Can't decide what to do

1535 Views 44 Replies 16 Participants Last post by Gary1952, 2 mo ago

Rgar98

Discussion Starter · 3 mo ago

2

Hello,
At the beginning of the year I inherited a M1911 (1918) from my deceased brother-in-law. He was a veteran of WWII: 27th Infantry division, Bronze Star & Purple Heart.
I have never owned a gun nor have I ever fired one, but I have since become interested in the history and mechanics of this iconic weapon. I will be taking a Handgun Qualification License course on Wednesday to learn about gun safety, etc. I have also detailed stripped the pistol and replaced a few springs so I am familiar with its parts and mechanics.
The pistol seems to be in good condition and authentic (I've been told this by many 1911 "experts." However, most of the original surface treatment has been polished off and I do not know how I should proceed.
(1) Do nothing, oil it, etc., maybe shoot it (not likely, except to actually see if it works).
(2) Parkerize it to protect the exposed surfaces.
(3) Sell it; I will not do this. There are too many personal memories associated with this pistol and my brother-in-law who I had a very close relationship with.
I'll end there except to say that I'm open to suggestions and I'm attaching some photos I took a few weeks ago.
Thank you.
REG

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crc4

· #2 · 3 mo ago

Have someone competent check it out. Shoot it. Leave it alone. Don't refinish. It's history.

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Shipwreck

· #3 · 3 mo ago

Yea, I would not refinish it either.

Actually, if it were me, I'd leave it as is, and leave it alone. and, buy a regular 1911 to shoot.

Reactions: 5

SouthernBoy

· #4 · 3 mo ago

Beautiful piece and looks to be in outstanding condition in the pictures. I would also want to keep it as close to as it is now. Congrats on having received a real piece of history. My best friend from my very young childhood owns his father's 1911 which his dad also carried in WWII. Guns like this are so closely tied to theirs original owners.

Reactions: 4

paratrooper

· #5 · 3 mo ago

As others have stated, I'd leave it alone in regards to it's original condition. I'd shoot it a few times, just so I could say that I did.

Good thing to take a course such as you are doing.

Reactions: 4

Cypher

· #6 · 3 mo ago

It's been sad but I wouldn't alter that pistol at all beyond basic upkeep.

I would fire it occasionally but if you like 1911s I would buy a new one for daily use

Reactions: 5

pic

· #7 · 3 mo ago

paratrooper said:
As others have stated, I'd leave it alone in regards to it's original condition. I'd shoot it a few times, just so I could say that I did.

Good thing to take a course such as you are doing.

He’s never shot a handgun before, plus this looks aged,,what would you recommend?
shoot it first then take the course ?

pic

· #8 · 3 mo ago

Rgar98 said:
Hello,
At the beginning of the year I inherited a M1911 (1918) from my deceased brother-in-law. He was a veteran of WWII: 27th Infantry division, Bronze Star & Purple Heart.
I have never owned a gun nor have I ever fired one, but I have since become interested in the history and mechanics of this iconic weapon. I will be taking a Handgun Qualification License course on Wednesday to learn about gun safety, etc. I have also detailed stripped the pistol and replaced a few springs so I am familiar with its parts and mechanics.
The pistol seems to be in good condition and authentic (I've been told this by many 1911 "experts." However, most of the original surface treatment has been polished off and I do not know how I should proceed.
(1) Do nothing, oil it, etc., maybe shoot it (not likely, except to actually see if it works).
(2) Parkerize it to protect the exposed surfaces.
(3) Sell it; I will not do this. There are too many personal memories associated with this pistol and my brother-in-law who I had a very close relationship with.
I'll end there except to say that I'm open to suggestions and I'm attaching some photos I took a few weeks ago.
Thank you.
REG View attachment 23753 View attachment 23752 View attachment 23753
View attachment 23752

Beautiful gun, congrats,,,You must have some experience, breaking it down, changing springs. You
are already ahead of the game with your mechanical skills

