When I was a kid, I got into handguns at around age 15. After playing around with a Ruger Mark I and a S&W Model 10, I decided that I had to have a .45. Back then, if you were a red-blooded American, you would consider nothing less. I used to haunt a small gun shop near my high school. The owner put up with me, and always showed me any gun I wanted to look at, even though I was not yet of legal age to buy a handgun. One day, in the used case, I saw a 1911-style pistol. It was all black, and looked different and slightly shorter than the "Army .45" I was used to. I asked to see it, and it was handed to me. I turned out to be a Colt LW Commander, but it had some really nice adjustable sights, and an unusual red insert in the ramped front sight. It also had a safety on both sides. It was love at first sight. The owner told me that it had been customized by some guy named Armand Swenson, which meant nothing to me at the time. It had S&W adjustable revolver sights installed, a custom long trigger, and an ambi safety. The price was a staggering (to me) $325. This was probably 1973. I asked the owner if he could hold it until I could bring my older brother, a police officer, back to see it. He told me that while he could not sell the gun to me, that he could put it on layaway for a deposit of $25. I eagerly handed him the money and a ticket was written. The cagey old owner knew the gun was going to end up in my hands, so he let me know that I could make layaway payments and only had to bring my brother or a parent in with me to actually pick up the gun. I had an after school job working at the main post office, unloading sacks of mail from trucks that paid pretty well. Each time I got paid, I brought in $50 to pay on account. In no time, it was mine. I brought my brother back and we did the paperwork, which at that time wasn't unusual. As soon as I got it, along with a box of military ball ammo, I took it out to the local gravel pit where we all shot, loaded a magazine, chambered a round, and pulled the trigger, much harder than necessary, because my only experience with a 1911 had been shooting surplus guns. In almost no time at all, I settled down a bit, and with that gun, if I could see a target, I could hit it. I did note that the bastard kicked a lot more than I expected, having an aluminum frame. That gun completely spoiled me from then on. I owned that gun for about three years, when a fit of stupid gun trading saw me deal it off in an even trade for a Smith and Wesson Model 29. I never realized during the time I owned it what a gem I had, nor for that matter who Swenson even was. But it started a love affair with the 1911 that has now been going on for over 50 years. Not many teenage kids can say that they started out with a gun built by one of the true masters of pistolsmithing. I still wish I had that gun.
For a few years, I had a Lightweight Commander, built and engraved (but not by Armand). Bought it from the old Pony Express shop near Van Nuys airport...and never shot it. It appeared to be unfired and I just left it that way.
What happened to it? I do love the clean classic look of the 1911. The single stack limited capacity kinda sucks. I’ll get a 2011 when I have the extra money
@@markcurry3083 I traded off as a dumb kid for a gun that was made famous in a movie, but was much less practical. I then went on to become a police officer and owned a firearms training school for more than 20 years. Why that is important is that I found in looking at thousands of police shooting reports is that in-gun capacity proved not to be as important as one might think, while the ability to rapidly reload was more of an issue. When police began to transition to semi-autos, we only saw a miniscule number of cases where there was any real difference between an 8 or 9 shot pistol such as was adopted early by the Illinois State Police, and weapons with higher in-gun capacity. I carried a SIG Sauer P220 .45 on duty, which only held 9 rounds total, backed up with four magazines on my duty belt. I considered my self well armed, as did I when we switched to 15 shot Glocks. I also carried full time off-duty, and always found a slim gun like a 1911 to be more comfortable inside my waistband. Now that I am retired and no longer go in harm's way on purpose, my daily carry is a compact 9mm that I've had for years that only holds 8 rounds. I can reload that pistol in about 2 seconds with the spare magazine that always goes with me. We now have a ton of very nice small pistols that have higher capacities, but I simply do not care enough about capacity to switch handguns. This is not to say that the extra capacity is a bad thing, and it makes most people feel better to have it. There is nothing wrong with that. But for example, I have very small hands for a man, with shorter fingers, and I have always shot single stack guns a bit better than double stacks. I know the numbers from real shootings, so I simply don't worry about it. I consider 8 or 9 shots sufficient, as long as I can carry spare magazines, which I always do. So to each their own. Stay safe!
