Colt listened. American Rifleman Field Editor Wiley Clapp has been writing about handguns—especially defensive handguns—for a living for 35 years. In that time, let alone his time as Marine infantry officer in Vietnam and as a sheriff's deputy in Southern California, Wiley has learned a thing or two and formed some strong opinions, opinions implemented on the factory floor at Colt. This stainless steel Wiley Clapp Commander has "Everything you need and nothing you don't." A gun with Series 70 lockwork, Altamont Tactical Oval grips, Pete Single 25 line-per-inch front strap checkering and genuine Novak sights—including a brass front bead and a wide rear—this piece of "fighting iron" is our Gun of the Week.
Specifications:
Model: Wiley Clapp Stainless Commander
Manufacturer: Colt’s Manufacturing Company LLC
Chambering: .45 ACP
Action: single action, recoil-operated, semi-automatic center-fire pistol
Frame: stainless steel
Slide: stainless steel
Sights: Novak drift-adjustable; brass bead front, wide notch rear
Magazine: detachable-box, eight-round capacity
Trigger: 3-lb., 3-oz. pull
Barrel Length: 4.25”, stainless steel
Stocks: Tactical Oval grips with fingerprint checkering
Weight: 36 ozs.
MSRP: $1,259
NRA Gun of the Week: Colt Wiley Clapp Stainless Commander Pistol
More like this from around the NRA
Latest
Firearm Industry Companies Consolidate, Others Close Doors In 2025
This year has already seen some big changes in the firearm industry. They don’t quite reach the tectonic shift in 2020, when legendary firms owned by Remington Outdoor were auctioned off, but there have still been some notable shifts within the industry in 2025.
Preview: Uni-Loader
The easy-to-use Uni-Loader can save high-volume shooters a lot of time and finger pain.
CZ 600+ Introduces Switch-Barrel Capability
In 2025, CZ USA expanded its 600 series rifle lineup with the CZ 600+, a design that delivers on the company's promise of a switch-barrel platform.
Preview: Savior Equipment Specialist Double Rifle Case
The Specialist Double Rifle Case from Savior Equipment is, as its name suggests, a rifle bag capable of carrying a pair of longarms simultaneously ...
Gun Of The Week: Traditions Outfitter G3 Pro
Join American Rifleman staff in this video to get a close look at a single-shot rifle design oriented toward today’s modern hunter, particularly those in states where straight-wall cartridges have been legalized for hunting.
The Armed Citizen® Sept. 12, 2025
Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.
Interests
SECTIONS
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
EXPLORE MORE NRA PUBLICATIONS
