In The Hand
My first impressions of the 21st Century Commander were wholly positive. The trigger broke cleanly at a flat 4 pounds, the sights provided a good flash sight picture, and the combination of 25-l.p.i. frontstrap checkering and the Tactical Oval stocks gave a surprisingly comfortable and controllable grip on the gun. Overall, the Commander seemed a bit better fitted than most factory pistols, with just a bit of slide-to-frame play and about 0.006-inch gap between the sides of the barrel hood and its recess in the slide. For a carry pistol, a little bit of slop is not bad, as it may keep things running under dirty or grimy conditions that would jam a more tightly fitted gun.

At the range, I ran several kinds of .45 ACP defensive ammunition through the Commander: Hornady’s 200-grain TAP FPD +P load; Remington’s 185-grain Golden Saber load; Speer’s 230-grain Gold Dot load; and a Winchester Personal Protection load featuring a 230-grain hollow-point bullet. I also tried some Federal Gold Medal Match ammunition with a 185-grain FMJ semi-wadcutter bullet, primarily to see if the pistol would feed and cycle the short, light recoiling round. Accuracy testing was performed at 25 yards off sandbags, with additional defensive-style shooting at 3, 7 and 15 yards.

Compared to a full-size Government Model, or even a steel-frame Commander, recoil was more pronounced, particularly with the more energetic Hornady and Speer loads. Controllability, however, was good, thanks to the frontstrap checkering and the Tactical Oval stocks. Reliability—the prime requisite of any gun that may be used for defensive purposes—was flawless, with not even the hint of a stoppage of any kind during more than 120 rounds of testing. As expected, all controls worked as designed, and the supplied Colt magazine dropped freely. Wilson, McCormick and even no-name and G.I. surplus magazines functioned without a hitch.

The Commander shot very close to point of aim, except with the Hornady TAP ammunition, which grouped slightly high and to the right. Accuracy was excellent for a lightweight, short-barreled factory M1911, with the best-performing loads, from Federal, Remington and Winchester, all grouping into less than 3 inches at 25 yards. Even the worst-performing load still averaged a respectable 4.28 inches, which is more than adequate for home defense or concealed carry. Keep in mind that a gun that does no better than a paltry 6 inches at 25 yards still keeps all its shots touching a silver dollar at the more realistic defensive distance of 7 yards. Aiding accuracy was the brass front bead, which was surprisingly visible under a variety of light conditions.

Drawn from Blade-Tech and Milt Sparks holsters, the Commander presented and tracked to the target smoothly. I found that the Tactical Oval stocks helped me establish a consistent initial grip and contributed to that kinesthetic sense or “feel” that allows one, with practice, to draw and bring the gun up with the sights already in near-perfect alignment.

Final Comments
There is little doubt that Wiley Clapp’s 21st Century Commander fulfills the objective of “Everything you need, nothing you don’t.” Although I might prefer a tactical thumb safety or an arched mainspring housing, and would have liked the sharp edges on the gun dehorned, overall I would not hesitate to carry the gun as-is into the most hostile or dangerous environment. This is as strong an endorsement as I can give any gun, and it is a testament to the soundness of Wiley Clapp’s vision. By combining the virtues of the 62-year-old Commander design with a select group of modern enhancements, Wiley Clapp, Colt and TALO have produced a handgun that is both old and new, innovative and traditional, and which truly deserves the name of “21st Century Classic.”

Manufacturer: Colt’s Mfg. Co.; (800) 962-2658; www.coltsmfg.com  
Distributor: TALO Distributors, Inc., www.taloinc.com  
Caliber: .45 ACP
Action Type: recoil-operated, single-action semi-automatic pistol
Frame: forged aluminum alloy
Barrel: stainless steel, 4.25"
Rifling: six-groove, 1:16" LH twist
Magazine: detachable steel box, seven-round capacity
Sights: Novak ramped front post with 0.077" brass bead; Novak Lo-Mount rear fixed, drift-adjustable for windage, with 0.170" notch
Trigger Pull: 4 lbs.
Stocks: Dymondwood, Tactical Oval design with fingerprint checkering
Overall Length: 77⁄8"
Width: 15⁄16"
Height: 57⁄16"
Weight: 29.4 ozs.
Accessories: hard plastic case, gun lock, empty chamber indicator, owner’s manual
Suggested Retail Price: $1,379