Today we finish comp guns–later this week we’re moving to carry comps. This all-nickel 1970 Colt in .38 Super was masterfully crafted by Claudio Salassa, one of the finest custom 1911 pistolsmiths of his generation. Salassa began his career in South Africa as an apprentice to legendary pistolsmith Paul Liebenberg. Liebenberg later immigrated to the United States, where his remarkable career included building the iconic Combat Specials at Pachmayr, directing Smith & Wesson’s famed Performance Center, and ultimately founding Pistol Dynamics. With Paul’s help, Claudio followed a similar path, relocating to the United States, where he established the pistol division at Briley. His precision craftsmanship and attention to detail quickly earned Briley a reputation for producing some of the finest custom 1911s in the country. This particular pistol was built for renowned firearms writer Charles Petty. Its second owner, my friend @scarce_and_desirable graciously entrusted me with the privilege of serving as its steward for the next two decades. So this pistol was made by a legend, then owned by two different legends, and now it lands in semi-retirement in a carefully curated pile of guns. Some pistols are beautifully made. Others have remarkable provenance. This one has both. To me, this gun is everything.
Scattered Shots 