Category Archives: Thoughts

From 1911-purview Colt 70 series 1911 in .45 ACP —an absolutely drum tight (on Acurails) shooting machine with a Barsto hard fit barrel, hand checkering, blended beaver tail, and Bomar rear sight, by retired police officer Bill Thompson (Bill’s Custom Automatics). This gun came out of Anchorage Alaska, and was made by Bill when heContinue reading “Bill Thompson Custom Colt”

pistol_purview Way before he was racing cars and supervising a semi custom 1911 mill, Lester (the gun molester) was one of the baddest pistolsmiths in America. This 1985 Colt 80 series comp gun is testament to that. He called it the “Baer Custom Compensator II System” and it was engineered to mitigate muzzle flip andContinue reading “Les Baer Custom Colt”

From 1911_purview 80 series Colt in .45 ACP by Ken Crawley. Born in 1941, Ken spent his early years in a small west Texas town south of Ranger. He lived on a farm and liked open spaces and hunting. He went to work for Martin Sprocket in 1958. His first job was sweeping up, butContinue reading “Ken Crawley Custom Series 80 Colt”

From 1911_purview Colt commander in .45 ACP by Mario Francis Ruffino, a paisan from Brooklyn NY–born in 1929 at the start of the Great Depression. He and his family moved to NJ, where he lived until 1961. It was in Jersey that he became a machinist and toolmaker, eventually putting those skills to good useContinue reading “Mario Ruffino Custom Colt Commander”

From 1911_purview Colt 80 series 1911 in .45 ACP by Dave Stagg (DSCP) out of Port Byron IL. This gun features hard fit Kart barrel and bushing, flawless Single checkering fore and aft, blended beaver tail, and beautiful dehorning…all cloaked in a gorgeous brushed flats with matte rounds stainless finish. Dave is one of thoseContinue reading “Dave Stagg Custom Colt”

From 1911_purview Full house Evolution Armory in .45 ACP (in full DLC) by Dave Panciotti out of Brentwood NH. After being laid off as an Audi mechanic, and apprenticing with a local gunsmith, in 2010 Dave worked for Sig Sauer where he met Mark Regenaur and the two became good friends. Dave worked in theContinue reading “Evolution Armory Custom 1911”