gun review Colt/Talo Lightweight feature
license with my payment. T e seller shipped the Colt to my FFL and then he and I com- pleted the proper paperwork required. Once I had the Colt .38 Super and I was turning it over in my hands, it was every- thing I knew it would be. Buying a used gun sight unseen requires some knowledge of what can go wrong with a fi rearm due to extreme or abusive use. It’s not easy to dam- age a gun that is only a couple years old, but we all know someone who is capable of such carnage. Telltale signs like excessive external wear should cause you to stay away. When considering an Internet purchase, fuzzy pho- tos and one-line descriptions should be cause to delete the page from your browser. Poor or nonexistent feedback for a seller should send warning signals to your brain like a siren in a prison break movie.
High-quality, close-up photos, full descrip- tions, and numerous positive feedback com- ments for an online auction or sale provide assurance. Descriptions such as LNIB (like new in box) and a photo of the original box with all papers and end labels help you make a wise decision. If fi rearms are treated properly, cleaned and lubed as they should be, they can last many lifetimes. My daughter shoots trap with my grandfather’s shotgun, despite the fact she’s a fourth-generation clay buster.
Qualifying for Off-Duty Carry
Any newly acquired gun should be field stripped, cleaned, and lubricated whether it’s a brand-new model or a used one. T e Colt LWT Commander fi eld stripped like any other 1911 with a standard barrel bushing and recoil spring guide and the bushing did not require a wrench. It was pretty clean, but my patches still came away dark, as I am a bit meticulous at getting in every nook and cranny. T e trigger pull measured just over 4.5 pounds, which is right where a combat 1911 should be. Over travel of the trigger’s rear move- ment was zilch. At the range, the Trijicon front sight was fast to pick up and place on target at close distances of 21 feet or less. T e beavertail grip safety spreads out recoil, although even the hot Corbon loads felt mild when fi red. I had never fi red an aluminum frame 1911 before, but the recoil impulse was negligible. Rapid fi re
22 The Police Marksman Mar-Apr 2015
The .38 Super cartridge packs plenty of power in the lightweight Commander frame for off-duty or backup police use.
was accomplished with ease, as control of the pistol was no problem to maintain. T e under- cut at the bottom rear of the trigger guard al- lows a slightly higher grip on this Colt. I already had several holsters that fi t the 4 ¼-inch barrel, Commander size 1911 and of course, this .38 Super fi ts in standard 5-inch full-size 1911 holsters as well. Carrying the gun all day off -duty proved the handgun’s light- weight frame to be a true benefi t. T is .38 Super weighs approximately 20 percent less (33.5 vs. 27 ounces) than it would with a steel frame. Ten rounds of powerful .38 Super ammo (nine in the magazine, plus another round chambered with the pistol carried cocked and locked) load in the fl ush-fi tting maga- zine with little eff ort. A second magazine with a rounded follower and a pad for posi- tive insertion during a reload was included in the Colt’s blue plastic, lockable box. T e Colt fi red fi ve diff erent cartridges
fl awlessly (PMC, Aguila, Armscor Preci- sion, and Remington full-metal jacket and Corbon hollowpoint). T e Colt LWT Commander qualifi ed for off -duty carry without throwing a single round.
Is Your Perfect Firearm Already Out There?
Talo and Lipsey’s have produced some fancy and practical guns over the years. T ey work with many diff erent gun makers to create variations that fi ll a niche for buyers with par- ticular tastes. It’s worth a look to check out the guns they’re off ering or have off ered in the past. With a little bit of research and in- vestigation, your perfect fi rearm may already be out there waiting for you to discover it. This Colt LWT Commander in .38 Super is everything I’ve always wanted in a 1911. I’m still not sure how Colt and Talo made it without my input. PM
Steve Tracy has over two and a half decades experi- ence as a police offi cer and fi rearms instructor. He is also a tactical rifl e, use of force, less-lethal, and scenario-based training police instructor. He can be reached at
steventracy@hendonpub.com.
Post your comments on this story by visiting
www.policemarksman.com
Commander .38 Super 1911
www.policemarksman.com
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