@@PPISAFETY I have several single-stack Star 9mm pistols that are beautiful, wonderfully flat, and peasant to shoot. If I weren't a southpaw, I'd probably carry them for self-defense.
Man! A whole table full of history! We've all shared a similar journey with 1911s. I also started doing my own work on them back in the late 70s (although I'm no Armand Swenson), but I've followed you guys since then. Keep it up, gentlemen!
Living in California in the early 70's and loving Colt .45 automatics was a fascination and still is till this day. I read about Swenson in Guns&Ammo, he lived very close to my location. I wanted one of his pistols upon seeing a "Bobcat", a cut down government model to Commander length. I prefer the steel frame vs aluminum. During that time I visited his shop (in his garage) and met Irene his wife. He fired every pistol before delivering it to his customer at a local firing range. Before he shot each pistol, he used a S&W .22 to "warm up". I finally received my Bobcat and still have it today. Hard chromed, K-38 sights, 30 line checking front and main spring housing, squared trigger guard, accurized, ramp front sight, stippled top strap with engraved border, ambi safety, Commander hammer, relieved grip safety and engraved rear of the slide. I think that's it, haven't shot it for many a moon, but still appreciate his skill and craftsmanship from that time period. Getting to meet him and his wife, visiting his shop is a memory that still burns bright!
Jim Hoag was a great guy, always willing to help anyone any way he could. He put a set of National Match fixed sights and fitted a BarSto match barrel on a LW Commander .45 for me back in 1974. I carried that .45 off duty and in plain clothes until I retired in 2007. Those are still my favorite sights on a 1911.
I worked for Jim Hoag from the late 70s to 1982, learned a lot. He fitted those pistols very tight and included were hand fitted Bar-Sto six-inch barrels when Irv Stone was still in California. The pistols did require some break in because they were so tight, but Mickey Fowler, Ron Lerch, and Mike Dalton shot his stuff, reliably and well.
I grew up around Berryville AK. And I still can see in my memories of bills father and bill was working together in the store on the town square. I always made it a special effort to go in and look at all the nice guns bill had on display. I latter in years had the privilege of shooting at bills home. I'll always consider the experience one of my best. if you see this bill thanks for what you do, I'm very proud to know you. Frank Birchfield.
As someone in their early 20s, I really appreciate Bill sharing his knowledge and the pistols of the original 1911 smiths, as it's hard to find a lot of this stuff nowadays. With the exception of these videos, a lot of the info on the older stuff really isn't documented very well, and these videos serve as great resources. Thanks for doing these.
Chuck Taylor(RIP),was right when he said “Make mine single action semi Auto.”, “ Make mine .45 acp”, Combat Handguns, I still have those issues, Ask M.A. he remembers it well. Nothin like a Colt Govt. model
Amazing guys. Amazing collection. Am I the only one who noticed how many times Bill's hunted in Africa...did you see that wall in the opening shot...man!
Watching this at 5:45am right before I walk into work. THIS is how you start the day! Lol. Love when Bill talks history! He’s one humble and special man.
This presentation was very interesting to me. I enjoyed hearing the stories and seeing the progression of developing the modern custom 1911. In the early '80s I bought a Colt combat government which had certain enhancements from cold I believe we're inspired by these pistol Smiths inspired
Beautiful guns! I have two Jim Clark .45's, a long slide "softball" .45 and a "hardball" .45. Both were built for me back in the 70's. The "softball" .45 was used in NRA bullseye matches, and the "hardball" .45 was used in leg matches. I spent hours drooling over the custom .45's that many of the pistol smiths were building in that era. I also used the "hardball" .45 as a duty weapon when I was a police officer, and again as an armed security guard. It's hard to believe how many years ago that was! This video brought back a lot of memories. Thanks for that!
