ltwguns.com

I just got back from a great trip to Phoenix, and want to start out by thanking Steve, Ted, & Lew for their hospitality and help.

Ted (Master Yoda) taught me a tremendous amount about building custom 1911s and also just how much that I still have to learn. Of course he had to keep me out of trouble several times, but I'm extremely happy with the end result of my first gun.

Steve was also a great help on teaching me some file techniques and I learned from my experiences, why he keeps saying that your mistakes become your style. A great thank you to him and his family also for putting up with me as a house guest the last two weeks.

Hopefully the next one that I attempt could be accomplished with less intervention from Ted, although all his help was greatly appreciated.

This one is a keeper for me, as it really means something special being the first one that I have ever built and it had the help / encourgement of some real friends.

Thanks for looking.

Ray

Cleanly done, Ray.

Cheers, Tim

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CT Brian Custom
'Blending Art With Firepower'

Nice blaster, Ray!
You're a lucky guy to have a "first gun" that looks as sharp as that. That'd be one to never let go, for sure.

I really like the matching serration pattern between the MSH and the front strap.

Thanks for letting us have a peek!

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shop.HarrisonCustom.com
www.HarrisonCustom.com

The grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love and something to hope for.

Exceptional first build! Exceptional, for the fact that it looks as though you've been building for some time! Work that one as hard as you can, you'll have much more time later to build replacements!

Connor

Yoda is the appopriate name for Ted! Why is it most of the Jedi are located in AZ?? The real test of Yoda's skills is to see if he can train a guy with all thumbs (like me) how to do that! That is an exceptional job. I'll bet there are paid gunsmiths (see them all the time on gunsamerica) out there that could only wish they could build something so nice!

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John Del Pinto

Thanks for all the kind comments from everyone. Hopefully, I can keep improving and Master Yoda will be willing to continue teaching.

Nice work Ray, lots of cool detailed touches!

The FORCE is strong with you!

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Stan Chen Customs
http://www.chencustoms.com

Great looking gun, Ray.

How many lines per inch on the front strap serrations ?

Just to clarify, not all of our gunsmiths here are Yodas of Ted's (or Don's, or Chuck's, or...) caliber. We do seem to have a glut of prodigies, but I could tell you stories about other area gunplumbers that would curl your toes. Like the one that inadvertently Magnaported a customer's cowboy-shootin' Winchester 94 when he used a lathe to machine out the old front sight, or when he ported a shotgun with a drill press. Even here it's surprisingly hard to find a good, utilitarian smith at times to just fix a broken Ruger MkII. Alas, we don't have a magic gunsmithing potion in the water -- just fluoride and some metals from Motorola. We do have cool sunsets, a fair amount of freedom, and a few great smiths. More are always welcome, as we natives are happy to bestow the title "honorary native" upon the gun-toting worthy. I hear Ray Harms may be next!

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Michael J. Novack
Wilderness Tactical Products, LLC
http://www.thewilderness.com

Ray,
You HAVE to buy some serious sun screen. Otherwise you are going to be building guns out of the burn unit at St. Joe's.

Having Ray join the shop is going to add quite a bit of knowledge and energy.

Ray and I were considering moving to Jedi status, however, we lost the batteries to our light sabres.

Mike Novack,
It was quite a treat to get to meet you Friday. Been a long time coming but glad we finally caught up.

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Heirloom Precision, LLC.
480-804-1911

"If everyone is thinking alike, someone isn't thinking."
- General George Patton Jr

Hey Ray, how’s about an update on how this bad mamma-jamma is shootin’?

I just asked him that today and he said "from about 15 yards I can put the whole magazine into one ragged hole."

That's nice. Well done.

Once again, thanks to everyone for the nice comments.

Jason - Like Matt said, I now have about 600 rounds through the gun (the upcoming move has cut into shooting time severly) and it runs better than it looks. I do most of my practice shooting around 15 yards, from a practical standpoint, and it groups the entire mag into a ragged hole.

thats dang nice for a first build!

Only 600 rounds!!! Ray... if ya’ need help breaking’ that bad boy in just send it up my way, I’m more than willing to lend a hand. I’ve offered the same services to that Bailey fellow but he hasn’t taken me up on it yet... Hey there I go, and idea for another business.