Making to the Top Shelf pics!

[Greg Derr]

I spotted this Colt a few weeks ago in the classified. Fully engraved by John Adams II. One of the better names in handgun engraving. He and his dad John both engrave for Colt. The engraving was first class but the esthetics just were not right in my view( no offense to the previous owner) it just needed a few little tweaks to get it to the top shelf. I had some thoughts, which I told a great client about- he bought it.
The front sight looked to be a tritium that someone took out the the vial and plugged with a gold bead, the MSH was proud of the frame. The thumb safety was really the wrong style for a classic engraved gun. Then there was just too much stainless. There was so much that there was no visual point to focus on. The barrel was a BarSto and really needed to be a Colt to keep some integrity . Mammoth was a no brainer. The grip screws that came with it had to go.

So I replaced the front sight with black steel. Fit a Colt NM barrel and EGW bushing. Colt thumb safety and EGW slide stop in carbon. Replaced all the pins and screws with carbon. Sourced some SK grips in mammoth. Flushed the MSH and added some texture to the mag release which was over polished. Next my son Nick stepped in for nitre bluing. He did the thumb safety, slide stop, EGW bushing and all the pins and screws. The bright blue really sets off the stainless and goes nicely with the ivory for a more classic overall look. He sells the screws ( [email protected]) and will soon be offering pin sets. How's it look now? What would you change?

Enjoy!

 

[not new guy]

Much better. That bright blue looks great on all that stainless and with those grips.

Do triggers ever get engraved? It looks almost naked given the rest of the gun. Maybe a high polish to match the grip safety?

 

[jpm]

@Greg Derr WOW that is gorgeous!! The only change I'd make is to nitre blue the front sight. Leave the rear as is for contrast but I think a touch of blue up top would be very attractive.

 

[jaypap]

How's it look now? What would you change?

It looks perfect to me. I would change ownership from you to me if I could afford it.

 

[EddieA]

Wowzer!

 

[Rat187]

A beauty Greg !

 

[Parker Duofold]

I'm not a fan of engraved guns but I do like the blued hardware and the ivory grips. Real ivory grips aren't easy to find anymore.

 

[greencobra]

it just took the tiniest kiss to turn the frog into a prince....beautiful.

 

[oldguy47]

That's a work of art!

 

[magpug]

Poor thing is all scratched up. Send it to me And Ill Buff it out Scale of 1 to 10 that baby is at the least a 16 DRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL. Stash

 

[Rob Boudrie]

I've never seen mammoth grips that are that white and free of texture - are they the real thing?

I like your replacement of the allen socketed mag release with traditional. Allens or splines are nicer in new guns, but it just didn't belong on a classic Colt.

 

[Matt_SERE]

I've never seen mammoth grips that are that white and free of texture - are they the real thing?

I like your replacement of the allen socketed mag release with traditional. Allens or splines are nicer in new guns, but it just didn't belong on a classic Colt.

Rob, only because i'm up and Greg has shown me some fine grips in his possession.

Here is a recent post from SK Custom Grips on a similar/same pair? Matt


View: https://www.facebook.com/533402243726689/photos/a.533888330344747/1281403082259931/?type=3&theater

 

[Sentenza]

I love it ..she's gorgeous. I was just wondering about the grips. They slightly cover where it reads MFG Hartford Conn. What does it say before MFG ? If anything...im not complaining just wondering I can barely tie my shoes so I have tremendous respect for your art.

 

[DavidP617]

My god that's a sexy gun

 

[Biggles77]

Amazing.
Similar to my "dream pistol".

What does something like that go for; if you don't mind me asking (Not necessarily that particular one, but a similar Colt)

 

[dcmdon]

With all the clean up you have done, which looks fantastic, the rear sight now looks like garbage.

The "swoop" doesn't work with the straight lines and flat surfaces of the gun. Maybe a Novak Lo-Mount. Retro but angular?

 

[powerman]

To bad the government makes you screw it up with the dimpled serial number or whatever its called.

a couple of questions:
when bought brand new what was the base pistol cost and what would colt charge to have it engraved like that?
Any idea how long it would take with their little hammer, chisels and gouges.
I wonder what kind of $ adder the engraving was, doubled the price, 3x???

back in the day, there was a lot of labor just making the pistol.

 

[dcmdon]

A friend of mine is a guy named George Spring. He was a master engraver at Colt for decades. He did a set of what he referred to as "Dragoons" for George Bush. He said he had HUNDREDS of hours into them. So I'd imagine that work, if the gun wasn't given to someone, would cost in the tens of thousands of dollars.

 

[Mesatchornug]

Much better. That bright blue looks great on all that stainless and with those grips.

Do triggers ever get engraved? It looks almost naked given the rest of the gun. Maybe a high polish to match the grip safety?

Agreed. I'd want to blue the trigger, personally.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

To bad the government makes you screw it up with the dimpled serial number or whatever its called.

a couple of questions:
when bought brand new what was the base pistol cost and what would colt charge to have it engraved like that?
Any idea how long it would take with their little hammer, chisels and gouges.
I wonder what kind of $ adder the engraving was, doubled the price, 3x???

back in the day, there was a lot of labor just making the pistol.

The ATF has standards for the serial number (depth and height) but does not mandate the dimpled style.

 

[dcmdon]

So here is an interesting legal question. Would it be illegal to buff out the SN and then re-cut it in a compliant but more attractive style?

I'm guessing no.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

So here is an interesting legal question. Would it be illegal to buff out the SN and then re-cut it in a compliant but more attractive style?

I'm guessing no.

Only partial credit for a "No".

You need a variance letter from the ATF to make that legal. This has been done in some cases where customization of a gun would obliterate all or part of the original serial number (for example, drilling through it for a scope mount).

Another use of a variance letter is for a gun manufacturer to outsource production of, for example, lowers and have the markings on the lower identify the oursourcer rather than outsourcee.

 

[dcmdon]

So with a variance letter, Mr. Derr could remove that horrid impact pencil serial number and re-engrave something more attractive.

Interesting.

Would the letter stay in Mr. Derr's records or need to stay with the gun?

 

[Twinlebron]

I spotted this Colt a few weeks ago in the classified. Fully engraved by John Adams II. One of the better names in handgun engraving. He and his dad John both engrave for Colt. The engraving was first class but the esthetics just were not right in my view( no offense to the previous owner) it just needed a few little tweaks to get it to the top shelf. I had some thoughts, which I told a great client about- he bought it.
The front sight looked to be a tritium that someone took out the the vial and plugged with a gold bead, the MSH was proud of the frame. The thumb safety was really the wrong style for a classic engraved gun. Then there was just too much stainless. There was so much that there was no visual point to focus on. The barrel was a BarSto and really needed to be a Colt to keep some integrity . Mammoth was a no brainer. The grip screws that came with it had to go.

So I replaced the front sight with black steel. Fit a Colt NM barrel and EGW bushing. Colt thumb safety and EGW slide stop in carbon. Replaced all the pins and screws with carbon. Sourced some SK grips in mammoth. Flushed the MSH and added some texture to the mag release which was over polished. Next my son Nick stepped in for nitre bluing. He did the thumb safety, slide stop, EGW bushing and all the pins and screws. The bright blue really sets off the stainless and goes nicely with the ivory for a more classic overall look. He sells the screws ( [email protected]) and will soon be offering pin sets. How's it look now? What would you change?

Enjoy!

I’d leave this just the way it is. I would put this thing in a show case for sure. Beautiful piece you have there.

 

[StevieP]

Nice barbecue gun. I hope it wouldn't live its entire life in a show case. I imagine it's a nice shooter in addition to being purty