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S&W 100th Year Anaversary 1911 With Display Case
 
Here's a 1901 Colt Bisley, sent to Mexico City. After sale, it was gold plated (now worn off except for flutes), engraved (Indian style=pretty primitive, Indian shooting a jaguar, chasing a stagecoach, etc), Ivory grips, carved with ruby eyes. No one can give an explanation on how it ended up on the Apache Res in NE Arizona.

That old Colt looks so interesting. It's the kind of old gun that really appeals to me on a visual and historical level. I'd love to see some larger, more detailed photographs of it if you get time. I'm also curious...the trigger looks fully depressed although the hammer is down. Is there a reason for that?
 
SOME OF THE FIREARMS PICTURED IN THIS THREAD ARE BREATHTAKING. UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE LOST MONEY ON EVERY WEAPON THAT I HAVE EXTENSIVELY MODIFIED, FOR RELIABILITY OR BETTER FUNCTIONING--1911s AND AR 15s IN PARTICULAR. THE MODS THAT I MADE ON EARLY MODELS WOULD LATER BE ADOPTED IN REGULAR PRODUCTION WEAPONS--NEGATING THE VALUE / ATTRACTION TO MINE. IN MY OLD AGE, I SEE THE FOLLY OF ME CREATING A MASTERPIECE THAT I WON'T LIVE TO ENJOY FOR MANY YEARS. I RELEGATE MYSELF TO GRIP SWAPS, SIGHT SWAPS, A CYLINDER SWAP, STOCK REFINISHING---NOTHING TOO EXTRAVAGANT, THAT CAN'T BE UNDONE TO RETURN THE WEAPON TO STOCK CONDITION, FOR RESALE IF NEED BE…...

BELOW ARE A PAIR OF 629s WEARING SAMBAR STAGS BY EAGLE GRIPS; A 4" 617 WITH AN S&W RED RAMP FRONT SIGHT (INSTEAD OF THE STANDARD PATRIDGE), A WEIGAND COMBAT .125" REAR SIGHT, AHRENDS SMOOTH TACTICAL CONVERSION GRIPS IN MORADILLO WOOD, AND "THE PLUG". NEXT IS A NO-DASH 2 1/2" 686, CONVERTED TO A 7 SHOOTER BY S&W, WEARING REFINISHED MAGNA PC GRIPS AND A TYLER-T GRIP ADAPTER. THIS REVOLVER WAS ALSO GIVEN THE "DELUXE" ACTION TUNE BY DENNIS REICHARD @ SAND BURR GUN RANCH. MASSAD AYOOB TOUTS "DENNY" AS ARGUABLY "THE BEST" S&W GUNSMITH WORKING TODAY. IMHO, HIS WORK IS SUPERB, AND VERY REASONABLY PRICED…..
 

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For my 60th Birthday (2007) I wanted a model 60, mirror polished and engraved. I found a very nice M60 at a local PHX gun show, sent it to the S&W P.C. for a high polish. When it came back I sent it to Wayne D'Angelo (master engraver for both S&W and Colt) for a 75% coverage of his artwork. That and my custom Wil Stegner Damascus/Mastodon FL tanto folder make up my Arizona BBQ pair.
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That old Colt looks so interesting. It's the kind of old gun that really appeals to me on a visual and historical level. I'd love to see some larger, more detailed photographs of it if you get time. I'm also curious...the trigger looks fully depressed although the hammer is down. Is there a reason for that?

It's supposed to. It's a single action. When the hammer is cocked, the trigger comes forward.
 
I've shown this one before, but what the heck. This is a 1950's vintage 357 Magnum cut to 3 1/2" and converted to Colt 45 by forum member Keith44Spl. Grips by Keith Brown, Dave installed a half-adjustable rear sight and an ivory bead King front. It's a great piece of work!
 

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It's supposed to. It's a single action. When the hammer is cocked, the trigger comes forward.

I hate to get off-topic here, but I have to disagree with that. The attached photos show my Old Model Ruger .44 uncocked and at full cock. The trigger is in the same position in both shots. So maybe it's that way with Colts, I don't know, but it apparently doesn't apply to all single action revolvers.
 