Reactions: 1

Arizona Desertman

· #9 · 3 mo ago

Rgar98 said:
Hello,
At the beginning of the year I inherited a M1911 (1918) from my deceased brother-in-law. He was a veteran of WWII: 27th Infantry division, Bronze Star & Purple Heart.
I have never owned a gun nor have I ever fired one, but I have since become interested in the history and mechanics of this iconic weapon. I will be taking a Handgun Qualification License course on Wednesday to learn about gun safety, etc. I have also detailed stripped the pistol and replaced a few springs so I am familiar with its parts and mechanics.
The pistol seems to be in good condition and authentic (I've been told this by many 1911 "experts." However, most of the original surface treatment has been polished off and I do not know how I should proceed.
(1) Do nothing, oil it, etc., maybe shoot it (not likely, except to actually see if it works).
(2) Parkerize it to protect the exposed surfaces.
(3) Sell it; I will not do this. There are too many personal memories associated with this pistol and my brother-in-law who I had a very close relationship with.
I'll end there except to say that I'm open to suggestions and I'm attaching some photos I took a few weeks ago.
Thank you.
REG View attachment 23753 View attachment 23752 View attachment 23753
View attachment 23752

Well, I'm going to go against the grain. Since someone had already "polished off" the original finish its value has been reduced significantly. It obvious that someone had taken 320 wet or dry and a wire brush to the entire gun, and did not do a very good job of it. It would be a different story if the original finish was left intact including holster wear, dings and scratches that the gun may have received while in action. At this point a professional restoration would increase its value.

Your best bet would be to contact Turnbull Restorations, they would more than likely tell you how that gun was originally finished and whether it would be worth restoring or not. I'd say that it is. Turnbull Restoration Company, Inc. They're not cheap but you'll get more than what you paid for. If not then go ahead and have it refinished as you please. If you do decide to go for it and have the weapon professionally restored I'm sure that your deceased brother-in-law would be proud.

Reactions: 2

crc4

· #10 · 3 mo ago

Arizona Desertman said:
Well, I'm going to go against the grain. Since someone had already "polished off" the original finish its value has been reduced significantly. It obvious that someone had taken 320 wet or dry and a wire brush to the entire gun, and did not do a very good job of it. It would be a different story if the original finish was left intact including holster wear, dings and scratches that the gun may have received while in action. At this point a professional restoration would increase its value.

Your best bet would be to contact Turnbull Restorations, they would more than likely tell you how that gun was originally finished and whether it would be worth restoring or not. I'd say that it is. Turnbull Restoration Company, Inc. They're not cheap but you'll get more than what you paid for. If not then go ahead and have it refinished as you please. If you do decide to go for it and have the weapon professionally restored I'm sure that your deceased brother-in-law would be proud.

You've got good eyes. I didn't catch that on the finish.

Turnbull is the epitome of restoration outfits. While it might be (rather, it will be) expensive, it should come back to you as a beautiful pistol worthy of its history and provenance.

Rgar98

Discussion Starter · #11 · 3 mo ago

Arizona Desertman said:
Well, I'm going to go against the grain. Since someone had already "polished off" the original finish its value has been reduced significantly. It obvious that someone had taken 320 wet or dry and a wire brush to the entire gun, and did not do a very good job of it. It would be a different story if the original finish was left intact including holster wear, dings and scratches that the gun may have received while in action. At this point a professional restoration would increase its value.

Your best bet would be to contact Turnbull Restorations, they would more than likely tell you how that gun was originally finished and whether it would be worth restoring or not. I'd say that it is. Turnbull Restoration Company, Inc. They're not cheap but you'll get more than what you paid for. If not then go ahead and have it refinished as you please. If you do decide to go for it and have the weapon professionally restored I'm sure that your deceased brother-in-law would be proud.

@Arizona Desertman
Thanks for your comments and suggestion. FWIW, "It obvious that someone had taken 320 wet or dry and a wire brush to the entire gun, and did not do a very good job of it."
He used metal polish and a rag to try and remove some rust and... well, you see the result.
Thanks.
REG

Arizona Desertman

· #12 · 3 mo ago

5

crc4 said:
You've got good eyes. I didn't catch that on the finish.

Turnbull is the epitome of restoration outfits. While it might be (rather, it will be) expensive, it should come back to you as a beautiful pistol worthy of its history and provenance.

Thank You!!
I've done my share of polishing guns before. At least to the point where it's easy to separate the good from the bad. I learned my lesson from sending a gun out to have it refinished only to have it come back with all the pits and scratches showing through the finish. I figured that they would take care of all that as part of the process? Boy was I wrong. It's almost like having your car refinished with all the dings, scratches and dirt showing through. But that was years ago, never again. If you want something done right sometimes you're better off doing it yourself if you're willing to take the time, think about what you're doing and have the patience for it.

