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Ladies & Gentlemen,

About two years ago, Dave Sams built a Delta Elite for me from a gun that was a fine example of Colt’s darker times during the 80’s. It was rough as a corncob and I paid a large sum for it from a shady Internet dealer who wouldn’t take it back once I saw it. Dave made a silk purse out of a sow’s ear, and I couldn’t have been happier with the fit and function of the gun after it left his shop. However, I made a few choices during the initial build which I later wanted to change. I started with an Ed Brown grip safety, and this had to go. The look and fit didn’t do anything for the gun, and Dave had warned me against it before he put it on… reluctantly. I didn’t have him dress the gun out as a carry piece, and this was something I wanted to do after having a few holsters abraded quite a bit from drawing and re-holstering. The front end was rough from the factory, and the rollmarks were shallow and uneven. Dave fixed this by adding ball cuts, a fine border, and polished flats that maintained the rollmarks and even brought them out quite a bit. This is far and away the most extensive project I’ve ever taken on in any gun, but it was well worth it, and Dave showed his abilities once again in making something that can be passed on as an heirloom… after it gets used quite a bit. Here’s a link to the original post: http://www.louderthanwords.us/forum/vie ... &highlight

I’ll let the pictures tell the rest of the story.

Thanks for looking!

~Jim Keeney

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"I'd rather die on my feet than keep living on my knees." - Emiliano Zapata, Mexican Revolutionary

Very nice Jim (for the second time)

I like it a lot. Thanks for sharing.

--md

Very pretty - I am a sucker for polished slides!

Question for you about - What grip safety is that, and any idea of the issues with regard to installing it after the previous installation (I ask because the fit looks so nice, did he have to weld up the tangs first?).

thank you

Richard

That's it, Jim.....I officially hate you!! I hope you are kidnapped by a tribe of pigmy Cavaliers (then maybe I can have some of those beautiful weapons that Dave has built you)! Kidding aside, buddy that is incredible!! I've got to go down with Chip sometime to meet Dave!!

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"There is a true glory and a true honor, the glory of duty done, the honor of integrity and principle."--Gen. Robert Edward Lee

That grip safety looks like a McCormick to my relatively untrained eye. I was also advised against the Brown on a current project, and am having the McCormick put on instead.

Mr. Keeney, I have to say that is a drop-dead gorgeous Delta! If that started life as a sow's ear, then Dave Sams is an outstanding pistolsmith. I've had a hankering for a Delta to work up for a while, but I need to spend the money on a duty gun first and 10mm isn't authorized. Thanks for letting me live through you!

It's too bad I didn't know about the fine pistolsmiths that are out there back when I was in possession of several of those 1980's 'dark ages' Colts. I could have had them made into fine carry guns, instead of getting rid of them.

Man, oh man that turned out nice! I liked it before, I really like it now.

"Heirloom"? Hmmmmm, does this mean things are getting serious with the young lady?

Hope to see you, and the Delta, soon, my friend.

Chip

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Sic Semper Tyrannis

Wow, what a beautiful gun. I love how the slide is polished shine blued and the frame is matte finished. Congratulations sir.

All right James! Now Dave needs to get that Caspian 10mm Commander finished and we can shoot tandem at your new house range!

You lucky!@#%^

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"No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave."
Calvin Coolidge

Very, Very Nice.

Where did you find the stocks?

Wow, that is beautiful. Silk purse is an understatement. That's just a nice looking gun period, and if it started out as bad as you say, it was some excellent work to get it there.

Always loved the Delta, but this one is especially nice. Great work!! Stan

Thanks for all the kind comments, fellas. I'll let Dave know what you think, as he was the one who rescued this thing from its previous life as a POS. There's a lot that went into it which doesn't show in the pictures that made it a very involved project. If you look at the link to the original post, you'll get to see some before pictures and see what I mean by "rough." Just to reinforce what I said in that post, this was as is from the factory.

The beavertail is a McCormick, and it fit up quite nicely with no welding required. We checked a few and found one that actually needed to be trimmed for installation. To say the beavertail is now well fit is quite an understatement. There is no wobble in it at all, and it is a much nicer looking part.

