Colt Commander Light Weight CLW 9mm Luger Semi-Automatic Pistol, 1969 C&R

SOLD FOR: $2807

LSB#: 210610PK09

Make: Colt

Model: Lightweight Commander Model, Pre-Series ’80

Serial Number: CLW004033

Year of Manufacture: 1969 (https://colt.com/serial-lookup)

Caliber: 9mm Luger

Action Type: Single Action Semi-Automatic with Removable Magazine

Markings: The left side of the slide is marked “COMMANDER / MODEL”, “COLT”, “AUTOMATIC / 9 M/M LUGER” and with a Rampant Colt logo. The right side of the slide is marked “COLT’S PT. F.A. MFG. CO. HARTFORD, CONN. U.S.A.”. The right side of the frame is marked “CLW004033”. The barrel at the port is marked “CAL. 9MM LUGER”. The left-rear of the trigger guard is marked with “VP” in a triangle, the left-front “S”. The right front of the trigger guard is marked “0″. The magazine floorplate is marked “COLT / CAL. 9MM. LUGER”.

Barrel Length: 4 ¼”

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade with a serrated, ramped face fixed to the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a square notch dovetailed to the rear of the slide.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece smooth wood panels with silver-colored Colt medallions. The grips have no notable wear or damage, only light handling marks. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in about Excellent condition.

Type of Finish: Blue & Black Alloy Frame

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion.

Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 97% of its metal finish. There is minor operational wear, most notable on the trigger, grip safety, and the right of the slide in front of the dust cover. There is a minor scratch in the left trigger relief-cut below the slide stop. Otherwise, there are only light handling marks. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol is in about Fine-Excellent condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The slide has very little play to the frame. The trigger is crisp. We did not fire this pistol. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pistol comes in a two-piece faux-wood cardboard Colt box with model-matching label, the serial number hand-written on the bottom in white, an assortment of factory paperwork including manual and a single blued 9-round magazine. The magazine has minor operational wear with intact feed lips and a strong spring, in about Fine condition as not original to the gun. The box has minor storage wear with a dent on the label-end of the lid, in about Fine condition.

Our Assessment: Introduced by Colt as a lighter-weight version of the 1911, the smaller size of the Commander was popular and soon they were offered in a number of variations including different frame materials and calibers. The original development centered on an aluminum-frame 9mm as a candidate for US Military post-war officer’s pistols. This example was produced in 1969, and is a very early example of the Lightweight Commander, produced in 1969 before the official launch of this model. The pistol is in Fine-Excellent condition with most of its finish remaining, a great bore and strong mechanics. This will make for a nice carry pistol, but its high condition and original box will also make for a great addition to a Colt automatic collection. Please see our photos and good luck!