Post by gunzo on Nov 4, 2011 11:30:40 GMT -5
A local collector called the other day & asked if I would mind looking over an old Colt. What gun junkie would mind? I told him to come on over.
At first I saw just another accurized surplus 1911 like so many I've seen in the past, Micro rear sight, tall partridge front. Looking closer I saw a commercial Colt made in 1917 & possibly accurized by a pistolsmith named Jesse Harpe in the 1930's or 40's. There was an article about his work in a 1942 American Rifleman magazine.
The collector, mostly of old Winchesters, wanted to know what all was not original. What I could see was a pretty extensive bunch of mods for the day, that weren't too common to my knowledge till the 50's & 60's:
Hammered down frame rails.
A custom, extra thick, very tight barrel bushing & recoil plug. "Harpe" stamped on the front of the bushing.
Crisp, 3# trigger.
The list goes on.
He was disappointed that so much had been done & I had told him that it was way out of my league for a restoration.
I, on the other hand, hadn't paid the bucks & was not disappointed in the fact that I got to see what I felt was some very early work of this type. It was a trip back in time & just thought I'd share.
An hour after he had gone, my palm smacked my forehead. Why hadn't I taken some pics?
At first I saw just another accurized surplus 1911 like so many I've seen in the past, Micro rear sight, tall partridge front. Looking closer I saw a commercial Colt made in 1917 & possibly accurized by a pistolsmith named Jesse Harpe in the 1930's or 40's. There was an article about his work in a 1942 American Rifleman magazine.
The collector, mostly of old Winchesters, wanted to know what all was not original. What I could see was a pretty extensive bunch of mods for the day, that weren't too common to my knowledge till the 50's & 60's:
Hammered down frame rails.
A custom, extra thick, very tight barrel bushing & recoil plug. "Harpe" stamped on the front of the bushing.
Crisp, 3# trigger.
The list goes on.
He was disappointed that so much had been done & I had told him that it was way out of my league for a restoration.
I, on the other hand, hadn't paid the bucks & was not disappointed in the fact that I got to see what I felt was some very early work of this type. It was a trip back in time & just thought I'd share.
An hour after he had gone, my palm smacked my forehead. Why hadn't I taken some pics?
