ltwguns.com

The Operator and 870 got here late last week, and they are humdingers!

I have been so busy that I have hardly looked them over, let alone had a chance to shoot them (in fact, this is the third time I've tried to post this). Here are some first impressions of the pistol. I'll post the same on the 870 in Custom Shotguns when I can.

First, I want to say Thank You again to everyone involved- the donators, the people that made the raffle happen, and mostly- the ticket buyers for helping the Kamp.

About the pistol- Since I never saw it before going in to Yost-Bonitz, of course, I don't know exactly what was done. By looking, some things are obvious, but some things I can only guess.
It started out as an Springfield Armory PB9105L Mil-Spec Operator. Then it had the following work done (I think):

*Operator ball cuts.
*Carry bevel.
*Frontstrap checkering- 40 LPI
*Flat mainspring housing- installed, blended, checkered 40 LPI.
*Bevel magazine well opening.
*Thumb safety(?)- If not replaced, I'd say it was recontoured some.
*Beavertail grip safety (?)- I'm guessing the Mil-spec Operator came with a standard grip safety. If so, a beavertail type was fitted.
*Trigger, hammer, disconnector (?)- More later on this.
*Polished feedramp and barrel throat.
*Heinie Straight Eight sights (Heinies are my favorite).
*Pinned front sight.
*Re-crown muzzle (?).

Some "highlights":

Operator cuts:
They just look "right". They are well planned and executed, and make it look like it should.
Not that it really matters, but I wondered how much weight it would trim. I think SA listed the "old-style", slab-sided Operator at something like 42 ounces, but I don't know if that was with an empty mag in place. With the cuts, this gun weighed 37.25 ounces (no mag) on my wife's digital kitchen scale.

Carry bevel:
I have a couple of 1911s with carry bevels. This one is the "smoothest", yet isn't "rounded". It still has the proper lines. Everything that needs it is smoothed, and nothing more. The area around the barrel hood of the ejection port often gets left out, but it's done here. For that matter, the inner edges of SA ejection ports can be a little rough-looking- but not here.

Checkering:
It's just fantastic.
I have two other checkered guns- one a factory-done Kimber (30 LPI), and a Colt (20 LPI) done by a local gunsmith who is now deceased. They aren't even close. Pictures can't quite describe it, and my words sure can't.

Trigger:
Again, I don't know what was done here, but I like it. The hammer does not look like an SA part. I have not completely stripped the gun, but I can see the disconnector's head has been polished. The trigger is a short aluminum unit.
It's one of those triggers that feels lighter than it is because it's smooth. I measured it at just under 5.25 pounds, but I might have guessed four pounds.
What it is, is just fine. A little slack (that I like to have), some pressure, and the hammer smacks a solid blow.
If I can't shoot it well, it won't be due to the trigger.

Feedramp, throat, etc:
I know it gets said all the time, but they look like a mirror. The feedramp, throat, extractor head, etc are all polished mirror bright.
The slide cycles smooth.

Muzzle:
It looks to me like it's been recrowned.

Details:
The grip screw slots line up to match the grip angle.
The hammer has every edge rounded that skin can touch, but the lines are crisp.
The slide rear matches the frame evenly, and the ejector is smooth with the slide contour.
The thumb safety "snicks" just right, and doesn't mar the finish as it slides over it.
There is no light visible under or around the sight installation.

It seems like the word "smooth" keeps coming up.
I guess that's the best way to describe the gun overall. It feels smooth, the trigger is smooth, the slide operation is smooth. The overall matte finish is smooth.

I've wanted to send a gun to Yost-Bonitz for a while, but knew finances would probably never allow it. I'm extremely lucky that I didn't have to worry about that.
I see I made a good choice of where to send one if I had been able to do so.

More to come, after shooting it.

Barry, congratulations. I'm very happy that Al Shear's generous gift of the Operator, by way of Ted Yost, is in the hands of someone who will use and enjoy it.

Naturally, every one of us on the board would be happy to fill that bill. How nice that you turn out to be the lucky guy who actually gets to!

Cheers!

_________________
NRA Endowment Member

Let me just say congratulations again! As a college student I can well appreciate the feeling of not being able to pay the fair price for such craftsmanship. It makes me feel good knowing that someone else in my boat has such a piece of art. Give me hope you might say. Kudos again to the people that made such a great raffle possible, this board strikes me as having an huge majority of class A members in addition to some top notch artisans.


Dan

Congratulations again. I'm glad to hear they shoot as good as they look.

JeffVN