bannockburn
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- Joined
- Apr 24, 2007
- Messages
- 26,301
Vodoun da Vinci
Eagerly awaiting "The Pics"!
Eagerly awaiting "The Pics"!
Hard Chrome Finishes: Matte, Brushed, Satin?
- Thread starter Vodoun da Vinci
- Start date
- Status
Why did you have to go through an FFL to ship it? Cogan's has an FFL, you should be able to ship direct to them and they can send it right back to you, no one else needs to be involved.It's killin' me....the gun is *BaCk!* and I got to visit her and fill out paperwork last night. Unfortunately there is a 3 day wait here in Illinois even if I already own the gun being shipped/transferred. So, I can't shoot any pix until *next* weekend and hopefully I'll have a range report as well.
But I was stunned to see the pistol. It's just fantastic. Unbelievable in fact. It's like a brand new 1903 Pocket Hammerless only better...they recut some of the engraving like the Colt Pony to keep it super crisp after the hard chrome plating and the "Street Tune" action job has the trigger and action absolutely crisp and professional.
I'll shoot a bunch of pix but I doubt I'm a good enough photographer to do it justice...it's the coolest pistol I own hand down now. Can't wait to shoot it. Sorry for the tease but I'm so excited I 'bout peed my pants.
Gotta share - pix to come I promise. I have another one of these that's gonna get a similar treatment soon as I get some $ saved up...hate to do the next one *just* like this but it came out so nice I'd love to have two of them as Mates. Did I mention it's fantastic? Super kudos to AP&W Cogan - highly recommended!
VooDoo
Also, why didn't you take pictures while you were filling out paperwork to get the gun you already own back? We're all waiting!!!
Vodoun da Vinci
Member
When I priced it all out it was cheaper to have my FFL ship the gun to/from as they can use USPS and it goes in 3 days. It's Illinois and my local FFL is simple and cheap...way easier and cheaper for me to ship via them and have tnem coordinate FFL to FFL.
The only bug is the creepy 3 day wait. Plus if UPS or Fedex carries the gun back from Alabama, where do they drop it that I can get it without taking a day off work and driving to the local hub and signing for it? I doubt they'd leave it on the front porch and if they did I'd be sure to lose it. It's just way easier for me to pay $25 to have my FFL deal with it.
I plead shock for not having used my phone to shoot a pix of it...between filling out the paperwork and field stripping and holding it was all I could do to remember not to drool on it.
Sorry to be a tease....I can't even sleep. It's like Christmas and I'm a 10 year old....
VooDoo
The only bug is the creepy 3 day wait. Plus if UPS or Fedex carries the gun back from Alabama, where do they drop it that I can get it without taking a day off work and driving to the local hub and signing for it? I doubt they'd leave it on the front porch and if they did I'd be sure to lose it. It's just way easier for me to pay $25 to have my FFL deal with it.
I plead shock for not having used my phone to shoot a pix of it...between filling out the paperwork and field stripping and holding it was all I could do to remember not to drool on it.
Sorry to be a tease....I can't even sleep. It's like Christmas and I'm a 10 year old.... VooDoo
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Zach S
Member
I have a complete 1911 going to Birdsong soon, and a lower half going to APW for matte hard chrome eventually. I'll probably have my LGS handle shipping for the same reasons.
Huh. I've shipped guns to gunsmiths, refinishing houses, back to the factory for warranty repair, etc, and they've been shipped straight back to me, never had an issue. If it's something I can't be home to claim, I have it returned to me at my place of employment.
I did recently have a frame and barrel sent from a gunsmith to Ionbond and returned back to the gunsmith but he had to put the gun back together. That sucks about the three day wait, do they do a background check? Federal law doesn't require it, but I wouldn't put anything past IL.
I did recently have a frame and barrel sent from a gunsmith to Ionbond and returned back to the gunsmith but he had to put the gun back together. That sucks about the three day wait, do they do a background check? Federal law doesn't require it, but I wouldn't put anything past IL.
Vodoun da Vinci
Member
I was told by my FFL/LGS that the 3 day wait was Federal....I have no idea. I think in a State that has a 3 day wait, anytime you ship the gun FFL/FFL there is a background check and all that. I hate the wait but I'm used to it and *insist* in all my firearms dealings that we follow the very letter of the law and that even the possibility of someone pointing a finger and implying impropriety be avoided.
I don't cheat or even wiggle in any way that can be looked at suspiciously. It's probably expensive and tedious for others that live in other States but for me I'll always ship FFL to FFL. Still considering getting my own but the regulations and paperwork kinda scare me...once my Corporate VP and Secretary (my Wife) get it figured out with my attorney I'll let them handle it.
Other than the 3 day wait this has been a painless and very satisfying experience and I'll likely repeat it with several Colt Pocket Hammerless' I have rounded up for the express purpose of "saving them" as they are all compromised presently.
VooDoo
I don't cheat or even wiggle in any way that can be looked at suspiciously. It's probably expensive and tedious for others that live in other States but for me I'll always ship FFL to FFL. Still considering getting my own but the regulations and paperwork kinda scare me...once my Corporate VP and Secretary (my Wife) get it figured out with my attorney I'll let them handle it.
Other than the 3 day wait this has been a painless and very satisfying experience and I'll likely repeat it with several Colt Pocket Hammerless' I have rounded up for the express purpose of "saving them" as they are all compromised presently.
VooDoo
Deaf Smith
Member
Ok, soon I'll be getting a DS, 2nd issue, tight but virtually all the finish gone. This snub will cost me $250!!!
I wanna get that kind of cool finish in it. Where and how much?
Any of you guys know?
Thanks,
Deaf
Cocked & Locked
Member
Here you go Deaf Smith.
This is the backstory....
A friend of mine that lives nearby told me of a customized Colt that a guy in Texas owned and was thinking about selling. I ended up even trading a S&W nickel plated model 15 for it.
The gun was pictured and talked about in at least two of Dean Grennell's books from the late 1970's. I've got two of those books. The gun is the same as the US Property serial number on the butt of the frame is the exact same as the one pictured in the books.
The Colt belonged to Dean Grennell's brother named Ralph. I kinda like that because that's my name as well. There are some pictures of "Ralph" shooting it in the books.
The custom work was done in the late 1960's to early 70's by a company that is no longer in business.
That was:
John B. Williams Gunsmithing
704 East Commonwealth
Fullerton, California
I remember reading about that company in the gun magazines back in that time and seeing pictures of some of their custom Colts and S&W revolvers. I can't find any reference to the company on the internet now.
The barrel was cut to 2.5 inches. A S&W adjustable rear sight was custom shaped and fitted to a matching milled cut in the top strap. A S&W "type" front sight with red insert was fabricated & installed.
The hammer, cylinder latch, and trigger were bright chromed. The barrel & frame were matte hard chromed. Action work done internally, etc., etc.
It shoots good too! Sometimes I carry it concealed cross draw.
This is the backstory....
A friend of mine that lives nearby told me of a customized Colt that a guy in Texas owned and was thinking about selling. I ended up even trading a S&W nickel plated model 15 for it.
The gun was pictured and talked about in at least two of Dean Grennell's books from the late 1970's. I've got two of those books. The gun is the same as the US Property serial number on the butt of the frame is the exact same as the one pictured in the books.
The Colt belonged to Dean Grennell's brother named Ralph. I kinda like that because that's my name as well. There are some pictures of "Ralph" shooting it in the books.
The custom work was done in the late 1960's to early 70's by a company that is no longer in business.
That was:
John B. Williams Gunsmithing
704 East Commonwealth
Fullerton, California
I remember reading about that company in the gun magazines back in that time and seeing pictures of some of their custom Colts and S&W revolvers. I can't find any reference to the company on the internet now.
The barrel was cut to 2.5 inches. A S&W adjustable rear sight was custom shaped and fitted to a matching milled cut in the top strap. A S&W "type" front sight with red insert was fabricated & installed.
The hammer, cylinder latch, and trigger were bright chromed. The barrel & frame were matte hard chromed. Action work done internally, etc., etc.
