Colt Commander Light Weight Lightweight .45 ACP Semi-Auto Pistol, 1963 C&R

Make: Colt

Model: Lightweight Commander Model

Serial Number: 44102-LW

Year of Manufacture: 1963 (https://colt.com/serial-lookup)

Caliber: .45 ACP

Action Type: Single Action Semi-Automatic fed by Removable Magazine

Barrel Length: 4 1/4”

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. The rear sight notch has been widened.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered brown “Coltwood” plastic panels. The grips have shrunk slightly, common for Coltwood, stretching the screw holes. The grips otherwise show minor handling wear with a few scattered light marks. The checkering is well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Very Good-plus condition.

Type of Finish: Blue & Black Alloy Frame

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion in the bore, but there is some stubborn fouling. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 8+ out of 10.

Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 90% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. The fronstrap has been stippled through the finish. There is an “idiot mark” on the left of the frame under the slide stop. There are some other scattered light nicks and tiny scratches, most notable on the right of the frame at the rear edge by the grip safety. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads are tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol is in Very Good 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 with a single 7-round WWII-era magazine marked “S” on the top of the floorplate.

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, but were also offered in the classic .45 ACP cartridge. This example was produced in 1963, chambered for .45 ACP and is in Very Good condition. It shows wear consistent with its age and use, having had the frontstrap stippled for better grip. The bore is strong and the mechanics are still spot-on. Its original Coltwood grips show some shrinkage endemic to this era, but are in much better condition than some examples we have seen. While this will make for a nice carry pistol in a potent chambering, it will also make it a neat addition to a Colt automatic collection. Please see our photos and good luck!

Please forgive any typos, I was educated in California. -Bud