953 or 1958 I need to verify which but you dont see these every day. Its tight and the one scratch is on the port side but overall really a nice piece. even the grips are not chipped like most of this vintage are

I am pretty happy to own it. I just got the chance to take it apart and clean it again its very tight





its one I kind of had to share
Its a commitment to carry a 1911 the weight of this makes it reasonable you really notice the weight or lack of when you pick it up
Hank

I just looked at the pics the gun is oiled a but that is not pitting or blems

That is a solid old Commander boatboy. Very nice.

Very nice!!!!! Indeed...

I pulled out of the hidey hole last night a colt 1911 in the mark four, series.
I have more than one 1911 style, but the bluing, feel etc., a colt is a colt is a colt.

That one is very nice.



Aren't those the old Coltwood grips made of plastic??

The Colt L.W. Commander I bought many years ago from a retired Coast Guard captain, had the Coltwood grips. My L.W. Commander was made around 1960.

L.W.

That is a great Colt and real easy to carry. Congrats!

two thoughts
first along those lines I think we all play with a variety of guns here but when I grab a 1911 there is no feel like it
I also believe old guys like me (51) charish Colts the youngsters like Kimbers

As to the grips
The grips I believe are the Bakelite (so yes plastic) material I have some really snappy grips around but wouldnt dream of replacing these on this gun

Hank

I'm 33 and I bought my pre-series 70 Colt Commander (complete with Coltwood grips) when I was 28 (and like the young whipper-snapper that I was I promptly traded it off on something else). I didn't buy a Kimber until I bought one for my wife last year as an engagement present; I now have two, but that's because only because I wanted a Kimber Stainless Target II in 10mm having read, and re-read, Brian Pearce's 2008 article in Handloader detailing his work with the 10mm in the Kimber.

I like Kimbers, but if I'm dialing 1911 I'm asking the operator for C-O-L-T

That's a beaut of a Colt you've got Boatboy; enjoy shooting it.

That is a beautiful example and I would go out of my way to acquire one like that if I crossed paths with another.

There is something Old School Cool about an old Colt that imitators and clones will never match.

Nice weapon! Congratulations!

The first 1911 I fired was one of those. It shot to point of aim and was a jewel to carry.

I still think a Commander should come with a burr hammer.

It really spoiled me. The 1911's in ITR were not its equal.

If that is a 30XXX LW that would be 1953. I have two 1952 .38 Supers that I have been carry daily since 1980...doesn't get any more classic that a Commander...

Great find...Bob

Great looking old Colt. That piece is calling out for ivory....

Hank, you really scored there. Better go buy a lotto ticket. Congrats on a nice piece.

I have collected military 1911's for a long time, but have civilian ones too. Generally i have stuck the WWII bakelites on them. Kimbers do nothing for me, but then i am an ol fahrt.
"There is something Old School Cool about an old Colt that imitators and clones will never match." boy, isn't that a true statement.

a number of years ago i had occasion to talk to a cochise county deputy sheriff, and i commented on the well worn, missing bluing, 1911 he had on his side. I smiled, and said i have a feeling you know how to use that. He just grinned. Guess he wasn't into the polymer guns.

My holy grail of handguns would be a ooolllldddddddddd colt. I've got a series 70 I love.

now that's a great find. You owe your buddy for watching out for you.

Now THAT'S a 1911.

Good buy. Congrats.





Travis

It's a weird synthetic and they're famous for cracking, chipping and if you can believe it, shrinking.

Nice grab, boatboy. You definitely owe your buddy dinner and beers.

I've owned several Colts, a couple were Commanders with alloy frames.

I am firmly in the belief that they are fit together better than the steel-framed guns, both my Commanders shot better than Gov't Models, either in .45, Super .38, or 10mm, and even a '70 Series Gold Cup.

I HAD to have beavertail grip safeties added, though, because the snippy little rascals would bite me every chance they had. Other than better sights and the beavertails, nothing else was needed. I shot them both with factory sights and the larger aftermarket sights, quite a bit.

Damned fine pistols. Both mine were .45, of course.