Giles 45 Shop Colt 1911 Old School Custom

[4barrel]

Is that a Jim Clark gun? He used a distinctive stippling. I think he called it "Sharktooth," or something like that. A friend had one of his guns that he ordered and was not aware of the Sharktooth thing. He didn't like it and wanted to sell the gun. I shot it and loved the gun, but didn't have the money to buy it. I think even back then he had $1200 in the gun and accuracy work. The special type of stippling was not the most attractive thing I'd ever seen, but it sure worked.

It hasn't got a name.

 

[4barrel]

Eddietruett,
I would enjoy seeing some more pic's of the .22 Conversion Unit if possible.

Here is a new one I bought years ago and never used. I found a complete Kart gun that shoots good enough I never tried it. I put it on a 45 frame to make sure it would function --Shot maybe 20 rounds through it and cleaned and put in the safe. The magazines have never been in a gun and I bought spare parts in case something broke,

 

[Golddollar]

I didn't want to hijack the other Custom 1911 thread since it is geared for new production 1911's.

This is for old school .45's. Please post what you got.

This one is from Giles 45 Shop, Odessa FL. It is built on an early 70's Colt Government Model. Giles rib with wagon wheel rear sight with an extended front sight. Stippled front and rear grip frame. From what I have read, Mr Giles would add pins (corrected) inside the slide to assist with barrel lockup, anywhere from 1 to 3 welds. This one has one, on the left inside the slide. Lock up is still extremely tight after 50yrs. The slide is ball bearing smooth, and I really like the short trigger.

I have the older brother of your gun. Mine was made on a pre-Series 70 gun. It became the first of many John Giles guns that I have acquired. It would take me all week to take pictures of all the John Giles guns I have. I'm old enough to remember when he was in business and when I came across this gun for sale I jumped on it. The first Giles High Standard .22 that I got put 10 shots into 9/32 of an inch at 50 yards from a machine rest.

Thank you everybody for your information on John Giles. This has been a great education.

 

[Eddietruett]

Eddietruett,
I would enjoy seeing some more pic's of the .22 Conversion Unit if possible.

Hopefully the pictures show enough detail. I'm sure you can see how the Colt slide was cut and stays fixed.

 

[Eddietruett]

Is that a Jim Clark gun? He used a distinctive stippling. I think he called it "Sharktooth," or something like that. A friend had one of his guns that he ordered and was not aware of the Sharktooth thing. He didn't like it and wanted to sell the gun. I shot it and loved the gun, but didn't have the money to buy it. I think even back then he had $1200 in the gun and accuracy work. The special type of stippling was not the most attractive thing I'd ever seen, but it sure worked.

The Almond Gun I posted above has his style of shark's tooth work. It does work. Feels uncomfortable just holding the gun but you don't notice it when shooting. I'd hate for someone to rake it across my skin

 

[6string]

The Almond Gun I posted above has his style of shark's tooth work. It does work. Feels uncomfortable just holding the gun but you don't notice it when shooting. I'd hate for someone to rake it across my skin

It works well. Giles did the same sort of thing. Clark used a sharp punch held at an angle to raise a burr on the edge of the strike point, very much how you can make a "hand-stitched" woodworking rasp. Giles used a triangular punch and worked the frontstrap and mainspring housing. This option cost an extra $9.00!

PS: I really like Almond's custom rollmark for his shop.
Very Slick!

 

[tndrfttom]

It seemed like all the well-healed, "hard holder" bullseye shooters I shot with were about equally divided between Clark or Giles-built 45s. The .45 wad-gun with the extended front sight that I shot most was made by AMU pistolsmith Jack Best. My back-up gun/hardball gun was supposed to have been built by Jack Maple but I can't find anything on the gun to confirm this. The Clark Long Heavy Side came along at the tail-end of my bullseye career and didn't get shot much.

 

[AJ]

Have had a couple of custom built M1911's. Very well made, but no manufacturers marks on them. A shame that some very talented folks never marked their wares.

 

[Eddietruett]

It works well. Giles did the same sort of thing. Clark used a sharp punch held at an angle to raise a burr on the edge of the strike point, very much how you can make a "hand-stitched" woodworking rasp. Giles used a triangular punch and worked the frontstrap and mainspring housing. This option cost an extra $9.00!

