View Full Version : Thinking of an Ed Brown Commander
I've not had a 1911 in a decade and want one for my collection, just to stay current with the platform. I don't intend to carry it as I have other pistols for that purpose but would want reliability and quality of manufacture, just in case I do have to carry the Commander.
Am thinking of an Ed Brown Carry (Executive, Kobra or SF). I know the 5" format is the most forgiving and this is what I had prior experience with, but my shoulder doesn't have as much range of motion as before and I have difficulty consistently clearing holster with a 5" gun.
Any one with a Commander-sized Ed Brown out there? Do they require a lot of breaking in from the box? Also, are there noticeable reliability issues when one goes to lighter bullets in the 185gr standard pressure range? In the 5" gun, I ran nothing but 230 grainers but these days, 185 seems to be easier to get in my area and I have no plans of reloading ammo.
Any feedback is most appreciated.
Thanks all!
Mine was fine out of the box. It is picky with mags though. Never had a problem with the Brown mags, other mags tend to want to get spit back out. Trigger is amazing and the sights with Bold white outlines are GTG. Fit and finish excellent.
Pappabear,
What mags did it not like? Wilsons? CMCs? Colts?
I still have about 8 or 10 new Wilsons somewhere in the basement and was hoping to be able to use them.
Padwan
My carry gun is a Gen III coated EB Executive Carry with just under 10k through it. Mine had some failure to feed issues out of the box and after a few emails exchanged with the EB folks I went to a 22# recoil spring (20# is standard) and it fixed my issues. Other than those initial failures I've had 10 gun-related malfunctions in 8500 rounds, mostly failure to eject. I shoot mostly cast lead 200gr SWC. Yes, I'm a little compulsive about my shooting logs...
For magazines I have used CMC Powermags (8 rounds), Dan Wesson branded magazines (8 rounds) and Springfield stainless mags (7 rounds) without magazine related issues. I have had a few feed issues with some 10 round CMCs, though that seems to be par for the course and not gun related.
These pictures were taken somewhere around 8k rounds.
http://roundpaddedcell.com/images/eb-left.jpg
http://roundpaddedcell.com/images/eb-right.jpg
Nice looking pistol!
Dedpoet, did you ever run factory ball though the gun and encounter malfunctions while shooting ball? I scoured my basement to look for the Wilsons I stashed away and discovered I also had about 700 rounds of ball in storage, along with a case of Brennekes for an 870P I no longer have.
I really should clean that place more regularly.
Thanks. I think the dark black Gen III coating with a blank slide looks really great. Grips are thin Alumagrips. Lately I've been seriously considering a different rear sight that is rack-able like a 10-8 or a Warren. I have a 10-8 rear on my M&P 9 and like it very much.
ETA: Yes, my first 200 rounds were factory ball. I had 7 feed malfunctions during those rounds and that's what started the initial communications to EB. From my descriptions they thought it was a timing issue and recommended the heavier spring. Ever since the spring change I have had no issues with ball ammo, though it only accounts for a few hundred rounds fired. These days it's mostly my handloads (200gr SWC with 4.3gr Clays) and the occasional mag or 2 of Federal HST 230gr. carry ammo.
I had a Special Forces Commander, and it was flawless out of the box. I put 200 rds thru it the 1st time at the range. No issues. It was a beautiful gun, but i decided 9mm was my favorite caliber and decided to sell it.
Brown bobtail Commanders are sweet guns indeed. I bought mine from another fellow and had a few issues that I traced to improper extractor tension (this is a common cause of "issues" with any 1911 and is easily fixable with tension adjustment or extractor replacement). I suspect the guy who sold me the gun didn't know this and thought something was wrong with the pistol... he sold it to me for a bargain price! The gun does have an amazing trigger, about 3.75 lbs. and super clean. Great accuracy too.
This model is the Ed Brown Class A Bobtail Commander, which has a blued finish.
