View Full Version : Need Some Help From Any Naval Academy Grads or Navy Guys!!!
I have a good friend who's son graduates on the 28th from the Naval Academy. I got him started with firearms years back and I am going to give him a Colt 1911 as a graduation gift.
I want to make it related to his graduation from the academy and have a personal touch added instead of just a Colt 1911. He has chosen to go into the submarine unit (not sure that is the proper term) Do the sub units have a special crest?
My thoughts were to have some grips made with the Academy logo on them or inserted into them where a Colt medallion would normally be. I have found some Navy grips on the net and I was told Alluma grips would make some for me... But I want to explore any options out there because I really want it to be right when I give it to him. He has busted his ass and is a great kid.
Need some help finding ones that aren't cheesy and would look right on a blued 1911.
I know there are some grads on here so was looking for some feedback and direction on what you guys would want if it was being given to you.
Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.
The finest stocks made...
http://nutmegsports.com/
B
The finest stocks made...
http://nutmegsports.com/
B
Thanks Buck. I was hoping to avoid Ivory because I am hoping he will run it hard. I love Ivories on certain 1911's just not for hard use etc...
I will give them a call and see what other options that they might have.
Thanks again for the help.
Jay Cunningham
05-05-10, 12:06
My advice to you is just him him a good, plain-Jane gun. He will always remember the occasion.
I was brown shoe Navy, aviation, but you might want to get the bubbleheads emblem put on it. I think the dolphins would look pretty slick on a custom piece.
http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/5721/24908412434169713544164.jpg
Smuckatelli
05-05-10, 12:22
OP, I recommend that you PM Submariner.......he should be able to give you some ideas.
My advice to you is just him him a good, plain-Jane gun. He will always remember the occasion.
I'm sure you are right TK... I just want it to be a special gift for all his hard work and dedication. Thats why I was just trying to add a personal touch unlike the Hk I got him for his first handgun which was nothing special...
I was brown shoe Navy, aviation, but you might want to get the bubbleheads emblem put on it. I think the dolphins would look pretty slick on a custom piece.
http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/5721/24908412434169713544164.jpg
That looks great Irish! Is that the crest for the sub units? That looks like it would be perfect!
Thanks again for the help.
OP, I recommend that you PM Submariner.......he should be able to give you some ideas.
I will do so, thank you for the heads up...
That looks great Irish! Is that the crest for the sub units? That looks like it would be perfect!
Thanks again for the help.
You're welcome. It's the submarine warfare insignia and is worn by enlisted & officer alike, once qualified. I think it would look great engraved on the slide of a 1911 for a submariner. This may give you some other ideas: http://www.military-insignia.us/Pages/NavyInsignia/USNQualificationBadges.html
GitmoSmoke
05-05-10, 13:27
D90,
If you go with the dolphins make sure they are gold not silver. Silver is for enlisted members, gold is for officers.
D90,
If you go with the dolphins make sure they are gold not silver. Silver is for enlisted members, gold is for officers.
Engraved on the slide of a steel framed 1911 would slick and I'm not sure if it can be done in gold... Besides, who wants a gold 1911 unless you're a Mexican drug cartel guy? :cool:
D90,
If you go with the dolphins make sure they are gold not silver. Silver is for enlisted members, gold is for officers.
If If I am not mistaken upon graduation from the Academy he graduates as an officer. Or am I misunderstanding his rank?
If If I am not mistaken upon graduation from the Academy he graduates as an officer. Or am I misunderstanding his rank?
That's correct. The above-pictured Dolphins are silver...he was just mentioning that officers have gold dolphins...
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/USN_-_Submarine_Officer_and_Enlisted.jpg
I think it would be pretty cool to have the Sub Warfare Insignia inset into the grips.
GitmoSmoke
05-05-10, 13:54
Naval Academy graduates are officers. As Irish said if it is an engraving on the slide gold might look tacky, but a gold warfare pin set into dark wood or smooth black micarta woluld look awsome in my opinion. www.wickedgrips.com might be an option to try.
