It IS confusing.
Most clones follow the original blueprints very well. Llama being an exception as well as a few others. S&W I believe follow it, short of the external extractor.
Government Model : The typical 1911.. 5" barrel and standard length frame holding 7 bullets. (be careful, some magazine makers slip an 8th bullet it.)
Commander : This is the same frame as the government, but with a shorter barrel. Colt uses 4.25" and they own the name Commander. Kimber I believe puts on a 4" barrel. STI, puts on a 4.25" barrel but calls it a "IV"
Officer: / Compact I think Colt coined this name as well. They shorten the frame by 1 bullet in the magazine. So a 7+1 goes to a 6+1.. etc.. (except of course if a newer style mag is used they squeeze an extra bullet in there. So you can't really go by the capacity listed). The frame/ grip being shorter, it uses shorter grip panels.. by about .45" The idea is, that, the pointy end of the grip is the hardest part to conceal. The barrel length is generally shorter than 4". Kimber makes some 3" ers.. My Springfield has a 3.5" as well as the Rock Island Armory compacts.
C.C.O. - another Colt term. People will jump up and down that any 1911 barrel shorter than 4.25" will just not work. (OK my 3.5" is flawless) (it's a machine it has not choice in working or not) But.. being the barrel is usually laying against the body, it is the easier portion to conceal. So.. take a 4.25" barrel and slide and marry it to an Officer frame and viola you have a very nice sized package.
It'd be hard to tell on the internet which is which.. Look for the terms "officer frame".. it is says it's an 8+1 capacity, (in 45 acp) it's a full sized frame.
[/URL][/IMG]
Here is a Compact (Officer) / Commander (with bob tail) / Government (full sized) / Government (with compensator) for a side by side comparison.