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I hate to get off-topic here, but I have to disagree with that. The attached photos show my Old Model Ruger .44 uncocked and at full cock. The trigger is in the same position in both shots. So maybe it's that way with Colts, I don't know, but it apparently doesn't apply to all single action revolvers.
The trigger moves back on all my revolvers when cocked. Of course most are DA, but my SA Ruger Blackhawk also moves back when cocked.

Even so, different guns work differently. Maybe that's normal for the one mentioned.
 
The first was a 10/22 that eventually had everything replaced but the bolt, receiver, and trigger housing.

20130927_132119 by Slick_Rick77, on Flickr
Below it is a 22/45 with extended controls and an aftermarket sear and hammer. The stock trigger was modified for over travel and pre travel adjustments. They are among my first firearms.

This Colt MT6601 has seen several changes but most of the major parts are still factory. It has a single stage match trigger, free float tube under the handguards, and a custom Leupold scope.

20141229_155944 by Slick_Rick77, on Flickr
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It was my first centerfire rifle and is still my favorite.

This match barreled Colt 1991A1 had most of the lower half destroyed and was rebuilt by its owner.

20140723_111443 by Slick_Rick77, on Flickr

20140723_111359 by Slick_Rick77, on Flickr
It looks like hell but works better than ever.

This is a Ruger P89DC with a ported match barrel, Springco guide rod, and adjustable night sights.
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Perhaps not the gun to put a $200 barrel on, but it works flawlessly and shoots well. It is now the wife's.

After selling a 20" Remington 870 I put together this 18.5" 1100.
IMG_3486.jpg

Other than the barrel and some extraneous parts the action is all standard.

This Romanian PSL-54C had been a bit ungainly to carry and transport so it was cut and recrowned to 21" with an AK-74 style muzzle brake and a Tapco G3 hammer was added.
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It also wears a Russian 2-6x scope instead of the fixed 4x.

Lastly these ARs were assembled as a pistol and a firearm. They get odd looks but are a lot of fun to shoot and bridge the gap between rifle and handgun nicely.

20140909_113915 by Slick_Rick77, on Flickr

A family member recently opined that I ruined all these guns, but they are mine and work better for me. Most are worth more in parts and thats just fine.
 
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Ruger Flat Top 44Mag (1956(?) mfg). Had been used and abused as a fast draw gun. Cylinder had been replaced w/a non-fluted Super Black
Hawk. Original bbl replaced with a 10" tube and the grip strap modified as well as the original grips.

The original bbl was still with the gun so I fitted that back up.
I fluted the smooth SBH cylinder to match the old style look. The Ruger aluminum grip strap I replaced & fitted w/a Power Custom 2 piece Colt style steel unit in the old Ruger XR3 size.
Still has the Ruger coil hammer spring inside though it is possible to convert to a flat mainspring with the unit.

I fitted a set of ivory grips that were originally most likely intended for a Colt SAA from some long forgotten project. The old style XR3 Ruger gripframe is the same as the Colt SAA. Just enough of a difference in looks and feel betw the two to be noticable to most who handle them.

A set of salvaged Ruger medallions from yet another butchered set of older grips,,the original set not even good enough for giving up those little discs.
The metal got polished, corners squared up. It needed quite a bit as it was treated pretty rough in it's gunslinger life, dents dings, some rust and pits. Looked like CowBoy Bob practiced in the garage at times on the concrete floor.
The rear MICRO marked site is steel thankfully. It was banged up but refinished nicely with a little work. A later aluminum unit wouldn't have done so well.

As I was fitting the new gripstrap and trigger guard anyway, that allowed me to blend the parts cleanly to the frame in the white for a nice fit. Belt grinder helps a lot in the process.

Then I engraved the gun and added just a couple touches of 24k gold inlay. A deep hot salt blue to finish it off.

I shot it a few rounds when completed,,I always like to make sure they really do work and not just look pretty.
I was satisfied with the results and liked the gun,Kept it for a while,,,then sold it and moved to the next project.
Kind of the way it goes....
 
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