Anyone have a Series 80 Commander hammer?

by Otony, Sunday, June 23, 2013, 00:13 (4176 days ago)

I need an original style Colt Commander hammer, one with the round hole, not the oval hole version. It must be for a Series 80 Colt. I am hoping one of you might have one in your parts box, perhaps after having swapped it out for the latest tacti-cool skeletonized unobtanium hammer!

For those that may have been wondering, I am slowly (very slowly) changing out parts on my Para USA Expert Commander to "original" Colt Commander style parts.

I intend to install a solid trigger (long version however), to go along with the 1960s style grip safety and hammer. Will likely keep the plastic mainspring housing as I have NEVER seen or heard of one failing, the checking is amazingly sharp, and it is far lighter than a steel housing. The grip safety (which we had to modify to work in an 80 Series) is also lighter than the beavertail that came on the Para. Part of this is for the retro look, albeit not full-blown, and the rest is to lighten if only slightly the overall weight of the gonne.

I have a very lovely set of jade green G-10 grips, in a pale shade. Totally smooth, and quite interesting looking. If these look good on the Para the set will remain, as I have never minded smooth grips on a 1911. If the appearance is awful, I will probably have to do some classic double diamond grips in a thin version.

I'm one of those lucky fellows who has never, ever been bitten by a 1911. I also rather prefer my guns to be styled after those of the heroes of my "yute". Thus the abbreviated grip safety and "antique" hammer. I'm going to pick up a Caspian ambi-safety and cut the pads down on either side to appear similar to a WWI thumb safety.

Some of you might recall how I reworked my Springfield Armory G.I.to a more classic appearance. It was a nod in the general direction rather than an unrealistic attempt to fool one into believing they had a WWII 1911A1 in their hands. This is the same sort of idea, a homage if you will, to the Commanders Uncle Jeff used to feature in his G&A articles of the 1960s and early '70s.

Fun stuff Maynard!

Otony