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We often have a saying in the shop "Why would you do that?" The typical response is "cause I can" That is what Ted said when he cracked this 80's era Colt Commander from it's tomb.

Jason and I said "what are you going to do?" Ted said "make it a 10mm Commander with high polish blue, english walnut stocks and nitre blued pins and screws" We didn't ask why.

Some guns you sit and look at and enjoy all the detail and how they subtely form the entire functioning piece. This gun was designed to be carried by someone who enjoys the finer things. A person who realizes what the smith went through to actually get this gun where it is now.

I wish I had the test target but suffice to say JB shot one of the tightest groups that has even been put in front of me.

This turned out to be a fairly photogenic piece. Man I love this part of my job. The English walnut stocks are hand made and look like the wood from a fine rifle or shotgun. Well that is because they are. Ted cut up a stock and fashioned this pair of stocks from it. It was well worth it in my opinion.

When the term "heirloom quality" gets thrown around it makes you stop and actually look at the gun. There are smiths out there capable of this level of work. We enjoy them here on LTW and other sites. But with nitre blue, gold line front sight, the machine work, hand cut checkering and the amount of detail that went into this piece, this is truly worthy of being called and "heirloom" quality gun.
Enjoy the snaps.



The finest finished English Walnut stocks, with nitre blued screws.


Feathered and bordered arrow pattern on slide top.


More of the serrated slide top.


Hand checkered front strap.


Beautifully polished slide, dust cover dehorn, and chisel cut bushing.


50 lpi serrated rear of the slide.

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Heirloom Precision, LLC.
480-804-1911

"If everyone is thinking alike, someone isn't thinking."
- General George Patton Jr

Now that is a Beautiful Piece. Make me want another Commander Steve!!! I must resist..........MUST RESIST!!!!!

Kendall

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"There is no hunting like the hunting of man, and those who have hunted armed man long enough never care for anything else thereafter."

Ernest Hemingway

Oh yeah.
A 10mm Commander...I guess that would be a little more work than usual, huh?

That's slick. Like heirloom, "classy" gets thrown around also, but it looks like it's both.
It just looks...lean...or, fast...if that makes sense.

dang... that is nice. Especially like the bevel on the bushing and the ultramega good beavertail fit.

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www.mattlamey.com

Looks awesome. Did this start out as a 9mm or .38 super?
How hard is it to enlarge the breechface for the 10mm?

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What a beautiful gun

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Fit and finish is just awesome Ted!

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Steve

Wow, Steve - your pics make me look good. I used to think the guns looked better in person. Not so much anymore

This one wasn't so much a case of "because I can". I'm actually rather proficient at lost causes (especially the side by side or four wheeled English variety) but this one was more a decision based on the question "Why didn't/doesn't Colt make one of these?" I guess we all know the answer, but it feels good to wish for things...

The gun was an early 80 series 9mm Combat Commander. I chose it because it had no caliber designation on the slide. It also had terrible lines, especially around the top of the trigger guard and around the mag catch. It takes a plan and a bit of time to make them straight when they're this bad. It's unfortunate, but it's the only way to get one that says COLT on the side . The frame rails had to be welded up and recut, as they were way too far off to squeeze into shape, but the frame/slide fit came out just great - glad I put in the extra time.

Anthony - as noted, it was a 9mm chosen for the rollmarkings. No problem cutting the breechface...now. I made a carbide facing cutter that pilots on the firing pin hole. The excess can be broached or filed away. Jason's already bought a second of this gun for a hardchromed twin to this gun, so I guess I'll be using the tool again soon

Thanks for lookin' everyone, and Thanks Steve for giving them something worth looking at!

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Heirloom Precision, LLC.
480-804-1911

Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.

TR

Just exquisite.

Jim

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An amateur practices until he gets it right. A professional practices until he never gets it wrong. Anon

You are a FREAK, Ted!! You are an absolute FREAK!! That is just beautiful. Having seen early 80s Colt products, I can certainly appreciate the pains you have gone through to make that gun what it is. I am sure it was a labor of love, though.

Awesome.

Lenny

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Show 'em where you live....

This is the kind of gun that makes things get really interesting around the shop. And it’s also the kind of gun that when Ted is building it you make sure to pay close attention. I know the ‘smiths here can relate but I can barely begin to describe to the membership here how much work goes into making a gun look and shoot as good as this one. When I first got to the shop I thought I knew a bit about detail… I could spot it easily enough and knew when something was ‘right’ but sitting there day by day watching a gun such as this one get built makes me remember just how much I’ve got to learn. And it gets even harder when you have to sit next to Ted and try to do it.

