Just finished this for another one of those guys I kinda have trouble referring to as a customer—he is a good friend first. He came into my circle through another good friend—who was the son of a good friend….. the son met Phil in the Corps. Phil did six years active duty. When he got out he got a position in a large company whose product I don’t think Phil had any experience with—but at the head of this company is a guy, a veteran himself, who knows how to pick ‘em—and he looks first at people coming out of the military. Whatever his exact hiring formula is, it works. Phil’s intellect, take-charge approach and work ethic, tempered by a personality that just works regardless of what color your collar might be, floated him to ever higher positions in this company.
When the Marines wanted him back for an excursion to the horn of Africa, Phil, like all these guys I meet, said “I have to go with my guys. I can’t let them go without me. They need me.” So he went—and his employer understood that.
When at long last he came back, he moved away from my area—for family reasons. In his new location and new job, he was still very involved with the Corps— at this point, a Lt. Colonel. He was needed to run a Camp in his area—which he did. Then they wanted him in Afghanistan—and he went. I guess the USMC knows how to pick ‘em too.
He’s been back now for I guess about two years and personally, I hope everyone concerned, including him, feels he’s done his part…. I sure think he has. It’s a bit of a family tradition though—Phil’s Dad was in Patton’s Army and served in Africa, Italy, and France.
On to the pistol, a Springfield.
Breech face and the surface that actuates the disonnector and rides over the hammer in cycling get a mild polish job. I’ve never seen these surfaces be a stand-alone problem by being too rough but smoothing them up “don’t hurt none”. I don't feel there's a great need to get to the bottom of each and every tool mark-- just smooth it up a tad.
VZ Grips and a Chen magwell. Sometimes I used Stan’s, sometimes I make my own—it just kinda depends. Phil wanted some checkering on the magwell to match the grips, this is what I came up with.
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Another 3-4 hour safety. I have a ton of work into this and the slide stop, especially the safety—reshaping, wrapping the original serrations around the back, putting a gripping surface on the bottom, and—polishing prior to bluing. The control surfaces are matted, so it’s polish, mask, blast—but the masking has to be precise. I cut a mask using a hole punch and razor blade so that the border between polished and blasted is precise and geometric. Tedious stuff, but with the awesome bluing from Glenrock Blue, worth it.
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Chuck Rogers idea ripoff alert!
I have shamelessly copied Chuck’s trick of having Old Glory reflected in a polished surface. Apologies brother but I just thought it was too good an idea and too appropriate not to do. The bushing, barrel, hammer and hammer strut have been chromed by a private source.
Mag catch (Nowlin), angled and treated with Mini-Conamyds…. My own Extra Stout Plunger Tube….. Wilson Bullet Proof safety—a really great piece of work. The trigger has been lightened internally an in the bow, and OT positively locked.
Top of the slide. Serrated per Phil’s request… Kart barrel, crosshatched and chromed. I’ve always loved the contrast between a blued gun and chromed barrel and hammer.
This thing goes perfectly with fall colors!
The gun is not done— some of you have noticed I haven’t shown an overall shot; I am still waiting for the sights to come back from Trijicon. I tried, really tried, to talk Phil into my Shield Driver rear, but Phil has a preference for the Heinies so Heinies he got.
Soon as the sights come I promise some more pics!
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