A buddy of mine wanted to get something customized for his retiring SGM, I directed him towards Alumagrips. He was able to get customized grips with exactly what he wanted on them from Alumagrips in a very reasonable time frame and cost.
On an otherwise stock 1911, these give a really nice custom touch. I think they have an online configuratorytron you can use to mock it up. http://www.gungrips.net/
A pair of dolphins (gold, not silver), the USNA logo with class year, the patch from his first boat, Navy logo with his name or any combination thereabouts will be nice.
You guys are the best! I cant thank you guys enough for the help. This is exactly what I wanted to get done and done in a way that symbolizes the beginning of the next chapter in his life!
Just to clarify: It would be the gold sub / dolphins emblem and not silver based upon his rank?
Thanks again for the help and insight, it is very much appreciated. This is important to me and I want to do it right for him!
Just to clarify: It would be the gold sub / dolphins emblem and not silver based upon his rank?
Gold is correct for an officer. I was enlisted scum and from an aesthetics point of view I prefer the silver. ;)
littleshoe
05-05-10, 14:43
You guys are the best! I cant thank you guys enough for the help. This is exactly what I wanted to get done and done in a way that symbolizes the beginning of the next chapter in his life!
Yeah they would be gold Dolphins. However, I would recommend against getting the dolphin engraving done until after he qualifies as a submarine officer and gets his pin. Don't want to jinx it.
Yeah they would be gold Dolphins. However, I would recommend against getting the dolphin engraving done until after he qualifies as a submarine officer and gets his pin. Don't want to jinx it.
Could that have happened over the summer? I know he spent several months doing training on a sub for an extended period of time this past year.
Yeah they would be gold Dolphins. However, I would recommend against getting the dolphin engraving done until after he qualifies as a submarine officer and gets his pin. Don't want to jinx it.
That thought kind of crossed my mind as well. He won't have his pin for probably 12-24 months.
Another option that I think would be very cool would be an inset Naval Officer crest in the grips...
http://www.cnrc.navy.mil/sanfrancisco/chain-of-command/usn_officer_crest.jpg
Could that have happened over the summer? I know he spent several months doing training on a sub for an extended period of time this past year.
No, he won't qualify for the pin until after he is commissioned and has been on his boat for some time.
Ahh shit! Now I don't know what to do... That crest looks great also. Maybe I will do that or the Academy crest first and then do another pistol for him after he gets his other pin. I WOULD NOT WANT TO JINX HIM. I know he is fairly well along in the process but I don't know enough about it to know for sure.
I don't want to call him and tip my hand, he will already be mad at me for doing this.:D He is a great kid (young man) and views his actions as nothing special which is why I like doing nice things for him. He has a great attitude and feels he is simply doing his duty to his nation.
littleshoe
05-05-10, 14:54
Could that have happened over the summer? I know he spent several months doing training on a sub for an extended period of time this past year.
No. Now after his basket leave he is going to have to report down go Goose Creek for Nuclear Power School and then Prototype before reporting to sub school up in Groton Conn and then going to a submarine.
No. Now after his basket leave he is going to have to report down go Goose Creek for Nuclear Power School and then Prototype before reporting to sub school up in Groton Conn and then going to a submarine.
Yeah that sounds right... He said he will only be home for 3-4 weeks after graduation before he has to report for training.
GitmoSmoke
05-05-10, 16:15
D90,
I hadn't thought of the long qualification process for the submarine warfare pin. The officers crest would look great on the grips. If ypur budget could stand it maybe get 2 sets made up. Have them put the officers crest on one side and the sub pin on the other, leaving one set plain. Give him the grip with the crest and one plain grip panel. After he gets qualified give him the sub pin side and the other grip panel. That way he could have a grip set with both and a plain set for harder use. If ypu use wood grips ask the grip company to match the wood closely for both sets so he won't suspect what is going on.
How about the Navy SEAL Sig for graduating from the Naval Academy and then the 1911 with the dolphins after he graduates sub school?
