Like many others in this industry my pal Steve Bailey and I aren’t huge fans of the word “tacticalâ€... it’s gotten pretty washed out and over played throughout the last couple of years. The word does have its uses but, despite the current marketing trend, just not for everything under the sun. But, like it or not, it is a word that when used correctly can be aptly applied to describe something or someone. And, in reality, there are probably few people that I know who can use the word to describe something or be described by the word and really have it ring true. Steve is one such person.
Having shot and trained a good bit with Steve, as well as having been with him while he “worksâ€, and sharing a corner in the shop with him as we crank away on 1911s it's always interesting for me to see what Steve builds when he builds a gun for himself. Partially because it’s nice to see what a craftsman forges out for their personal use but also because, in Steve’s case, when he builds a gun for himself it really is meant to be a “work†gun... a “tactical†gun if required. Unlike many among us Steve doesn’t own a plethora of guns, instead choosing to limit his “keepers†to guns that will actually see real use and holster time. This gun is one such piece...
This gun never needed a special name or phrase to validate it but that aforementioned catchword would certainly apply. At the same time some of the neatest things about this gun and its conception are the details and modifications that Steve chose to put on the gun, the ones he could have, and the ones he left off. Keeping in mind that this is really more of a dual or triple duty piece and not just a niche gun that you may see on the cover of “Tactical Ninja Weekly†secured in a Safariland drop leg rig. Steve chose wisely selecting the parts and modifications that someone in his role would truly need. The wide use this gun will see may have it going from an uncovered Alessi OWB rig to being carried
concealed inside the waistband without a holster at all... and all in one days worth of work too. It’s a taller order than one may think and one that can quickly clutter a functional working piece with too many gizmos and gadgets. A simple working piece that can do all things well was what Steve was going for with this gun. Looking great was a requirement but the added few "nice to have" features were an extra bonus. And while this may not be the “perfect†work gun for everyone it’s a goal that in my opinion was met well by one-man searching to build a better mousetrap for none other than himself. A Job well done… enjoy the pictures!
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