Great gun for a great cause!
(Editor’s Note: Wow! 1911 fanboys, here’s one for you! This old slabside is one for the ages. The best part is the money made from this auction goes to benefit USA Shooting. U-S-A! U-S-A! Check out the details below. And make sure to place your bid before May, 1, 2017.)
A very special One-of-a-Kind Colt. The Wiley Clapp 1911 enhanced by Pete Single now up for auction on GunsAmerica to benefit the USA Shooting Team.
The No. 1 mission of USA Shooting is to be the best in the world. At the 2016 Olympic Games, state-supported teams from China and Italy finished with 14 medals. Our privately-funded athletes scored an impressive three medals. Now is the time to give our shooters the resources and training they need to compete with these other teams on an equal basis. Your bid on this Colt project is the first step in our four-year quest to dominate shooting worldwide in 2020.
Colt’s full-size series 70 Wiley Clapp 1911 .45 (O1911WC) is treated to some very special custom features by premier metalsmith Pete Single. Pete has detailed and assembled every part to his custom specifications. Behind the scenes, Pete has customized the guns of some of the finest competitive shooters in the world. The factory serial number is USA 2016 to commemorate the success of the USA Shooting at the 2016 Olympic Games.
The entire pistol is softened and smoothed for comfort of handling characteristics. Several custom parts were made to enhance trouble free service life, durability, reliability, and accuracy of the pistol. This pistol was built to withstand many thousand rounds of hard use.
The pistol is finished in a rich traditional gun blue, features a precision slide-to-frame fit, mated with a hand fit, oversize National Match barrel that is finish coated in tungsten DLC, coating hard as diamond that will resist scuffing.
All parts used in the assembly of this pistol are machined from forgings or bar-stock tool steel. Critical parts are heat treated and checked for proper Rockwell hardness.
Pete Single “Metalsmithing” logo is etched on the bottom of the frame’s dust cover.
Wow, she’s a beauty. Make sure you place your bid.
Custom Work includes:
Slide Top Serrations and Gold Bead
The front sight is a genuine 14kt gold bead. The slide top is serrated 30 lines per inch around the contour with an attractive arrowhead pattern pointing at the front sight.
Over size, hand fit National Match Barrel
This barrel was made over size and precisely fit to the slide and frame with no excessive movement when locked into battery. Final chamber dimensions are finish-cut by hand with a special ream to the optimum size for reliable function and accuracy. The chamber mouth is carefully throated and polished for reliable feeding of all types of ammunition.
The barrel bushing fits the slide to a perfect slip fit that requires no wrench. The barrel is recessed crowned to match the bushing.
Slide to frame fit is truly a unique.
The slide rails are re- machined and lightly traced, to insure absolute parallel with the frame rails when the slide is locked into battery. A slight taper is cut in the out of battery section of the rails so the slide comes free as it starts rearward.
The frame rails are micro welded and ground to match the trued slide rails.
The result is an unusually smooth action
Unique Wiley Clapp custom Grips
The grips are fancy French walnut, courtesy of Altamount Company.
Precision Metal Checkering
Frontstrap, mainspring housing, and grip safety pad, are checkered at 25 lines per inch. Trigger guard area where it joins the frontstrap is relieved for the highest possible grip.
Hand fit Beavertail Grip Safety
The grip safety fit on this pistol is exceptional. It is machined oversize from solid bar-stock and blended to the frame for the highest possible grip. It allows the pistol to sit low and level in your hand. The memory pad is checkered to match the mainspring housing.
Barstock Mainspring Housing
The mainspring housing is machined from bar stock to fit the frame to a perfect slip fit. The frame web that connects the mag-chute to the mainspring housing is cut away. Extra metal is left on the mainspring housing allowing the mainspring housing to be beveled all the way back to within .030 of the mainspring housing pin.
Custom Extended Ejector
The ejector is precision made for this slide and frame combination. It is extra wide and positioned as close to the center of the slide as possible to provide a solid strike on the case rim. The mounting studs are machined with a large radius where the studs connect to the ejector body for increased shear strength. The ejector retaining pin is enlarged from .062 to .078 for increased strength.
Custom Ignition System
The trigger pull weight is set at 4 pounds, with smooth and even trigger travel. The hammer hooks are cut to maximum height and maximum spring tension is applied to the sear for positive safe function.The hammer and sear pins are ground for cylindrical uniformity. The trigger is a solid aluminum shoe, medium length, with fine serrations on the face.
Forged Slide Stop Pin
The slide stop pin is shortened slightly and the frame hole is beveled for easy removal. The rear face of the slide stop is angled so the plunger ball keeps the lever in a positive downward position during the firing cycle. The thumb pad is serrated.
Custom Firing Pin Stop
This pin is machined from an oversized blank to match the slots in the slide and extractor perfectly. A The heel is radiused to slow the slide velocity slightly allowing the pistol to cycle more smoothly.
Custom Magazine Catch
The magazine catch is machined from solid bar-stock and heat-treated to a high hardness for smooth magazine insertions. The face is slightly extended, serrated and machined on an angle for positive engagement.
The final result is a unique pistol that is a masterpiece in form and function. Proceeds from this auction will benefit USA Shooting. Click here to place your bid. Auction ends May 1, 2017.
See this pistol in the Colt booth at the 2017 NRA Annual Meeting in Atlanta, April 27-30.
The .45 auto has been my weapon of choice for all of my shooting life. This particular pistol would make a prized posession.