Thank you Bill and Mas, for showing us this unique collection of 1911s. I was a big fan of Armand Swenson and always wanted one of his guns, but living here in the UK, they were difficult to come by... and way out of range of my pocket. I particularly liked the finish of his guns; from the Hard Chrome, to the Stippled Slide; the S&W sights and the Squared Trigger Guard. I particularly liked the Commander Size pistols, with the Ring Hammers. Although I could never afford one, I have several pictures of his pistols. The Pachmayr pistols were also a pleasant surprise, as I knew very little about them, except that they were well regarded in shooting circles.
wow! Wonderful collection of 1911..im so happy that i own a One of Ten Wilson Combat 1911. First Series. mine will be a legacy as well and proud to have it.
Howdy from Wyoming! That was a great trip through history and an absolutely beautiful collection. I’m ever impressed by Bill’s humble hat tips to the men that inspired and mentored him. Bill is a pioneer in his own right, and instead of tooting his own horn, he honors those that came before. IMHO, that’s a defining characteristic of an honorable man! Thanks Bill. Hope I get the honor of simply shaking your hand some day. Keep the great content coming gents!
I'm just old enough to remember when all those men were still alive and in the custom smith-ing business. I would read my father's gun magazines and books and he would comment on what amazing machines those custom 1911s were. I remember seeing a two-tone Pachmayr Combat Special for the first time in a full color photo and thought it was the most handsome, purposeful tool I'd ever seen. Now, 45 years later, I still think that. Someday, I'll have to commission Wilson Combat to build me a clone.
That brings back memories. I can well remember those beautiful two-page spreads of custom guns that I could drool over, but never afford. A surprising number of those photos were posed and shot by a photographer named Ichiro Nagata, who was himself a shooter, and made his living making beautiful images of firearms.
Another great video!!! I know we will one day look back and be adding to this great list with Bill Wilson and John Harrison!!! We have come so far, but where would we be now if it wasn't for those great smiths! You all bring some greats to the table. Thanks again for sharing all of this!!! You both are greatly appreciated. Please remember to pray for John Harrison, his eye situation and his back. He is super, and I hope he can continue his work.
Thank you for the memories. I met Armand Swenson @ the 1979 Nationals in Park City. Jeff Cooper was also present. Both gentlemen were first class. 👍😊🇺🇸
Thank you for sharing this video. Could have been three times as long with lots of close-up photography, and I would have loved every minute of it. Once was privileged to handle a "Swen Gun." Beautiful workmanship, especially given where they were coming from. The old masters invented and created the things we take for granted now. If you have any Jim Clark pistols like one of his long slides or something from Kings Gun Works, please share them, too.
Remarkable collection! Going off topic. I think their is a video that was going to be done with another batch of "Ask Bill Wilson" questions that I either missed or hasn't been completed? I'm not complaining, your content has made my you tube experience even better! Again, THIS CHANNEL SHOULD HAVE HIT 1.000.OOO subscribers long ago. I think the problem is so many people are into guns but not the History of guns. This channel is the Encyclopedia of Handguns!!!! A huge wealth of knowledge is given to folks here at no cost, amazing! Best to ya',,,, as always!
Seeing Bill's collection reminded me of some Colt pistols I had customized around the same period. They include a LW Commander in 45 ACP, a Government Model in 38 Super, and an early Officer's Model in 45 ACP. They were built for me by Bob Day starting in 1978. Bob was a retired USAF gunsmith who was part of the original team of shooters and budding gunsmiths that General Curtis LeMay put together in the early 1960s to dominate competitive shooting. Bob fitted both the Commander and 38 Super with S&W adjustable revolver sights embedded in their slides. I still find this the sleekest and most handsome arrangement. I am inclined to say they are elegant weapons for a more civilized age, but that the latter part this statement would be a lie.
i was hoping to see a bob chow. they were sought after here in northern california. heck of a collection! i lusted after a pachmayr model with the big link. way out of my budget at the time. thanks for the memories.
