Provide your input for commemorative gun!

[Sean Smith]

I have a project in the works with pistolsmith Ted Yost to make me a gun to commemorate the 10th anniversary of my graduation from West Point. Really, this is a pretext for having a nice, expensive gun made, but what the heck.

Most of the gun's features are set in stone, however I've got a few "maybe" ideas that I haven't settled on yet, plus I wanted to see what kind of crazy ideas the forumites have. Also, this forum has a better polling system than most.

The specs so far:

Caspian frame (serial number: “WP 52xxxâ€) with "United States Property" markings
Caspian slide slide, carbon steel, with "Model of 1911A1" markings on right side of slide and "West Point Class of 1995" on left side of slide
Bar-Sto 5†.45 ACP Match Target barrel fitted, cut flush with bushing, & crowned @ 45 degrees
Long solid aluminum trigger
-Crisp 4 lb pull
-No disconnector ‘click’ in pull
Beveled magazine well, hand filed
Dovetailed serrated front sight
Yost-Bonitz rear sight
-Sight in at 25 yards with standard 230gr FMJ.
Colt Government Model-style spur hammer, bobbed & high cut
Colt Government Model-style grip safety, de-horned
Colt Government Model-style thumb safety
Colt Government Model-style recoil system (short rod & plug, not FLGR) w/ 16 lb Wolff recoil spring & CP buffer
Re-shape Caspian frame so it is less “blocky†(more like a Colt).
Very mild de-horn all over.
Finish will be satin matte blue on all steel parts (not counting barrel, obviously)
All other parts to finish the gun at Ted's discretion.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to vote in the poll and make any other suggestions that you like.

 

[sm]

First, Congrats and thank you for your service Sir!

To Commemorate -

Can you get the WP Seal on the Ivory Grips?
Sure would look sharp with a High Polish Blue.
Gotta have a laynard loop .

I like everthing else you posted. Caspian is great. Keep it simple, and elegant.

 

[Sean Smith]

Another idea:

Add a gold line/bead front sight, and the gun will have the 3 colors of the Military Academy: black (blued frame & slide), gray (matte stainless barrel) and gold (front sight). What do the colors come from? The 3 ingredients of gunpowder: charcoal, saltpeter & sulfur.

 

[BigG]

I think the high polish blue of the traditional Colts is de rigeur for a pistole commemorating your 10th anniversary, as are the ivory stocks. Congrats, CB!

 

[Sean Smith]

Can you get the WP Seal on the Ivory Grips?

I suppose so. But custom ivory usually entails a radical increase in cost from what I understand. "Plain" ivory stocks are ~$200 as it is. Also keep in mind that I am going to shoot this gun.

Also note that I graduated in 1995 and the anniversary is in 2005... so Ted will have about a year to make the gun, which is about as long as he said it would take. I'm just waiting on the Caspian frame & slide, which should arrive any day now.

 

[WT]

I suggest the flats be nicely polished while the rounded parts be matte.

The sides of the hammer could be mirror polished.

The barrel, where it peaks thru the ejection port, could be jeweled.

Definitely, genuine ivory stocks.

How about grooving the front of the grip ala' Gold Cup? Grooving - not checkering.

What are your plans for the mainspring housing - flat or rounded?

 

[Sean Smith]

I suggest the flats be nicely polished while the rounded parts be matte.

The sides of the hammer could be mirror polished.

The barrel, where it peaks thru the ejection port, could be jeweled.

Definitely, genuine ivory stocks.

How about grooving the front of the grip ala' Gold Cup? Grooving - not checkering.

What are your plans for the mainspring housing - flat or rounded?

If I have it polished, it will probably be just the slide flats, with everything else matte blue.

Sides of the hammer polished? Hadn't thought about that. Probably depends on the hammer I wind up with.

Jeweling isn't really my thing, plus I like how it says "BARSTO .45 ACP" on the hood.

Mainspring housing is going to be flat and serrated. Serrating the frontstrap might not be a bad idea, heck if I do that I might have the top of the slide flat-topped & serrated too, and the back of the slide while I'm at it. But probably not; I don't want the gun to look too "busy."

 

[wally]

Laynard loop. It'll seem very right when you also wear your saber

--wally.

 

[cleve land]

Full engraving

 

[Sean Smith]

Full engraving is just too foo-foo for this project. Also, too much money.

 

[cleve land]

Sean- I understand your reluctance to ivory and full engraving (especially cost wise) but I always thought the incongruity quite bad-ass on a true fighting pistol.

 

[sm]

I understand the cost considerations, yeah I figured you would shoot it ...

Sean, this IS a special gun. You can always take off the darn grips if need to preserve them.

Okay...they have WP seals on some classy DD Walnut for the range? ...

Ivory takes on a soul of its own. Down the road either you buy them - or you will have forgotten the extra expense up front.

Just do us two favors:

1) Never ever clean that ivory with Polident (tm)*
2) Don't think we have to worry about you putting on pearl grips do we? Remember what Patton said


* Yes, denture cleaners do clean ivory, removes the yellowed character which gives them soul. One can regulate how clean by how long left in solution. I like the soul myself.

 

[Sean Smith]

Don't think we have to worry about you putting on pearl grips do we?

Not likely.