Ruger LW Commander

[Char-Gar]

Ruger has a hit on it's hands with their new Light Weight Commander in 45
ACP. It was getting very good reviews from it's owners and I took the bait and bought one. None of the owners exagerated. This is a light, accurate and reliable pistols that shoots to the sights and will digest any kind of factory loads or handloads I feed it.

On the first outing I looked around my ammo stash and pulled out a number of loads thinking it would choke on one or more of them. I fired 25 rounds of each and never had a bobble. They were WWII steel case ball ammo, light Super-Vel HP and a variety of cast bullet designs. The powders were Bulleye, Unique and AA5.

I went back to the range this morning and ran 230 grain Remington Golden Saber and whitebox Winchester 230 JHP along with fifty more cast bullets handloads and again never a bobble. These handloads were not tailored for this pistol, but just pulled off the shelf from previous loading sessions.

This is an incredible pistol and I can give it an easy two thumbs up.

[dubber123]

My brother just bought the steel framed version. I'm glad yours was good to go out of the box. His, not so much. It has been fixed, and he likes it quite a bit now.

[TXGunNut]

Glad you like it, mine is my new carry gun as soon as my friends in El Paso get done with the leather. Mine had that slide release issue that I posted about but it's been quite good ever since I installed that Wilson extended release. Never knew I'd like an extended release on a 1911, live and learn. It still doesn't always like my SWC boolits but only once in awhile.
What did you think of the mags? I see you still have the factory grips on it, how are those working for you?

[MtGun44]

I have the full sized steel gun and it is a very good example of the design with most of the
features you would want on one. Glad to hear that the LW short gun is as good, a friend
is seriously eyeing one and I will pass on the recommendation.

Bill

[TXGunNut]

I think Ruger (and quite possibly Remington) are making some of the best no-frills, well-appointed and well-made 1911's available today. I carried a heavily customized 1911 duty gun and a well-tuned Colt Defender off-duty for more than a few years so I'm not easy to please. I've had a few LW Commanders over the years, they all went down the road. I think this little Ruger is here to stay.

[Petrol & Powder]

Must resist, must resist......AHhhhhhhhhh!!!!!

Thanks a lot Char-Gar, Now I'm going to be forced to find one!!

All kidding aside, That's an excellent gun.
My first 1911 was a Colt LW Commander and that gun ruined me. I developed a strong affinity for the Commander length 1911's and owned far more of those than the full sized government models.
Ruger makes some fine guns and I'll have to check that one out. I'm putting you on notice Char-Gar; If one happens to follow me home I'm holding you responsible !!!!

[Paul105]

Bought one recently. Really like the platform. Mines a bit finicky about ammo and shoots high for me (new Dawson prec front sight on the way).

Picture with ammo it seems like:

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n172/Paul105_photo/Hobby/IMG_0864_zpsahyvqokh.jpg

Paul

[Char-Gar]

Glad you like it, mine is my new carry gun as soon as my friends in El Paso get done with the leather. Mine had that slide release issue that I posted about but it's been quite good ever since I installed that Wilson extended release. Never knew I'd like an extended release on a 1911, live and learn. It still doesn't always like my SWC boolits but only once in awhile.
What did you think of the mags? I see you still have the factory grips on it, how are those working for you?

The thin factory grips are OK, but I prefer the extra width of standard grips, so mine now wears a pair of smooth mesquite panels from my stash.

In the mail from Brownells is a machined steel Ed Brown ambi-safety. I am left handed. I have no had any trouble with the slide release.

I am waiting on leather as well, but mine is coming from Simply Rugged. Rob Lehey produces a tremendous product for a reasonable price and a short (2 to 3 week) delivery time.

When everything gets here, I will take a new pic with the leather as the finished state of this fine handgun.

Rob Lehey tell me that at Gunsite this summer, 23 of the Ruger LW Commanders showed up and none of them gave a bobble running the course for their owners. Gunsite keep track of these things. Rob now carries one of these on a daily basis and he more than anybody else is responsible for me taking the bait.

I have owned three or four Colt LW Commanders over the years, but none have given the the reliability I wanted, so each in turn were sold down river. I really like the way their feel and carry, but I would not trust my life to one. This Ruger has all the good things about the Colt, but is stone cold reliable. Ruger engineers and quality control people have make these things right.

The Ruger LW Commander also have a titanium feed ramp inset into the frame to keep HP from gouging the ramp on the alloy frame. Ruger has also used a titanium firing pin as a way to prevent discharge if dropped on the muzzle. This enables the pistol to use the original design without the "Series 80" nonsense.

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]

Bought one recently. Really like the platform. Mines a bit finicky about ammo and shoots high for me (new Dawson prec front sight on the way).

Picture with ammo it seems like:

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n172/Paul105_photo/Hobby/IMG_0864_zpsahyvqokh.jpg

Paul

First couple of times out my pistol shot low with everything except the 190 grain Super Vel. After a couple of times out, the parts seem to have mated and settled in and it now shoots to the sights with most 230 grain loads. I will carry it with Winchester (white box) 230 JHP. It also shoots these loads with great accuracy to boot.

[Char-Gar]

Must resist, must resist......AHhhhhhhhhh!!!!!

Thanks a lot Char-Gar, Now I'm going to be forced to find one!!

