"Fancy" Guns

[Devereaux]

Eric made some comment back a ways about "flashy" guns, and how terrible they were. Well, I believe everyone ought to have at least one pimp gun. Here's mine. Post up yours.



And that's chrome, not nickel.

[Matt G]

All these guns are nice.  Me likes a 1911.

Matt G

[Hk940]

While I don't have a pimp gun I can see the value of a high quality tool that is also beautiful to look at.
It would be a sad world if every gun were as ugly as a Glock. 

[SirBrass]

Is that Robarized, NS2?

If so, she's gorgeous

I think fancy guns are GREAT, it's just that you better have a twin of yours if it is your main carry gun, or make sure it is your fun gun or BBQ gun... where your gun needs to be fancy to not look ugly compared to the threads you're wearing.

Otherwise, hope the cop doesn't think wrongly of you when they confiscate it after using it for SD and you say, "I better get that back in good condition."

[Devereaux]

Sir Brass -

I believe you were referring to one's "Go to meetin'" gun, if I understand your definition of BBQ. That's when you drag out the tooled leather holster that's pretty fast, but awful pretty. And isn't it a shame that we have a legal system that would take your weapon and not treat it well. Didn't use to be that way.

NS2 -

You might suspect that I am partial to Commander length guns, and these two that you've posted are certainly really nice examples. Especially the one on the red back ground. ?Just what is that. I note the magwell, and the grips appear custom, too. You have some additional pics, be nice to see.

[SirBrass]

Sir Brass -

I believe you were referring to one's "Go to meetin'" gun, if I understand your definition of BBQ. That's when you drag out the tooled leather holster that's pretty fast, but awful pretty. And isn't it a shame that we have a legal system that would take your weapon and not treat it well. Didn't use to be that way.

Uh huh.  That's when you wear your favorite Tucker holster with your best belt set on the waist just right so it doesn't poke or bang against the pew and so you can still go for it if need be, even if you've got your nice leather "this is what I use for followin' the preacher at church" bible in your off hand .

Or for if you expect the occasion to TURN into a shotgun wedding

[Devereaux]

HK,  Do you mean you don't see the beauty in this...

Reminds me of an alligator.

[Doc Wesson]

What was it that was supposed to be wrong with fancy guns?

[Eric R Shelton]

Allow me to be clear about any "pretty" guns I may have mocked.  I'm talking about when the bling goes past attractive and straight into gaudy territory...


That SIS was downright gorgeous!  And isn't it curious that we're putting up a bunch of 1911 pictures?  C'mon, somebody has to have a tricked out revolver or something!  Maybe a Gemini Customs...?

[Devereaux]

Kind of looks like someone raided a drug lord's home, Eric. ?Where did you FIND those "weapons".

I expect mostly you see 1911's because they've been around longer than you have. So people have had a long time to come up with ideas of what makes for a neat weapon. Some go over the top, others are "right on". My own Commander would, in my estimate, be just a touch "OTT", but I shoot it, and it shoots really well. I have seriously considered sending out a couple late flat-top 3-screw Rugers to get them engraved, but as a working engraving, so no inlay. Just a nice design to set them off, then some ivory grips from my favorite ivory grip maker, and I have a couple "legacy" guns to leave my kids - and still can take them out and shoot them all I (or they) would want. I ever get in gear enough to get that program done, I'll send you some pics.

Revolvers I have are not quite in the bling class. I have a really nice S&W target .22, but it's basically a blued revolver. Just made back in the 30's I think. I have some sixguns, and I believe I posted them, as a test to see if I actually COULD do what NS2 suggested. They're on the 1911 post I think. ?Want them here.

[Devereaux]

NS2 -

You might suspect that I am partial to Commander length guns, and these two that you've posted are certainly really nice examples. Especially the one on the red back ground. ?Just what is that. I note the magwell, and the grips appear custom, too. You have some additional pics, be nice to see.

I'm more partial to the CDR length guns as well.  My father carried one for years so it may be sentimental.  Odd thing is that I still carry a 5" CQB when I'm home.  I can't get that old warning about the 5" guns being more reliable out of my head.  I just bought a Kimber Super Carry Pro that shoots great, is very comfortable in my hand and has been flawless for the 500+ rounds I have put through it.  Yet, with all that going for it, I still tend to grab the 5" guns even though the new Kimber is 13 ounces lighter than the CQB.

