Got a new Ruger 1911 CMD Commander sized gun

[Old Dog 19]

Just bought and fired a Ruger 1911 Commander. It has a 4.25" barrel which I feel, balances better in the hand than a 5" full size. I have to say that this 1911 impressed the heck out of me. For $700 I was not expecting the features and performance I found. The trigger was great and the gun was easy to get back onto target quickly. I spent a good time reviewing this gun because it impressed me that much. I have spent much more than this on 1911's. I even attempted to compete with a Kimber Custom about 10 years ago and could never get to where I wanted to be with it and switched to shooting 9mm's in competition where I did much better.

If I had this gun I would have stuck with it as it is the best shooting gun I have shot in a very long time. Perhaps that is better said that it is the gun I shoot best out of over 50-60 guns I have bought in the last 12 years, 30 just in the last 3 years alone. I had just about given up on 1911's and sold off the 5 I had. All of my past 1911's were either 5" or 3". The 5 inch did not feel good in my hand. The balance was off and I tend to point shoot. The 3" 1911's were not reliable enough for carry according to my standards and no fun at the range. After 25 rounds of pounding my old arthritic hands, they would shake so bad I had to stop shooting. Now with this baby. I shot 100 rounds of FMJ and 25 rounds of JHP without a problem. In fact, I was mad at myself for not bringing enough ammo.

You could say that like Goldilocks, I found a 1911 that is just right. Not too small and not too big. The fact that it is all steel and 36.5 ounces rather than having an aluminum frame like so many smaller 1911's do these days, makes it shoot and handle as well as the full sized version. As I said in my blog review, I think that the Ruger 1911 commander sized gun is one of the best values in 1911's today. It is as good or better than 1911's I bought that cost over a thousand dollars. It is priced like a gun made overseas but has the quality that Ruger is famous for. They even somehow managed to get the trigger right so that you do not need to do anything to it. it broke at about 4.5 lbs and the reset is nice and short. I was knocking out the center of the target during rapid fire and putting them in a 5" circle at 25 yards without benefit of a bench rest and that is good for someone my age with bad hands and eyes. I was thrilled with the gun.

Admittedly it is kind of heavy for all day carry since all of my other carry guns are under 20 ounces. I can carry 8 rounds of 9mm +P in my pocket at 15 oz. or 8 rounds of .45 ACP on my belt at 36 ounces. These days the 9mm is no slouch like it was in the old days and I am as comfortable with its ability to stop bad guys as any other round. My preference with the .45 has always been that the recoil pushes the gun straight back into my hand and that makes it quick and easy to get back onto target. There is little muzzle flip with this gun; even less than with my Glock 19 or Sig P226. If I knew there was a good chance that I would need to use my gun that day, I would take my Ruger 1911CMD. If it was just another day in the retirement community I live in where there is seldom anyone under the age of 55, my Sig P928 with Speer Gold Dot 9mm +P or S&W 340PD .357 at 11.5 ounces, goes into my pocket. It does not take much to stop old men.

Of course, if I run into very big crack addicted, PCP taking old men I always have my snub nose .454 Casull to use.

[dwamp2006 1]

awesome gun and a great review! 

[Gunnz 49]

I've been looking to buy the Ruger in either full or Cmd..... Thanks!

[Michael2013 56]

Thank you for the review, it is really helpful.

[Sludog 0]

Here is a great video review and was highly praised by Hickok 45 as well. Seems like he had a lot of misfires in the beginning of the video but I think he blamed it on the gun being dirty. Also I have never seen him miss as much as he did with this gun. 

 

 

[gleninjersey 2,141]

What a nice looking gun!  Nice review OD....glad you found some thing you enjoy so much and is easier on your hands.

 

i was at an outdoor range last week and a gentleman had one (not sure which version) and let me put a few rounds down range.  I only ran through one mag but found it to have not much more kick than a 9mm and to be very smooth and accurate.  The owner (Stephen) I believe had just recently purchased his and was had nothing but good things to say.

 

If I weren't sooooooo obsessed with trying to find a CZ 75 SP-01 right now this would definitely be on my list to pick up.  It WILL BE my first .45 when I purchase one.

[mickeyduck 0]

Looks fantastic.  Is an aftermarket left hand safety easy to install?

[Atlas 0]

Great review and congrats. I've been looking at those for a bit now.

Enjoy

[gunguy1960 2]

The commander is the most popular variation of 1911. Lightweights preferred if youll carry, otherwise steel is better to dampen recoil. A small squirt bottle of vegetable oil applied to the flooring in front of a senior village purp should stop them, unless of course they are armed with the hurry cane.