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Kevin, I'd say he is also a man who knows what it is that he likes.

I just want to go on record saying how refreshing it is to look at a picture of John Browning's art, and not see forward slide serrations or and ambidextrous safety.

As a southpaw, I can endure the latter.

I've never seen one I liked though. The one I picture in my head is mechanically a Wilson Bulletproof, but with standard Colt levers.

Mrs. Tide is wronghanded too. Well, she writes left handed, but she shoots right handed.

The knuckle on my index finger seems to want to re-engage most starboard mounted safety levers. Just annoying.

I can understand the need if one were truly left handed though.

Much agreed. Both can occasionally have their place on a defensive gun provide they're useful to the shooter in question. The front slide serrations on my S&W Scandium gun are so uttlely useless they're just an eye sore. They are completely slick with nothing to grab, so they're just window dressing, and not good looking window dressing at that.

Thanks to all of you on all the nice comments on the guns. I have shooting/collecting/carrying Commanders in .38 Super since 1980. Some were purchased as is and some were stock and modified by me.

One of the people who influenced my "old school" ways of the 1911 was master shooter Chuck Taylor. His guns were for "go" not "show" and with his personal defense guns he did little in the way of modification that went beyond reliability/shootability.

Except for the new TALO Commander most of the guns are built to the following specifications:

Reliability..has to feed and cycle. This is not to say all the guns will feed semiwadcutters but they need to reliably feed what I need to have them shoot.

Accuracy/Shootability..trigger pull has a lot to do with the shootability so a crisp 3.5-4.5 pull is a must. Once the gun is shootable for me then it has to be accurate enough to do head shots at 25 yards. If the trigger breaks and the sights were in the middle of the head and the bullet lands somewhere else time after time then the gun has a problem. The above stainless Combat Commander with BoMar sights was a gun that came with a Colt correctly headspaced barrel and I had a match bushing fitted when the trigger job was done. Accuracy was not up to par. Had a BarSto barrel fitted and went out and put 4/5 into a 1" patch at 50'...and the miss was called and landed right where called. Problem solved and is now one of my most "shootable" Commanders.



Grip...there are no checked grips, front straps or mainspring housings... Grab a heavily checked gun wrong on the draw and it takes a major effort to get the gun back into the proper position. I can just loosen my grip slightly and the guns slips right into the pocket on the way to the target. I just don't like the feel of checking and since the gun doesn't squirm around in my hand while being shot is unnecessary. Mainspring housing are traditional serrated arched as they fill my hand better and make the gun point where I am looking.

Speed bumps...since I use a Humanoid Grip instead of a Hitcher Hiker or Indexing Thumbs the palm of the hand is in full contact with the entire backstrap. As such there is no need for the Speedbump.

Sights...fixed or adjustable have to be able to be seen clearly. My favorite fixed is (or was before the company went out of business) the MMC Classic with the Crossbar front and white outline rear. They were small, low profile and needed no modification to the slide. And in the days before night sights the white crossbar on the front ramp was clearly visible under street lights. Several of the guns have tritium sights many with just a tritium dot in the front as the new TALO is. While nice to have for target shooting and gun games tritium sights really are not necessary as 99% of the gun fights civilians get into and most LEOs are under 5 yards and day or night NO ONE EVER SEES THE SIGHTS ANYWAY.... I also like Novak and what was BoMar adjustable sights.

Front Cocking Serrations...none but the TALO has them and I wish it didn't. Like the Speedbump it came from the GunGames because of comps and full length guide rods. At least the TALOs are muted and smooth...the early XSE Commanders were razor sharp.

No beavertails...just the small hook that originally came on the OFFICERS ACP Model...everything one needs to keep from getting bit without all the bulk. They will be eventually fitted to the rest of the Commanders that don't have time.

Safeties....just prefer to stay with original. As to ambi safeties if you look there are only two guns with them...the two 1952 Commanders that are the daily carry guns. The reason being is how I carry a Commander...behind the left hip butt forwards. If need be I can draw and fire left hand only.