Several years ago I bought a Spec Ops 9 from Wilson Combat. It was a high capacity 9mm 1911. I needed a holster so I called Milt Sparks but they couldn't help me because they didn't have a dummy gun to mold the holster. So I called Wilson Combat's customer service. They sent Milt Sparks a pistol so they could make a holster. Customer Service at the highest level. I hope to pick up another Wilson 1911 in .45 one day.
Great video. I was lucky enough to catch Jim Hoag in his shop a few years ago. I wondered if he could identify the maker of my C series HP with S&W sights. (It wasn't him and he didn't know.) Sadly he passed on shortly after my visit. It's great to see these classics. Thanks.
Old-school Trinity of Bill, Mas and Ken. I truly try to absorb their knowledge at every given opportunity. To think that Ken was ever in a moment of weakness, I'd just assume he wagered or simply relented
No words on how magnificent the value of this content. I am overly impressed as I've been since I began my journey of combat handgunnery. I kept a letter of response Armand Swenson sent to me post marked March 2,1987 describing his backlog of at least 2 years. He then goes on to list 5 recommendations for 'a good' combat pistol. In closing recommends contacting James Hoag of Canoga Park with best of luck wishes. Figured I'de share my A. Swenson keepsake as comment to your shared content. Mass A. is not wrong in regard to legacy 👍 Thanks a bunch & carry on.
@@onpsxmember A. Swenson recommendations 3/2/1987. Accurizing Trigger rework for reliability Good sights (Swensights or K38 S&W) Ambidextrous safety Hard Chrome He then added. These are the main things. Much other work is cosmetic & not necessary but makes a good looking weapon. Best wishes Bro. 👍
I sure enjoy Bill Wilson’s 1911 memories and history.
I agree, love listening to the stories and history.
Same here.
When I was a kid, I got into handguns at around age 15. After playing around with a Ruger Mark I and a S&W Model 10, I decided that I had to have a .45. Back then, if you were a red-blooded American, you would consider nothing less. I used to haunt a small gun shop near my high school. The owner put up with me, and always showed me any gun I wanted to look at, even though I was not yet of legal age to buy a handgun.
One day, in the used case, I saw a 1911-style pistol. It was all black, and looked different and slightly shorter than the "Army .45" I was used to. I asked to see it, and it was handed to me. I turned out to be a Colt LW Commander, but it had some really nice adjustable sights, and an unusual red insert in the ramped front sight. It also had a safety on both sides. It was love at first sight. The owner told me that it had been customized by some guy named Armand Swenson, which meant nothing to me at the time. It had S&W adjustable revolver sights installed, a custom long trigger, and an ambi safety. The price was a staggering (to me) $325. This was probably 1973.
I asked the owner if he could hold it until I could bring my older brother, a police officer, back to see it. He told me that while he could not sell the gun to me, that he could put it on layaway for a deposit of $25. I eagerly handed him the money and a ticket was written. The cagey old owner knew the gun was going to end up in my hands, so he let me know that I could make layaway payments and only had to bring my brother or a parent in with me to actually pick up the gun.
I had an after school job working at the main post office, unloading sacks of mail from trucks that paid pretty well. Each time I got paid, I brought in $50 to pay on account. In no time, it was mine. I brought my brother back and we did the paperwork, which at that time wasn't unusual. As soon as I got it, along with a box of military ball ammo, I took it out to the local gravel pit where we all shot, loaded a magazine, chambered a round, and pulled the trigger, much harder than necessary, because my only experience with a 1911 had been shooting surplus guns. In almost no time at all, I settled down a bit, and with that gun, if I could see a target, I could hit it. I did note that the bastard kicked a lot more than I expected, having an aluminum frame. That gun completely spoiled me from then on.
I owned that gun for about three years, when a fit of stupid gun trading saw me deal it off in an even trade for a Smith and Wesson Model 29. I never realized during the time I owned it what a gem I had, nor for that matter who Swenson even was. But it started a love affair with the 1911 that has now been going on for over 50 years. Not many teenage kids can say that they started out with a gun built by one of the true masters of pistolsmithing. I still wish I had that gun.
