[JoeDice]

Colt CCO
COMBAT UNIT CCO

UPC: 098289111876
Model: Commander Model
SKU: O9840CCU

https://www.colt.com/detail-page/com...acp-blk-425-81

I have a Springfield Armory Range Officer Compact 9 mm CCO that I really like and conceal carry a lot . I saw this Colt CCO in .45ACP on the Colt website and I am interested in this pistol. Does anyone have one and what has your experience been with it
Thank you .

 

[fieldgrade]

Edit: nevermind. I wasn’t paying attention that you are looking at 45acp versus 9mm

 

[Steve in Allentown]

Does anyone have one and what has your experience been with it.

Here's mine. I tweaked it a bit (EGW steel feed ramp insert, new sights, new grips, new grip safety, new sear, new trigger, trigger job). It is 100% dependable regardless of ammo, fits my hands well, and is easy to carry.

I modified some 8 round magazines to prevent over-insertion during a slide lock reload. More precisely, I modified some base pads that were manufactured to prevent over-insertion of 10 round mags in full size frames. Below is a pic of the pistol with one of my modified mags locked in place. Contact between the base pad and the frame is at the front and on both sides thus assuring the base pad isn't going to fail.

I carry the pistol with a flush fit standard capacity mag in it and two of my special 8 round mags as backup.

 

[JoeDice]

Being a CCO with an officer size frame in .45 are your 8 round mags aftermarket? I would thought they would be 7 rounds? I have no experience with an extended mag well . Is Magazine over insertion an issue ?

 

[JoeDice]

Steve in Allentown
Thank you for your timely response.Now that I read you response a second time I see that you did say you carry with a flush fit standard capacity magazine and your modified 8 round mags as back up. Sorry my error.
Are you satisfied with it reliability wise? I assume you are if you carry it regularly. Are you satisfied with the build quality? How is the recoil. ? My nearly 72 year old hands definitely notice the additional recoil of my 45 ACP DW ECO as compared to my 9mm Range Officer Compact.

 

[p7fl]

The link in the post doesn't go anyplace.
I posted this picture last month. Carried a CCO for over a dozen years.
Long list of positives. None of them include a pleasant range session of more than 50 rounds.
Absolutely my favorite gun to own and carry, but, not to practice with.
Sights and slide stop were changed, everything else is as it arrived.

 

[Steve in Allentown]

Are you satisfied with it reliability wise?

Can't get much better than 100% functioning. One of several techniques I use when range testing a pistol is to hold it in my weak hand as loosely as I can and with a 45 degree angle at my elbow. This represents a worst case scenario so if the pistol will run through a full magazine and lock open on the empty mag, I'm a happy camper. All of my pistols including this CCO have passed this test.

Are you satisfied with the build quality?

Yes but my tweaks made it better (for me).

How is the recoil? My nearly 72 year old hands definitely notice the additional recoil of my 45 ACP DW ECO as compared to my 9mm Range Officer Compact.

I'm hot on your heels in the age race, Joe. Recoil is subjective. The CCO has a Commander slide on an aluminum Officer's frame so felt recoil will be greater than if the frame were steel. The trade off is that the aluminum frame is more comfortable to carry.

There are a couple of things you can do to mitigate recoil.

• Fit an oversized, flat bottom firing pin stop (EGW or Harrison)
  
  
• Shoot 165gr or 185gr standard pressure JHP. Federal makes Hydra Shok Low Recoil ammo that may be just the ticket for your pistol.
  
  
• Experiment with the recoil springs to see if the pistol will run 100% with as light a spring as possible. Factory standard for a Commander is 18lbs but with the flat bottom firing pin stop you may be able to use a 14lb spring. You can reduce the recoil spring weight by increasing the mainspring (hammer spring) weight. Factory standard mainspring is 23lbs. Dropping in a Wolff 25lb spring will have a decided effect on rearward slide velocity.

I'd fit the oversized firing pin stop first. Then I'd shoot a magazine of your choice of 185gr self-defense ammo (slowly, deliberately, weak hand only). Then I'd experiment with the recoil springs to see if this ammo in this pistol with the flat bottom firing pin stop will run 100% with a Wolff 14lb recoil spring. If you discover the slide is coming back too fast, drop in a 25lb mainspring.

 

[Steve in Allentown]

The link in the post doesn't go anyplace.

Still works for me.

Long list of positives. None of them include a pleasant range session of more than 50 rounds. Absolutely my favorite gun to own and carry, but, not to practice with.

I agree that it's not a range toy. It's a last ditch tool for desperate times during a serious social encounter. If I can't bring my tank to the fight, I have every confidence the CCO will save my bacon.

If I want to shoot competition matches, I'll use a tricked out 5" Government chambered in 9mm.

 

[zipper046]

can't go wrong with a CCO....they are great! I carry a DW CCO...same set up as the Colt (aluminum frame, commander slide, etc.) but just a Dan Wesson.

I installed an arched MSH/magwell combo (Smith & Alexander brand) and I like it alot. It gives a bit more frame length, but is still shorter than a full sized frame for concealment.