It shoots good too! Sometimes I carry it concealed cross draw.
Vodoun da Vinci
Member
Holy Cow that's a beautiful and functionally finished revolver...fantastic! 
Thanks for sharing that!
VooDoo
Thanks for sharing that!
VooDoo
Deaf Smith
Member
C&L,
Yea, Dean Grennell, I remember him. Wrote alot of articles. I to have some of his books!
And right Vodoun a very nice gun and defiantly one to get you through the night in one piece.
Well at least my idea is to get the old DS done in such a fashion and add a Tyler-T.
Thanks,
Deaf
Yea, Dean Grennell, I remember him. Wrote alot of articles. I to have some of his books!
And right Vodoun a very nice gun and defiantly one to get you through the night in one piece.
Well at least my idea is to get the old DS done in such a fashion and add a Tyler-T.
Thanks,
Deaf
Vodoun da Vinci
Member
Based on what I saw done to my Colt Pocket Hammerless by AP&W Cogan I'd recommend them to do your upcoming Colt DT project, Deaf Smith. We'll wait until I shoot it and get the pix up but based on what it was and what it now looks and feels like I will recommend AP&W Cogan.
http://www.apwcogan.com/
The craftsmanship. price, and "feel" of the Colt Pocket Hammerless I had done is nothing short of top end. The only weak spot was their communication via Email but on the phone Chris Grammar is fantastic and all of the work done was exactly what I specified and it was done in a time frame that was touted. Fantastic website and explanation of available services and prices. The gun smithing done on a 90+ year old orphan psitol was nothing short of fantastic in my opinion. I thought their services were perfect - under sold, over delivered.
I get the gun tomorrow (Monday) and I'll do my best to get a couple pix up tomorrow night. Seriously, it's that good. They'll be doing a second gun for me very soon.
VooDoo
http://www.apwcogan.com/
The craftsmanship. price, and "feel" of the Colt Pocket Hammerless I had done is nothing short of top end. The only weak spot was their communication via Email but on the phone Chris Grammar is fantastic and all of the work done was exactly what I specified and it was done in a time frame that was touted. Fantastic website and explanation of available services and prices. The gun smithing done on a 90+ year old orphan psitol was nothing short of fantastic in my opinion. I thought their services were perfect - under sold, over delivered.
I get the gun tomorrow (Monday) and I'll do my best to get a couple pix up tomorrow night. Seriously, it's that good. They'll be doing a second gun for me very soon.
VooDoo
Deaf Smith
Member
I'll be a-waiting Vodoun
Thanks,
Deaf
Thanks,
Deaf
horsemen61
Member
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2011
- Messages
- 6,756
Pics? please
Vodoun da Vinci
Member
RL and my job is killing me....I apologize. I'll have pix up Saturday 11/1 of the refinished/street tuned Colt Pocket Hammerless.
If I have to pay someone to take them for me....
VooDoo
If I have to pay someone to take them for me....
VooDoo
B!ngoFuelUSN
Member
Wow. That is outstanding!I had this revolver hard chromed by Mahovsky's. My gunsmith bead blasted it for a uniform matte finish before I sent it in.
So bead blasting before chroming clearly has an effect. But can you share what type of chrome finish was applied? That is really cool.
B
Hard chrome will take on the appearance of the surface it's applied to - apply it over a bead blasted surface and it will have a matte finish like my revolver, apply to a well polished surface and it will be shiny. There are several brand names of industrial hard chrome, Mahovsky's calls theirs Metalife, Armoloy and Metaloy are two others and lots of other companies just call it hard chrome. All of them are basically the same with small variations in hardness. Like any other finish, the preparation is generally more critical than the finish or coating being applied, and sets one company apart from another.
Vodoun da Vinci
Member
Colt 1903 Pocket Hammerless by AP&W Cogan
Pix of my Colt 1903 Pocket Hammerless just returned from Accurate Plating and Weaponry/Cogan Custom. This pistol was made about 1924 and came to me needing some minor gun smithing to fix a hacked safety lever. They ended up replacing it and filling the notch in the slide and recutting it before refinishing and industrial hard chrome plate.
