The pistol that would eventually be named the Colt Commander was Colt's Manufacturing Company's candidate in a U.S. government post-World War II trial to find a lighter replacement for the M1911 that would be issued to officers. Requirements were issued in 1949 that the pistol had to be chambered for 9 mm Parabellum and could not exceed 7 inches in length or weigh more than 25 ounces. Colts Manufacturing Company (CMC) is a United States firearms manufacturer founded in 1847. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... The M1911 is a single-action, semiautomatic handgun chambered for the . ... 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1949 calendar). ...

Candidates included Browning Hi-Power variants by Canada's Inglis and Belgium's Fabrique Nationale, and Smith & Wesson's S&W Model 39. Browning Hi-Power The Browning Hi-Power is based on a semi-automatic 9 mm pistol conceived and patented in the United States in 1922 by American firearms inventor John Browning, who eventually took his ideas to Belgium and the arms manufacturer Fabrique Nationale de Herstal. ... John Inglis and Company was a Canadian firm which made weapons for the United Kingdom and British Commonwealth military forces during the World War II era. ... Fabrique Nationale de Herstal, more often known as Fabrique Nationale and abbreviated simply as FN, is a well-known firearm manufacturer that originated in the Belgian city of Herstal, near Liège. ... Smith & Wesson NASDAQ: SWHC are the largest manufacturers of handguns in the United States. ... The Smith and Wesson Model 39 was developed for the US Army service pistol trials of 1949. ...

Colt entered a modified version of their M1911 pistol that was chambered for 9 mm Parabellum, had an aluminum alloy frame, a short 4.25-inch barrel, and a 9-round magazine. In 1951 , Colt rushed their candidate into regular production. It was the first aluminum-framed large frame pistol in major production and the first Colt pistol to be originally chambered in 9 mm Parabellum. The M1911 is a single-action, semiautomatic handgun chambered for the . ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ...

In 1970, Colt intrduced the all-steel Colt Combat Commander, with an optional model in Stainless Steel. To differentiate between the two models, the aluminum-framed model was re-named the Lightweight Commander. 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday. ...

The Colt Commander Gold Cup was designed to offer competition-ready out-of-the-box performance in National Match competition. It comes with one 8-round magazine plus a separate recoil spring and one 7-round magazine for wadcutter ammunition.

The Colt Combat Elite is specialized for combat-style match shooters. The .45 ACP model comes with two 8-round magazines and the .38 Super model with two 9-round magazines.

Statistics

Colt Commander (1951-1969); Lightweight Commander (1970+)

• Chambering: 9x19 mm Parabellum, .45 ACP, .38 Super.
• Barrel Length: 4.25-inch.
• Overall Length: 7.75-inch.
• Weight: 27 oz. / 1.68 lb. (0.76 kg.)
• Magazine: Single column box magazine. 7-round (.45 ACP), 9-round (9 mm, .38 Super).
• Finish: Blued Steel.
• Features: Aluminum Coltalloy (tm) frame.

Colt Combat Commander (1970+)

• Chambering: 9x19 mm Parabellum, .45 ACP, .38 Super.
• Barrel Length: 4.25-inch.
• Overall Length: 7.75-inch.
• Weight: 36 oz. / 2.25 lb. (1.02 kg.)[Steel model]. 37 oz. / 2.31 lb (1.05 kg.)[Stainless Steel model]
• Magazine: Single-column box magazine. 7-round (.45 ACP), 9-round (9 mm, .38 Super).
• Finish: Available in Blued and Nickel-Plated steel or Stainless Steel.
• Features: Steel frame.

Colt Commander Gold Cup National Match

• Action: Single Action
• Chambering: .45 ACP or .38 Super.
• Barrel Length: 4.25 Inches
• Overall Length:
• Weight: 36 oz. / 2.25 lb. (1.02 kg.)[Steel model]. 37 oz. / 2.31 lb (1.05 kg.)[Stainless Steel model]
• Magazine: Single-column box magazine. 8-round (.45 ACP), 9-round (9 mm, .38 Super).
• Finish: Blued steel and Matte or Bright Stainless steel.
• Features: Undercut front and Colt Fully Adjustable Elliason rear sights; one-piece wraparound Checkered Rubber Composite grips.

External links

• Official Safety and Instruction Manual (.pdf)