Originally Posted by GunGeek
Originally Posted by Fireball2
How familiar are you with his work?
Pretty familiar, been to his shop several times, seen a lot of his guns. Your pistol shows very nice workmanship, so it was built by someone who really knew their stuff, but I don't believe that to be Armand Swenson. Swenson's guns are actually marked, his checkering is very different, and there is a barrel stabilization tab that should be soft soldered into the slide that I'm betting is not there. Again, you have a stunning pistol that anyone would love to have, but I don't think Swenson is the builder. If you do some internet research (look at the 1911 forum), you'll see some examples of Swenson's guns. Swenson didn't typically install Novak sights, Ed Brown grip safeties or oval hammers. He preferred to do his signature S&W rear sight, use a Series 70 Commander hammer, and modify a standard GI style grip safety.

ETA - I'm not sure who did your gun, but they knew their stuff. Squaring a trigger guard is one of the most frustrating things a pistolsmith will ever do. Yours is done very well, so whomever built that gun has done that process a few times... And you don't square trigger guards on your first builds. That guy has built some guns. Front serrations are spot on, and his fitting of the Ed Brown grip safety is very well done. VERY nice custom 1911.

I appreciate that. I'll look for the barrel tab when I get a minute. It does have a Barsto barrel and with the squared trigger guard, checkered front and back, safety, coating, etc I wondered if he might have done it. Is there any way to know for sure? Where did he mark them?

Thanks very much for the insights, I appreciate your knowledge.


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An 8 dollar driveway boy living in a T-111 shack

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