[IrishCop]

In The Complete Book of the Model 1911 -The Custom Edition there is a reprint of an article from The Guns and Ammo 1971 Annual. The article, by a Mr. Walter L. Rickell, is titled The Custom .45 Auto.

Mr. Robert Day's and Mr. Armand Swenson's work is pictured (Nothing like Ichiro Nagata'a photo's, but hey...) and discussed heavily throughout. It was quite apparent that both men were held in the highest esteem by the author.

It's really pretty retro cool reading about these guns, and all of the labor intensive work that was done to them to make them class target shooters and combat weapons of their time.

Gee, they even call magazines "clips" without folks jumping up and down and threatening to take their children away.

Anyhow CP, I thought if you hadn't seen it you might want to pick it up.

 

[Charlie Petty]

Somewhere I have the original and I actually met Rickel with Bob at the Y-O ranch.

There was an even better piece written by Hal Swigget in one of the other annual books whose name escapes me at the moment.

Thanks for the heads up. It would be easier to buy a new one than to find mine...

 

[IrishCop]

Not a problem, Charlie. I remember you talking about the Hal Swigget article. I think it was included in a book I checked out of the Base Library in Minot about half a dozen times. A large chapter was devoted to showing Bob Day accurizing a 1911; photos of him peening the rails, cutting lugs, welding up the barrel hoods, etc. I'm pretty sure Mr. Day's expression didn't change once in all the photos, even of him shooting the gun at the end...on his hind legs with one hand.

 

[Charlie Petty]

and I still miss him every day

 

[Charlie Petty]

who is the publisher... can't find it on Amazon

 

[WaltGraham]

who is the publisher... can't find it on Amazon

This perhaps - currently unavailable on Amazon - maybe Borders or Books a Zillion...

 

[Charlie Petty]

Thanks Walt

 

[IrishCop]

Charlie, it's Guns and Ammo's Complete Book of the Model 1911 Custom Edition. A magazine. I picked it up in Wal-Mart.

Sorry for the late reply. Was watching my grandson's football practice, then helping the wife figure out her E-Reader.

 

[IrishCop]

This is the one, Charlie...

https://store.intermediaoutdoors.co...te-Book-fo-the-Model-1911-Custom-Edition-2011

 

[Charlie Petty]

Thanks... on the way

 

[Patrick Sweeney]

Life goes full circle. I remember reading that article from 1971.

Little did I know I'd be sharing space with it 40 years later.....

 

[Charlie Petty]

Nor did I know that all the years with Bob would pay such handsome dividends.

When that story was done Bob had opened a shop in San Antonio and he sold me the first High Standard that started a collection, that led to a book, and the first paid magazine article in 1980.

But it was the stuff he taught me abiout shooting and working on guns that was a prize without price.

 

[IrishCop]

Life goes full circle. I remember reading that article from 1971.

Little did I know I'd be sharing space with it 40 years later.....

I enjoyed the magazine Patrick. Bunches of guns I can add to my "When I win the lottery" file.

But to be truthful, that retro article was my favorite.

 

[IrishCop]

Somewhere I have the original and I actually met Rickel with Bob at the Y-O ranch.

There was an even better piece written by Hal Swigget in one of the other annual books whose name escapes me at the moment.

Thanks for the heads up. It would be easier to buy a new one than to find mine...

Look familiar, Charlie?

http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo91/IrishCop/BobDay2001.jpg

 

[Charlie Petty]

sure does... where in the world did you find it?

 

[IrishCop]

I'd talked so much before about that red covered book on pistolsmithing I checked out of the Minot AFB Library way back in the eighties, the one with the chapter on accurizing .45's featuring Bob Day, that I did some hunting.

It was The Gun Digest Book of Pistolsmithing, copyright 1980. Found it on Amazon,Used but in Very Good condition, and ordered it.

Sure enough, that was the one. I scanned in the photos of Mr. Day (they even had one of him as a young Staff Sergeant). Figured it might bring back some fond memories. Hope you don't mind.

 

[Charlie Petty]

Bob always said that was the best article on how he did stuff.

I think I still have it... now I need to go look

 

[Charlie Petty]

Never could find it so I ordered another copy through Amazon. It came today. Lots of memories there.