All springs were replaced and the gun got a "legacy carry package" which includes a street tune for trigger and action. The rear sight is black and picks up really well against the matte finish...this gun was finished with matte rounds and brushed flats.
The action and trigger on this pistol is now absolutely the best of any gun in my small collection and the pictures do not really show how impressive this gun really is in the hand. We had originally wanted to replace the grips but Bob Cogan didn't get the fit he wanted from the replacements so he cleaned up the originals and reinstalled them. They are fantastic now as well and give the gun a lot of character and soul.
Delineation between the brushed flats and matte finish rounds is crisp and *really* attractive in a functional way. There is not one flaw and anything your eye might pick up is either a shadow or dust from my amateurish photography. For the price this gun is fantastic and runs like a competition custom tuned pistol and feels like a brand new Colt 1903 Pocket Hammerless. Everything is now top end with this gun and all the safeties and locks function like a new gun.
They must have recut the slide serrations because the originals had been beat over in some places originally and the corrosion, while slight, was bad enough over the pony that when enough metal was removed to get the proper geometry and finish the pony was washed out a little. So, it was recut. All the lettering and production marks are crisp and good looking. I have another gun made in 1919 that is gonna get a rebuild like this - haven't yet decided if I'll do it just like this one or maybe something different.
Anyway, thanks for checking out the pix and super *Thank You* to everyone who has contributed to this thread and helped me make decisions and gave recommendations and supplied pix and craftsmen references.
VooDoo
Pix of my Colt 1903 Pocket Hammerless just returned from Accurate Plating and Weaponry/Cogan Custom. This pistol was made about 1924 and came to me needing some minor gun smithing to fix a hacked safety lever. They ended up replacing it and filling the notch in the slide and recutting it before refinishing and industrial hard chrome plate.
All springs were replaced and the gun got a "legacy carry package" which includes a street tune for trigger and action. The rear sight is black and picks up really well against the matte finish...this gun was finished with matte rounds and brushed flats.
The action and trigger on this pistol is now absolutely the best of any gun in my small collection and the pictures do not really show how impressive this gun really is in the hand. We had originally wanted to replace the grips but Bob Cogan didn't get the fit he wanted from the replacements so he cleaned up the originals and reinstalled them. They are fantastic now as well and give the gun a lot of character and soul.
Delineation between the brushed flats and matte finish rounds is crisp and *really* attractive in a functional way. There is not one flaw and anything your eye might pick up is either a shadow or dust from my amateurish photography. For the price this gun is fantastic and runs like a competition custom tuned pistol and feels like a brand new Colt 1903 Pocket Hammerless. Everything is now top end with this gun and all the safeties and locks function like a new gun.
They must have recut the slide serrations because the originals had been beat over in some places originally and the corrosion, while slight, was bad enough over the pony that when enough metal was removed to get the proper geometry and finish the pony was washed out a little. So, it was recut. All the lettering and production marks are crisp and good looking. I have another gun made in 1919 that is gonna get a rebuild like this - haven't yet decided if I'll do it just like this one or maybe something different.
Anyway, thanks for checking out the pix and super *Thank You* to everyone who has contributed to this thread and helped me make decisions and gave recommendations and supplied pix and craftsmen references.
VooDoo
B!ngoFuelUSN
Member
Interesting. Makes sense. I always assumed that the texture difference was in something they did (perhaps added to) the chrome. Thanks.
B
B!ngoFuelUSN
Member
That is a thing of beauty. Would you mind saying more about the brushed versus matte sections. I can't really tell which part is which finish.Pix of my Colt 1903 Pocket Hammerless just returned from Accurate Plating and Weaponry/Cogan Custom. This pistol was made about 1924 and came to me needing some minor gun smithing to fix a hacked safety lever. They ended up replacing it and filling the notch in the slide and recutting it before refinishing and industrial hard chrome plate.