PS: I really like Almond's custom rollmark for his shop.
Very Slick!

In person it looks like it might have been engraved at a jewelry store. We think this was a 1 off deal. It's only on the conversion slide and was done when he presented the gun to my friend. We might never know unless another one pops up somewhere

 

[Rock185]

I have a Government model accurized by Clark back in the '60s. I found it at a gun show years later. About 20 years ago, I sent it back to Clark for the tune-up they offer and some other work. Clark returned it with a new 10-shot at 50 yards test target of just over 2". Doesn't have that Tiger Tooth stippling, thank goodness

 

[Hill536]

It works well. Giles did the same sort of thing. Clark used a sharp punch held at an angle to raise a burr on the edge of the strike point, very much how you can make a "hand-stitched" woodworking rasp. Giles used a triangular punch and worked the frontstrap and mainspring housing. This option cost an extra $9.00!

PS: I really like Almond's custom rollmark for his shop.
Very Slick!

A bit of trivia! John Giles' son, John worked in his dads shop after school and did the stippling.

 

[boatbum101]

Giles also crimped his cast loads ( 45acp ) to .465 . Hard to do unless you've got a Star press . To this day when load testing a wadgun I still start with 3.8 BE w/ HG68 @ 50 , 3.5 @ 25 .

 

[AJ]

Giles also crimped his cast loads ( 45acp ) to .465 . Hard to do unless you've got a Star press . To this day when load testing a wadgun I still start with 3.8 BE w/ HG68 @ 50 , 3.5 @ 25 .

I have one of those presses sitting in a closet.

 

[BE Mike]

My first custom bullseye pistol is this Clark Heavy Slide. Note the "slide guide" on the dustcover. Jim Clark Sr. worked on this one time at Camp Perry and took my dad and I to the function range to make sure it was working up to snuff.

I got my Distinguished Pistol Shot badge with this Clark Hardball Gun, shooting factory 230 gr. FMJ, .45 ACP ammo.

 

[Hill536]

Here is a test target from 1975 with a typical Maszk loading. Slightly different from your specs. Maszk's load was varied for use at the 25 yard and 50 yard by the amount of BE without rear sight adjustment. Wad and ball loads varied with bullet weights. This is a ball load for 50 yds.

 

[Walking softly]

Giles

My Dad talked about Giles as an old friend. He competed for decades with several of Giles guns. I'm glad others still know the Giles name and appreciate his craftsmanship.

The guns are still tight and shoot like new.

 

[AJ]

Here is a test target from 1975 with a typical Maszk loading. Slightly different from your specs. Maszk's load was varied for use at the 25 yard and 50 yard by the amount of BE without rear sight adjustment. Wad and ball loads varied with bullet weights. This is a ball load for 50 yds.

Ken,

I just might have to try that.

AJ

 

[Golddollar]

My Dad talked about Giles as an old friend. He competed for decades with several of Giles guns. I'm glad others still know the Giles name and appreciate his craftsmanship.

The guns are still tight and shoot like new.

I was lucky enough to recognize his name as one of the top pistolsmiths when I started getting serious about bullseye shooting back in the 1990s. I forget what I paid for my first Giles gun, but I figured you pay for quality and I needed all the help I could get. We had a base for a Ransome Rest at my club and I got to see what the gun could really do.

 

[BE Mike]

Here is a test target from 1975 with a typical Maszk loading. Slightly different from your specs. Maszk's load was varied for use at the 25 yard and 50 yard by the amount of BE without rear sight adjustment. Wad and ball loads varied with bullet weights. This is a ball load for 50 yds.

This brought back a lot of memories from the 70's when I would go to Maszk's Workshop in Bunnell, FL and drool all over the custom and hard to find guns he had in the cases.

 

[boatbum101]

Many shoot 4.2 BE with a hardcast HG68 for long line , lighter is more accurate but gotta be a " hard holder " . One of mine loves 3.6 VVN310 w/ Zero 200SWC @ 50 , but lets me know quick when I aint doin' my part . .463 crimp on Maszk's load , try that on a Dillon !!