The gun in the pic with the red background is my youngest son's carry gun.  It doesn't look anything like that anymore.

It is a Sig GSR.  The frame, slide, extractor, barrel and bushing are all Sig.  The rest is Wilson Combat parts that I put together for him.  The Grips are Hogue aluminum.  The mag well is Wilson Combat in stainless.  The finish is Armor Tuff applied by Nighthawk Custom.  I took all the sharp edges off of it and made sure it worked properly before sending it out for the finish.  

It started out as a hobby gun to keep from going crazy during a rehab period that my son liked so much that I gave it to him.  

Interesting thing about CDR length guns is that they are just long enough to be able to be "messed" with a touch. So, for instance, you can put in a shok buffer, but you are really pushing it on whether or not the gun will work correctly - it's a close thing. Try something like that on an officer length gun, and you are SOL, mein herr. There is no room in the slide for the spring to work and still compress it that much to include a shok buffer. Now THAT is tight clearance. I have had a shok buffer in my original Commander for years, and several smiths have marvelled that it was working, but it has NEVER failed to load or fire. I did do a little throat work, so I don't think I want to shoot any really hot rounds through it, but for regular .45 ACP stuff, like Lawman ammo, it is fine. I even have a spring in it that is strong enough to shoot +P+, but I suspect that is beating up that poor aluminum frame just a tad too much.

[SirBrass]

Allow me to be clear about any "pretty" guns I may have mocked.  I'm talking about when the bling goes past attractive and straight into gaudy territory...


That SIS was downright gorgeous!  And isn't it curious that we're putting up a bunch of 1911 pictures?  C'mon, somebody has to have a tricked out revolver or something!  Maybe a Gemini Customs...?

Ewww, YUCK.  Yeah, gaudy is a no-no.  Bling is like cologne.  Just a spritz and it's great.  Lather it on, and UGH it's FUNK!

[Doc Wesson]

NS2... Talking my language....

[Devereaux]

Ah, no, NS2. That Navy is just spectacular. But then, a Navy is GOING to be just spectacular, no matter what is done to it. You just can't shoot that sum'bit**.  I rather like the other wheel guns, too, although you seem to like the finger groove grips, and I don't. There use to be a set of grips that Herrett's made called the Border Patrolman, made after Bill Jordan, that were just the thing for a big Smith. I even owned a set once, but I can't seem to find where they went. I know I sold the Model 15 that they were on, but had replaced the original grips way back. Need to do some searching...

I am more a Smith DA guy than Colt. But I can't fault that Colt.

[SirBrass]

Wishful thinking on my part.

I'd really like to get a Python in such good condition.

Someone said, "autos are necessary, but revolvers are a work of art.". I wish I knew who that was.

I would fight you to get my hands on that python.  GORGEOUS!

[Eric R Shelton]

And I'd fight SirBrass to get the Python!  (I think I could take him, but Fight Club taught me not underestimate the skinny guys...  )  I don't know if I'll ever quit kicking myself for not grabbing that Python I saw, price tag be damned...

[Devereaux]

Being an old guy, I will stand on the sidelines with NS2 and watch you two demolish each other, then calmly shoot the survivor and just take the Python. NS2 and I can then decide on how we're going to split this - time share, or perhaps some other arrangement can be made (since he doesn't really know what I have, and I don't know what he does - chance for cross-country dealin')

[Eric R Shelton]

Being an old guy, I will stand on the sidelines with NS2 and watch you two demolish each other, then calmly shoot the survivor and just take the Python. NS2 and I can then decide on how we're going to split this - time share, or perhaps some other arrangement can be made (since he doesn't really know what I have, and I don't know what he does - chance for cross-country dealin')

I know people type "LOL" all the time, but I really did just about shoot beverage out my nose after reading the first sentence!  Brilliant, sir!

[xmunckx]

I have no rational explanation for why , , but for some reason I think the bar for "too gaudy" gets set much higher for a revolver then does a semi auto. .

 

[SirBrass]

And I'd fight SirBrass to get the Python!  (I think I could take him, but Fight Club taught me not underestimate the skinny guys...  )  I don't know if I'll ever quit kicking myself for not grabbing that Python I saw, price tag be damned...

And you being skinny as well would be dangerous for my health... so I'd just resort to dirty measures