Of course doing this work if done right and depending on the original finish is time consuming. If you want a mirror like blued finish then the entire gun has to be polished out to a mirror like finish before the gun is blued. From the pictures of that gun it looks like it was done kinda' haphazardly with some sandpaper and a wire brush? The sanding grain in spots goes in all different directions instead of straight and even like on a factory gun. Especially the slide, dust cover and frame.

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Arizona Desertman

· #13 · 3 mo ago

Rgar98 said:
@Arizona Desertman
Thanks for your comments and suggestion. FWIW, "It obvious that someone had taken 320 wet or dry and a wire brush to the entire gun, and did not do a very good job of it."
He used metal polish and a rag to try and remove some rust and... well, you see the result.
Thanks.
REG

You're welcome!!
Depending on the grit metal polish will do the same. But if you've got the time and patience there's no reason why you can't undo the damage yourself. It can all be polished out before sending the gun out for refinishing. Which will save you a lot of money if you're looking for a nice finish. For the slide you can just use a thin straight edge ruler a piece of 220 to 320 to 400 wet or dry placed on a flat surface. Placing the flats of the slide down on the sandpaper running the bottom of the slide against the edge of the ruler. You can do the flats on the frame the same way. Straight and compound curved surfaces are a little more difficult as you won't have the aid of a flat steel ruler to guide you. For that you'll have to wrap the sandpaper around the ruler and carefully follow the curves. When you get to the trigger guard roll up the sandpaper and similar area's and just follow the curvature in the same manner. That's about the best way that I can explain it. The good news is that if you're not happy with the results just go it over until you are. It's only metal and you're not removing that much only enough to achieve the desired result. It's not exactly rocket science. However to do it right is time consuming.

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pic

· #14 · 3 mo ago

Arizona Desertman said:
Well, I'm going to go against the grain. Since someone had already "polished off" the original finish its value has been reduced significantly. It obvious that someone had taken 320 wet or dry and a wire brush to the entire gun, and did not do a very good job of it. It would be a different story if the original finish was left intact including holster wear, dings and scratches that the gun may have received while in action. At this point a professional restoration would increase its value.

Your best bet would be to contact Turnbull Restorations, they would more than likely tell you how that gun was originally finished and whether it would be worth restoring or not. I'd say that it is. Turnbull Restoration Company, Inc. They're not cheap but you'll get more than what you paid for. If not then go ahead and have it refinished as you please. If you do decide to go for it and have the weapon professionally restored I'm sure that your deceased brother-in-law would be proud.

👍, Good Observation

Reactions: 2

LostinTexas

· #15 · 3 mo ago

I love the 1911, and will make a few cringe here, but it isn't the favorite for carry or a long range day. It will need to be oiled and maybe a quick clean.
It is as good as it always was, and I have bet my life on one in the past, but not compared to most of todays offerings.
Keep it oiled and cherish it. Understand when enough is enough and know when to say "When".

Reactions: 1

Arizona Desertman

· #16 · 3 mo ago

LostinTexas said:
I love the 1911, and will make a few cringe here, but it isn't the favorite for carry or a long range day. It will need to be oiled and maybe a quick clean.
It is as good as it always was, and I have bet my life on one in the past, but not compared to most of todays offerings.
Keep it oiled and cherish it. Understand when enough is enough and know when to say "When".

I don't know about making some people cringe? Just like with any gun or product for that matter. Some people will swear by them, some will detest them. A lot of today's offerings are single action semi auto's no different in operation as the 1911. If you're used to carrying in condition one and instinctively disengage the safety when drawing and firing, then the old 1911 is as good as any for personal self defense. It's more of a matter of what any individual is accustomed to shooting and not necessarily the gun itself. There's no right or wrong here.