All springs were replaced and the gun got a "legacy carry package" which includes a street tune for trigger and action. The rear sight is black and picks up really well against the matte finish...this gun was finished with matte rounds and brushed flats.
The action and trigger on this pistol is now absolutely the best of any gun in my small collection and the pictures do not really show how impressive this gun really is in the hand. We had originally wanted to replace the grips but Bob Cogan didn't get the fit he wanted from the replacements so he cleaned up the originals and reinstalled them. They are fantastic now as well and give the gun a lot of character and soul.
Delineation between the brushed flats and matte finish rounds is crisp and *really* attractive in a functional way. There is not one flaw and anything your eye might pick up is either a shadow or dust from my amateurish photography. For the price this gun is fantastic and runs like a competition custom tuned pistol and feels like a brand new Colt 1903 Pocket Hammerless. Everything is now top end with this gun and all the safeties and locks function like a new gun.
They must have recut the slide serrations because the originals had been beat over in some places originally and the corrosion, while slight, was bad enough over the pony that when enough metal was removed to get the proper geometry and finish the pony was washed out a little. So, it was recut. All the lettering and production marks are crisp and good looking. I have another gun made in 1919 that is gonna get a rebuild like this - haven't yet decided if I'll do it just like this one or maybe something different.
Anyway, thanks for checking out the pix and super *Thank You* to everyone who has contributed to this thread and helped me make decisions and gave recommendations and supplied pix and craftsmen references.
VooDoo
And separately, without being too 'low rent', could you share roughly what this kind of work costs (excluding the mechanical work but 'just' the refinishing)? For years I've been toying matte or flat chrome refinishing one of my H&K P7 M8's (and before people tell me that it would be sacrilegious, I purposely bought this one in slightly rough condition so I could use without worry and potentially alter it as I choose. The other similar models that I have remain completely stock).
Again, thanks for sharing.
B
Vodoun da Vinci
Member
The contrast between brushed flats, which is a semi reflective (not mirror like) finish and the Matte finished rounds which is frosty and very dead/non reflective is hard to capture in a photograph with my skills. This one kinda illustrates it a little better as the flats on the slide and frame picked up/reflected the darkness of the room while the rounds like the top of the slide, trigger guard, front strap etc stayed dead silver/blue and thus contrast a lot in this pix....
In this pix the dark areas are brushed finish flats - the white/silver areas are matte finished as is the inside of the lettering which is why they "pop" like that in this photo. It's very nice looking and precise in the hand but very hard to capture (for me) in a picture.
I think AP&W will do hard chrome refinish with flaw removal/dis assembly/re assembly for $200 so if one had a gun in good mechanical condition and wanted hard chrome only I think they are extremely competitive and the work well executed and precise.
Price wise I paid $475 for everything including the hard chrome finished, re cutting/re engraving , new springs, "Street Tune" which improved the action and trigger of this pistol to a level I never thought possible, and the repair of the safety lever and associated gun smithing needed to repair the damage/hack job. Including the price of the gun, shipping and transfer fees, etc. I have just shy of $1000 invested in this pistol. I have no idea what it's value is now...obviously zero to a collector *but* I have priced an awful lot of these guns in similar original condition without the performance enhancement that are basically NIB condition (without the box) and $1000 would not touch them. Guns in 98% condition without the box seem to go in the $1500 range at Rock Island Auction and GunBroker. And those guns would be/have been (obviously) Safe Queens..nothing wrong with that, I have a lot of heart for guys who collect and preserve. But I wanna shoot 'em and experience them and a pistol like this I have no problem shooting, showing, and loaning and letting others experience this. I don't think I'd do that with a collectible Colt Pocket Hammerless in say 98% condition that was NIB condition and virtually unfired. This pistol handled 50 rounds of my hot .32 hand loads pushing a Rim Rock 75 gr. hard cast flat nose at almost 1100 fps and never missed a lick. It's a fantastic shooter and I'd *never* do that with a collectible pistol...run 200 rounds of factory Fiocchi, S&B, and hot hand loads thru a 90+ year old gun in one session? Piece of cake...not gonna happen if it's a Safe Queen.