All kidding aside, That's an excellent gun.
My first 1911 was a Colt LW Commander and that gun ruined me. I developed a strong affinity for the Commander length 1911's and owned far more of those than the full sized government models.
Ruger makes some fine guns and I'll have to check that one out. I'm putting you on notice Char-Gar; If one happens to follow me home I'm holding you responsible !!!!

I will gladly take the blame. That is what friends are for!

[Char-Gar]

I think Ruger (and quite possibly Remington) are making some of the best no-frills, well-appointed and well-made 1911's available today. I carried a heavily customized 1911 duty gun and a well-tuned Colt Defender off-duty for more than a few years so I'm not easy to please. I've had a few LW Commanders over the years, they all went down the road. I think this little Ruger is here to stay.

With Remington and Ruger making such fine 1911 here in the US, for far less money than Kimbers and other specialty makers, it makes little sense to buy one of the imports.

[Gunslinger1911]

Now Ruger needs to make a LW Officers ACP.
My carry is a steel Officers - would love to carry an alloy framed one.

[ddixie884]

I like the looks of the LW Commander...........

[Silver Jack Hammer]

I just bought a Colt LW Commander and it is completely reliable. Glad you are happy with your Ruger. My Commander does not shoot at all like my steel 5" Colt 1911's nor like my alloy 5" Colt 1911. As I was about to retire my alloy 5" went into evidence so I bought the alloy Commander by Colt. The Commander is easier to carry than an alloy 5", and my new Colt alloy Commander hits right to the point of aim. My new Cold Commander chomps down and spits out everything I've fed it. But the Commander does not feel like a 5" when I'm shooting them. The Commander feels snappy where my 5" feels smooth in my hand at the range. I really don't enjoy shooting my Commander like I enjoy shooting my 5". Then my agency requires issue ammo only which is +P making the Commander even more unwieldy. Wilson sent a 20 pound recoil spring which makes the Commander much better in the hand when shooting, but the Commander is a totally different horse to me than a 5".

[Char-Gar]

I just bought a Colt LW Commander and it is completely reliable. Glad you are happy with your Ruger. My Commander does not shoot at all like my steel 5" Colt 1911's nor like my alloy 5" Colt 1911. As I was about to retire my alloy 5" went into evidence so I bought the alloy Commander by Colt. The Commander is easier to carry than an alloy 5", and my new Colt alloy Commander hits right to the point of aim. My new Cold Commander chomps down and spits out everything I've fed it. But the Commander does not feel like a 5" when I'm shooting them. The Commander feels snappy where my 5" feels smooth in my hand at the range. I really don't enjoy shooting my Commander like I enjoy shooting my 5". Then my agency requires issue ammo only which is +P making the Commander even more unwieldy. Wilson sent a 20 pound recoil spring which makes the Commander much better in the hand when shooting, but the Commander is a totally different horse to me than a 5".

A shooting buddy of mine just bought a new Colt LW Commander and he likes it quite well. The only advantage that I see is the Ruger is several hundred dollars less and have a titanium feed ramp. Other than those difference they are pretty much the same critter.

The LW Commander of any make, is snappier than a steel frame or 5" pistol. The increase in recoil and lift is noticeable to anybody that is accustomed to the longer and heavier 1911. That said, of the 3 or 4 people that have fired my Ruger LW Commander all have said, they thought the recoil would be more than it was due to the reduced weight and all have been able to shoot it as well as the traditional all steel 1911.

The LW Commander gives up nothing in terms of accuracy and ability to put rounds on the target, and is much easier to carry, but as you say, they do have a different feel when shot.

[tja6435]

You should look at the Novak's ambi safety for the 1911. The design is superior, in my opinion. I am left handed as well, the Novak's safety works fantastically in my 5" SR1911. It required about 90 minutes of my time fitting it just right.

[Char-Gar]

You should look at the Novak's ambi safety for the 1911. The design is superior, in my opinion. I am left handed as well, the Novak's safety works fantastically in my 5" SR1911. It required about 90 minutes of my time fitting it just right.

Well, the Brown is in the mail. I asked Jeff Quinn, who is also a Southpaw and he told me the Ed Brown was his pick. Thanks the the reference, I will file it away should I be in the need of another.

[harley45]

Interesting to learn the Ruger has the titanium feed ramp, I can recall when it was almost mandatory to have a steel inset added to the colts if one was going to run hollowpoints!

[Char-Gar]

Interesting to learn the Ruger has the titanium feed ramp, I can recall when it was almost mandatory to have a steel inset added to the colts if one was going to run hollowpoints!

Ruger engineers found that after about 8,000 to 9,000 rounds of JHP, the feed ramp would get scored so they added the titanium feed ramp. The pistol will run much longer than 8,000 to 9,000 rounds.

I am not the biggest Ruger fan in the world, but they got this one right.

[fourarmed]

That titanium feed ramp cures the only real shortcoming of the Commander. I recently bought a '51 sight unseen from a guy on this board. It had evidently shot a trainload of hardball, because the barrel was pitted and loose at the rear end, and the feed ramp had a groove worn deep enough from the noses of those bullets that any sort of cast bullet hung up on the frame. I put in an Ed Brown drop-in barrel and bushing, and a gunsmith friend put the frame in his mill and took a little metal out of the "corners" of the feed ramp, which flattened it out to something like the factory contour. With some deepening of the barrel throat to match the deeper feed ramp, the gun now feeds anything I run through it and is rapidly becoming my favorite .45 auto.

[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