Colt bluing Ford’s Custom Gub

[CaptJack1]

Just showing a refinished Colt 1911, it was submerged in saltwater for one week during hurricane Ian
This is my friends, he asked me best way to get rid of a gun…he he was going throw it away. I said I will take care of it.
It was completely locked up….sent it to Ford’s last October
got it back yesterday…$750 later, I think it looks better than factory. See Before and after photos

My friend was thrilled when he saw it…it actually is his dads gun, giving it to him for Xmas.

 

[madmikeb]

What an awesome thing to do for your friend!

 

[robertrwalsh]

The work on that conversion is almost magical.

 

[colt_saa]

That Gold Cup looks AWESOME. I am glad it has been rescued

I am sure your friend will be thrilled. That is going to be an uplifting event for him

Ford's does fantastic work. I have used them several times.

You just have to be willing to pay their prices and be patient . . . They have never been FAST

But the things they can do are worth the wait

 

[daveyc]

Wow! that is a fantastic transformation. looks great

 

[Shootgood]

That came out great

 

[CaptJack1]

Also, Fords had to re-engrave the roll marks

 

[stansdds]

Nice restoration. I might suggest a watertight storage box for this pistol.

 

[ladder13]

That looks better than new.

 

[dfariswheel]

It's nice to know Ford's has made a come back.
A few years ago several people sent Pythons to Ford for refinishes, and one a refinish and restored roll marks.

They all got back absolute destroyed guns that were so over buffed they looked like bars of soap.
The "restored" stamps, honest, looked like a child with an electric pencil did it.

Apparently the older workers had left and they'd hired new people. They let them begin work without checking their skills and workmanship and a number of expensive guns were ruined.

Even after correcting that, their work was still substandard.

 

[gp52555]

Ford's master blue.

 

[stansdds]

Ford's master blue.

Stop it! Just stop it! Seeing that makes me want to go out and buy a big bore snub nose revolver and I need one like I need another hole in my head. You are being an enabler and I am easily enabled. I don't need one... I don't need one... I don't... you know, I have not bought a firearm since the panicdemic... wonder what's in the case at my local gun emporium?

 

[7.62match]

Nice looking Colt, being submerged in salt water for a week i would replace those grips or you and your friend might be looking at a rusted pistol again. Does anyone remember the Browning salt wood stocks ? a lot of nice O/U and bolt action rifles where destroyed by it. If it was mine I would have those grips off it now.

 

[murphydog]

The restoration looks very nice!

Not that I have any skills at all, but a 1911 redo looks much simpler than any S & W revolver.

 

[D1911]

Ford's master blue.

How does the other side look? I remember years ago seeing an S&W refinished by Fords that looked like they polished the side plate off the gun. The side plate looked like it sat below the level of the frame. Although the finish was great (Nickle I think), the side plate fit was horrible.

 

[TheTinMan]

Nice looking Colt, being submerged in salt water for a week i would replace those grips or you and your friend might be looking at a rusted pistol again. Does anyone remember the Browning salt wood stocks ? a lot of nice O/U and bolt action rifles where destroyed by it. If it was mine I would have those grips off it now.

The funny thing is that you can get a good deal sometimes on late ‘60s/early ‘70s Browning High Power rifles that have ZERO evidence of salt damage.

If the stocks were off the pistol for months, I wouldn’t worry about it every day. However, I would check inside for any evidence of salt in the wood. Browning was actually burying wood in salt to expedite drying time, so not quite like submersion in salt water.