Novak's Custom Colt Commander ***WARNING PIC HEAVY***

[Devil_Dog]

Today my cherry 1978 circa Colt Commander came back from Novak's 45 Shop.

Sent it to Dustin 1st week in January 08 and she looked like this

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c284/eshindollar/1911%20forum/d986a4a7.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c284/eshindollar/1911%20forum/054c135d.jpg

Some of you might remember this thread (http://forum.m1911.org/showthread.php?t=40725)

Well after six months and this work done to her

Fit Kart National Match Barrel
Throat Barrel & Polish Feed Ramp
Fit Novak NM Bushing
Crown Barrel
Fit Slide to Frame
Fit Ed Brown Grip Safety
Novak Tritium Night Sights (Ghost dot rear) Installed
Fit Wilson Bullet Proof Slide Stop
Fit Wilson Bullet Proof Extractor
Fit Smith & Alexander Flat MSH
Bevel Magazine Well with S&A main spring
Scallop Rear of Ejection Port
Fit Tactical Strong Side Thumb Safety
Fit Videki Long Black-T Aluminum Trigger
Trigger Job with Novak Hammer Kit (Commander Style)
Supply & Install Titanium Firing Pin with Wolff Spring
Reliability Package
Serrate Top of Slide
Hand Matte Top of Slide
Milled Border on Slide
Carry Bevel Treatment
Hand Matte Main Spring Housing
Hand Matte Front Strap and Bottom of Trigger Guard
Novak Logo Marked on Slide
Anodize Frame
Bead Blast & Blue Entire Pistol
Solder Plunger Tube Housing
Supply & Install Short Recoil Guide, Spring, & Plug
Supply & Install All New Pins
Wolff Spring Kit 18# Recoil, 19# Main Spring
Craig Spegel Grips Exhibition (EX)
Novak Practical Grip Screws
Two Novak Magazines (8rds)
Test Fire with 100 rounds of Winchester RA45T

this is how she looks now!!

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Off to the range next week. Range report to follow!

[safd]

Wow, that turned out great! Can't wait for the range report.

[auto45]

Sweet looking 1911.

[Joni Lynn]

Nice looking! Thanks for the pics.

[zmon1911]

Would really like to know how you like the matte stippling vs. checkering.
Looks very comfortable. Can't wait for the range report.

Beautiful weapon, by the way. Enjoy shooting it.

[Ric4509]

What a gorgeous piece of work. Very nice looking Colt LW Commander.

[Hersh]

'Nice lookin' rig!

[ranburr]

The gun looks great. Now you just need to get those mags pointed in the right direction.

ranburr

[John]

Great looking Commander!!!

One question. Are you sure that this is the Wilson slide stop? I thought their slide stops had that shelf instead of the traditional rounded surface at the bottom.

[Devil_Dog]

Would really like to know how you like the matte stippling vs. checkering.

For me it IS the way to go. It is a very sure grip even when the pistol has lot's of oil on it, or wet hands. (came rather lubed up from Novak's) I like it for another reason too. I have had 25 & 30 LPI checkering become jacked up from daily carry. Being bumped on a table, car door, seat belt buckle, etc and once you smash the checkering your kinda SOL. This process can be easily repaired if needed.

[Devil_Dog]

Are you sure that this is the Wilson slide stop?

No. Just copied & pasted from my spread sheet the work order I sent them.

[Devil_Dog]

Thanks for all the kudos



No one can say :wl:

[John]

Surely not! That pistol is gorgeous. Congrats!

[Devil_Dog]

Thanks!!

This has been a long time coming.