For a few years, I had a Lightweight Commander, built and engraved (but not by Armand). Bought it from the old Pony Express shop near Van Nuys airport...and never shot it. It appeared to be unfired and I just left it that way.
What happened to it?
I do love the clean classic look of the 1911. The single stack limited capacity kinda sucks. I’ll get a 2011 when I have the extra money
@@markcurry3083 I traded off as a dumb kid for a gun that was made famous in a movie, but was much less practical. I then went on to become a police officer and owned a firearms training school for more than 20 years. Why that is important is that I found in looking at thousands of police shooting reports is that in-gun capacity proved not to be as important as one might think, while the ability to rapidly reload was more of an issue. When police began to transition to semi-autos, we only saw a miniscule number of cases where there was any real difference between an 8 or 9 shot pistol such as was adopted early by the Illinois State Police, and weapons with higher in-gun capacity. I carried a SIG Sauer P220 .45 on duty, which only held 9 rounds total, backed up with four magazines on my duty belt. I considered my self well armed, as did I when we switched to 15 shot Glocks. I also carried full time off-duty, and always found a slim gun like a 1911 to be more comfortable inside my waistband.
Now that I am retired and no longer go in harm's way on purpose, my daily carry is a compact 9mm that I've had for years that only holds 8 rounds. I can reload that pistol in about 2 seconds with the spare magazine that always goes with me. We now have a ton of very nice small pistols that have higher capacities, but I simply do not care enough about capacity to switch handguns.
This is not to say that the extra capacity is a bad thing, and it makes most people feel better to have it. There is nothing wrong with that. But for example, I have very small hands for a man, with shorter fingers, and I have always shot single stack guns a bit better than double stacks. I know the numbers from real shootings, so I simply don't worry about it. I consider 8 or 9 shots sufficient, as long as I can carry spare magazines, which I always do. So to each their own. Stay safe!
@@PPISAFETY thanks for the advice. I may have to take that into consideration
@@PPISAFETY I have several single-stack Star 9mm pistols that are beautiful, wonderfully flat, and peasant to shoot. If I weren't a southpaw, I'd probably carry them for self-defense.
Man! A whole table full of history! We've all shared a similar journey with 1911s. I also started doing my own work on them back in the late 70s (although I'm no Armand Swenson), but I've followed you guys since then. Keep it up, gentlemen!
Can you imagine what his entire collection looks like?
Right on
Living in California in the early 70's and loving Colt .45 automatics was a fascination and still is till this day. I read about Swenson in Guns&Ammo, he lived very close to my location. I wanted one of his pistols upon seeing a "Bobcat", a cut down government model to Commander length. I prefer the steel frame vs aluminum. During that time I visited his shop (in his garage) and met Irene his wife. He fired every pistol before delivering it to his customer at a local firing range. Before he shot each pistol, he used a S&W .22 to "warm up". I finally received my Bobcat and still have it today.
Hard chromed, K-38 sights, 30 line checking front and main spring housing, squared trigger guard, accurized, ramp front sight, stippled top strap with engraved border, ambi safety, Commander hammer, relieved grip safety and engraved rear of the slide. I think that's it, haven't shot it for many a moon, but still appreciate his skill and craftsmanship from that time period.
Getting to meet him and his wife, visiting his shop is a memory that still burns bright!
Jim Hoag was a great guy, always willing to help anyone any way he could. He put a set of National Match fixed sights and fitted a BarSto match barrel on a LW Commander .45 for me back in 1974. I carried that .45 off duty and in plain clothes until I retired in 2007. Those are still my favorite sights on a 1911.
I worked for Jim Hoag from the late 70s to 1982, learned a lot. He fitted those pistols very tight and included were hand fitted Bar-Sto six-inch barrels when Irv Stone was still in California. The pistols did require some break in because they were so tight, but Mickey Fowler, Ron Lerch, and Mike Dalton shot his stuff, reliably and well.
