John Holbrook
2nd October 2005, 17:29
About 12 years ago, I came across an ad for some Colt's for sale. One was a frame only #43909 which was advertised as a Navy frame. I bought it for $500.00. Now at that time that was the going price for complete 1911s.
It was a complete frame and had been Parkerized. I bought a Navy slide from the Shotgun News for $175.00. It was also Parked, however the colors did not match, so I had a friend re-park it so it would match. That was re-finish number one….
About this time I got a copy of Clawson and discovered that the frame was assigned to the USS TEXAS! Being a native Texan, I was ecstatic. I took the Colt with me on one of my trips to Bellingham, WA. I ran into a gunsmith who claimed that he could restore it to its original beauty.
I let him have it, and when I got it back, he had over polished it and it looked crappy, re-finish number two.
Sooooo, I re-polished it myself and had a friend in Irving, Texas blue it for me, re-finish number three!!!
You may notice that the slide is a later one. The correct slide for this Colt should have the 1911 Patent date as the last date. Now, if I can find a proper early slide I will send it off to Bill Adair and have him do a proper job on it, which will be re-finish number four..
I wonder if a gun can be worn out by re-finishing it???????
Arrrrrrrrg……..
http://www.fototime.com/{98D28102-C781-47BC-8348-25E16F2AD22D}/picture.JPG
It was a complete frame and had been Parkerized. I bought a Navy slide from the Shotgun News for $175.00. It was also Parked, however the colors did not match, so I had a friend re-park it so it would match. That was re-finish number one….
About this time I got a copy of Clawson and discovered that the frame was assigned to the USS TEXAS! Being a native Texan, I was ecstatic. I took the Colt with me on one of my trips to Bellingham, WA. I ran into a gunsmith who claimed that he could restore it to its original beauty.
I let him have it, and when I got it back, he had over polished it and it looked crappy, re-finish number two.
Sooooo, I re-polished it myself and had a friend in Irving, Texas blue it for me, re-finish number three!!!
You may notice that the slide is a later one. The correct slide for this Colt should have the 1911 Patent date as the last date. Now, if I can find a proper early slide I will send it off to Bill Adair and have him do a proper job on it, which will be re-finish number four..
I wonder if a gun can be worn out by re-finishing it???????
Arrrrrrrrg……..
http://www.fototime.com/{98D28102-C781-47BC-8348-25E16F2AD22D}/picture.JPG