Pistol_purview
This beautiful 1911 with a Nowlin match grade barrel and Heinie sights (of course) was built by the living legend Richard Heinie. This gun is numbered RH395, which is always engraved under the thumb safety. RH is regarded as one of the greatest 1911 smiths of all time. Famed gun writer and shooter Walt Rauch referred to him simply as “The American Pistolsmith.” At one point he had a 7 year wait to get one of his guns. This back log was largely a function of his real and perceived talent, but it was also manufactured by king maker Cameron Hopkins, the then editor of American Handgunner. If Cam put one of your guns on the cover of American Handgunner in the 80s and 90s, you were anointed king for a decade, and your back log started the month after that edition dropped. It’s true…ask Stan Chen. Heinie guns are very hard to find in the wild because 1911 collectors don’t give them up while they are alive….not even the ones with scallops. This gun is now complete (in my mind) after finally sourcing Craig Spegel grips for her. I paid a small fortune for these grips, battling some other idiot in the last hour of a GB auction…now ask me if I care.
Scattered Shots 
He was right about the grips. The rest of the gun, perfection, or near enough.
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It’s very tasteful and not too far from stock from what I can tell.
What Colt 1911 would you guys get for around $1,500 or so?
If a low end Nighthawk or Wilson Combat could be had for $2,000-$2,500 would you just keep saving for that?
For Colt’s the Gold Cup National Match/Trophy, Competiton Series, Combat Unit Rail, and Delta 10mm Rail seem nice but I’m not sure if they’re still made as good as they used to after all the changes with Colt. I’d want one in 45 or maybe 10mm Delta but I hear the 10mm 1911s wear out fast and have problems.
By the way, thanks for the site Shawn. I don’t get to read or post as much as I’d like but I still appreciate all your hard work on it.
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I recommend any of the current Colt line up, They are extremely well made factory guns.
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I figured you would know if they were still any good or not since you’re an expert on colt’s and 1911’s from what I can tell. I think the CCU rail in 45acp will be what I try and get. I know a lot of 1911 people don’t like rails but it is nice to have them for lights. I will say that 1911s look weird to me with optics mounted on the slides and if you’re going that far you may as well get a 2011 or something.
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