I grew up around Berryville AK. And I still can see in my memories of bills father and bill was working together in the store on the town square. I always made it a special effort to go in and look at all the nice guns bill had on display. I latter in years had the privilege of shooting at bills home. I'll always consider the experience one of my best. if you see this bill thanks for what you do, I'm very proud to know you. Frank Birchfield.
Man, I'm droolin over these 1911 pistols. Back when you got gun info from magazines, those were the go to guys, esp Swenson.
Thank you, I tremendously enjoyed this history lesson.
Glad you enjoyed it!
God, you guys make me feel old.
You brought up a bunch of names I haven't heard since the 70's.
Thanks.
As someone in their early 20s, I really appreciate Bill sharing his knowledge and the pistols of the original 1911 smiths, as it's hard to find a lot of this stuff nowadays. With the exception of these videos, a lot of the info on the older stuff really isn't documented very well, and these videos serve as great resources. Thanks for doing these.
I've been drooling all the time while watching those great 1911s !! What a great collection!
Glad you enjoyed it
Chuck Taylor(RIP),was right when he said “Make mine single action semi Auto.”, “ Make mine .45 acp”, Combat Handguns, I still have those issues, Ask M.A. he remembers it well. Nothin like a Colt Govt. model
Amazing guys. Amazing collection. Am I the only one who noticed how many times Bill's hunted in Africa...did you see that wall in the opening shot...man!
Watching this at 5:45am right before I walk into work. THIS is how you start the day! Lol. Love when Bill talks history! He’s one humble and special man.
Glad you enjoyed it
Been carrying my 1911 for 18 years or so now still my go to. Only wish a Wilson Combat was in my reach...
One of my favorite handguns, and my favorite autoloading handgun, the 1911. What a great collection of fine pistols. Thank you!
Nothing but beauty on that table every single one of them is just gorgeous
I very much appreciate the history and knowledge of Bill Wilson's 1911s those are some beautiful pistols he shared with us.
I love the look of those S&W revo sites on the 1911.
Love how humble these guys are. They’ve probably forgotten more than most of us know.
This presentation was very interesting to me. I enjoyed hearing the stories and seeing the progression of developing the modern custom 1911. In the early '80s I bought a Colt combat government which had certain enhancements from cold I believe we're inspired by these pistol Smiths inspired
Love the dog popping his head up. Always good to look at fine guns and the features that make them fine.
Love the collection! 🤩
Nothing better than these two gentlemen and a table full of 1911’s
great history and knowledge thanks
Beautiful guns! I have two Jim Clark .45's, a long slide "softball" .45 and a "hardball" .45. Both were built for me back in the 70's. The "softball" .45 was used in NRA bullseye matches, and the "hardball" .45 was used in leg matches. I spent hours drooling over the custom .45's that many of the pistol smiths were building in that era. I also used the "hardball" .45 as a duty weapon when I was a police officer, and again as an armed security guard. It's hard to believe how many years ago that was! This video brought back a lot of memories. Thanks for that!
Very impressive, history lesson for sure !!
Glad you enjoyed it
Enjoy the videos for the History lessons alone. Thanks!
Glad you like them!
Really enjoying this particular series. Beautiful guns, great content
Thank you for your time Mass and Bill.
Thank you Bill and Mas, for showing us this unique collection of 1911s. I was a big fan of Armand Swenson and always wanted one of his guns, but living here in the UK, they were difficult to come by... and way out of range of my pocket. I particularly liked the finish of his guns; from the Hard Chrome, to the Stippled Slide; the S&W sights and the Squared Trigger Guard. I particularly liked the Commander Size pistols, with the Ring Hammers. Although I could never afford one, I have several pictures of his pistols. The Pachmayr pistols were also a pleasant surprise, as I knew very little about them, except that they were well regarded in shooting circles.
wow! Wonderful collection of 1911..im so happy that i own a One of Ten Wilson Combat 1911. First Series. mine will be a legacy as well and proud to have it.
Howdy from Wyoming! That was a great trip through history and an absolutely beautiful collection. I’m ever impressed by Bill’s humble hat tips to the men that inspired and mentored him. Bill is a pioneer in his own right, and instead of tooting his own horn, he honors those that came before. IMHO, that’s a defining characteristic of an honorable man! Thanks Bill. Hope I get the honor of simply shaking your hand some day. Keep the great content coming gents!
Glad you enjoyed it
Beautiful collection. Thank you for sharing.
Nice walk back into the safe. Thanks, guys.
Love those classic large ring commander hammers as well. Thanks for sharing, would love to see more videos like this.
I'm just old enough to remember when all those men were still alive and in the custom smith-ing business. I would read my father's gun magazines and books and he would comment on what amazing machines those custom 1911s were. I remember seeing a two-tone Pachmayr Combat Special for the first time in a full color photo and thought it was the most handsome, purposeful tool I'd ever seen. Now, 45 years later, I still think that. Someday, I'll have to commission Wilson Combat to build me a clone.
That brings back memories. I can well remember those beautiful two-page spreads of custom guns that I could drool over, but never afford. A surprising number of those photos were posed and shot by a photographer named Ichiro Nagata, who was himself a shooter, and made his living making beautiful images of firearms.
Northern b.c.Canada. purchased a "well used" cco full of WC goodies many years ago. Still my favorite 😍
Another great video!!! I know we will one day look back and be adding to this great list with Bill Wilson and John Harrison!!! We have come so far, but where would we be now if it wasn't for those great smiths! You all bring some greats to the table. Thanks again for sharing all of this!!! You both are greatly appreciated. Please remember to pray for John Harrison, his eye situation and his back. He is super, and I hope he can continue his work.
Thank you for the memories.
I met Armand Swenson @
the 1979 Nationals in Park City. Jeff Cooper was also
present. Both gentlemen
were first class. 👍😊🇺🇸
Thanks for sharing!
Very nice. I have only heard of those names. Thanks for sharing this.
Thank you for the history lesson enjoyed it very much!!👍
Thank you for sharing this video. Could have been three times as long with lots of close-up photography, and I would have loved every minute of it. Once was privileged to handle a "Swen Gun." Beautiful workmanship, especially given where they were coming from. The old masters invented and created the things we take for granted now. If you have any Jim Clark pistols like one of his long slides or something from Kings Gun Works, please share them, too.
Lot's of history on one small table.
Another great Wilson Combat video. Keep up the good information.
Thanks, will do!
Thanks for sharing your collection and knowledge.
No worries!
When I finally gained an appreciation for a 1911, I greedily wanted a Swenson.
Bill has a great book out with a lot of photos and history.
Thank you as always
Always welcome
great history, wonderful, thanks
I had no idea of how the custom market started or who they were, thanks for the history lesson....loved it!
Our pleasure!
Remarkable collection! Going off topic. I think their is a video that was going to be done with another batch of "Ask Bill Wilson" questions that I either missed or hasn't been completed? I'm not complaining, your content has made my you tube experience even better! Again, THIS CHANNEL SHOULD HAVE HIT 1.000.OOO subscribers long ago. I think the problem is so many people are into guns but not the History of guns. This channel is the Encyclopedia of Handguns!!!! A huge wealth of knowledge is given to folks here at no cost, amazing!
Best to ya',,,, as always!
Q&A with Bill and Ken is coming soon.
Stunning collection. Thank you.
Fantastic content. Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it!
That was injoying thank you for sharing.
Our pleasure!
Armand Swenson is an inspiration to so many.
Great Video!! Love the 1911 history! 👍
Thanks 👍
Amazing collection. Thanks for sharing.👍👍
Beautiful history! Thank you for preserving them!
Our pleasure!
Thank you
What I wouldn't give to spend a shooting or hunting weekend with these living legends.
Seeing Bill's collection reminded me of some Colt pistols I had customized around the same period. They include a LW Commander in 45 ACP, a Government Model in 38 Super, and an early Officer's Model in 45 ACP. They were built for me by Bob Day starting in 1978. Bob was a retired USAF gunsmith who was part of the original team of shooters and budding gunsmiths that General Curtis LeMay put together in the early 1960s to dominate competitive shooting. Bob fitted both the Commander and 38 Super with S&W adjustable revolver sights embedded in their slides. I still find this the sleekest and most handsome arrangement. I am inclined to say they are elegant weapons for a more civilized age, but that the latter part this statement would be a lie.
