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Colt Lightweight Commander question Login/Join 
Where there's smoke,
there's fire!!
Picture of techguy
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Did Colt ever make a lightweight commander with a blue slide and a brightly polished aluminum frame, almost nickel looking? Early 70’s.
 
Posts: 1770 | Location: Kentucky | Registered: February 16, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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With a blue slide and "white" frame I've seen them, but nothing like a nickel or brightly polished finish. I'm not certain any white/clear anodize of those is factory. Certainly not anything that could be high polish or nickel/chrome in AL, that I've run into. If I did put hands on one I'd have a hard time believing it to be a factory product.


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Posts: 27000 | Location: On fire, off the shoulder of Orion | Registered: June 09, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Not sure. I know Colt made a two tone commander in 1998 for 1 year.
 
Posts: 21335 | Registered: June 12, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I have never seen a Colt Commander with a polished aluminum receiver. Even without seeing the pistol in question, I suspect someone removed the factory anodization and polished the receiver bright. Of course, with the anodization removed, the receiver is susceptible to accelerated wear.
 
Posts: 3488 | Location: Western PA | Registered: July 20, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I owned Commanders, and got to a lot of gun shops and shows back in the day. Never saw a factory original one finished as described. I agree with hjs157.


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Posts: 1561 | Location: Under the Tonto Rim | Registered: August 18, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Where there's smoke,
there's fire!!
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quote:
Originally posted by arcwelder:
With a blue slide and "white" frame I've seen them, but nothing like a nickel or brightly polished finish. I'm not certain any white/clear anodize of those is factory. Certainly not anything that could be high polish or nickel/chrome in AL, that I've run into. If I did put hands on one I'd have a hard time believing it to be a factory product.




It’s definitely a colt frame. If the original finish has been taken off can it be refinished?
 
Posts: 1770 | Location: Kentucky | Registered: February 16, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Originally posted by techguy:
quote:
Originally posted by arcwelder:
With a blue slide and "white" frame I've seen them, but nothing like a nickel or brightly polished finish. I'm not certain any white/clear anodize of those is factory. Certainly not anything that could be high polish or nickel/chrome in AL, that I've run into. If I did put hands on one I'd have a hard time believing it to be a factory product.




It’s definitely a colt frame. If the original finish has been taken off can it be refinished?


If someone removed the anodizing on an alloy frame that frame is toast. It's out of spec, it'll wear faster, and there's not much that can be done to save it.

However, you can definitely hard chrome over alloy and get the polished look. If that's the case I'd let it be. Chrome over anodizing is just fine.


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Posts: 5326 | Location: The Virginia side of DC | Registered: February 20, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Originally posted by caneau:
quote:
Originally posted by techguy:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by arcwelder:
With a blue slide and "white" frame I've seen them, but nothing like a nickel or brightly polished finish. I'm not certain any white/clear anodize of those is factory. Certainly not anything that could be high polish or nickel/chrome in AL, that I've run into. If I did put hands on one I'd have a hard time believing it to be a factory product.[/QUOT



It’s definitely a colt frame. If the original finish has been taken off can it be refinished?


If someone removed the anodizing on an alloy frame that frame is toast. It's out of spec, it'll wear faster, and there's not much that can be done to save it.

However, you can definitely hard chrome over alloy and get the polished look. If that's the case I'd let it be. Chrome over anodizing is just fine.


I've done that several times, having an aluminum frame hardchromed to enhance durability. Which it did, but it works best on higher quality alloys as used in Colt, SW. I've also had alloy frames from pistols like Star, etc hardchromed , but the alloys aren't as hard to start with.


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Posts: 6673 | Location: Near the Metropolis of Tightsqueeze, Va | Registered: February 18, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Originally posted by hjs157:
I have never seen a Colt Commander with a polished aluminum receiver. Even without seeing the pistol in question, I suspect someone removed the factory anodization and polished the receiver bright. Of course, with the anodization removed, the receiver is susceptible to accelerated wear.
This is the most likely case by far. Some do not understand the importance of the factory anodizing. Home Gunsmithy
 
Posts: 2047 | Location: East Central Toadsuck, Florida | Registered: September 04, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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