gun review Colt/Talo Lightweight feature
Commander .38 Super 1911
Custom Built to Your Own Specs?
If I were to have a custom 1911 built to my own specifi cations for off -duty carry, I would want it to begin as a Commander sized gun. I need the full-size grip to accommodate my big hands. Reliability with the 4 ¼-inch Commander length barrel and corresponding slide is a known factor, so for concealability I’d go with that model over the shorter Of- fi cers style 3-inch length. I also like the longer sight radius of the Commander.
A Trijicon front night sight provides a sighting dot in any lighting conditions.
A Novak, low-profi le carry, plain-black rear sight helps the shooter focus only on the front sight.
20 The Police Marksman Mar-Apr 2015
Since my 1911 would be a concealed carry pistol, I would request the frame to be lightweight. T e aluminum frame 1911 was fi rst introduced by Colt in 1950 and has proven it can take a beating from years of shooting. T e fl at mainspring housing fi ts my hand and causes the gun to point better than the arched housing of the 1911A1, so mine would be fl at. My large hand size also necessitates a long trigger instead of a short one. T e manual safety on my dream 1911 would have to be extended so my long thumb could swipe it off in a positive manner. It doesn’t have to be ambidextrous because I’m adept at actuating the lever left-handed if need be. T e extra width of an ambi thumb safety just seems to get in my way anyhow. A true beavertail grip safety mated to the Commander ring hammer helps spread re- coil out over the web of the shooting hand so I’d like the wide version with the mem- ory bump on the back. Plus, it gives the 100-plus-year-old handgun a sporty look, sort of like a Porsche’s spoiler. Maybe I’m just confusing a 1911 with a 911. Up top, a lowered and fl ared ejection port is a must to be sure empty cases are thrown clear, but big ports are pretty much commonplace on 1911s these days. I do like forward slide serrations. T ey’re not totally necessary, but I prefer the option of using them to rack the slide or perform a press check. T ey look good too, sort of like the side vent gills on a sports car. When it comes to sights, I need a big dot of some kind up front. It would be nice if it glowed in the dark all by itself, too. As for the rear sight, it would need to be snag- free and the Novak wedge design has pretty
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