From Start to Finish Colt Transformation

[Greg Derr]

The starting point for a 1960's vintage Colt Commander in nickel finish for Brad W.
It's a really nice Colt but just not a great daily carry set up for Brad. So let's change that. First step is always a thorough inspection for any damage or flaws. This one is fine. Not a lot of rounds down range. The slide to frame and barrel fit are not bad. It does lack a VIS cut so we'll do that and the ejector is a little "gappy" so that can be fixed. So off to the stripping tank for the removal of the nickel.

I'll try to post everything here, but sometimes progress shots are posted to our FB page: Derr Precision

 

[pastera]

This is going to be good

 

[PL-52]

< WATCHING!!!

 

[413dan]

always love these threads. keep us posted greg, don't do FB but I will be watching this thread!

 

[greencobra]

yeah, i don't to "the book" either...toss some pics this way if you would, please. as always, looking forward to see the completed project.

 

[smokey-seven]

Another no booker here, looking forward.

 

[whalerman69]

In!

 

[Rustedmusket]

Watching

 

[Greg Derr]

OK so a bit of an update. I'm not going to build on this one. Its a bit of an unusual Colt. So one client is buying it and replacing it with another Commander the client would like and some cash to help fund this project. The sights were not original so I just happen to have a nickel rear sight and will plate a replacement front sight. So a save and a build all at once.

 

[Greg Derr]

The original base donor gun was marked "Commander Model" but was a steel framed gun. It would later be marked "Combat Commander" So maybe 2,000 were marked this way. Not super rare, but odd.

So we found a better donor gun a Light Weight Commander in nice shape. First off the grip safety and front sight. In my shop I try to work in groups. So I might work on a number of grip safeties all at once to front sights. Same with rear sights like BoMars which require 6 cutters and 11 steps.

The front sight is a Ted Yost gold line. The grip safety roughed in at this point is ours.

 

[Greg Derr]

So here I have the Ed Brown "Bobtail" MSH fit. It's staying smooth so I spent a long time smoothing it to match the contour of the frame without removing too much of the Colt LW frame. My bobbed grip safety has also been blended. The thumb safety is also blended to make for easy CC.

 

[Greg Derr]

Got the grip safety machined for the Commander hammer today. The original hammer by Colt would usually be reworked but the serrations just were not straight so I'm going with a new Extreme Engineering hammer. I cut a shallow pocket in the bobbed grip safety to allow the hammer to cam over and cock. The pocket is cut with a Woodruff key seat cutter.

 

[whalerman69]

Some cool process...

 

[smokey-seven]

Attention to detail ^2 !

 

[Greg Derr]

Staring to test fire this weekend. I'll also be getting the front sight to the right height for Brad W. I need to shape the grips and do the final finish before Ion Bond coating.