Commander or Browning or Other

[California44]

I've got my eye on a used colt commander circa 1975 or a Browning HP and can't make up my mind. Or... Start looking for something like a Colt defender or detective. I want a potential carry pistol in 9mm. Any advice from experience would be appreciated. Other than polymer pistols (which I'd like to avoid based on preference), there's not a whole lot of choices out there. Thanks.

[russ69]

No brainer, series 70 Colt above all.

[jyo]

EVERYBODY should have at least one Hi Power!

[hchinaski]

Hi-Power has more capacity than the commander. Even more when you leave CA.

Are you looking at a 9mm Commander? Very cool gun, but practical concerns of using it as a carry piece would be inflicting the wear and damage on what is a fairly rare and valuable item; plus, you could get a .45ACP commander and have a package that is the exact same size with a more powerful round. Your call - 8 big holes vs. 9 smaller holes?

[br1500]

If go for the 1911.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[cannon]

See my sig line for my opinion on the topic.

[thenodnarb]

Tough call. I say hi-power. But don't carry it. Get a glock 19 or something to carry. Don't carry collectible guns. Even if you never use it, carry guns take abuse that a collectible gun doesn't deserve.

[John Joseph]

These are pretty large for concealed carry.
Which one feels best in your hand?
JMB felt his Hi Power was an improvement over the 1911, and especially in the 9mm format that might be worthy to consider.
If you get the Series 70 Colt, swap out the barrel bushing for a solid. If one of those barrel bushing springy thingys break, well, there's a job!

[California44]

Good advice above. Anyone carry a commander? Would a Defender be a better option?

[flyer898]

I carry a lightweight Commander in .45 acp. It has a better trigger than a Hi-Power and I think .45 is a more effective cartridge for defense. I am not bashing 9mm. The second of my three carry guns is a HK P7M8.

[Rosereader]

I carry an FN BHP.

Great guns and I recommend them 100%. Some could use a trigger job out of the box (but couldn't most guns?). It is a slimmer and simplified version of the 1911 built with 9x19mm in mind, though you can find them in .40 S&W.

Furthermore if you can find a "chopped and channeled" BHP, it would suit your needs perfectly I have little doubt.

[BHPFan]

JMB felt his Hi Power was an improvement over the 1911, and especially in the 9mm format that might be worthy to consider.

However, the final design of the Hi Power (completed by Dieudonne Saive) ended different from JMB's original design and JMB died almost 10 years before the pistol was released and adopted by a military.

[Rosereader]

However, the final design of the Hi Power (completed by Dieudonne Saive) ended different from JMB's original design and JMB died almost 10 years before the pistol was released and adopted by a military.

Indeed. It had to be: Browning sold the patents for the 1911 to Colt. Too close a copy would have been in violation of those patents.

[Steve_In_29]

My friend has a Hi Power, it has a horrendous trigger pull for a single action pistol.

Go with the 1911 if the choice is between those two. I have a Kimber CDP Pro II (aluminum framed Commander) and it is light and compact. NOT happy with Kimber due to QC issues but the concept of a lightweight Commander pistol is valid.

Most self defense type shootings involve few actual shots fired, so a bigger, more effective bullet would be of greater importance then mag capacity. Even if a .45ACP HP fails to expand, it still makes a bigger hole then any expanded 9mm HP or even most 40SW HP.

[billybob_jcv]

I wish we could have one thread comparing two guns without it becoming a 9mm vs 45 ACP debate...