weird slide problem and sight question

[sachel.45]

went out and shot my lightweight commander today and when i was fireing winchester 185 grain silvertip the slide was acting funny. i would fire the slide would come back i would see the impact on the target and then the slide would close but it was really slow. it didn't do that with the 230 grain ammo. it didn't see to matter which clip i used. is this bad? also is there some sort of rear sight tool? it has the stock rear sight but no matter how hard i wale on the rear sight it doesn't move. thanks

[Iowegan]

Sounds like a bad recoil spring to me. As for the rear sight, Colt likes to stake them in place. A screw operated sight pusher is the best tool for moving them, however they are pretty expensive. Check Brownell's at http://www.brownells.com They sell the Commander recoil springs too.

[Mikey]

sachel.45 - my old Commander used to do that to me whenever I would shoot lightweight loads.  It was sorta like - ok, I'll go back to battery now, if I feel like it.  When I went back to ball ammo or hotter loads with the lighter weight bullets all was well.  When I switched to heavier recoil springs I found that some lightweight loads wouldn't work the slide properly, so I have stayed with heavier loads (ball ammo or equivalent) since (last 35 years) and haven't ever had a problem.  HTH.  Mikey.

[Dee]

I know this was an old post but, perhaps this will help someone later. To cure the problem, have someone to polish the feed ramp. Check the angle on and polish the bottom and inside of the extractor. Check and see if the chamber has been properly throated and polished. And if so make sure that the edge in side the chamber is broke and polished. Lastly and this is rarely the problem but, it can be. Check the smoothness of the bolt face. You may have a small burr (especially around the firing pin hole) If you are shooting ANY factory load and your having problems with one and not the other, these things named above should cure that problem.