In this pic, I was trying out an early Colt trigger... just don't like the look of 3-hole triggers at all.
http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp59/zmonki/Brown%201911/EdBrown2914.jpg
Later, I decided I liked a short, solid trigger with more utilitarian grips. And I replaced the ambi-thumb
safety (never liked these, myself) with the stronger & more secure single-sided Colt Series 70-style
thumb safety. The Kimber double diamond grips are inexpensive black rubber grips which aren't fancy
by any means, but they feel wonderful to shoot with! This is a no B.S. gun; all business.
http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp59/zmonki/Brown%201911/Ed_Brown-1327.jpg
http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp59/zmonki/Brown%201911/Ed_Brown-1322.jpg
willowofwisp
05-31-10, 23:35
When it comes to 1911's i normally recommend Les Baer's as they are great work horse guns and a bargain in terms of price but when its a commander size gun I think Ed Brown is the way to go (some Les baer's don't sling shot thats why) I also think the bobtail is a great mod to a carry 1911.
If i was to order a 1911 commander today it would be this exact model
http://i49.tinypic.com/2q8vsj5.jpg
I would also say the 10-8 sight and GI guide plug are a necessity..anything that helps with clearing one handed malfunctions
i've had a few Kobras, both the Carry and the 5"
loved them....great guns, mine all ran flawlessly....
if Brown made the Kobra in 9mm I'd buy one tomorrow...
I had a SF Carry in stainless. It was flawless from the box. I didn't care for the "shiny" though and sold it to a buddy. I have something else on the way to replace it. My full sized SF has also been flawless from the box. It's my favorite pistol I own.
I would also say the 10-8 sight and GI guide plug are a necessity..anything that helps with clearing one handed malfunctions
I was thinking of these sights as my eyes aren't aging well and the 10-8's on my Glock have been easier to pick up compared to the standard Trijicons I used to have.
So far the feedback is encouraging. The smith I used to go to has retired and the Ed Brown seems to be a good option without needing a 12-month waiting period.
A friend took delivery of an Executive Elite this week and he asked me if I'd like to shoot it (and his Les Baer) this weekend, in exchange for some of the hardball I still have lying around. It'll be a good chance to see what these pistols are like, as I've never shot any of the pistols from Brown, Baer, Wilson or the SA Custom Shop before.
I'll be sure to take notes.
Thanks to everyone who forwarded their opinions.
I would also say the 10-8 sight ..anything that helps with clearing one handed malfunctions
I have the 10-8 plain black, serrated wide notch rear on my EB and LOVE it. In fact, I am transitioning most of my other pistols to a similar setup.
Here are some pics ...
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd208/volgrad/IMG_5151.jpg
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd208/volgrad/IMG_5155.jpg
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd208/volgrad/IMG_5149.jpg
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd208/volgrad/IMG_5147.jpg
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd208/volgrad/IMG_5229.jpg
The only Brown's that I have seen serious reliability issues out of have been the Commander sized pistols.
I had one of the Special Forces commander's and loved it. Sold it during the late economic unpleasantness when I had to take a 30% pay cut. Man I regret that. No reliability issues. I also found their customer service to be outstanding.
Noops
1911GunNut
06-04-10, 18:15
I had a SF Carry in stainless. It was flawless from the box. I didn't care for the "shiny" though and sold it to a buddy. I have something else on the way to replace it. My full sized SF has also been flawless from the box. It's my favorite pistol I own.
Wow, what a guy to take that thing off your hands. :D
SF Carry in Gen III, the SF Carry in stainless mentioned above, and a stainless KC. All flawless, shoot mostly 230gr ball, but also flawless with 230gr HP.
Wow, what a guy to take that thing off your hands. :D
SF Carry in Gen III, the SF Carry in stainless mentioned above, and a stainless KC. All flawless, shoot mostly 230gr ball, but also flawless with 230gr HP.
Nah ..... he's a real tool. :D
Welcome to M4C buddy.
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