Ruger LW Commander

[Silver Jack Hammer]

Going from a steel 5" to an alloy 5", I found the alloy 5" great to shoot. The alloy 5" did not feel all that different than shooting the steel 5". The alloy was much easier on my back for carry. Then going from the alloy 5" to the alloy Commander, I found a remarkable difference in shooting. I attribute this to how the Commander has the slide cycle shortened in it's rearward travel as much as the 3/4" shorter barrel. I know the barrel must tip up more in a Commander than it does in a 5" but I don't know how much. My Commander just seems to cycle much more quickly and violently than my 5" 1911's. I'm sure looking forward to getting away from that 23,000 psi +P stuff. But even shooting my 452374 over 6.0 gr of Unique at 830 fps the Commander is not pleasant to shoot.

[9.3X62AL]

I see a steel-frame Ruger Commander in the future for me, once the Series 80 GCNM goes down the road. My old shop has vacillated on whether they will qual me and others on 1911A1-series pistols.......I do try to color inside the lines when it comes to rule-following. Most of the time.

[Char-Gar]

I see a steel-frame Ruger Commander in the future for me, once the Series 80 GCNM goes down the road. My old shop has vacillated on whether they will qual me and others on 1911A1-series pistols.......I do try to color inside the lines when it comes to rule-following. Most of the time.

Ruger uses a titanium firing pin to do away with the Series 80 stuff. Titanium being lighter than steel won't go forward and fire a round if the pistol is dropped on its muzzle.

[9.3X62AL]

I have fired a couple of the Ruger full-size steel-framed variants, they were smooth machines and ran very well for me. The Department's mood swings on the 1911A1 have naught to do with firing pin gymnastics, but something more deeply-seated and Freudian. Hoplophobia Browningarium......the idiot fear of cocked hammers. They adore Glocks though......don't ask me. It was a big and strange place the whole time I worked there, and has gotten bigger and stranger since my departure 10 years ago.

[TXGunNut]

As an aside, I know a several retired Texas Rangers and Sheriffs and the majority of them carry LW Commanders in 45 ACP on a daily basis. They are an excellent handgun and I have finally found one that does what I want them to do. I think Ruger will sell allot of them as the word gets around.

I have a friend here locally who three weeks ago bought a new Colt LW Commander for several hundred dollars more than I paid for the Ruger. He is now kicking himself for not checking out the Ruger first. -Char-Gar

I'm well aware of the old-school Texas officers' affinity for the LW Commander, could be why I've been looking for a keeper for so long. A few also like the steel frame Combat Commander but if I feel like carrying a steel frame gun I have a holster (EPS) that hides my 5" gun just fine.
I'm still looking for a good Colt, fondled a nice Ed Brown last week but I didn't much care for it. Can't warm up to a Kimber either. Too bad my 'smith died awhile back, I wouldn't mind building one more Colt. For now the SR1911 will have to do, it's more than up to the task.
Finally got someone to answer the phone in El Paso. May see my custom leather this week. Pretty sure my first 1911 cost less than my new holster and belt. Oh, well. It's only money.

[Dale53]

I am a long timer user of the 1911 and have great respect for that platform. Early in my IPSC years, I had occasion to talk to some of the finest military and civilian gunsmiths anywhere. They were very open with me and I LISTENED! The Advanced Markmanship unit replaced their National Match barrels every five thousand rounds - yep, that was the accuracy life when shooting hardball!

Ruger obviously found another problem with wear on the feed ramp of alloy frames when using hardball.
With the titanium feed ramp that should pretty much take care of that wear point. It's a shame that Colt (who OWNED the market for years did not ccrrect the deficiencies of the Colt 1911 until they lost the market to others-they did the same thing with the AR).

On the other hand, my custom Harold Johnson (with a National Match barrel and bushing) has had over 100,000 rounds through it and it still shoots well under 1" at 25 yards off a rest (under 3" at fifty yards). I would have had 20 new barrels if I had used hardball instead of my home cast bullets. Ray Chapman told me he had over 200,000 thousands rounds through his Pachmayr built 1911 at the time and it still was working and shooting well! Again, he was using cast bullets. All I need done with a 1911 can be (and has been) done with cast bullets!

I recommended the Ruger to a good friend when he wanted to buy a full size 1911. I ran it through it's paces and am extremely impressed. Out of the box, it equals or surpasses many a "Custom" .45 of just a few years
ago and-d-d for a BARGAIN price. I would not hesitate to buy the lightweight commander by Ruger, either (as you good people have outlined).

FWIW,
Dale53

[MtGun44]

Dang, Dale - did you go to Chapman Academy, too? Sounds like we were IPSCing about the same
time. I started in 1980 and stopped shooting it seriously in the early 2000s, about 10 yrs ago or a bit
less.

LW SS Colts Commander is my daily carry gun. After hundreds of thousands of rounds through 1911s in
competition, they are just RIGHT for me. I also recently purchased a full sized Ruger steel and it is
a fine example of the breed.

[Love Life]

Congratulations on your purchase!!! My good friend is a wiser man than me and is not stuck on brand loyalty... He has the Ruger Lightweight Commander and it is NO slouch!! I sure wish my Wiley Clapp had a titanium insert in the feed ramp. Ruger listens and just continues to knock it out of the park. Thank you for the review and range report!

[TXGunNut]

Ray Chapman, was just thinking about him a few days ago. A true gentleman and a quiet genius with a 45. Nearly thirty years ago I was in a bar in Des Moines, IA attending PPC Nationals. I and an NRA official were invited over to a table and I got to meet Mr Chapman and a few other distinguished individuals. More than a few rounds of drinks were bought but they wouldn't allow this young (at the time ) officer to buy a round for this bunch of gentlemen. I tried and tried but my stubbornness was not rewarded, it likely cost me a few points the next day, lol.

[Silver Jack Hammer]

Ray Champan was the key speaker at one of our firearms conferences, he was a class act. He said if he were a peace officer he would carry a lightweight Commander. I was carrying a 6" Security Six at the time.

Joaquin Jackson says in him book "One Ranger, a Memorar" that he preferred the Commader. Judging by the era he writes about I assume he was carrying a steel Commander.

If I haven't made it clear enough yet, I prefer the 5", but I'm currently carrying the lightweight Commander. Colt, of course.

[Char-Gar]

Ray Champan was the key speaker at one of our firearms conferences, he was a class act. He said if he were a peace officer he would carry a lightweight Commander. I was carrying a 6" Security Six at the time.

Joaquin Jackson says in him book "One Ranger, a Memorar" that he preferred the Commader. Judging by the era he writes about I assume he was carrying a steel Commander.

If I haven't made it clear enough yet, I prefer the 5", but I'm currently carrying the lightweight Commander. Colt, of course.

Joaquin carried a LW Commander. I saw him 3 months ago and he was still carrying one. Jim Wilson was carrying one as well.

[tonyjones]

How much are Ruger LW Commanders selling for? TJ

[Char-Gar]

How much are Ruger LW Commanders selling for? TJ

I paid $681.00 for mine, but that was dealers cost, plus shipping and Texas sales tax. I suspect you can get one from between $700 and $750.

[tonyjones]

Thanks Charles! TJ