Not sure how many of you know this but my Springfield Armory 1911 loaded model was stolen out of my truck a few weeks ago. I am not a pistol guy so much, I have a grock or two around the house as well as a couple of semi auto 22lr's. So I set out to find another 1911. Well that search ended the other day when I ran across a Colt Commander series 80 Mark IV. It is a little rough but nothing that will bother me. I traded my Mark III 22lr and some boot and will pick it up next week. They were asking 650.00 for it but I got it for less than six and they gave me 250.00 for the Ruger. I think I did pretty good on it. Anyway, I have always wanted a Kobra Karry from Ed Brown but there was no way in hell I was going to put 2k into a pistol so I decided that I am going to make this commander into my own version of Ed Browns wares. I think I have Pullit on board to bob tail my colt, so that is cool. But I am wondering about grips, I know that Esmerelda makes some nice ones but is there anyone else out there. The colt I picked up is 2 tone stainless bottom and blued top so I was thinking of having this one hard chromed though I don't know if I want to go all one color or if I want to stick with the 2 tone. What say you, any body got any high end 1911's that they don't mind posting that I can steal ideas from?
I dig those on an all stainless or all blue gun but not sure how they will look on a two tone........Blake
P.S. I told you a bobbed commander was bad ass............
P.S. I told you a bobbed commander was bad ass............
This'll give you a pretty good idea of how those grips would look on a 2 tone.
A word of caution on the hard chrome. Make damn sure the person doing the plating fully understands how to properly prep the surface. Any inconsistencies in the texture of the metal will really show through the hard chrome.
hangunnr
A word of caution on the hard chrome. Make damn sure the person doing the plating fully understands how to properly prep the surface. Any inconsistencies in the texture of the metal will really show through the hard chrome.
hangunnr
Here's an example of some botched hard chrome.
This is a early Para P-13 alloy frame that I added the grip safety, mag well and internals too. My smith buddy sent it off to be plated but they didn't pay attention to the holster polish on the front end of the frame. It should have been blasted to a rougher finish to match the rest of the frame.
I know it's kinda a minor thing but it's a glaring flaw to my eye.
hangunnr
This is a early Para P-13 alloy frame that I added the grip safety, mag well and internals too. My smith buddy sent it off to be plated but they didn't pay attention to the holster polish on the front end of the frame. It should have been blasted to a rougher finish to match the rest of the frame.
I know it's kinda a minor thing but it's a glaring flaw to my eye.
hangunnr
I'd go with Cerakote. I'll eventually be set up here to do this finish but that's likely at least a year away.
Here's a nifty interactive where you can mix match color combinations.
[color:#33FF33] Cerakote colors[/color]
I like the OD green / graphite black combo.
Charlie
Here's a nifty interactive where you can mix match color combinations.
[color:#33FF33] Cerakote colors[/color]
I like the OD green / graphite black combo.
Charlie
I think I have decided on the look I want, I like the way the Ed Brown in the middle of the pic looks and that is what I want. I think that I will have to get mine hard chromed to get this color so I need to know who is the best in the business at hard chroming.......Blake
Lotta "good" guys who do HC Blake. Honestly I've heard good and occasional "bad" with all of them, but they are the names that always pop up.
Fords
Metalife/Metalloy
Tech-Plate
Accurate Plating & Weaponry (actually used these guys, no complaints)
APW Cogan
That's all I can think of off the top of my head. Tripp used to be considered about the *best* guy doing HC (as well as being one of the guys who created the 2011), but he's out of the game.
IPSC/USPSA guys (specifically open class gunners) are the ones who seem to have the HC re-finishers on lock. There's tons of threads over on BrianEnos.com talking about HC/shops/etc. When I was looking, that's where I did my research.
Fords
Metalife/Metalloy
Tech-Plate
Accurate Plating & Weaponry (actually used these guys, no complaints)
APW Cogan
That's all I can think of off the top of my head. Tripp used to be considered about the *best* guy doing HC (as well as being one of the guys who created the 2011), but he's out of the game.
IPSC/USPSA guys (specifically open class gunners) are the ones who seem to have the HC re-finishers on lock. There's tons of threads over on BrianEnos.com talking about HC/shops/etc. When I was looking, that's where I did my research.
And those pistols (saving the blued one) don't look HC to me...
Look like all stainless guns, with bead-blasted frames/rounds, and polished flats. I don't know if you will be able to get HC to look exactly like that (the rounds, specifically). Definitely grab a ton of pictures of stuff you like and ask the plater about them. I've found that even something as simple as "make this look like stainless" can go very wrong.
Look like all stainless guns, with bead-blasted frames/rounds, and polished flats. I don't know if you will be able to get HC to look exactly like that (the rounds, specifically). Definitely grab a ton of pictures of stuff you like and ask the plater about them. I've found that even something as simple as "make this look like stainless" can go very wrong.
I was talking about the ed brown in the pic specifically. That is what I want. Who can do it.....Blake
Ed Brown can. Quit being a cheap bastard. Would you rather have a fully tuned 700 or a Savage painted up to look like a fully tuned 700?Painless said:
Not going to happen. That Colt I bought is all the pistol that I need, the things I want done to it are purely asthetic, that is it. I look at it like having Karl build me a rifle or having GAP build me a rifle. Yes GAP is one of the best in the business, but no way would I pay what he is asking for a rifle when Karl can build one for me for a third of the price.
You should go give Adam a tip for not letting me and your buddy see your Colt before you picked it up. :grin:
I love Colt's and actually traded into one Saturday right before you picked up yours, but you want a Brown and should get one (mainly so I can play with it).
I love Colt's and actually traded into one Saturday right before you picked up yours, but you want a Brown and should get one (mainly so I can play with it).
I knew there was a reason you were pushing so hard, maybe we can convence Pullit to buy one and then we can play with it......Blake
I'd love to play with one, but know I can't afford it. I had one almost bought, but backed out after I slept on it and realized it was a bad idea.
mine is a combat commander, don't know if that makes a difference. Shoot me that # when you get a chance
Commander frame is the same length as a Gov't with a 4 1/4'' barrel/slide instead of the Gov't 5''. Officer's is a shorted frame (1 less round) and a 3 1/2'' barrel/slide.