John VanZyke of VZ and I are collaborating on some new grips being offered by VZ, the Frag grips. I've been using them every day now and I think it's a very viable pattern. I owe John a huge thank-you for working with me on this, or more accurately for allowing me to work with him on it. John is a good friend and, in business, a straight shooter of the highest order.
So... to help introduce the new grips, I did this Colt in Frag. Frag has not been as popular as Conamyds but in utility they are equal. Both have a quality of not being sticky to everything they touch, but, as a firing grasp is exerted, the gun becomes locked in.
As I got this one done, it passed the final test: "I need this. I wish I could keep it for my own"...
Right side shot….. all black. Manganese phosphate, then Gun Kote and bake.
A little closer, showing the Frag pattern on the frontstrap and trigger. Yes, it was a trick getting it on the trigger! Trigger’s Frag grooves are Gun Koted for contrast. I was not about to put that much time into machining a trigger face and take a chance on it going unnoticed……
The muzzle. The barrel is a Kart, bushing started out as an EGW 80%-er. I got a recpoil spring plunger from Guncrafter Industries as I knew they had one with and extra-long end, enabling me to Frag it. I have always liked keeping the barrel, bushing, trigger and hammer light-colored on a dark gun. So these parts are all chromed on this one, except the Harrison Design trigger which was left bare.
This one shows the Frag in pretty good detail—notice it is also on the mag realease (a Wilson Combat piece). Also, of course, my own ESPT (Extra Stout Plunger Tube).
The Chen magwell. I kept the pistol as dry as possible for pics; clolors will darken and even out with a proper light oiling.
Showing the back end; STI grip safety, chromed, lightened hammer, textured slide rear, modified Yost rear sight….. I had this one around but I understand these are now available through John Harrison / Harrison Design. Ambi safety is a new design from Wilson Combat and very interesting. The two shafts don’t meet in the middle in a blade-and-slot config, each slot is halved length-wise and they overlap to make the full diameter—with a blade-and-slot-arrangement at each end. I think it is stronger but would like to do a little destructive testing to prove it. Anyway, very well made. I hold the WC stuff in very high regard as to quality and support.
Better shot of the rear sight, the front deck is lowered a little and radiused to match the slide making for more positive one-handed racking.
The Chen MSH and magwell. It’s no small job doing a weld-on magwell but it becomes part of the pistol and looks great…… the utility of it hardly needs mention.
And, the front.
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Very lucky owner, who ever ends up with this one.
as I mentioned before you guys give it 180* twist here, like a lot the new look!!!