So it's a value for me since the original gun as it came to me was almost junk...shootable but with compromised safety, nicks and dings, some rust and pitting, a recoil spring that looked like a pigs tail/cork screw etc. and I now have what amounts to a custom tuned Pocket Hammerless with super hardcore hard chrome finish as a range and carry pistol. The conversation and "Show and Tell" factor alone is unbelievable.
You should have seen the eye pops and gathered group at the LGS when it came back...all those guys sniffed at the gun when I bought it and drooled on it when the project was complete.
Way too much fun. We'll be doing this again...the "Win/Win" is that we literally saved a gun headed for the part pile. Certainly it would not have survived as a shootable pistol for the next 50 - 100 years and now it's good to go for my life time and then some.
VooDoo
In this pix the dark areas are brushed finish flats - the white/silver areas are matte finished as is the inside of the lettering which is why they "pop" like that in this photo. It's very nice looking and precise in the hand but very hard to capture (for me) in a picture.
I think AP&W will do hard chrome refinish with flaw removal/dis assembly/re assembly for $200 so if one had a gun in good mechanical condition and wanted hard chrome only I think they are extremely competitive and the work well executed and precise.
Price wise I paid $475 for everything including the hard chrome finished, re cutting/re engraving , new springs, "Street Tune" which improved the action and trigger of this pistol to a level I never thought possible, and the repair of the safety lever and associated gun smithing needed to repair the damage/hack job. Including the price of the gun, shipping and transfer fees, etc. I have just shy of $1000 invested in this pistol. I have no idea what it's value is now...obviously zero to a collector *but* I have priced an awful lot of these guns in similar original condition without the performance enhancement that are basically NIB condition (without the box) and $1000 would not touch them. Guns in 98% condition without the box seem to go in the $1500 range at Rock Island Auction and GunBroker. And those guns would be/have been (obviously) Safe Queens..nothing wrong with that, I have a lot of heart for guys who collect and preserve. But I wanna shoot 'em and experience them and a pistol like this I have no problem shooting, showing, and loaning and letting others experience this. I don't think I'd do that with a collectible Colt Pocket Hammerless in say 98% condition that was NIB condition and virtually unfired. This pistol handled 50 rounds of my hot .32 hand loads pushing a Rim Rock 75 gr. hard cast flat nose at almost 1100 fps and never missed a lick. It's a fantastic shooter and I'd *never* do that with a collectible pistol...run 200 rounds of factory Fiocchi, S&B, and hot hand loads thru a 90+ year old gun in one session? Piece of cake...not gonna happen if it's a Safe Queen.
So it's a value for me since the original gun as it came to me was almost junk...shootable but with compromised safety, nicks and dings, some rust and pitting, a recoil spring that looked like a pigs tail/cork screw etc. and I now have what amounts to a custom tuned Pocket Hammerless with super hardcore hard chrome finish as a range and carry pistol. The conversation and "Show and Tell" factor alone is unbelievable.
You should have seen the eye pops and gathered group at the LGS when it came back...all those guys sniffed at the gun when I bought it and drooled on it when the project was complete.
Way too much fun. We'll be doing this again...the "Win/Win" is that we literally saved a gun headed for the part pile. Certainly it would not have survived as a shootable pistol for the next 50 - 100 years and now it's good to go for my life time and then some.
VooDoo
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Deaf Smith
Member
You've sold me VooDoo.
It says $200 if no mods or fixes on the website so that is doable for my Colt DS.
I presume I'll also pay shipping both ways that that's about another $50.
Deaf
It says $200 if no mods or fixes on the website so that is doable for my Colt DS.
I presume I'll also pay shipping both ways that that's about another $50.
Deaf
Vodoun da Vinci
Member
Well, I have seen some really nice pictures of work and recommendations for other folks that I'm sure do very good work as well...like Mahovsky's and others. I'd hate to disrespect them. I'm one of those odd folks who will research a restaurant or car repair place (found the best Mexican food on the planet this way...) and then check them out with a project. And if it works out well?
