Though the concept was originally introduced in the 1950s, the Colt Lightweight Commander in 9 mm Luger didn’t take off the way a modern shooter might expect. The carry and concealment qualities of the Commander-size platform—full-size grip and magazine, but shortened slide and 4.25” barrel—were appreciated, but the metallurgy for the lightweight aluminum-alloy frame, and particularly the quality and performance of 1950s-era 9 mm Luger ammunition were not, shall we say, confidence inspiring. Of course, in terms of manufacturing and ballistics, we’ve come a long way in the last 60-plus years. The Colt Wiley Clapp Lightweight Commander in 9 mm Luger was designed in part by its namesake long-time American Rifleman Field Editor, and has the appearance and some features of a classic Colt autoloader—including a brass bead front sight and G.I.-style tab safety lever. Rest assured, though, the gun also takes advantage of modern technology and ammunition to yield a firearm that is very suitable for today’s armed citizen. To learn more, watch our NRA Gun Gear of the Week video hosted by American Rifleman's Joe Kurtenbach.
Additional Reading:
Colt's New M1911s: The Competition Pistol and Lightweight Commander 
NRA Gun Gear of the Week: Colt Wiley Clapp Lightweight Commander 9 mm Pistol
More like this from around the NRA
Latest
Stable Fun: The Taurus Brace-Ready TX22
Taurus USA first adopted the ideal of a brace-ready format for a traditional handgun in its GX4 Strike Bravo, and now, the company is extending that concept to its TX22 rimfire handgun.
I Have This Old Gun: The Whitney Navy Revolver
One of the lesser-known revolvers from the Civil War era, the Whitney Navy revolver had several notable features and even inspired a copycat in the Confederacy.
Standing Guard | A Midterm Case for Freedom
Being right isn’t inevitably a winning argument. If it were, the gun-control left would never win again, as all the data shows that arresting and prosecuting criminals, not going after law-abiding citizens’ guns, is what makes violent crime drop.
Resisting the Temptation of "Good Enough" for Firearm Performance
No matter what firearm you're using for whatever purpose, even if it's simply a trip to the range, always resist the temptation to accept “good enough” if there is the possibility of better performance.
Armed Citizens Stop a Lot More Criminals Than Most in the Media Will Admit
Since January 2025, the Crime Prevention Research Center has documented 16 defensive gun uses in which police say armed citizens stopped mass public killings.
Federal & Mossberg Collaborate on Autonomous Airborne Drone Defense
Federal and Mossberg are working with Palladyne AI in the creation of SwarmShot, a kinetic defense system that employs swarms of armed drones to shield troops from unmanned aircraft system threats.
Interests
SECTIONS
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
EXPLORE MORE NRA PUBLICATIONS
