Colt 100 Years of Service LW Commander

[Rick McC.]

Since we’ve been on lockdown around here for the last several weeks; I decided to post this just for fun.

In 2011 I bought a stainless LW Commander XSE.

It came with the standard (at that time) sort of an “off pink” looking anodized finish on the frame, which came with scratches through the finish under the right side ambi safety, before I even fired it. Since the Colt warranty only covered cosmetic issues for a period of one year back then (I have no idea what it is now), I decided to get the frame attended to under warranty.

I emailed Brent Turchi, who many on here will remember was the Custom Shop and warranty manager at Colt back then. I told Brent about the scratches in the finish, and asked if, while he had it there, he’d swap out a standard thumb safety for the ambi it came with; otherwise I’d be having to change it out myself. (I have NO use for an ambi on a carry pistol.) He said sure, and sent a call tag for me to return the pistol.

After a bit, the Commander found it’s way back home; sporting a nice silver/grey Cerakoted finish on the frame, and a standard thumb safety.

I shot it a few times, and, after a month or so with no problems, decided to give it a good cleaning and put it into the carry rotation.

I detail stripped the gun, and, when cleaning the barrel, noticed something about the stamp on the barrel. Looking closer, I saw that it now sported “-N.M.” after the caliber designation. For those not familiar with Colts, it identifies a “National Match “ barrel. Now, a National Match barrel on a Commander is very unusual, and I can think of only two models that Colt may have put them in; one of those wasn’t made back in 2011, and the other isn’t this model!

I gave Brent a call, as I wasn’t 100% sure if it’d been there before, or not. He laughed, and said “I wondered how long it’d take you to notice that.”

Brent was a great guy, and, wherever he landed after leaving Colt; I hope he’s doing well.

I can say without reservation this Colt is one pistol that’ll never leave my collection!

[DrHenley]

Cool story, but...

[Rick McC.]

Originally Posted by DrHenley

Cool story, but...

I know, but this site doesn’t allow uploads of pics from my iPad, and I had a less than stellar experience with imgur. I have plenty of good gun and knife pics, but...

[sdmc530]

Originally Posted by DrHenley

Cool story, but...

2011...when colt was still colt!

[Rick McC.]

Originally Posted by sdmc530

2011...when colt was still colt!

What is it now?

The last one I bought was a Combat Elite in 2012.

I think I might have bought my LW Government Model XSE for the second time after that, but that doesn’t count.

[BlackKnight]

Originally Posted by Rick McC.

I know, but this site doesn’t allow uploads of pics from my iPad, and I had a less than stellar experience with imgur. I have plenty of good gun and knife pics, but...

I think it was mentioned before, but if you use the Tapatalk app then you can upload directly onto the forum.
It’s what I use on my iPhone.

[sdmc530]

Originally Posted by Rick McC.

What is it now?

The last one I bought was a Combat Elite in 2012.

I think I might have bought my LW Government Model XSE for the second time after that, but that doesn’t count.

they have been run poorly and not the same ol colt they were. I love colt, I have colt 1911's but their business hasn't been run well. When they suffer in the money they suffer in other aspects of the guns.

Now owned by Cannae Holdings, who has now gotten back into the revolvers. Thank goodness they did too, should have never stopped that market. I hope they can be as glorious as in past decades!

they need to keep their hands in the proper cookie jar so be as iconic as always.

Just my opinion of course!

https://www.thedailybeast.com/droppe...-goes-bankrupt
https://money.cnn.com/2016/01/13/new...tcy/index.html
https://www.investopedia.com/article...t-business.asp

[sdmc530]

oh our agency still uses M16 from the Vietnam era, I was really hoping they would jump over to Sig when we went to all Sig pistols and let us buy the Old Colt M16's in inventory they are really awesome. But they are sticking with what works still......

[Rick McC.]

Originally Posted by sdmc530

oh our agency still uses M16 from the Vietnam era, I was really hoping they would jump over to Sig when we went to all Sig pistols and let us buy the Old Colt M16's in inventory they are really awesome. But they are sticking with what works still......

That would be something!

As far as Colt; when they got bought out by whoever it was after they declared bankruptcy; there was a lot of info going around that several times prior, when holding companies or whatever bought them, it affected them badly. Seems that those companies would borrow a lot of money, skim most of it, not putting it into Colt as they should have, then leaving the company in a bad way again. Many were saying that the same thing was going to happen then.

After that last re-org, when they let Brent (and I’m sure many other good employees) go, and changed their distribution requirements (master dealers or some such); I lost touch with what was happening at Colt, and saw a lot fewer Colts in the stores than I used to. I have four Colts that are all pretty cool models, and 11 1911s all together, so I’m not actively “in the market” for another one.

These last two 1911s I bought were both special circumstances. That said, we have our 35th wedding anniversary coming up next January; so I wouldn’t rule something special out! It probably won’t be a Colt, but never say never...

[sdmc530]

I hear you. I was following them for a while because I had purchased one and looking for a second at the time. All the gun shops here put a higher sale value and price on the pre buy out guns.

I probably won't but another colt 1911 but the revolver is on my radar. I am still wanting another 10mm 1911 worse though.