What Makes it a Custom?

[Richard]

What is a custom pistol? In this case, I am speaking of 1911A1s. My question came about with my purchase of the 10mm Dan Wesson Patriot Commander. Dan Wesson only produces 10 handguns per day. This pistol has Novak night sights, a match barrel, and a checkered front strap on the grip and checkered main spring housing. The entire pistol has received a carry bevel and its trigger pull equals the best. I desire no other modifications. Is this a custom or production model pistol?

I generally do not require a lot of bells or whistles on my 1911A1s but they have all been done to my specification. An example is my Norinco 1911A1; it has a match barrel bushing, McCormick parts (trigger, sear, and hammer plus a trigger job), a beavertail grip safety, carry bevel, Novak sights, and a reblue. I put a nice set of grips on it and I am happy.

My Ballester-Molina was worse than a beater when I received it. Marianne Carniak of the Accurizer Gunshop in Troy, Michigan worked on it. First, Marianne fitted a Series 70 barrel and she then did a match barrel bushing, Novak sights and a reblue followed these. I purchased a nice set of grip from Hakan and it is good to go.

Marianne also did a Sistema Colt 1927 for me. This pistol has a fitted a Series 80 barrel and match barrel bushing, Novak sights, McCormick parts (trigger, sear, and hammer plus a trigger job), a beavertail grip safety, carry bevel, and a reblue.

Again, I ask are these custom pistols or production model pistols with modifications? If not, what make a custom pistol? Let me know what you think.

Regards,

Richard

 

[10-Ring]

I would consider it more a higher level production gun...They don't take input from you for the trigger / trigger pull / sight regulating / actual sight choice / grips / serrations / front or back strap stippling or barrel choice. These are just some thing I would have some input in when building a custom gun.
As for the DW - great guns, I love my CBOB

 

[BlkHawk73]

Agreed! A custom (that's as overused as tactical), anyways, a custom one in my opinion would have more of the features, and build determined by the specific customer. Ordering it as a non-standard variation as such.
Simply changing grips or sights, doesn't cut it as being custom. Having specificlly requested mechanical variations from regularly produced model - yes.

 

[XavierBreath]

To me, a custom gun is one that the shooter has ordered to fit, much like a custom suit, or a custom car or chopper.

A custom suit is not bought off the rack. It is made by a tailor, and it requires several fittings. The end product is unique, It fits only one person perfectly.

A custom car or chopper is not bought at a car lot or a Harley dealership. They are built in garages and are also fitted and adjusted to suit the owner. The end product is unique and suits one person perfectly.

A custom gun is no different. It is built, not bought. It can be built by a gunsmith, or by the owner. It is not built on a production line. Every detail is considered and chosen. The rationale can be function or fashion, but choices were made. In the end, the pistol is one of a kind. There are no limited editions of custom guns. Each custom gun is one of one.

Below is a photo of a very nice shooting production SW1911, and a custom Gold Cup. They look very similar. One was bought, one was built. They are both a pleasure to shoot, and they are both very accurate. The S&W is one of many just like it. The Gold Cup is unique. The common ingredient among the custom suits, bikes, cars and guns though, is the owner had a great deal of input in the end product.

 

[Sunray]

Doing anything to any firearm to make it suit you better makes it a custom gun. Even if you just change the grips and sights. Not as custom as some, but custom just the same.

 

[Richard]

Jan Libourel said what I wanted to say in the January 2007 Gun World:

"Well, the world is full of 5-inch, single-stack 1911s. Many are very good, some not so good. About all I can say is that this (Para) Tactical Duty SSP is a very good one indeed, so good that I am left to wonder why some people feel a need to spend three times as much for similar pistols that can't do too much better."

The price of the Para Tactical Duty SSP is $1,169 and I paid $950 for the Dan Wesson Patriot Commander. In both cases these are superb handguns and I doubt any 1911 will perform better for me.

Regards,

Richard

 

[wildburp]

Custom

Polite behavior among social animals?

 

[wildburp]

Great Photographs

I wish I could take pictures like that. I wish I had a camera that could take pictures like that. I wish I had a gun that could shoot a camera that could shoot pictures like that. I wish I had an automatic bullet proof camera that could fix the situation in Iraq. I wish.

wb

 

[OH25shooter]

When I hear "custom built handgun" I automatically think of tolerances. To the thousands of an inch. No side to side play. Very smooooooth when operating the slide, not your basic stock loosely fit, sloppy, standard out of the box auto.

 

[GreenFurniture]

It can't be a "custom" if it has any MIM or "drop in" parts.