Developing the ability to construct true Signature Grade pistols like this one takes allot of time… two or three years and 9 or 10 pistols won’t cut it. And that’s one of the main things I remember every morning when I walk in the door and turn my ears on.

Ted sat on this base gun for about a year before diving into it and no doubt it was worth the wait. While the pictures and Steve’s prowess behind the camera are phenomenal in person this gun is truly astounding and it has left all who have seen it speechless.

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Heirloom Precision
http://www.heirloomprecision.com

That's just evil... I love it. Anyone with durability concerns over a 10mm commander should forget them. I have about 7,500 rounds of either Hydra Shok 180gr or full-tilt handlods through mine and it's as nice as even. Ted, that's a damn good lookin' gun in a damn fine caliber.

~Jim Keeney

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

This is a beautiful pistol! What an incredible job! Thanks for sharing the pics and story!

Hey Ted! Nice grips! I have some similar to those that I am going to put on my 1954 Colt Commander!

Just woofin' pal. That is an outstanding job of work. You are really getting good at this stuff!

OUTSTANDING!
in every way.
The grip safety fit is inspiring.
We've come a long way in the last twenty years of pistolsmithing.

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http://www.rogersprecision.com

Ted, your craftsmanship is just breathtaking. Add in that it is a 10mm Commander and I am even more in awe.

Awesome just touches the tip of the iceberg or adjectives for this one!

Ted, I admire your creativity. I have long been wondeering about this type of conversion with the Smith and wesson scandium frame guns. How do you think a scandium frame would match up to a colt slide and have the same treatment? I realize that a plain aluminum frame would not cut it, but the scanium seems to be holding up in the 44 mags, so why not 10mm. The best part is that the gun could also shoot 40 cal and 357 sig with a barrel swap.
The barrel issue also begs the question of sight adjustment. I would not expect the three barrels to have the same sight alignment, and would not want to drift every time a barrel was swapped. Do you have any plans in the making for a Yost rear sight that is adjustable, like the novak non-Bomar type?

Mr. Sample I certainly hope that is meant 'tongue in cheek'.

I must say that it's refreshing to see that pistols like this are still in demand and still being constructed one by one and by one man and one man only. Classic styling with nothing left unattended.

Mr. Yost I am in awe of your ability to construct such functional art and it's great to see that your Signature builds actually live up to their name and its meaning.

Thanks for the comments, guys!

ramptester, I haven't really given any thought to a Scandium LW - I don't work on Smith 1911's, and have no real experience with the material to draw from. The S&W frames are aluminum, though - as I understand it, scandium is just a trace additive to this particular alloy.

As far as mating it to a Colt slide, I think that would push it into the realm of a Frankengun, not a custom piece - differing safety systems and rail dimensions notwithstanding, I don't think I'm ready for a "Smolt 1911"...not yet anyway

No plans as yet for an adjustable sight. We have our hands full filling orders for the fixed sights. Maybe someday...

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Heirloom Precision, LLC.
480-804-1911

Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.

TR

Ted has known me for quite a while. I am sure he knew my T was in my C!

you guys ever think about selling those screw and pin sets as an accessory?

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Those who dare win!!

Not really likely - if you knew what it takes to nitre blue a set of pins you probably wouldn't want to pay what they'd cost.

Besides, they're the mark of a special effort, IMO. If you could get V-12's and Borrani wire wheels on a Ford or a Nissan, Maseratis and Ferraris would somehow seem less interesting

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Heirloom Precision, LLC.
480-804-1911

Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.

TR

Ted - Do you have any more of those Series 80 9mm commanders just “laying around” just waiting for you to build? Leave it to you to "make" a Colt I don't have but would love to own. This is absolutely gorgeous!!!!

Exquisite, Theo. Looking at Steve's (as usual) beautiful pics, I can see the serious devotion to the detailed excellence that went in to this one.

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CT Brian Custom
'Blending Art With Firepower'

I wish companies like Colt would only listen to the great ideas of their customers and smith's like Ted. Why is it we go through so much to get a gun that says Colt on the side? One of lifes mysteries.

Any long term reports on how these 10mm Commanders are holding up / running?

Truly amazing Ted. Congratulations on a great effort.

JeffVN

Dear GOD, I did not need to see that!!!!!


-Matt

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