I can't swing over to Fallbrook & sit on the sofa with Armand Swenson, have a glass of lemonade & talk about what we were going to build for me. (I was only a PFC in the Marine Corps back then and couldn't afford a full blown Swenson, and I only made $4500.00 that year from the Corps.) Or stand in the door way of his garage over looking his back yard and have him instruct me how to practice trigger control and sight picture... front sight front sight front sight. And now he is talking to the Lord calling him laddie I would bet. RIP

So the very next best thing for me to do was have Novak's crew build me a Colt (http://www.novaksights.com/collectable_guns%20for%20sale.htm#Ken_Hackathorns__SWENSON_BOBCAT) with him in mind. After all Wayne apprenticed (http://www.novaksights.com/shotguns_&_rifles_for_sale.htm#Novak_Custom_Tactical_Shotgun) with Armand Swenson. I can not think of a better shop, nor a better way to remember a old friend.

I think we would approve.

Eric

[gfavaron]

Nice nice pistol! Leather goods look darn familiar.

[d90king]

Well done looks like a great build. :appld: :appld: Hows it shoot?

[Little Sarge]

Outstanding!

[wetidlerjr]

Very nice ! A fine piece of work. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v114/wetidlerjr/BOOGIE_MAN.gif

[Hill]

FYI: Wilson has three series of slide stops, two of which look like original configuration although one is made from bar stock steel and the other two, including the extended version, are MIM. Nice thing about Wilson is that they provide information as to which is which and their reason for giving such a choice.

They are: Extended Slide Release/Stop is MIM, judging from the lower price.

Bullet Proof® Slide Stop which appears to be an original configuration is 'real steel', and higher priced.

and "Factory Plus" Slide Stop, also original appearance but MIM. I guess the name is a claim that it is like a factory part but better.

Nice sturdy looking pistol, and pretty besides! Is the stippling a coating of some kind? It looks like it has a thickness, like a layer of something would.

[1911FXR]

Fine looking pistol! I really like the matte stippling.

[Jim 1855]

Great looking piece. I like Commanders and have been please with the work that Novak has done for me.

I do have a question on the sights. I am having a RRA built with the Novak 1/2 ghost ring rear and the Ashley / XO big dot front.

What front sight did you use and how do you like the combination?

Jim

[John]

Bullet Proof® Slide Stop which appears to be an original configuration is 'real steel', and higher priced.

Hill, not to argue with you, but all the Wilson pistols I've seen have this crazy-looking, shelf-like slide release. Does that mean that they use the "Factory Plus" MIM part in their pistols? I mean if memory serves me right, even the the new Sentinel Compact we tested in the E-zine had that crazy slide stop.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/sv1cec/reviews/WCSentinelC/IMG_1837.jpg

The same one was used on the Carry Comp too.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/sv1cec/reviews/WCCarryComp/Img_0072.jpg

I would expect that they would be using the top-of-the-line slide stop in their custom pistols.

[Hill]

John:I would expect that they would be using the top-of-the-line slide stop in their custom pistols.

I'd hope so, but from their accessory parts there doesn't seem to be a way to tell. As I said they offer three parts to the 'public' - those who wish to use a Wilson slide stop in a non wilson pistol - and none of the three have that objectionable appearance. Two of them, the "bulletproof" and "factory plus" look to be direct copies of the classic Colt design while the third, the "Extended" slidestop looks like most any extended slidestop that could be named. None of them are the one used in the Wilson pistols you bring forth so I guess that they reserve that one as a way to preserve the proprietary appearance that they may feel that their pistols have and other maker's pistols do not share.

So then there are four separate Wilson parts it seems, not all of which deserve the condemnation earned by the one. People may decide to shy off from Wilson parts altogether because they do not like the appearance of the "shelf" design without going to find that there are choices to be had and that the part that you and then they abhor is not available to them in an aftermarket purchase anyway.

Is all I wanted to point out..

[Jescorrea]

Alright. now I know exactly how good a 1911 can get and how much work I have to do on all of mine. Well maybe not, but You have a great pistol!!.. Thanks for sharing with us.

[rbmcmjr]

This looks exceptionally nice. It also whets my anticipation: I just sent two Commanders off to get massages.

[jhudson]

Very nice hand gun leather neck!