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The steel slide, barrel and frame Taurus 1911 Commander is an exciting roster of eleven semi-automatic pistols. Ten are 8+1 capacity .45 ACP. The outlier is a 9+1 capacity 9 mm. Keeping these models affordable, they are fundamentally identical other than the color schemes and grip panel options. True, the steel frame increases weight compared to polymer models; however, it also keeps costs down and helps absorb felt recoil.

Let’s go over the shared traits then cover the differences. First, the 1911 Commander slots in the middle of the standard Taurus 1911, which is a full-size model that is greater in every dimension except height, and the 6-round 1911 Officer, which is smaller in every dimension except width.

Second, a very nice touch is that the 1911 Commander’s barrel, slide and frame are all engraved with a matching serial number. Next, the ten .45 ACP models use single-stack magazines to feed rounds into a 4.2” long barrel. Overall length is 8.0”, height is 5.8” and width is 1.3”. Weight, as befitting its hand-fitted hammer-forged slides, barrels and steel frames, is 38 ounces.

The outlier is the 9 mm model. It has the same specifications as the .45 ACPs except its barrel is 4.25” long and overall length is 7.9”. Weight and other dimensions are the same.

For all eleven models, the Taurus 1911 Commander’s slide has nice front and rear diagonal grip serrations. On top, the design features three-dot low-profile Novak drift-adjustable dovetail sights at front and back. The gun has a long upward curved beavertail and a classic circular loop hammer. The grip ends in a square butt.

The single action only (SAO) lineup has three safeties: a grip safety, a thumb safety at back and a firing pin block. The gun is set up for right-hand use. Thus the slide stop, thumb safety and magazine release are on the left.

The range’s crescent-shaped trigger is triple ported with lightening circles. The polymer grip panels reach high up to just below the slide. The front and back of the grips have integrated hatching.

Now let’s talk about the different color / grip combinations. The single 9 mm model comes only in matte black, and its 9-round magazine fits flush inside the grip. It features classic M1911 double-diamond grips that have diamond-hatching and Taurus’ charging bull head logo in the center.

The remaining models are all .45 ACP that share the same matte black frame. They differ in their color schemes and grip combinations. Naturally, there is one that is all matte black with black double-diamond grip panels. There are several other matte black .45 ACPs with different grip panels. One has a pair of matte gray Magpul heavy-duty reinforced polymer MOE 1911 Grip Panels with a deep scallop behind the magazine release. Another has the same but with FDE panels.

The most eye-catching are the ones with different colored slides. The slide finishes are Gray Cerakote, Cerakote Aluminum, Desert Sand Cerakote, Olive Drab Cerakote and, most interesting of all, a PVD Prizm Cerakote. It has the prismatic colors one might see in a soap bubble or an oil slick. And they have a very organic distribution. Each has attractive American-made G10 polymer grips by VZ Grips.

The Taurus 1911 semi-automatics are imported by Taurus International Manufacturing, Inc., of Bainbridge, Georgia and Made in Brazil.

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