Member JamesDunn may be able to help. He grew up running around Armand�s shop as a kid; Swenson and JamesDunn�d father were close friends. Swenson gave JamesDunn a custom 1911 when he shipped out to Beruit back in �83.
Just from my observation, looks like Ratsmacker naild it on your front sight. My recollection is that Armand used the standard Colt�s style sight crimp but silver soldered the front sight in place as well. Millett�s were popular in the late �70�s and early �80�s and I�m sure Swenson has used them to a small degree (long enough to determine there are better ways of doing things). What grabs my attention on that gun is the grip safety; looks very old school like your safety. Back in the day, a lot of gunsmith�s used the MS Safari Arms grip safety and from the photo it appears that may be an MS Safari grip safety (I�d love to see more shots of it).
As to being a Swenson gun? Probably not, since many gunsmiths used and installed the famous Swenson safety.
Swenson guns will typically have checkering and he was the first I know of to use 30 lpi checkering. Most Swenson guns will have either a welded up and re-fit Colt�s barrel (most likely the case with a Gold Cup) or a Bar-Sto barrel. So examining the barrel and barrel fit could be very telling.
The most popular and common modification of a Swenson gun is squaring of the trigger guard. Also, most Swenson built guns will be wearing a hard chrome finish. And many of Swenson�s guns will not have an aftermarket trigger, as he often would peen and re-fit the factory trigger, then drill & tap it for an over-travel stop.
I had the honor of knowing Swenson well. I first met him when I was about 8 years old. He was a gentleman and a craftsman that had few peers. He LOVED the 1911 and he made working on them look easy he was so good at it. All guns he did are marked with his stamp on the frame. The stamp will have his name and address on it. He had 3 or 4 different shops over the years and the one in Fallbrook was his last. Sweeney's most recent book on the 1911 has some great pics of Swenson's various markings. I recommend Sweeney's book as it lays it a nice history of the early greats in 1911 customizing along with a nice practical history of the 1911.
As for the pistol....for a birthday present to me in 1983 my father and mother had Swenson do up a 1911 for me. It had a USGI 1911a1 frame, Pre Series 70 GVT slide, and a Barsto Barrel that my father provided. Swenson did his normal fantastic job on it with the K frame sight but did the a dull (bead blasted blue) finish. The gun was fantastic and wow did it work well. It was fitted a little more loose in the rails than normal but at the time I was stationed in 29 Palms and girt was an issue there for sure. I carried that pistol to both Grenada and Beirut. That 1911 saved my butt more than once. I was wounded in Beirut (big dummy here didnt duck in time) but my XO made sure it came back to me as he was a gun nut too. The gun was lost to me in 1995 from a break in at my house in Phoenix. That pistol had the right side of the slide on it marked with "Happy Birthday Son" on one line and "Mom, Dad and Armand" on the second line and "Semper Fi" on the 3rd. I would pay 1000's to get that pistol back today. Of all the guns I have owned I miss that one the most.