I'm a customer for life. I tend to order the same thing over and over if I find what I like and it trips my trigger. So it will likely be with AP&W Cogan...the experience was perfect, the result was undersold and over delivered, the time frame was as touted. I'm sure other professionals have equal services but I'm inclined to recommend and use what has worked well for me in my experience but would not expect others to follow that lead. There's a lot of good stuff out there I think...it's just that AP&W hit my "button" with their website and detailed explanations, various options, pictures and Customer Service.
I was nervous filling out their order form and detailing my desires and expecting they'd hit it right off the bat but they did that and more so I'm hooked. I have no idea how many Pocket Hammerless I'll do this way but it'll be a few. I asked about the durability of Black Chrome and about doing one in all matte and other stuff. I may do the next one differently but I probably won't do one all matte hard chrome. I'm seriously visualizing bright finished flats with matte rounds or an all bright finish in hard chrome now. I played show and tell at the range and in the show room and with "Gun Buddies" at work as well as some interested folks that were distinctly *not* gun people but knew about the project of restoring and customizing an antique. Response has been overwhelmingly positive and I had a couple people at work who are wanting to learn to shoot because of handling this pistol and getting a quick safety and field strip/loading/unloading session. Previously these folks have been scared of guns and had no interest in shooting sports, collecting, etc and now have expressed enough interest that we have a range date with a .22 and some other guns to bring them up to competence. So, the project is wildly successful all around. Even my Dad who thought I was nuts in the beginning of this obsession now is intrigued enough to wanna shoot this gun.
Just a Win, Win, Win, Win, Win all around. And I credit all the fine folks who had suggestions of available craftsmen and services and who participated via sharing of opinions and pix on this thread for making it happen. This kind of thing would not have been half as cool without the support and input (pro and con!) i have received here at THR. I have to say *Thank You* again for indulging me in this to all THR inhabitants.
VooDoo
I'm a customer for life. I tend to order the same thing over and over if I find what I like and it trips my trigger. So it will likely be with AP&W Cogan...the experience was perfect, the result was undersold and over delivered, the time frame was as touted. I'm sure other professionals have equal services but I'm inclined to recommend and use what has worked well for me in my experience but would not expect others to follow that lead. There's a lot of good stuff out there I think...it's just that AP&W hit my "button" with their website and detailed explanations, various options, pictures and Customer Service.
I was nervous filling out their order form and detailing my desires and expecting they'd hit it right off the bat but they did that and more so I'm hooked. I have no idea how many Pocket Hammerless I'll do this way but it'll be a few. I asked about the durability of Black Chrome and about doing one in all matte and other stuff. I may do the next one differently but I probably won't do one all matte hard chrome. I'm seriously visualizing bright finished flats with matte rounds or an all bright finish in hard chrome now. I played show and tell at the range and in the show room and with "Gun Buddies" at work as well as some interested folks that were distinctly *not* gun people but knew about the project of restoring and customizing an antique. Response has been overwhelmingly positive and I had a couple people at work who are wanting to learn to shoot because of handling this pistol and getting a quick safety and field strip/loading/unloading session. Previously these folks have been scared of guns and had no interest in shooting sports, collecting, etc and now have expressed enough interest that we have a range date with a .22 and some other guns to bring them up to competence. So, the project is wildly successful all around. Even my Dad who thought I was nuts in the beginning of this obsession now is intrigued enough to wanna shoot this gun.
Just a Win, Win, Win, Win, Win all around.
And I credit all the fine folks who had suggestions of available craftsmen and services and who participated via sharing of opinions and pix on this thread for making it happen. This kind of thing would not have been half as cool without the support and input (pro and con!) i have received here at THR. I have to say *Thank You* again for indulging me in this to all THR inhabitants. VooDoo
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jimbo555
Member
Stunning is the word VooDoo!
VooDoo - beautiful pistol and equally great photos. I have seen several 1903's where the serial number is fairly faint. So, the only thing I can guess is that some SN's were just lightly stamped back then. You mentioned engraving charges - did they re-engrave/deepen your SN - and anything else? Again, great post and fabulous pictures - Thanks!!
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