Posted: 12/9/2009 8:09:08 PM EDT
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My very first true custom pistol was a full-house Swenson gun built on a large letter Series 70 Colt. By the time the gun made it into my hands Swenson had already passed on but this pistol was the beginning for me and my first foray into the custom gun market, as in a true custom build as opposed to the semi-customs that were already in my handgun battery.
This was to be the first of many Swenson Colts to cross my path and this particular gun was a bought from a gentleman that lived in same Fall Brook neighborhood as Swenson. The pistol was an “unfired” example that was original converted in the mid-‘80s and featured all the marquee Swenson modifications as well as a Bar-Sto barrel. In addition to being the beginning of my custom 1911 adventure it was also a catalyst to my interest in the work of Armand Swenson. Since that first purchase I have owned and examined many, many Swenson guns along with collecting a fair amount of literature, products, and photographs associated with this important maker. So when presented with the opportunity to refurbish a Swenson gun saying my interest was once again perked would be an understatement. The gun pictured here was originally built in by Swenson in the early 1970’s at his shop in Gardena. At some point between then and now the gun was refinished in a two-tone Rogard over NP3. Once it made it into the current owner’s hands he wanted to have the gun refurbished in a manner that would have been consistent with Swenson’s work and finished in matte hard chrome. I was very pleased to get the call. For the most part the gun was sound but there were a few fixes that were needed, chief among them was a bit of barrel work. During the original conversion by Swenson the muzzle end of the barrel was sleeved and the factory Colt barrel bushing was bored out to fit the new and very large barrel OD that was created by adding the barrel sleeve. The work was done long before the use of oversized aftermarket barrels and under normal circumstances the sleeve would probably have lasted forever but the soft solder Swenson used didn’t stand up to having the existing finish stripped. A new barrel sleeve was added and this time silver soldered to the barrel. The barrel OD at the muzzle was then turned down to a useable diameter and the barrel was re-crowned. I discarded the barrel bushing that was originally fit by Swenson due mostly to the very large ID needed to fit the original Swenson installed barrel sleeve. I replaced the old bushing with an oversized EGW barrel bushing that I cut down and finished in the same manner I’ve seen over and over again on Swenson Colts. New springs and pins were of course in order and the roll-marks were re-engraved in order to insure their prominence under the matte hard chrome finish. The thumb safety (an original hand-made Swenson part) was re-fit, a light reliability job was performed, a new plunger tube and stock bushings installed, and the K-frame rear sight was re-built. A flat 30lpi checkered MSH was also installed at the owners request and after the application of hard chrome the front sight, which is silver soldered in place, was re-serrated and finished in cold blue as Swenson would have done. Before sending the gun home to its owner I got to spend a day out on the range with the pistol. The shooting and the test target serve as a good reminder of not only the innovation of Swenson’s work but also how it has endured. It may not be perfect by today’s standards but importance certainly cannot be overlooked. Enough prose, enjoy the before and after pictures... 
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Nice and simple. I really like the thumb safety but have never understood the K-frame rear sight. It was used at a time when few custom rear sights were available. I would assume that being a low adjustable sight that it was a good choice for a carry gun. ...and I bet most everyone on the planet had used S&W revolver sights so these would be a natural progression...nice pistol... |
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Jason's posts just remind me how thankful I am to have had a pistol done by Heirloom Precision - back when I could afford it. Very nice job, as always.
Speaking for a lot of people here, we always look forward to seeing these beautifully crafted and beautifully photographed firearms. |
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I understand why someone might like hard chrome, but I don't get the hard chromed front sight. Maybe it offers visual contrast, the black rear sight and the silver front. Anyways...I love it. You want visible contrast between the gaps and the rear sight. I find silver sights (like on a stainless revolver) hard to use as as, I would think a black rear and front silver sight would be a tough sight picture. Given the target, maybe not though. |
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I understand why someone might like hard chrome, but I don't get the hard chromed front sight. "was re-serrated and finished in cold blue as Swenson would have done." So it's not a silver front sight on the visible surface in the sight picture. Missed that. Now that's detail to craftsmanship. 
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Quoted: Call me crazy, but *I* prefer the original (?) two-tone look, myself. I also prefer the arched MSH over the flat as well. Still a beautiful gun though, no question about that!  It's just one of those things. Pure fact: the arched MSH wil ALWAYS look 100 percent sweeter than flat.... BUT Some guys shoot better with the flat and others with arched.....for some guys, it makes no difference. I was forced to admit that, since I shoot predominately one handed, the flat MSH is an absolute for me....I am forced to carry the "not quite so attractive" sister......but it's what works. Back to the work at hand. Jason, an excellent refit of a classic gun. Those old Swenson safeties were very cool for the time frame. How did you like the feel and oepration of that safety?? |
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Thanks so much for the kind words gents. This was one of those project I really looked forward to doing and I’m thankful to the owner for the opportunity.
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Nice and simple. I really like the thumb safety but have never understood the K-frame rear sight. It was used at a time when few custom rear sights were available. I would assume that being a low adjustable sight that it was a good choice for a carry gun. Correct, back in the day the K-frame rear sight was the sight to have. There really weren’t that many options and certainly not the wide range of choices we have today. For a 1970’s era gun this was state of the art. Quoted:
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I understand why someone might like hard chrome, but I don't get the hard chromed front sight. "was re-serrated and finished in cold blue as Swenson would have done." So it's not a silver front sight on the visible surface in the sight picture. Correct as well, the face and top of the front sight are “black” in just the same manner as they were on many of the Swenson gun‘s I‘ve had. On this pistol the serrations were cut and front sight cold blued after the hard chrome was applied. Again, state of the art for a gun of this era. Quoted:
Those old Swenson safeties were very cool for the time frame. How did you like the feel and oepration of that safety?? The safety was actually a bit stiff, however I re-worked the part and remedied that. I’ve never been a big user of extended safeties and on my personal guns I prefer the standard size Colt part. However, this original hand-made Swenson part is actually very trim and relatively unobtrusive. I think Swenson had a good idea on the overall size, just long enough to make it more useable but not so big to be in the way. |
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Kick ass and Accurately re- done. You raise the bar by exhibiting the ability to not only have your own style, but understanding and executing a past masters authenticaly.
I have been around long enough to have seen only one or two Pistolsmiths exhibit that ability. I would guess your about half of that current crowd Jason. Just my .02 cents worth Chuck W |
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Jason, Thanks for the reply...I, too am a fan of the orginal style safety, I thought it was cool that the Swenson safety was stiff, I always set mine up pretty stiff and use a heavy ( but crisp ) trigger......though I think one of these days I have to drop a pound off my Hi Power....it's a bit much.  Anyhow, as usual, bang up job on that resto!!! +5 for the Super Vel box!!!! |