1959 Colt LW Commander found and purchased today.

[Nodrama43]

Day before yesterday I was in a local gun store and saw a nice Colt LW commander in the case. The tag said "used pre-70's Colt LW commander, no box".

This Colt literally looked NIB except for three tiny pin head size blemishes in the blueing on the frame. No idiot scratch, and the roll stamping, numbers, blueing backstrap etc etc etc looked like new. The gun doesn't look like it has ever been inside a holster. The dealer did not know what year it was made, but said he bought it from the wife of the original owner two days before I walked in and found it. It has checkered wood grips with gold medallions from a 70 series gun. It comes with one mag original to the gun.

I wanted to buy it because I have always liked Colt 1911 pistols and have a strong affection for Commanders.........However........ The gun was so nice I was suspicious and the serial number was not the same I normally see on a LW commander (CLW xxxxx). The serial number was XXXXX LW. I am obviously not up on my Colts because I had no idea that early LW Commanders were serialed numbered like this. Anyway I walked out and left it in the case. I had second thoughts all the way home too. I did some research when i got home and found out this one was made in 1959. Today I went back, figuring it would be gone for sure, but luckily it was still available and I put it in layaway.

My question to you is what is a fair and reasonable price for this one. I know it is worth whatever someone will pay for it and I plan to display this one forever since it is as old as me .

I am just curious as to what collector value this one might have. It is a very beautiful pistol for sure. I need to find a set of original grips for it and I am hearing they are pretty expensive?

sorry for the long winded post. Any info you guys can share would be appreciated.

[Birdog009]

I have one made 1967 its number is similar to yours XXXXX-LW. It was in similar condition to the one you described and was all original minus new sights. I carry it almost everyday and shoot it often. I paid 1050.00 for mine and am happy with it. You may want to disassemble it and look at the inside of the slide. If the upper is a true LW commander from that time period, you will be able to see the extractor as it is machined out inside to further drop the weight and make it a true lightweight. Please post pics when you get it and let us know how much you paid. It helps us all make better decisions.

[Nodrama43]

I paid 1250.00 for it. I am not sure if that was to much but the fact it was made the year I was born made a difference to me. It seems that almost any 70 series Colt 1911 that is nice will bring 1000.00 or close to it so With this one being as nice as it was and being 53 years old I took the leap.

I will put up some pics after I get it out of layaway and in my hands.

[kenhwind]

The original grips had tendency to shrink, well some did some did not. Judging by some prices today 1250 may seem like too much but probably isn't.

[JudgeColt]

Being a nomenclature pedantic compels me to say, the gun is not a Model of 1911 ("1911" is a World War 1 era military designation not applicable to any commercial Colt until the recent reproductions), it is not a "Lightweight" Commander (It is simply a Commander with no modifiers - the "Lightweight" modifier did not appear until after the steel-frame Combat Commander was introduced in 1971) and it does not have improper "g***s" (Colt calls them "stocks").

The correct stocks have a tendency to shrink so finding a set that has not shrunk may be a challenge, but such a nice gun deserves proper stocks. A set of correct stocks not shrunk will cost at least $100 and maybe closer to $200. That depreciates the value of the gun by a nearly equal amount. A mint 1950s Commander should be worth at least $1,000, so judge accordingly based on the cost of replacing the incorrect stocks.

As a point of interest, the earlier Commanders have lighter slides than later models, with the slide relieved on the inside from the lugs forward to the bushing, and deeply on each side of the firing pin channel.

[JudgeColt]

I started my response a couple of hours ago, but called away, so by the time I returned and completed my post, others had already posted, making it appear that I ignored what others had said. Sorry.

I think that $1,250 may be too much considering the incorrect stocks, but, these days with rapidly appreciating values, who knows? Sometimes it is better to spend a couple of hundred too much now than to regret passing for all time to come.

[Nodrama43]

I will want to try and locate a set of "non shrunk" grips. Not sure I would pay 200 for them though. I do agree the gun needs the correct grips.

[wiuprof]

Being a nomenclature pedantic compels me to say, the gun is not a Model of 1911 ("1911" is a World War 1 era military designation not applicable to any commercial Colt until the recent reproductions), it is not a "Lightweight" Commander (It is simply a Commander with no modifiers - the "Lightweight" modifier did not appear until after the steel-frame Combat Commander was introduced in 1971) and it does not have improper "g***s" (Colt calls them "stocks").

The correct stocks have a tendency to shrink so finding a set that has not shrunk may be a challenge, but such a nice gun deserves proper stocks. A set of correct stocks not shrunk will cost at least $100 and maybe closer to $200. That depreciates the value of the gun by a nearly equal amount. A mint 1950s Commander should be worth at least $1,000, so judge accordingly based on the cost of replacing the incorrect stocks.

As a point of interest, the earlier Commanders have lighter slides than later models, with the slide relieved on the inside from the lugs forward to the bushing, and deeply on each side of the firing pin channel.

Just out of curiosity, why does my 1951 vintage 38 Super commander have a "LW" suffix to its serial number if it does not stand for "Light-Weight"? It is my understanding that the aluminum frame Commanders were referred to as "Light-Weight".

Just curious,

Joe

[JudgeColt]

You are trying to apply logic to Colt. Logic does not often apply to Colt. Logic may suggest that "LW" means "Lightweight," and it surely does, but the GUN itself is named only "Commander" until the name was changed after the 1971 introduction of the "Combat Commander." Please refer to the name actually stamped on the slide and the name acturally used in the catalogs and on the original announcement brochure for verification.

It may be common to refer to any Commander with an alloy frame as a "Lightweight Commander," similarly to referring to a Smith & Wesson First Model ".44 Hand Ejector" as a "Triple Lock," but the makers never used the common terms when identifying the guns.

The always unreliable "Blue Book" often further confuses such issues by using improper nomenclature or inventing new terms, such as "Series 70 Lightweight Commander," when there is no such name on any Colt.

[Colt75]

I'd buy it and shoot it. These are great carry guns because of the reduced size and weight. While it is an older Commander model it isn't all that early a Commander as these were introduced ten years before in about 1949. There is no box or papers so that would hurt collector appeal. The stocks are not original and that hurts collector appeal. Finding a nice set of Coltwood stocks that haven't shrunk may be a bit of a challenge. The price is no bargin but is probably not too far out of line. If you want it, buy it, shoot it, and enjoy it as was intended. As always, JMHO.