Post by hardscrabble1 on Jan 16, 2019 13:46:13 GMT -5
I’ve had 4 guns going with BCA and Rowen Custom Grips over the last several months and picked the last two up yesterday at Mr. Bowen’s. While there I had a chance to take a photo of Hamilton and Rob at the same place and at the same time that I thought might be of interest.
Hamilton and Rob, at Hamilton’s shop:
Hamilton with my Colt:
The USFA is one of the DT serialed Turnbull finished guns. I don’t claim to have enough experience to argue about the merits of one USFA over another, or USFA vs a SAA that has a pony stamped on it. This one (a 44 Special) is a lovely specimen of the type. I won’t go on and on about it. I’ve owned a dozen 2nd and 3rd generation Colts and none come close to the fit and finish on this revolver. Rob put a seriously pretty set of exhibition Claro grips on it. I’ve seen lots of photos of custom grip work and held a few samples in my hand, but I can’t say I’ve had enough experience to say ‘this artisan’s work is better than that one’. If I did, I’d just start an argument. I will say that Rob’s work is spectacular in fit, finish, the various blanks he has available to him and his ability to match left to right in a way that makes it look like it grew there.
The Colt is a 2nd generation 45 Colt I acquired in as-new condition in the original Stagecoach box. I took it over to Mr Bowen to check the cylinders hoping against hope, but they were badly over-sized. Being temporarily in a condition of having more money than sense, and Hamilton being agreeable to make an exception and work on a Colt, we agreed it needed a replacement cylinder, bored correctly, and his action pkg. The revolver also suffered from the worst fitting factory grips possible, so Rob got a crack at this one, too. For those who want to say ‘but you’re wrecking an original Colt!’...you are right, but I’m a shooter, not a collector and I’m pretty sure this one never belonged to Bill Hickok or John Wayne. Rob put a very pretty set of exhibition black walnut on it. There are few things that are more enjoyable than yanking back the hammer and pulling the trigger on a 50 year-old Colt that’s been worked over by an artist who knows how to do it right.
Below the SAA’s, a Ruger Blackhawk convertible in 45 Colt that Mr Bowen worked over, and a Freedom Arms 97 in 327 Fed Mag that has had some dressing up. The grips on the Ruger are Rob’s maple, and those on the FA are exhibition French.
The guns:
Hamilton and Rob, at Hamilton’s shop:
Hamilton with my Colt:
The USFA is one of the DT serialed Turnbull finished guns. I don’t claim to have enough experience to argue about the merits of one USFA over another, or USFA vs a SAA that has a pony stamped on it. This one (a 44 Special) is a lovely specimen of the type. I won’t go on and on about it. I’ve owned a dozen 2nd and 3rd generation Colts and none come close to the fit and finish on this revolver. Rob put a seriously pretty set of exhibition Claro grips on it. I’ve seen lots of photos of custom grip work and held a few samples in my hand, but I can’t say I’ve had enough experience to say ‘this artisan’s work is better than that one’. If I did, I’d just start an argument. I will say that Rob’s work is spectacular in fit, finish, the various blanks he has available to him and his ability to match left to right in a way that makes it look like it grew there.
The Colt is a 2nd generation 45 Colt I acquired in as-new condition in the original Stagecoach box. I took it over to Mr Bowen to check the cylinders hoping against hope, but they were badly over-sized. Being temporarily in a condition of having more money than sense, and Hamilton being agreeable to make an exception and work on a Colt, we agreed it needed a replacement cylinder, bored correctly, and his action pkg. The revolver also suffered from the worst fitting factory grips possible, so Rob got a crack at this one, too. For those who want to say ‘but you’re wrecking an original Colt!’...you are right, but I’m a shooter, not a collector and I’m pretty sure this one never belonged to Bill Hickok or John Wayne. Rob put a very pretty set of exhibition black walnut on it. There are few things that are more enjoyable than yanking back the hammer and pulling the trigger on a 50 year-old Colt that’s been worked over by an artist who knows how to do it right.
Below the SAA’s, a Ruger Blackhawk convertible in 45 Colt that Mr Bowen worked over, and a Freedom Arms 97 in 327 Fed Mag that has had some dressing up. The grips on the Ruger are Rob’s maple, and those on the FA are exhibition French.
The guns:
