@yost_ted called me few years ago and said a customer sent him a 1930 Colt “base gun” to do a build on. Upon examining the gun, he immediately surmised that it was not a candidate for one of his bespoke builds. When his customer asked why, Ted responded “because it’s already built!” He identified it as a Jesse Harpe 1911 from the early 40s. He went on to tell me the finish is virtually gone, but it’s a beautifully built and still tight as a drum. In an effort to start over, the customer asked Ted to find a new home for it, hence the call to me. I had been looking for one for years, so I was writing the check and sending it to his client before the phone conversation ended. Harpe guns are known for his handmade barrel bushing, which he forged by hand out of tool steel. By legend (and in real life) they are so tightly mated to the slide, they require the jaws of life to remove them. Why did Mr. Harpe fit them so tightly? That’s easy, because they weren’t meant to be removed. His guns were also known for gorgeous fore and aft radial checkering. The gun was virtually in the white from 70 years of hard use. I’ll refinish almost anything to my liking, but I don’t like refinishing really old guns because their patina is the keeper of their soul. This one, however, was totally naked, so in the spirit of preserving a national treasure I sent it to Glenrock Blue. This is the masterpiece I got back. It is now shod in Roper like grips gifted to me by Rainman after months of begging. It successfully fired 25 rounds last year, and will now live out the rest of its pampered life covered in Renaissance wax in a climate controlled safe. Trust me, it earned it.
Scattered Shots 