American Handgunner Jul/Aug 1981 - Jeffersonian

owner every survival advantage in an actual
armed encounter. It is not designed to
win IPSC matches (though it may well do
CDCB TAYLOR
just that).
~ IIIIIi ~ Here then is a description of the Chuck
Taylor Commando Special:
Standard Colt safety. Many ofthe enlarged
safeties add unacceptable bulk to the
weapon. Ambidexterous safeties tend to
get "elbowed" off inadvertently when the
weapon is carried concealed, according to
many left-handers who have employed
this modification. Left-handers should
have a left-hand only safety or, learn to
shoot right-handed.
Standard, functional grip safety. The grip
safety performs a legitimate function. If
the weapon is dropped or jarred from the
shooter's hand, it is rendered inert the moment
it leaves his grip-a good feature.
Most shooters have no trouble with it and
forget it's even there. Those few who do
have a problem with it should have it modified
to suit them rather than have it pinned
out of action.
Crisp trigger 3.5 lbs. As they come from the
box, Colt autos have a trigger that is heavier
and creepier than most of us want. A
crisp, three and a half pound pull is about
right, lighter and you're flirting with unintentional
discharges, heavier and you're
adding milliseconds to your first round.
(Continued on page 39)
By John S. Farnam
A .45 tunedfor street/
survival with just the
right accessories and
smithing for
concealment and
smooth functioning
reliability
THE CHUCK TAYLOR COMMANDO.SPECIAL is
a Colt Lightweight Commander that has
been skillfully modified by the distinguished
gunsmiths at Sportswest in
Denver under tie supervision of Chuck
Taylor, well-known IPSC shooter, author,
and top-flight weapons training specialist.
These days there is a plethora of
gunsmiths claiming to do quality work on
the Colt auto. Some are excellent, most are
decent, a few are abominable. Amonglhe
very best ale Ikey Starks and George
OrndorffofSportswest. Their work has enjoyed
a superb reputation, which is doubtless
why Chuck chose them to make the
weapon which bears his name.
By latest count, the number ofmodifications
available on the Colt auto exceeds'
one-hundred. You can get everything from
a vented, extended barrel to an ambidexterous
slide release! Most of these have
Melted adiustable Bo-mar rear sight
for de-horned, instant sight picture.
been created at the behest of IPSC shooters
looking for every possible competitive
advantage. It has not been a one-way.
street, however. As anyone who has attended
high-level IPSC competitions will
attest, many of these highly-modified,
finely-tuned competition guns have
proven ungainly, heavy, finicky, and prone
to stoppages.
Chuck has carefully analyzed all the
available modifications, most of which he
has had considerable personal experience
with, and refined them down to include
only those which have proven legitimately
helpful and do not degrade the carryability
and reliability of the weapon. The
Chuck Taylor Commando Special is designed
to be carried concealed and give its
Commando Special concealment rig is
Milt Sparks holster and Bianchi belt.
38 AMERI(fAN HANDGUNNER· JULY IAUGUST 1981