Everybody likes special... I’m certainly no different. Whether it’s a special suit, meal, gun, or whatever... there is not a person among us that doesn’t have an idea of what is special to them. No matter what the ‘special’ event or item the key element is for it to have meaning and as I discussed the spec’s for this build with the owner it was easy to see that it was to be something special for him.

A modern day Combat Special, that was the summary description given to me as the overall theme for this build. A pistol that incorporated some of the distinctive features of the Pachmayr Combat Specials but done with a modern flare. The classic Combat Special styled features were things like a buried BMCS style adjustable rear sight paired with a gold bead front sight, an ambi-safety, a classic two-tone finish with a blued slide sitting atop a hard chromed frame, and of course the gun had to get a squared and checkered trigger guard.

The original guard was oddly shaped so I made the insert a bit thicker than normal to help blend with the odd dimensions and existing proportions. Once in place I hand-checkered the front of the guard at 50lpi.







Building this gun on an old “large letter” Colt helped further emphasize a classic look and the modern touches came by way of features such as a flattened and serrated slide top, an EGW beavertail, slotted Commander hammer, as well as using the modern Wilson Bulletproof part for the ambi-safety. Ball-cuts on the slide and 50lpi rear slide serrations helped to tie the entire package together as did the outstanding Spegel grips in which I inlayed the gold Colt medallions. Keeping with the modern/classic theme, my pal Erik Little at Rafter L Combat Leather built a classic single loop Summer Special made using the original BNCL pattern. A fitting companion to the pistol.













A wonderful postscript was the photo of the target and the comments I received after delivering the finished gun to the owner, “1 target, 1 hour... 500rds 230 hardball... Federal, Winchester, Remington, Herters, Freedom Munitions. 36 magazines... Cabot, Pachmayr, Wilson... no problems or failures, not even a stove pipe, just the huge amounts of oil I used all over my face and a sore thumb from loading magazines.”

Much obliged for the feedback gentlemen!