So, I went to the gunsmith. He couldn't in good conscience do what I needed to do. A dovetail cut on the Colt Commander would mess up the nickel plating, and all that would require a LOT of money to make it look right by replating. Might as well buy a new gun. Yes, even I didn't want to drop $1500 on this project. I need a box of free Commanders to fall in my yard so I can do this right.
He didn't like the options for making a gun ambi dextrous. Maybe in 6 months when something new was coming out. And he refused to do it the old way.
He could DO it ugly, but he doesn't want this scenario:
"Hey, where did you get that work done?"
"Hatfields."
"Well, I know not to get it done there..."
But now I got a gun that isn't able to do what I want. I need to find a less scrupulous, yet still skilled, gunsmith. I don't care if the nickel fix at the sight is crappy looking, as long as it works and doesn't corrode.
Oh, and the mainspring housing I want and own isn't drop-in. So that will require some real smithing.
He is a fan of Colt steels, but not Colt machining.
He did have a neato Browning 85% sized 1911 that shot .22... Cute! Looks like a salesman's sample.
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4 comments:
perhaps scrupulous is the wrong word. Less artistic integrity? That's not right either.
You need to find a good honest gunsmith.
I did. He wouldn't take my money because it would cost me too much
You could get a new slide in carbon or stainless.
If carbon steel, you could either go for the traditional two tone look from the 1980's, or have the slide nickled after the cuts are done, and it will look RIGHT.
It'll cost you the price of a stripped slide. (Hell, you can probably find a stripped slide with the cuts you want for the same or cheaper as a standard stripped slide + gunsmith made cuts. Say, about $300 or less.)
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