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About four years ago, I got the bug for an engraved “BBQ gun”. I guess you can really blame this on reading too much of Skeeter Skelton’s stuff when I was a kid. He had an engraved 1911 that was drop dead gorgeous. Then the internet came along giving me access to message boards and examples of other people’s work, to include some of the top engravers in the world.

While browsing Gun Broker one day, I ran across and engraved Remington-Rand 1911A1 for a pretty fair price. It was obviously in need of some TLC, and while the engraving was decent, it wasn’t up to the standards of someone like John Adams, Sr. But, that’s OK…I can live with it.



I paid a fair price, got it shipped and took delivery and realized I had another project on my hands. It didn’t need a little TLC…it needed a LOT of TLC. Over the course of the next year, I tightened the slide to frame fit, replaced all of the internals (hammer twice), the trigger (also twice), the mainspring housing, the barrel (Storm Lake NM) and barrel bushing (GI NM) and the sights (also twice). When I got done with it, I had a package that I could live with…almost. I had a workable, accurate pistol with a finish I just didn’t like. It was too garish and lacked class. I talked to Ted, and he agreed to take on the project and add the finishing touches. He ended up repolishing it (no small feat on an engraved gun) and a couple other things, to include the Yo-Bo lanyard ring modification. When it arrived home the other day, I added a set of old, bark-ivory grips that I have been saving for this project. Here is the end result. I think it was worth the wait.

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Wayne Miller

WHOA!
That's purty.
I never really cared for engraved guns. I appreciated the work, skill, and artistry, but just didn't like them. But this gun, and another on here recently, have changed my mind, and I now want one. Or more.

Beautiful gun. And it looks to me like the journey was worth it.

Beauty wow! Can I come to the BBQ?

I really like the look of bark-ivory grips, but I was wondering if they would be more fragile or not last as long as other with out the cracks? Do you know if this is the case?

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God Bless
45Fundi

More fragile? Maybe. Sometimes. How's that for definative answer? The truth is that I have seen absolutely pristine, crack-free ivory grips break as well. I am going to ensure these are fitted correctly and have some cushion before I shoot with them. At this point, they are just barely snigged up, and the left grip still needs some fitting around one of the grip screw bushings. I have HEARD that you can "stabilize" old ivory grips by soaking them in liquified epoxy resin, but I haven't actually seen it done.

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Wayne Miller

Very classy Wayne!

A friend of mine (the guy at the WAC shows with all the fine shotguns) has a fully engraved 1919 Commercial model that he calls the "Mexican Heritage Edition." I thought thats kind of funny so I would share.

Nice gun Wayne!

Thanks, guys! It's been a lot of fun to put together. I'll have to take it out in the near future and make sure it still goes "bang" in more-or-less the right direction....

Now all I need to do is scratch the engraved 4" model 19 itch and the engraved Single Action Army itch and I will be set!!

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Wayne Miller

Holy hot damn!

Nice!

Nice looking gun, good story behind it. Congrats.

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Heirloom Precision, LLC.
480-804-1911

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

great project..thanks for sharing such a beauty..

Not a fan of engraved guns at all

BUT

I must say that really looks nice!
IF I was ever to do an engraved gun it would be something like this for sure.

Congrats on a beautiful and insprising piece.

Enjoy and use it in good health, keep in mind... If they are easy projects they are never as fun.

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Kentucky Colonel, Tennessee Squire & Combat Leprechaun
"You won't rise to the occasion - you'll default to your level of training." Barrett Tillman

I love your gun. Period.

However, I am going to put a bug in your ear on two things. ( forgive me for being so deliciously evil )

I see that, like me, you prefer the longer trigger. I think that if you were to put a nice, matching bit of scrollwork on the sides of the trigger, this would blend the trigger into the gun much better. With short triggers, this isn't an issue, but I have noticed it with longer ones.

Second, a bit of scrollwork along the border of the grip safety would also look very sweet.

Again, I love your gun!!! Don't think I don't. I'd buy it and CARRY it in a heartbeat.....LOL...if I weren't so Jeep broke.

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I wanted to breathe smoke.....

Thanks for the comments, guys. One thing I forgot to mention is that I have NO idea who did the engraving. I have shown this gun to half a dozen engravers, and we can't find an engraver's mark or signature anywhere on the gun. The consensus seems to be that it was probably engraved in Japan, sometime after WWII, during the occupation. One engraver went so far as to describe the engraving as "amateurish and childish". Given how perfect this guys engraving is, compared to his it IS amateurish! But, then again, the total I have into this is less than his engraving job alone would cost....

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Wayne Miller

I shipped a gun home from Japan in a set of dishes to my grandmother in 1953 that looked a lot like that one. I know that there were many of them grabbed by customs back them and that cannot be mine. It does look like the work that was being done back then. The 1911 was free, the engraving $150.00. She got the dishes, but no 1911.
My grips were scrimmed by the engraver and were ivory , of course.
It is a heart breaker for me to see that beautiful gun that brought back the memories od times past.
Taffin told me that baby oil was good for ivory grips. I do know they shrink and crack!

Mossyrock,

I love both the gun and the story that goes along with it. I used to be one of the guys saying that engraved guns were gaudy and too much show and not enough go. As you know, I have done a 180 on that one. Your gun appeals to me because of the simplicity of the external appearance. I have come full circle on my tastes in 1911s, and I think every shooter/collector needs a no frills, well-fit/built GI style 1911 in their stable. Your setup is exactly what I like, and the Yost sights are really nice, aren't they?

Great work, Ted, and nice post, Mossyrock. Congratulations.

~Jim Keeney

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

Ya know, I have been thinking about this for a couple days and, yes, maybe he is right about the engraving....BUT...what HE doesn't have on this is the actualy history behind the gun. At one point it was very en vogue to have a personal, engraved piece and MANY folks went with "average" engravers. The point of this gun is not the quality of the engraving ( which is perfectly fine if you ask me ) but the "social" history behind it.

I like this gun, I like that fact that someone probably drug it halfway around the world ( or spent a pretty penny ) to have it done so that he could have a unique piece of hardware that was all his own. This gun was special to someone. Was it perfect? Maybe not.....but to THAT guy....????

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I wanted to breathe smoke.....

I just wish I knew the HISTORY of it prior to my buying it. The gentleman I purchased it from was not the original owner and knew nothing about it. Like the Greatest Generation, the history of their personal firearms is dieing with them.

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Wayne Miller