Yost-Bonitz or Novak Custom 1911?

[HorseSoldier]

I was in my local small, hole in the wall kind of gun store the other day and saw they had a custom 'smithed 1911 for sale on consignment. The gun looks very nice -- Series 70 Colt, everything feels very tight, trigger felt excellent even by 1911 standards, etc.

The thing I'm wondering about is they have it listed as a Novak custom job (and it comes with a Novak gun rug), but the slide has the 1* logo on the right side that I thought was associated with Yost-Bonitz. The Yost-Bonitz shop apparently split up amicably a while back, and so their website is down, but Novak doesn't seem to have any custom pistols on their website with the 1* logo.

Kind of a moot point for me personally, practically speaking, as the pistol is well outside my price range ($3800) unless I was looking to do a whole lot of horse trading for it (could put it on a credit card, but think the subsequent lawyer bills for the divorce would be really outside my price range ) but was just curious..

 

[CWL]

Theoretically, it may have been worked-on by both, but if it doesn't have the Novak logo (gunsite outline with "Novak" in center) stamped somewhere on the dustcover, it probably wasn't done by Novak.

Since it has the "*1" Yost-Bonitz, or Bonitz logo, it probably is just that.

Since "*1" pistols start at around $1800, while NovaK full-house 1911s are around $3400+, don't get suckered into overpaying.

Typically, customized gunowners will keep the paperwork & receipts proving the gun is what it is. I suggest that you start there and ask for any paperwork on it, if there isn't any, I'd be highly suspect that there has been any Novak work.

Lastly, you can write-down the serial number and contact Novak Custom to see if they have any record of it.

 

[mikec]

1* is not a Yost copyright. In fact on Novak's site right now they have a " NOVAK CUSTOM BHP 1* MODEL". On Mr Yost's old site it explained what the 1* meant, any smith can use it.

BTW, Mr Yost's new shop's name is Heirloom Precision. http://www.heirloomprecision.com/ He and his associates seem like friendly people. From all the Yost gun photos I have seen, they are marked with his name.

 

[mikec]

Here is a link to the history of the "1*"

http://www.novaksights.com/Gary%20Paul%20Johnston.html