Instead of gold or silver dolphins on the slide of the 1911, why not just have it engraved, but not filled? Then have the Naval Officer crest in the grips. I think that would be classier. And I would keep the crest small, like maybe the size of the emblem Colt uses on their grips.
How about the Navy SEAL Sig for graduating from the Naval Academy and then the 1911 with the dolphins after he graduates sub school?
Why would you give him a Budweiser for graduating from the Academy? The insignia recognizes those service members who have completed the Navy’s Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training, completed SEAL Qualification Training and have been designated as U.S. Navy SEAL.
Or maybe you meant Sig Sauer? The 1911 is a much better gift in my opinion.
Yes, I meant the Sig Sauer, but, I suppose you're right. I just thought that the Sig was more practical due to the corrosion proof coating and the simple anchor on the slide seems generic Navy enough.
(My nephew is a Naval Aviator stationed on Coronado Island, for the time being. I've thought about getting him the Sig Sauer as a gift.)
D90,
I hadn't thought of the long qualification process for the submarine warfare pin. The officers crest would look great on the grips. If ypur budget could stand it maybe get 2 sets made up. Have them put the officers crest on one side and the sub pin on the other, leaving one set plain. Give him the grip with the crest and one plain grip panel. After he gets qualified give him the sub pin side and the other grip panel. That way he could have a grip set with both and a plain set for harder use. If ypu use wood grips ask the grip company to match the wood closely for both sets so he won't suspect what is going on.
Its funny you bring that up... After learning today on m4c about the different crest and the meaning behind them I was thinking something along those lines. One set with the Academy crest and after he passed the next level one set with the sub and dolphins.
Thanks for the input.
How about the Navy SEAL Sig for graduating from the Naval Academy and then the 1911 with the dolphins after he graduates sub school?
Instead of gold or silver dolphins on the slide of the 1911, why not just have it engraved, but not filled? Then have the Naval Officer crest in the grips. I think that would be classier. And I would keep the crest small, like maybe the size of the emblem Colt uses on their grips.
I am giving him a 1911 out of my collection. He has always know my affinity with the 1911, it would be strange to give him anything else.
I am going to go with the grip panels with the crest...
Thanks for your input though.
Alpha Sierra
05-05-10, 21:01
That will be a classy set of gifts.
A/S
USNA 88
littleshoe
05-08-10, 06:19
How about the Navy SEAL Sig for graduating from the Naval Academy and then the 1911 with the dolphins after he graduates sub school?
Instead of gold or silver dolphins on the slide of the 1911, why not just have it engraved, but not filled? Then have the Naval Officer crest in the grips. I think that would be classier. And I would keep the crest small, like maybe the size of the emblem Colt uses on their grips.
I have that SIG Sauer and love it. Actually bought another 226 for more heavy duty use to save my Navy one. Love how the anchor is a simple yet very nice touch.
I saw some damascus pattern grips with military logos on them- it was at wicked grips I recall. Pricey but as this is a once in a lifetime shot what the heck
709bubblehead
05-26-10, 16:09
as a veteran of the submarine force, i have to chime in and say what a great idea i think that is. personally, i'd rather get something with dolphins (or fish as we call them) after i qualified and got pinned. Before i got my fish, i wouldn't even wear a boat belt buckle with fish on it. i bought one and saved it till i got pinned. FYI, the Submarine Warfare pin is the oldest warfare pin in the Navy. maybe get the officer's crest for his graduation, then a set of grips with gold dolphins after he qualifies? just an idea. keep in mind, after he graduates, it'll be probably 2 years before he gets to a boat. he's gotta go to nuke school in order to be a sub officer. i went through the enlisted nuke pipeline from August '98 to February '00, and if i recall correctly, the officer's pipeline is about the same, maybe a little shorter since they don't go to "A" School. officers have a longer qual process than us blueshirts do. enlisted men have 1 year to qualify once they report aboard. failure to do so will get you kicked off the boat and sent to a surface ship (or "target" as we call them)
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