Colt Lightweight Commander .45 ACP Pre-Series 80 (1978) – Alloy-Frame 1911, 4.25-Inch, Blue Finish
This 1978 Colt Lightweight Commander is a Pre-Series 80 .45 ACP with the classic Commander-length 4.25-inch barrel and an aluminum alloy frame identified by the CLW-prefix serial range. It retains its blue finish, fixed GI-style sights, and ring/rowel hammer, and comes with the factory woodgrain Colt box with matching end label, owner’s manual, a 7-round magazine, and spare wrap-around grips. A bright, clean bore and the desirable pre-firing-pin-block configuration make it a solid example for Colt 1911 enthusiasts.
Condition
Overall Condition: Good condition, showing some signs of prior use and handling.
Bore Overall Condition: Excellent - Clean, mirror finish, no signs of wear.
Bore Rifling: Excellent Rifling - Sharp lands and grooves.
Specific Condition Notes: There is visible finish loss and handling marks from previous handling and use.
What’s Included
- Colt woodgrain factory box with matching end label for Lightweight Commander
- Owner's manual
- 1x 7-round unmarked steel single-stack 1911 magazine
- Black wrap-around checkered grip panels (not installed)
The Pre-Series 80 configuration means this pistol was built without a firing-pin block, retaining the original 1911-style fire control with an inertial firing pin. It is a single-action, short-recoil, locked-breech design with a short trigger, manual thumb safety, and grip safety—true to the Commander pattern of the era.
As a Lightweight Commander, it uses an aluminum alloy frame paired with a steel barrel and a blue-finished slide. The CLW-prefix serial range denotes the alloy-frame variant associated with Colt’s Lightweight Commander line. Chambered in .45 ACP, it carries 7+1 rounds and uses the standard single-stack 1911 magazine format.
Sight setup is fixed GI-style, with a staked blade front and a small square-notch rear. The slide features rear cocking serrations only, along with a non-lowered ejection port typical of the period. It also has an arched mainspring housing with vertical serrations and checkered wood grips with Colt medallions.
Produced in 1978 in the United States, this example includes the factory woodgrain Colt box with a matching end label, the owner’s manual, spare wrap-around grips, and one 7-round magazine. The barrel hood is marked "COLT .45 AUTO," consistent with Colt’s markings of the time.