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- Aug 15, 2005
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This is a project I feel very honored to do. A fellow I know is suffering from cancer and wanted to give his best friend his prized 1911 build by Don Hamilton. I had to do it. I met Don in 1984 when I started my shooting career and was lucky enough that he took me under his wing. For the next fifteen years he was like a father to me. We spent lots of time training together, sometimes every day for months. Don started his shooting career with the Navy before I was born. During his career he won Camp Perry three times, came in second 5 times and set the 2700 record in 1969. The score of 2668 still stands today. He was also a member of two US Olympic Teams ,shooting free pistol. After retiring from the Navy Don started building .45's for shooters across the US. He got his gunsmith training at the famed Lackland AFB armorers school. Don taught me the craft during our 15 plus year friendship until he died in 1999. For this project I wanted to keep spirit of the gun as Don had built it, but add a few modern touches. The finish was poor and had some pitting so it also needed a complete reblue. I fitted a new Kart barrel and bushing. A new bar stock sear and a new Colt hammer. The hammer was relieved on the sides for clearance. A new Greider trigger with pre and overtravel adjustments was installed. The rear sight which was a BoMar mounted high on the slide was replaced and melded into the slide. His original welded front sight was cut and reprofiled to match the rear. All the lines were straightened. The ejection port was lowered and milled. The trigger was et to a crisp 3.5# as per NRA rules. Function with JHP and SWC ammo is flawless with a Wolff 16# recoil spring. Needless to say it brought back all kinds of great memories of " Uncle Don" to me. Such a great man and shooter.
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