Used Series 80 followed me home, any insight?

General Firearms Handguns - 1911
1

I went to a LGS today to get a Glock barrel for a RMR project and noticed this in the 1911 cabinet (excuse the crappy pic):

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z401/Will_Hines/file.jpg

I was impressed by the work done on it, but the sales guy could only link it to another area shop (David’s Gun Room, for those in the Atlanta area). I’m not positive, but I didn’t get the impression that he meant the work was done there. Slide-to-frame, lockup, and barrel hood fit were both solid without being too tight (subject to my relatively limited knowledge) and it passed a safety check, so away I went with my Glock barrel and impulse-buy 1911.

Taking a closer look, I was hoping someone could identify parts and/or help me narrow down whether this was a done by a smith or is it more likely a home project.

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z401/Will_Hines/file-34.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z401/Will_Hines/IMG_0729_zps830d472b.jpg

Finish is evenly applied and very smooth to the touch. Smoother than any Cerakote I’ve come across. It almost feels like Glock’s Tennifer, but it still feels like a coating.

More pics:

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z401/Will_Hines/file-2.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z401/Will_Hines/file-3.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z401/Will_Hines/file-10.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z401/Will_Hines/file-11.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z401/Will_Hines/file-19.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z401/Will_Hines/file-21.jpg
That is the reflection of the light above the bench. The finish is even on all 3 sides. No apparent reload scratches.

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z401/Will_Hines/file-6.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z401/Will_Hines/file-6.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z401/Will_Hines/file-42.jpg

Slide:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z401/Will_Hines/file-33.jpg

Barrel:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z401/Will_Hines/file-26.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z401/Will_Hines/file-31.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z401/Will_Hines/file-32.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z401/Will_Hines/file-28.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z401/Will_Hines/file-27.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z401/Will_Hines/file-29.jpg

More in next post.[

2

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z401/Will_Hines/file-23.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z401/Will_Hines/file-18.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z401/Will_Hines/file-17.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z401/Will_Hines/file-16.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z401/Will_Hines/file-12.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z401/Will_Hines/file-4.jpg

Trigger pull measures a 10-pull average of 4 pounds 10 ounces with minimal take up and little perception of movement. Grip safety engages smoothly and thumb safety engages firmly.

Again, any info you can give me on what I picked up would be greatly appreciated. I’ve got a couple of other 1911s, but have little experience with parts or working on the guns myself. I’ll be shooting it tomorrow, likely followed by a detail stripping. If other pictures/ different angles would help, I’ll oblige.

Thanks!

3

A close friend of mine, Rusty K., has worked for David and Mary for many years. If work was performed on a 1911 at David’s, he was the smiff.

4

That looks really nice. Someone knew what they were doing. Colt’s are very nice 1911’s.

5

If it wasn’t a 1911 'smith, it was done by someone that knew what he was doing. Great fit on the grip safety.

Nice looking piece!

6

I saw this post over the holidays but couldn’t see the pics and it was killin’ me (tedious clicking on links on the cell phone). I’m home and on the laptop now and I must say what a beautiful gun. The 1991a1 is a really nice value (if I a allowed to sound cheesy for a second there). I’ve got a Colt Combat Commander 1991a1 and I don’t know how I got lucky enough to stumble upon it to make it mine. They shoot well and if you ask me are great work horses. Take that out and run it. :dirol:

As to your question as to if it was done by a 'smith or by an owner, that is very tough to say. There are some very talented 1911 owners who can and do do their own work. The parts upgrades I see are sights, extended thumb safety, grip safety, trigger and mag well (aside from the obvious grip panels). The most difficult being IMO is the grip safety because it does take a good hand to remove and blend material from the frame. The other additions take some fitting work too, particularly the thumb safety for proper engagement; front sight for being pinned; mag well for being blended; trigger for being fit. Whoever worked on this was someone who knew what they were doing. For the finish I am leaning towards guessing it was sent out for that. But considering that if an owner did do all the other work, it is not out of the question to think that person had the material, tools and skill to refinish the gun too.

Well I’m just jawing now. You got yourself a very nice 1911. Don’t be afraid to shoot the beans out of it. It can handle it. You do your part to take care of it and it’ll take care of you.

7

Nice grab! Looks to me like a Harrison retro rear sight, hammer, and trigger.