The grips are a bit of a story in and of themselves, but I'll not get into that. Dave made them himself from a chunk of burl walnut, and the Delta medallions came from the original grips. They have the best grain of any I've seen, and they are quite dense/hard/durable.

After the initial build, Dave and I went over the entire gun and decided to address a few issues I'd originally chosen to leave alone. I didn't have the money at the time, and aside from refinishing, it's not all that different from doing it the first time. The ball cuts and borders really dress the slide out, and the bevel he does makes it smooth and easy on the hands & holster. He's put borders on four of my guns now, and they're great for creating a transition between flats and rounds on a not-so-straight slide. The ones here are very fine, and I have two slides with the medium border, and one with the heavy (the 10mm commander, Al).

Al, you'll see pictures of the 10mm commander later today, I hope. Gotta take some and get them posted first. It still shoots, and it's still a handful.

Chip... heirloom quality, yes. Things are going very well with "the young lady," and she's starting to warm up to guns a little. She was here when I was taking pictures of the Delta yesterday and has had the patience to sit and listen, in great detail, to what is actually involved in building a custom 1911. I hope you & Al will meet her soon. Al can be your date. He's hot.

Just so you all know, this Delta will shoot, and it runs like a champ. It was a pain in the arse, and I know Dave wanted to kick me for doing it to him, but it was well worth it in the end. Dave Sams can be contacted at (804) 375-3782. If you want a custom gun of any kind, be it rifle, pistol, shotgun, or revolver, he can do it and do it well.

GOD Bless you all.

~Jim Keeney

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"I'd rather die on my feet than keep living on my knees." - Emiliano Zapata, Mexican Revolutionary

Jim... gorgeous gun... I have a Delta and a Razorback on the way to me now - haven't seen them in person yet. I have a feeling I'm going to want something done to my Delta like you did. Dave Sam's work is beautiful. I've never seen a recrown on a barrel like that... it's cool looking. Great attention to detail. I haven't had any ball cuts put on the customs I've had done yet, but your sample makes me think I should do that on my next custom. Your photography is very good as well. (Gotta love that window backlighting, eh?)

What was is about your Razorback that you felt needed addressing when you first bought it?

Wow... the Razorback. I had another guy on 1911 Forums ask me about that yesterday, oddly enough, and now you. The RZ-10 I got did not function properly from the factory. I had numerous misfeeds of EVERY kind, and people on the forums and at DW said, "It just needs to be broken in 'cause it's a tight gun." I own a few VERY tight guns. None needed breaking in and they ran fine from the start. I'll list the things that bothered me off of the top of my head, and try to find a link to my original posts later.

- Barrel lugs were cut like a ramp (i.e. - they barrel wedged its way into battery)
- Extractor was way overtensioned
- High Cut was done in a very strange looking/feeling way
- Rear sight was loose
- POA/POI was about a foot off at 25yds
- Grip and Thumb safeties were mismatched to the stainless gun
- Grips bled color on the frame
- Frontstrap needed texture badly
- Trigger no good
- External finish was really rough (deep scratches)

I went through a two-stage build kinda like I did with the Delta. I didn't have it finished black until he cut the checkering and did the high-cut fix. That gun turned out awesome, and I only sold it to fund something bigger and better, but still a 10mm.

I hope that helped. I have heard the Razorbacks are better these days, but that's coming from a DW fan or three, so it may be quite biased.

~Jim Keeney

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"I'd rather die on my feet than keep living on my knees." - Emiliano Zapata, Mexican Revolutionary

Jim... current Dan Wesson owners are certainly an extremely devoted and loyal bunch... I guess there are a number of really nice DW's out in circulation (along with some dogs, of course, as with every brand.) Since CZ bought DW, they scaled back to 1 Gov't model in 10mm and .45 and a Bobtail Commander in 10mm and .45. But I understand they will give rebirth to the RZ-10 this year as well.