Reactions: 2

Rgar98

Discussion Starter · #17 · 3 mo ago

Arizona Desertman said:
You're welcome!!
Depending on the grit metal polish will do the same. But if you've got the time and patience there's no reason why you can't undo the damage yourself. It can all be polished out before sending the gun out for refinishing. Which will save you a lot of money if you're looking for a nice finish. For the slide you can just use a thin straight edge ruler a piece of 220 to 320 to 400 wet or dry placed on a flat surface. Placing the flats of the slide down on the sandpaper running the bottom of the slide against the edge of the ruler. You can do the flats on the frame the same way. Straight and compound curved surfaces are a little more difficult as you won't have the aid of a flat steel ruler to guide you. For that you'll have to wrap the sandpaper around the ruler and carefully follow the curves. When you get to the trigger guard roll up the sandpaper and similar area's and just follow the curvature in the same manner. That's about the best way that I can explain it. The good news is that if you're not happy with the results just go it over until you are. It's only metal and you're not removing that much only enough to achieve the desired result. It's not exactly rocket science. However to do it right is time consuming.

@ Arizona Desertman
Your guns look great, but I'm not interested in making a silk purse out of a sow's ear. I just want to protect the surface and slow down the normal oxidation process. that's why I mentioned parkerizing.

crc4

· #18 · 3 mo ago

There were three things that kept me from the 1911s and have probably ruined me for life at this point. I never took to them and it took decades for me to think about why that was.

1. I came from a strong revolver background. Any and all revolvers, but personally S&Ws and old style Rugers beginning in the late 60s were my favorites. Beginning in 1974, I carried revolvers in law enforcement. I tried 1911s of the late 60s and early 70s in different Colt models, but we never jibed. High-Powers were the same way.

2. Style of shooting back then in civilian life was the one-hand bullseye style - a piss-poor way to shoot a gun, particularly a 1911. The Weaver stance with revolvers was taught at the Academy and I did well with it, but semi-autos weren't in use inLE at that time in most of Dixie. Since I did so good with revolvers, I saw no need to use automatics.

3. There were also three things I didn't like about the 1911. One was the grip itself, then the grip safety, and carrying cocked and locked. I felt safer carrying a revolver in my duty holster whether it was a .38 or 41 mag, that carrying a C&L 1911 or BHP. Neither did I like, if not carrying C&L, having to thumb back the hammer quickly. Since the hammer was exposed, even if it was strapped in, we did a lot of 'hands-on' police work back then and I felt vulnerable with a 1911 in close-in fisticuffs and baton swinging. Years later It was only after I discovered DA models of pistols from Europe that I seriously learned to enjoy automatics.

Now, having used DA pistols for over three decades, I can't imagine any reason to carry a C&L pistol.

While I appreciate a beautiful, well-considered firearm like the old 1911s, and some of the modern ones are works-of-art, unless it was all I had to use, we'll remain far from an intimate relationship.

Sometimes it's not that old dogs can't learn new tricks, rather it's old dogs are content and grateful for what they already have.

Then again, if I shot one of the modern handmade and gorgeous 1911s, I might become like other 1911 aficionados who become like meth addicts where the motto about taking a hit becomes "Once time is too many and a thousand times is not enough."

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LostinTexas

· #19 · 3 mo ago

Arizona Desertman said:
I don't know about making some people cringe? Just like with any gun or product for that matter. Some people will swear by them, some will detest them. A lot of today's offerings are single action semi auto's no different in operation as the 1911. If you're used to carrying in condition one and instinctively disengage the safety when drawing and firing, then the old 1911 is as good as any for personal self defense. It's more of a matter of what any individual is accustomed to shooting and not necessarily the gun itself. There's no right or wrong here.

Not quite what I was getting at. I used one in a former life and always needed oil. Not a lot, but by the end of the day,,,,,,,,,,,,
I helped a friend qualify officers. They had to be qualified for their duty carry and off duty. Many chose a 1911, design. Nothing wrong with them, but you have to bring your oil can, because they sent enough down range it needed a dose before the day was done. Some needed a little dressing up before the end of the day. It just is what it is, and it rarely is anything else.
Nothing that would deter using one in a predicament. You aren't going to shoot several hundred rounds, or probably even carry that, in an altercation.
The safety, despite internet folk lore doesn't slow the engagement time in the least. I have one of those guns you were referring to in the form of a Security9. I love the thing and it does tote the note on a day of pounding.

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tony pasley

· #20 · 3 mo ago

My suggestion would be to have a shadow box made for it and his medals ( if you can get them. Then display it in a place of honor. It is priceless because it is an heirloom of the family and a piece of United States history.

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