1911 what??

[DrBaker]

I don't know much about 1911s.

What is an A1?
What's a commander, officer, etc?

Can somebody give me a crash course and get me up to par on the 1911 lingo?

[GMThunder]

Someone will have to chime in on the A1 part but the commander and officer models are sizes. Officers are a compact size with a barrel size around 3 in, whereas the commander is the 4in barreled mid sized 1911.

[1911Sooner]

Gmthunder is right on and I might add that the standard government model is 5 inch's. A1 is just what Springfield Armory used and still uses to designate their 1911. After the patent ran out other manufactures copied it. The government called it the M1911.

[firing pin]

Come try and outshoot me with your 1911 I shoot a 1911 9mm

[Mack45]

The original Colt 1911's had some differences from the later model Colt 1911A1's, I can't remember them all but the back of the grip below the grip safety is straight on the 1911's and is arched on the A1's also the frame is beveled more around the trigger on the A1's. These are the main differences that I can remember, that's how I can tell them apart. Please pardon the nit-pickin' but I think that the commander barrel lenght is 4 1/2" isn't it? I've loved the Colts for a long time. My Combat Commander has been getting kinda neglected since I got my G21.

[Mack45]

check out this link for a quick history of the 1911.
http://www.sightm1911.com/1911%20History.htm

[Helmut]

www.stiguns.com

[Flyboy]

Close on the Commander models. The Colt Commanders have a 4 1/4" barrel; Kimber and others offer similar-size guns, but with 4" barrels (I've been told it's because some competition, somewhere, draws the line at 4 1/4", so their Commander-size guns get shot in the compact category, but you know what they say about internet rumor). In any case, Commander-size guns have the full-size grip (standard 7-round magazine).

Officer's Models have a shortened grip (6 round, IIRC), and an even shorter barrel (3"?).

Commanders have an aluminum alloy frame. Combat Commanders are steel-framed.

Don't ask me about spring rates, barrel bushings, or anything like that; I just don't know. Ditto with firing pin safeties--I know the Government Model (5") got the FP safety with the introduction of the 80-series, but I don't know about the Commanders; I have an 80-series Combat Commander, but no FP safety. It's been suggested that it was one of the last 70-series frames, and it was stamped with an 80-series number after the changeover, but I've also been told that the FP safety didn't come along until later on the Commanders. If anybody can clear that up for me, I'd love to know. In any case, I've never heard anybody say anything good about the FP safety, and they're frequently removed.

That confuse things a little more for you?

[ERIC FUSON]

Just Remember 1911's Are The Sports Cars Of Handgunning. When They Run Right, There Is Nothing Else Like Them. However Making Them Run Right Is An Art, Not A Science