[84cadillac]

I have an opportunity to buy a Colt Commando 2", but I have my doubts. The serial number is D31491R. The barrel says Colt Commando. On the RH side there is a screw that I believe retains the crane. The gun i am looking at looks like this.

I believe it should look like this,

Also the grips look like this,

The gun appears to be parked and has 100% finish. I can see a halo around the front sight where it appears to be silver soldered in place.
Also the front sight isn't shaped like the gun in the center above, but more like an old Detective Special (like this one).

The only thing else I can say is the sideplate fit and crane fit aren't real nice.

My concern is it is a newer gun that someone made to look like a Commando.

 

[porsche]

A picture of the gun, barrel markings etc would help, but it does sound altered.

 

[Cruiser RN]

JDSR ......Just doesn't sound right.I would pass.

 

[dfariswheel]

It's not a WWII Colt Commando.

To be clear, are you asking about a medium frame Colt or a small frame, like the Detective Special?
A WWII Colt Commando will look exactly like your second picture.
This is not to be confused with the mid-1980's Colt Commando Special, which was a Detective Special with a flat black finish.

The cap screw cylinder retention on the right side did not appear until after WWII, sometime later then about 1947.
The hard rubber grips with molded in checkering were discontinued by Colt around 1924.

The serial number doesn't sound right. The only Colt's that used a letter prefix started in the mid-1960's. If anything, that number sounds like a later 1980's Colt Detective Special or other "D" frame revolver.

 

[84cadillac]

It is definitely not a D frame. It is what I knew as the forty one frame. I am concerned it was made up from parts with perhaps a rare 2" WWII Commando barrel. There is a gap between the crane and frame which possibly indicates the original serial number may have been removed and a new one stamped. The numbers do not align well at all. It has no military markings at all.

OTOH, it has 100% finish, locks up tight and has a sweet DA trigger pull.