Before & After

[Richard S]

While going through an old memory card for my digital camera, I found this photograph of my 1911 taken about six years ago before the artists at Clark Custom Guns got their hands on her.  Back then, she was a real "Plain Jane," with only some stag grips to set her apart from the crowd.

I've posted the following photograph before, but I do so again just to show the contrast -- before and after.

[tracker]

Quite a difference; who did the refinishing work?

[Richard S]

Tracker:

I believe that, while CCG does the "melting" and other custom work in house, they have some specialty shops to which they subcontract plating work.  I don't know which shop they used to apply the bright-chrome finish to my pistol, but the work is flawless.  

Not everyone likes bright chrome on a gun.  Some of my old service buddies refer to it as "bling bling."  I can't help it, though.  I like it.  

[tracker]

I do also.

[R9SCarry]

Not all ''Bling'' is bad Richard !!

Thx for the pics.

[Arizona]

Very nice.

Have you had any trigger work performed?

[Richard S]

Arizona:

Yes, CCG gave the pistol a trigger job and installed an aluminimum match trigger set for a 4.5-pound pull. They also performed the following work:
 
*  Throating and polishing of the barrel and frame.  
*  Lowering and flaring of the ejection port.  
*  Tuning of the extractor.
*  Tuning of the ejector.
*  Installing an extended tactical thumb safety.
*  Beveling the magazine well.
*  Installing a "King Beavertail" grip safety.
*  Installing a Clark "Big Bushing."  
*  Off-setting the firing pin bushing.
*  Dehorning the entire pistol ("Clark Meltdown").
*  Plating the entire pistol with hard bright chrome.

The result, with her Bo-Mar adjustable sights, is a reliable "tack driver" pleasing to both the hand and the eye.  I like her a lot!        

[BillinPittsburgh]

Very nice, Richard, and that generally looks like a very good choice in a custom package.

No doubt hard chrome is appreciated on a hot summer day.  Beyond the unbeatable corrosion resistance, the tradeoff is the risk of giving away your position if your opponent otherwise can't see you verses the ability of the opponent who already sees you to see very clearly that you just pulled a gun, giving him one last chance to get civilized.

[Richard S]

Thanks, Bill.  

I neglected to mention that she has also been equipped with a LaserMax sight (note the black activation lever on the slide stop) and a Cylinder & Slide SFS conversion.  I've found both of these aftermarket accessories to be excellent additions to the pistol and well worth the investment.

http://www.lasersights.com/html/1911_lasermax.html

http://www.cylinder-slide.com/sfs.shtml


I always wanted to take a standard-issue 1911 and give her a "complete makeover."  Now that I've done that, I'm looking around for a new long-term project.  

[Aglifter]

I humbly suggest, unless you've already done it, a really nice lever action -- but, then again, I've always been partial to them

[Richard S]

Aglifter:

That's a good idea!  Would you recommend a Winchester, a  Marlin, or a Henry?  

[tracker]

I just bought a Marlin 1894 M--.22 WMR and I like it a lot.
It was made in the 80's and was sold out of an estate.

[Aglifter]

I'd personally go for a 1895 CB Marlin -- I've put a Wild West extractor, trigger kit, follower and big loop lever on mine.  I also had all the internals polished by my local smith, as well as the biggest recoil pad I could find put on it.  I may try some mercury tubes for using the Garretts in it.  I'm very impressed w. the quality of the WWG parts.  They seem like nice enough guys when I met them at the SHOT show, but I think they have so much work, that unless you really want a cut down guide gun, or a 50 Alaskan/457 WWG magnum, I'd just buy the parts.  I also have a trijicon reflex sight on mine, which I'm quite happy with.  Personally, I'd be quite happy w. the 45-70 -- Garrett cartridges provide all the power I'd need.

Now, w. that said, I admit I'm thinking about a 405 Winchester, in maybe an 1886 Winchester...or maybe a 45-90 to try and get some more room to lower the recoil w. high power cartridges -- but my only real interest in that is that I want to use a lever gun to travel around the world hunting.
Now, I'm not sure about this, but I suspect that the recoil on a pistol griped lever action may be easier to handle -- but I never really had too much problem until I shot 18 garretts in a row.

[Richard S]

Thanks, guys!  That gets me started on my research.

[erh]

Richard S
- Very nice both before, & after..!  
My Dad has been known to use the term "Nickle Plated Sissy Pistol Very Jokingly of Coarse..!"  
  At least however, I've NEVER known him to say it to someone that was "Holding a loaded One..!"    

Eric Howland (LOL)