I enjoy these videos immensely! Please keep making them.
Thanks, will do!
Beautiful guns brother!!!
Excellent master's of the 1911 !
Awesome
i was hoping to see a bob chow. they were sought after here in northern california. heck of a collection! i lusted after a pachmayr model with the big link. way out of my budget at the time. thanks for the memories.
Appreciate the knowledge being share. Thank you gentlemen.
Our pleasure!
Great stuff. Thanks for sharing
Thanks for watching!
Excellent
Thanks
A wonderful collection.
Thanks for visiting
Wonderful!
Thank you
Several years ago I bought a Spec Ops 9 from Wilson Combat. It was a high capacity 9mm 1911. I needed a holster so I called Milt Sparks but they couldn't help me because they didn't have a dummy gun to mold the holster. So I called Wilson Combat's customer service. They sent Milt Sparks a pistol so they could make a holster. Customer Service at the highest level. I hope to pick up another Wilson 1911 in .45 one day.
Milt Sparks still has that Spec Ops.
Great job guys looking at my cqb while watching this 👍👍👍
Enjoy!
Great video. I was lucky enough to catch Jim Hoag in his shop a few years ago. I wondered if he could identify the maker of my C series HP with S&W sights. (It wasn't him and he didn't know.) Sadly he passed on shortly after my visit. It's great to see these classics. Thanks.
Thanks, great history lesson.
Our pleasure!
Thank You Guys That Is a Really Nice Collection of The Master Builders of The Days Gone Bye Era 😮😀👍🏼
Hello Mr. Ayoob, and Mr. Wilson.
Awesome collection 👍🏼 great history!!!!
Thanks a bunch!
Old-school Trinity of Bill, Mas and Ken. I truly try to absorb their knowledge at every given opportunity. To think that Ken was ever in a moment of weakness, I'd just assume he wagered or simply relented
Awesome guns!
Awesome!!
Great video! 👍👍👍 I have a two-tone Colt Series 70 Gold Cup done by King's Gun Works.
No words on how magnificent the value of this content. I am overly impressed as I've been since I began my journey of combat handgunnery. I kept a letter of response Armand Swenson sent to me post marked March 2,1987 describing his backlog of at least 2 years. He then goes on to list 5 recommendations for 'a good' combat pistol. In closing recommends contacting James Hoag of Canoga Park with best of luck wishes. Figured I'de share my A. Swenson keepsake as comment to your shared content. Mass A. is not wrong in regard to legacy 👍 Thanks a bunch & carry on.
And those 5 recommendations for 'a good' combat pistol were?
@@onpsxmember A. Swenson recommendations 3/2/1987.
Accurizing
Trigger rework for reliability
Good sights
(Swensights or K38 S&W)
Ambidextrous safety
Hard Chrome
He then added. These are the main things. Much other work is cosmetic & not necessary but makes a good looking weapon.
Best wishes Bro. 👍
Some nice olds ones I like them
Thank you!
Awesome gentleman
Thanks really enjoyed
Glad you enjoyed it
John Jardin is Armand Swenson's nephew and he currently makes 1911's in the California Bay Area.
More like this please
I'd love to see you talk about the Wilson/Tripp Research double stack gun you made in the nineties
Very nice, very nice indeed
Better watch Mas though, he's eyeballing some of those 1911s pretty hard, lol
I have a colt gold cup national match that has the exact same trigger as that engraved one
What about all the Jimmy Clarks ?? They are awesome.
Legendary guns from legendary gun builders story told by a Legendary gun builder himself
I would've also enjoyed seeing a Bob Day, Jim Clark or Austin Behlert. Those are the names that stick out most to me.
WOW!!! THANKS
WOW!
Amazing what these legends did to make a legendary gun better, and each with their own touch/ idea