I carry with a 7 round mag in the gun (+1 in the chamber) and the mag comes down to the bottom of the magwell...I also have 1 - 2 Wilson 8-round mag's for Officer's frames I carry as spares. Gives me 16 - 24 rounds of .45acp in a VERY concealable package and I can make the frame longer (with the 8-round mags) or shorter (with flush fit 7 rounders) depending on my concealment needs.....can't make a full size frame shorter! LOL...

If you like Colt (and they are good...I especially like their undercut trigger guards) I say GO FOR IT! The other option would be a good used DW CCO that will be the same but a bit cheaper....

 

[JoeDice]

Can't get much better than 100% functioning. One of several techniques I use when range testing a pistol is to hold it in my weak hand as loosely as I can and with a 45 degree angle at my elbow. This represents a worst case scenario so if the pistol will run through a full magazine and lock open on the empty mag, I'm a happy camper. All of my pistols including this CCO have passed this test

I'm hot on your heels in the age race, Joe. Recoil is subjective. The CCO has a Commander slide on an aluminum Officer's frame so felt recoil will be greater than if the frame were steel. The trade off is that the aluminum frame is more comfortable to carry.

There are a couple of things you can do to mitigate recoil.

• Fit an oversized, flat bottom firing pin stop (EGW or Harrison)
  
  
• Shoot 165gr or 185gr standard pressure JHP. Federal makes Hydra Shok Low Recoil ammo that may be just the ticket for your pistol.
  
  
• Experiment with the recoil springs to see if the pistol will run 100% with as light a spring as possible. Factory standard for a Commander is 18lbs but with the flat bottom firing pin stop you may be able to use a 14lb spring. You can reduce the recoil spring weight by increasing the mainspring (hammer spring) weight. Factory standard mainspring is 23lbs. Dropping in a Wolff 25lb spring will have a decided effect on rearward slide velocity.

I'd fit the oversized firing pin stop first. Then I'd shoot a magazine of your choice of 185gr self-defense ammo (slowly, deliberately, weak hand only). Then I'd experiment with the recoil springs to see if this ammo in this pistol with the flat bottom firing pin stop will run 100% with a Wolff 14lb recoil spring. If you discover the slide is coming back too fast, drop in a 25lb mainspring.

———————+——————-+————————-+
Steve in Allentown: First things first ,,, THANK YOU for you detailed replies to my questions .
In regards to your testing for reliability, that is a great idea of using your off hand in a relaxed grip to test reliability. It’s Genius ,
I would have never thought of that. I’m actually surprised you never had a failure to cycle with this “ limp wrist “ grip. Agree if it cycles reliability with this grip it certainly will with a proper grip.

I do use 185 gr Remington Golden Saber std. velocity in my DW ECO which has a 3.5 inch barrel and weighs 25 ozs and the recoil is manageable. So this Colt with a 4 1/4 in barrel and weighing 32 ozs should be even less perceived recoil. My practice rounds are 200 gr light recoiling “ kitty cat “ hand-loads so practice sessions are not too much of a problem. Not so with 230 gr ammo. !

Would see how that works out first before changing gun parts but the oversized flat bottomed firing pin stop sounds intriguing. I have read about this before but don’t really understand how it works.
Somehow uses up more energy of the recoiling slide to cock the gun I guess {?}

 

[JoeDice]

Zipper046

Very nice shooting sir , both targets display tight well centered groups. Mine are not that consistent. Trigger control , too many years as a shotgunner . ..
Yes another possibility is the Dan Wesson Vigil CCO or their CCO which you have. I have two Dan Wesson's and love their built quality. Thank you for your response and suggestions.

 

[zipper046]

Zipper046

Very nice shooting sir , both targets display tight well centered groups. Mine are not that consistent. Trigger control , too many years as a shotgunner . ..
Yes another possibility is the Dan Wesson Vigil CCO or their CCO which you have. I have two Dan Wesson's and love their built quality. Thank you for your response and suggestions.

Thanks!...as for the CCO vs Vigil...the Vigil has checkering and the original CCO has a scallop treatment. Personally, i like checkering better...more grip...i ended up putting some skateboard tape on my front strap and used a checkered MSH...just something to think about...good luck....decisions on these things are HARD! LOL

 

[Steve in Allentown]

I’m actually surprised you never had a failure to cycle with this “ limp wrist “ grip.

Never said I didn't have failures. If a failure does occur that means it's time to replace the recoil spring with a lighter one. "Limp wristing" just means the pistol isn't set up correctly for the technique or body mass of the shooter.

Here's a video concerning limp wristing:

. . . the oversized flat bottomed firing pin stop sounds intriguing. I have read about this before but don’t really understand how it works.

It's all about reducing the leverage. A normal FPS is quite rounded towards the bottom which means the slide has an easier time pushing the hammer back than if the bottom of the slide is not rounded. So, with a flat bottom FPS a lot more of the energy in the moving slide is being used up as it pushes the hammer back. Fitting a flat bottom FPS is very common in some circles. I put one in every .45 1911. It changes the recoil impulse and allows a lighter recoil spring to be used. A lighter recoil spring enhances reliable feeding and reduces muzzle dip as the barrel goes back into battery.

Here's a video concerning the effect of various recoil springs on forward slide velocity:

 

[JoeDice]

Steve in Allentown..
THANK YOU AGAIN for sharing your knowledge..