gun review: Colt/Talo Lightweight Commander .38 Super 1911 M
odel 1911 pistols started out being made by Colt, but today S&W, Ruger, and Remington produce the .45 as well. In addition to these American companies offering John M. Browning’s classic semi-automatic design, today there are over 80 companies from which you can choose to buy old slab sides.
Generic terms have come to describe the various available sizes, such as Offi cers (compact short grip and short slide/barrel), Commander (standard grip with a shorter slide/barrel), Full Size (with the standard grip and 5-inch barrel), and Long Slide (standard grip with an extended slide/bar- rel of 6 inches or more). Colt was fi rst to call their versions Offi cers, Commander, and Government with these terms becom- ing like Kleenex and Xerox. T e 1911 is the Chevy 350 V8 of the pistol world. With so many companies making parts, picking and choosing your options provides an untold myriad of com- binations. Current 1911s have Picatinny rails, extended safeties, night sights, and ambidextrous controls.
Talo Limited Editions and Special Runs Talo is a fi rearms distributor, purchasing guns and distributing them to stores. Talo also works with fi rearms manufacturers to produce special models with distinct fea- tures. Sometimes these special models are very limited, often with runs of only several hundred produced, including certifi cates of authenticity to maintain their pedi- gree. Others may run into the thousands if enough demand is foreseen. Oftentimes, these custom runs are not listed in a manu- facturer’s standard catalog or on their web- site. You have to seek them out and keep up to date on Talo’s website.
I like the 1911 pistol. I understand its advantages and its limitations. Its excep- tional combat trigger pull is a plus in the advantages column. Magazine capacity is a minor concern when it comes to the nega- tive side of things.
19 The Police Marksman Mar-Apr 2015
The lightweight aluminum frame reduces carry weight by 20 percent. The thin wood grips and grip screws reduce the widest part of the pistol.
Colt and Talo teamed up to produce a lightweight, Commander size 1911 chambered in .38 Super.
www.policemarksman.com
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