Posted: 4/22/2010 8:26:36 PM EDT
In the shop we often remark about how cool it is to be able to do our job. We get to take something old and make something new out of it... in a round about sort of way.  And in some circumstances that something “old” has been with the owner for quite some time often sharing a good bit history and invoking the kind of nostalgia that can only come from years spent together. The Colt Combat Government Model this build is based on is one such example.
The base gun was a piece that had been with the owner for the better part of 20 years. It rode on his hip as a duty gun where it served as a daily companion, was sold once, and eventually made its way back to him. Throughout this timeline the gun saw some minor changes to make it more user friendly and suit the owner’s taste and needs at the time... click here for before pictures. Fast forward to early 2009 and the trusty Colt makes its way to the shop to start the new leg of its already interesting life. The instructions were relatively simple, an all black working gun that could be equally suited in an IWB concealment rig as it would be in a duty rig with the end result being something the owner could pass down to his son. There were some choice modifications that were on the short list of “must haves” with some engraving to make it more personal but for the most part the I had a blank canvas. The gun got a weld up frame and slide fit, Kart barrel, EGW barrel bushing, flattened and serrated slide top, PG rear sight with tritium front, S&A beavertail, EGW thumb safety, Vickers Tactical ignition components, and only the best quality internals throughout the rest of the gun. As with most Combat Government Models the front strap was serrated from the factory... and not too well I might add. I trued the serrations and high-cut the front strap and fit a main spring housing with lanyard loop to match. All lines were straightened, ball-cuts machined into the slide, and the whole works was finished in matte DLC which was one of the “must haves”. The DLC finish is proving to be remarkably durable and a good choice for a long wearing “black” finish. In this case I’m sure it will help insure this gun gives the owner another 20 years of service. Enjoy the pictures! 
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Quoted: Wow I'm in love!!! hope you don't mind me askin' , how much would a project like this run me? I'm not Mr. Burton, but I'll just say that there are a few Heirloom Precision guns out there that are available in the 4k-5k range. I'm guessing this one isn't too far south of that, if at all. |
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Quoted: Quoted: Wow I'm in love!!! hope you don't mind me askin' , how much would a project like this run me? I'm not Mr. Burton, but I'll just say that there are a few Heirloom Precision guns out there that are available in the 4k-5k range. I'm guessing this one isn't too far south of that, if at all. I don't want to risk sounding like a troll, but I just cruised through the site's image gallery. And then I checked the prices. What all does a $5000 rebuild do for you that a $1000 one from somewhere else won't? Is the extra price for the increase in reputation/quality control? Increased reliability? Accuracy? Attention to detail? Not that I'm opposed to a price like that if it's worth it. Just curious as to what makes these pistols worth $5000. Oh, and their shop is about 3 miles from my apartment. I love Arizona.  ETA: Either way, it'll be a very, very, very (ad nauseum) long time before I can afford something like that.  |
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Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Wow I'm in love!!! hope you don't mind me askin' , how much would a project like this run me? I'm not Mr. Burton, but I'll just say that there are a few Heirloom Precision guns out there that are available in the 4k-5k range. I'm guessing this one isn't too far south of that, if at all. I don't want to risk sounding like a troll, but I just cruised through the site's image gallery. And then I checked the prices. What all does a $5000 rebuild do for you that a $1000 one from somewhere else won't? Is the extra price for the increase in reputation/quality control? Increased reliability? Accuracy? Attention to detail? Not that I'm opposed to a price like that if it's worth it. Just curious as to what makes these pistols worth $5000. Oh, and their shop is about 3 miles from my apartment. I love Arizona. ETA: Either way, it'll be a very, very, very (ad nauseum) long time before I can afford something like that. Reputation is a big part of it, but to me, it's the attention to detail that goes into every pistol. The weld up frame and slide, the slide ball cuts, flattened top with serrations, etc. There are a lot of shops that offer these services, but Heirloom Precision and a few others (LTW Forum comes to mind) *really* do it well and add their own custom touches. I've never seen one of their builds that I wasn't impressed with, even on a "simple" retro rebuild. The other side is rarity. I don't know how many pistols they turn out, but I would conservatively guess it's probably less than 1% of the number that Ed Brown kicks out in factory guns. BTW, as a LEO I'll never be able to afford one either, but I sure like to look at them. |
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Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Wow I'm in love!!! hope you don't mind me askin' , how much would a project like this run me? I'm not Mr. Burton, but I'll just say that there are a few Heirloom Precision guns out there that are available in the 4k-5k range. I'm guessing this one isn't too far south of that, if at all. I don't want to risk sounding like a troll, but I just cruised through the site's image gallery. And then I checked the prices. What all does a $5000 rebuild do for you that a $1000 one from somewhere else won't? Is the extra price for the increase in reputation/quality control? Increased reliability? Accuracy? Attention to detail? Not that I'm opposed to a price like that if it's worth it. Just curious as to what makes these pistols worth $5000. Oh, and their shop is about 3 miles from my apartment. I love Arizona. ETA: Either way, it'll be a very, very, very (ad nauseum) long time before I can afford something like that. Reputation is a big part of it, but to me, it's the attention to detail that goes into every pistol. The weld up frame and slide, the slide ball cuts, flattened top with serrations, etc. There are a lot of shops that offer these services, but Heirloom Precision and a few others (LTW Forum comes to mind) *really* do it well and add their own custom touches. I've never seen one of their builds that I wasn't impressed with, even on a "simple" retro rebuild. The other side is rarity. I don't know how many pistols they turn out, but I would conservatively guess it's probably less than 1% of the number that Ed Brown kicks out in factory guns. BTW, as a LEO I'll never be able to afford one either, but I sure like to look at them. Well, I would guess that if welding and perfectly fitting from there is involved, then $4000 seems about in line. Damn. One day I'll make a ton of money and get this done. That day is not today.  |