The RZ-10 I bought is new in box from the tail end of production, just before they stopped making them when CZ bought Dan Wesson. I had heard that the early production had some issues, for sure. I'm hoping the one I bought turns out to be a goodie. Oh well, there's always custom-tweaking! Interestingly, I believe the most recent DW's are coming with some decent components - their new 10mm CBOB is just now shipping (with Ed Brown slide stop, EB bobtail, EB beavertail GS, Novak-style night sights, 20 lpi front strap checkering). I've got a pre-order in for one because something about a 10mm bobtail Commander just sounds like something very special. And the way they're featuring them, there may be little customizing to be done! Wouldn't that be nice! . Of course nothing like your Delta.

http://www.cz-usa.com/01.detail.php?id=66

I also have a (very lightly used) Delta on the way and know up front it has a take down scratch, but was thinking I'd do a build on it and refinish anyway, so what the heck. We'll see. Your Delta is sure inspiring. Thanks for sharing.

DHart,

Have a look at these. It shows the two stages of the RZ build.

Stage 1: http://forums.1911forum.com/showthread. ... post637472

Stage 2: http://www.louderthanwords.us/forum/vie ... &highlight

~Jim Keeney

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"I'd rather die on my feet than keep living on my knees." - Emiliano Zapata, Mexican Revolutionary

Jim... Thanks for the links. WOW, what a transformation. I especially like the treatment on the barrel crown... really cool. The blackened SS finish looks awesome. Do you know if that finish is still available? My RZ has the FCS, which I don't mind, but I'd be as happy (probably happier) without FCS, as yours is.

I've had other owners of both Deltas & RZ-10's tell me that they'd take an RZ-10 over a Delta anyday. I'm such a Colt lover, I don't know. But I guess I'll be finding out soon. My dies, bullets, cases, primers, and powder are standing at the ready for the guns to arrive. This should be fun. The Delta may need a fair bit of smithing to come up to the Razorback.

DHart,

Dave still does the blackened stainless finish, and from what I hear, he's one of the few who can do it consistently and he does it often. The RZ is a little "better" as is from the factory, but I'd have to go for a Delta any day as a custom base. If you want a REALLY nice 10mm, start with Caspian stuff and go up from there. If the weather improves here sometime soon I'll be posting pics of a few of my 10mm 1911s together, along with updates on my Caspian 10mm commander. Good luck with the Delta and RZ. My vote is for the Delta to be built first.

~Jim Keeney

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"I'd rather die on my feet than keep living on my knees." - Emiliano Zapata, Mexican Revolutionary

who made the grips on this baby and what kind of wood are they made with??? how long is mr sams wait???

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GO-FOR-IT

Arthur,

Dave made the grips, too, and they're cut from a chunk of Burl Walnut. His wait time depends on what you're having done, but the only way to get a good estimate is to give him a call. I generally don't worry about the wait too much because I try to keep a few in line at various stages. Thus, I'm bad at guessing. I do know that it is not bad.

~Jim Keeney

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"I'd rather die on my feet than keep living on my knees." - Emiliano Zapata, Mexican Revolutionary

Gentlemen-

Al Shear and I had dinner with Jim last night and he was supposed to bring the Delta for us to see. But alas, his young brain failed him and he forgot to bring it. But all was not lost as he did remember to bring his girlfriend. I will have to admit that, although she is not blue, she is a lot prettier than the Delta.

All in all Jim gets an "A+" for his taste in guns and Womenfolk.

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Sic Semper Tyrannis

Thanks, Chip. I'm going to have to send Vaughan the link to this one. It was my pleasure, and Vaughan says she greatly enjoyed meeting the two of you. I think she liked seeing me getting ribbed by you guys. You'll see the Delta soon, and likely shoot it.

GOD Bless.

~Jim Keeney

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"I'd rather die on my feet than keep living on my knees." - Emiliano Zapata, Mexican Revolutionary

Hey Jim, I just want to know what bet she lost, because she is waayyyy to beautiful-intelligent-charming for you!

Ok, seriously, man is she wonderful. I was looking forward to seeing the Delta but soon forgot all about it after spending 5 minutes with Vaughan.
Congrats!

Oh, and by the way thanks to you and Chip for the "Uncle Lou" Diner Special. You, Chip and Lou

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"No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave."
Calvin Coolidge

My goodness thats beautiful