Description

Ruger SR1911 stainless Commander .45 ACP 6711 4.25″

Ruger SR1911 stainless Commander .45 ACP 6711 4.25″

There is an important model-number detail here: Ruger Model 6711 is the Lightweight Commander, not the all-stainless-steel Commander. The 6711 has a stainless-steel slide and barrel with an anodized aluminum frame. Ruger’s all-stainless Commander is Model 6702.

Model 6711 specifications

These dimensions and specifications come from Ruger’s published catalog data.

Why the 6711 is different

The original SR1911 Commander uses an all-stainless-steel construction and weighs about 36.4 oz. The 6711 substitutes an aluminum frame, bringing the weight down to about 28.6 oz.

Ruger introduced the Lightweight Commander specifically as a lighter version of the Commander. The company stated that it was approximately 7 oz lighter than the all-stainless model.

The stainless slide/barrel combined with the aluminum frame gives the 6711 its characteristic two-tone appearance.

Barrel and feeding system

The 6711 has a 4.25-inch stainless barrel, giving it the traditional Commander configuration rather than the 5-inch Government-size barrel.

A particularly interesting feature is the polished titanium feed ramp. Ruger added this because aluminum-frame 1911s can experience greater wear around the feed-ramp area; the titanium surface was intended to provide a durable feeding surface.

1911 operating system

The SR1911 uses traditional Series-70-type 1911 lockwork. It has:

• Single-action trigger

• Manual thumb safety

• Beavertail grip safety

• Titanium firing pin

• Skeletonized hammer

• Skeletonized aluminum trigger

• Internal extractor

• Integral slide-stop/thumb-safety plunger tube

Ruger’s manual specifically describes the pistol as having a titanium firing pin and no firing-pin block, along with the beavertail and thumb safeties.

Trigger

The aluminum skeletonized trigger has an adjustable overtravel screw. Ruger’s design goal is a crisp single-action trigger with a short reset. The exact pull weight can vary from pistol to pistol, particularly as examples age or are serviced. Ruger SR1911 stainless Commander .45 ACP 6711 4.25″

Sights

The 6711 uses Novak-style 3-dot sights with a drift-adjustable rear sight. This is a more modern sight arrangement than the traditional GI-style sights found on older 1911s.

Ruger lists the sights specifically as Drift Adjustable Novak 3-Dot.

Grip and ergonomics

The pistol retains the full-size 1911 grip frame despite its shorter 4.25-inch barrel.

That means you get the familiar Commander configuration:

full-size grip + shorter slide/barrel

rather than an Officer-size shortened grip.

The 6711 uses hardwood grip panels and a checkered backstrap. Ruger also equipped it with an extended thumb safety, oversized magazine release and beavertail grip safety.

6711 vs. 6702

This is probably the most useful distinction if you’re identifying one:

Ruger’s catalog confirms these differences.

So if somebody describes a “stainless Ruger SR1911 Commander 6711,” they’re probably referring to the stainless slide/barrel, rather than saying the entire pistol is stainless. If the frame is stainless too, it is more likely the 6702. Ruger SR1911 stainless Commander .45 ACP 6711 4.25″

Model history; Ruger SR1911 stainless Commander .45 ACP 6711 4.25″

The SR1911 family was introduced by Ruger in 2011. The Commander followed in 2013, using the 4.25-inch barrel instead of the standard 5-inch barrel.

The Lightweight Commander was subsequently introduced with the aluminum frame. Ruger’s announcement dates that introduction to January 2015.

Ruger’s serial-number history also cautions that serial-number blocks aren’t necessarily produced or shipped strictly sequentially, so the serial prefix alone shouldn’t be treated as an exact manufacturing date. Ruger SR1911 stainless Commander .45 ACP 6711 4.25″

What came with it

The original 6711 package included:

• Two 7-round stainless magazines

• Soft case

• Cable locking device

• Owner’s manual

Ruger also lists the standard SR1911 feature set including the titanium firing pin, beavertail safety, extended thumb safety, skeletonized hammer/trigger and integral plunger tube.

One thing to watch for

Because the 6711 has an aluminum frame, don’t confuse it with the visually similar all-stainless 6702. The easiest identification is the frame finish:

• • Black/dark frame + stainless slide = 6711

  • Stainless frame + stainless slide = 6702