Finish...if I have a choice it is hard chrome.... There is nothing tougher and really helps with wear on the aluminum frame rails and feed ramp. The current carry Commander has been worn daily for 5 years and still looks like the day it came back from the shop....

So that is why my Commanders look like they do....thanks again....

Bob

Amen to the ban on full length guide rods. Thanks for the run down on your preferences. It is good to hear that I'm not the only one who doesn't care for all the ways manufacturers guild the lily, so to speak.

RJM,

Great explanation of your "whys and what fors". I noticed we have a few likes, a few differences, but overall, I think I would very easily be able to pick up one of your fine Commanders in a pinch and run and gun with it on the streets without a problem.

I wish they would offer the upgraded/higher end 1911s with a standard Colt style thumb safety like the one shown on my old Officer's ACP below:



That reminds me,

I have a Baer 5" gun that has a HUGE boat paddle of a safety. It actually is an amby safety that I would like to get swapped out for a standard sized, single sided one. I love the gun, stunningly accurate, but the boat paddle annoys me.

Mackay - Nice pistol. What front sight are you using?

It has been so long that I cannot recall, It is a fiber optic. I am thinkiing it is a Dawson. I almost always run a narrow .10 front sight.



I can snap a pic from the driver's seat if ya want.

If so, I will start a new thread so as not to derail RJM's since he has such a cool thing going on with the Commanders and simply out of respect.

MS

Mac you can just post it here...nothing is lost as this is a 1911 thread...everything is welcome....

Bob

RJM and Mackay, this is a great thread. Really enjoying it and learning from it as well.

Mac...those boat paddle safeties have no place on a carry gun...it is too easy to have them get bumped off while in the holster...again something from the GunGames. Brownells carries replacement standard size safeties in single sided and ambi.

Your Officers is a nice Classic.....Bob

whoa...

...can't take credit for building that one. Found it at a gun show. I did put on the MMC sights, BarSto barrel, trigger and ivory grips.

Bob

I agree about the boat paddle/carry gun sentiment. I "think" I may still have an old Colt safety somewhere in the basement. The question is "where?.

My Kimber is more my style for carry in a 1911:



Or my old 70 series:

..nice guns Mac..with lots of character...for .45s that is...

That safety doesn't look too big. I was expecting to see one of the BIG ones....

Bob

My S&W 1911PD has the same safety that comes on a Kimber and I have found it to be absolutely ideal; very well thought out. Never once had it get bumped off, easy to disengage/re-engage, and I can rest my thumb on top; just perfect.

The ones on the old 70 Series Colt and 1st series Kimber are fine. It is the monster paddle that comes standard on the Premier II from Baer that is the issue.

The .45 itself is a shooting machine. It is the 1.5" at 50 yard version. Not that I can take advantage of it, but I know I cannot blame the gun for any pulled shots.

Anyways, check the pic out, it is on my "To do" list of mods..



Driver's seat pic.

Colt, then Kimber, then Baer:

By now Mac probably needs another stress reliving "Old School" 1911 pic so here is a 1956 Commander TwoTone.





The original work was done by Dave Walters in Dallas, Texas. BarSto barrel with fitted bushing, Videki trigger with a 3.5# pull, correctly done BoMar sights, blue upper with hard chrome lower.



Has a King's Recoil Buffer and heavy duty spring plug...



Grips were from the Colt Custom Shop and are Indian Ebony.



Jody Joseph of JoJo's in Southington, Ct. installed the Officers Model grip safety and Ed Brown tritium dot front sight. The slide was reblued when the front sight dove tail was cut.



[img]http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/RJM52/1911/DSCF6252.jpg[/img]

This was my alternate match gun to the 1969 Government Model...

Bob

Cripe Mac...that is a friggin brake peddle from a 56 Buick...

Bob