View Full Version : John Jardine Colt
I had heard of John Jardine a few years back. He's one of those pistolsmiths that builds almost exclusively for LE and military these days. What I didn't realize was how close his shop was located to me as he is one of the last great pistolsmiths in the SF Bay Area. I put my name on his build list back in 2005 and my name finally came up this last year. This is now my duty/off-duty gun. I've had it since December and it gets carried every day. I apologize for the dust and the little bit of surface rust on the gripsafety (since wiped off). My pictures don't do this thing justice.
One of the best things about John is that he puts at least 2,500 rounds through every guns he builds to ensure reliability. When you receive the gun you know it will work and he warranties his work for his life. His attention to detail is nothing short of incredible.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y156/KevH/DSC_0340.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y156/KevH/DSC_0344.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y156/KevH/DSC_0348.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y156/KevH/DSC_0353.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y156/KevH/DSC_0367.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y156/KevH/DSC_0373.jpg
Very tastefully done. I really like that rear sight. I would be happier than a pig in shit to own a fine 1911 like that.... Oh well....some- day....maybe!
ghostman1960
04-18-11, 14:36
I had a 70 series worked on by him years and years when I lived in Fremont and when he was just starting out. I wish I would have kept it. He is a nice guy.
Looks great! How do you like the Harrison rear sight?
Looks great! How do you like the Harrison rear sight?
It's not a Harrison sight. That is Jardine's own design that he manufactures. I love it.
VooDoo6Actual
04-18-11, 14:51
really nicely done 1911.
I also like the hammer melt & UC trigger guard he did.
It's not a Harrison sight. That is Jardine's own design that he manufactures. I love it.
Interesting... John had the original Bomar cut fixed rear on the market from memory and it looks very similar... I have seen a lot of smith use it and then just add their touch to it like taking the corners off etc... Looks good.
You can see the similarities> Looks like he is only using one set screw where John uses two.
http://shop.harrisoncustom.com/products/119-hd-001-extreme-service-rear-sight.aspx
http://shop.harrisoncustom.com/products/134-hd-001-t1-extreme-service-rear-sight.aspx
http://shop.harrisoncustom.com/products/135-hd-001-t2-extreme-service-rear-sight.aspx
Littlelebowski
04-18-11, 15:11
I have a hard time believing the supplying guns to military bit unless he means personally owned weapons.
Interesting... John had the original Bomar cut fixed rear on the market from memory and it looks very similar... I have seen a lot of smith use it and then just add their touch to it like taking the corners off etc... Looks good.
You can see the similarities> Looks like he is only using one set screw where John uses two.
http://shop.harrisoncustom.com/products/119-hd-001-extreme-service-rear-sight.aspx
http://shop.harrisoncustom.com/products/134-hd-001-t1-extreme-service-rear-sight.aspx
http://shop.harrisoncustom.com/products/135-hd-001-t2-extreme-service-rear-sight.aspx
I've seen Harrison's sight in person and they're both Bomar cut, but slightly different in design. I know Jardine's sight has been around since around 2001 or so when he was deep into the Valtro project.
eternal24k
04-18-11, 18:25
LOVE it, the attention to detail is everywhere, really love that slide stop.
I have a hard time believing the supplying guns to military bit unless he means personally owned weapons.
http://www.defensereview.com/sandbox-field-report-part-1-marvel-custom-tactical-1911-pistol-single-stack/
http://www.defensereview.com/marvel-custom-tactical-1911-pistols-for-special-operations-and-concealed-carry/
I don’t know the guy being mentioned there, but I do know two guys at Bragg who have guns built by Bob and use them. So it would be within the realm of possibilities that John “could” have built some for someone who is in the Military and uses it for its intended purpose.
V/r
Uglyguns
Nice.
I think he came up with a much more elegant solution to the BoMar cut than Harrison.
yallknowho
04-18-11, 19:48
That's a great looking pistol. I too have a pistol rebuilt by John Jardine. It's not as complete as yours, but it has:
Reliability job
4# action job
matched hammer and sear
ed brown beavertail safety
thumb safety
slide stop
blended SA magwell
dehorn
front cocking serrations
countersunk slide stop
lowered and faired ejection port
raised front strap
runs flawlessly and totally accurate
It would be the one thing I take from my burning house, if I had to make a choice between all my belongings.
http://img693.imageshack.us/img693/7807/pistola3.jpg
http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/5080/pistola2.jpg
http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/3320/pistola1.jpg
rbabbitt767
04-19-11, 13:25
The work Mr. Jardine did on my pistol originated with that rear sight. I saw it as a much more elegant solution than the Harrison Design.
Mr Jardine is not far from where I live, a co-worker had his 1911 worked on there, good stuff. A work of art.
PRGGodfather
04-23-11, 14:14
John Jardine is the real deal. He apprenticed with his uncle, Armand Swenson of the old Colt Custom Shop. Mr. Swenson has passed, but his legacy lives on with John.
I would like to get a pistol done up by John, but I'm impatient and more importantly broke. lol Nice pistol!
I have 2 Jardine guns - a HP and a 1911. Nothing fancy, just set up as a fighting guns. He did them for me in 2005 when I lived in the area. Everything you need and nothing you don't. They function 100%. Great person, very talented but very busy - he focuses on helping the local LEO's first.
rbabbitt767
04-28-11, 17:41
Is there any way you could post pictures of these two guns?
Is there any way you could post pictures of these two guns?
Sure, Just give me a day or 2 to figure out how.
I can not figure out how to attach the photos but they are in ALBUMS at my user ID under Jardine Guns
When I took Randy Cain's Tactical Handgun 101 class a few years ago he was carrying and teaching with a Jardine built, NP3 finished Colt Series 70 Government Model. IIRC his grip safety was pinned. It was a damn nice gun.
rbabbitt767
05-02-11, 14:16
I can not figure out how to attach the photos but they are in ALBUMS at my user ID under Jardine Guns
Cool. Those are nice guns.
The Colt I got new in 1971 as a wedding present and the HP was a used 1969 model that the prior ower put adj sights on. I purchased in 1974. Both were shot a lot and needed his care. I only shoot the HP occassionally but I still keep the Colt in the 1911 carry rotation along with 2 Wilson's (CQB & CQB LT), 2 Baer's (SRP & PII) and a Fletcher Custom Colt Combat Commander. It has not missed a beat since John worked on it. The other 1911's are Bullseye guns, 9mm's or to old/collectable to play with.
You have got to love a good 1911in .45acp!
Hogsgunwild
05-03-11, 06:26
Awesome gun, thanks for the post kaltblitz. I have a Nelson Ford built Colt that has some Chuck Rogers work on it. I had it built with a Bomar but when wanting to go to a fixed sight in recent years, Mr. Harrison's sight would not work as my cuts were located too far back on the frame. John H. said he was working on a solid version of his Bomar replacement sight that would work on my Colt but after checking for a couple of years, John H. still had not built it.
I will have to see if Mr. Jardine's sight will work on this Colt. It is great news to find that someone else makes a Bomar replacement. Thanks again!
By the way, did John J. make your front sight from a blank? If not, who manufactured it? I am on a kick to find the best white dot with a Trijicon insert and yours looks good. I have a sight like that on another Colt and love it but that gunsmith is too busy to make / fit more fore me...
Awesome gun, thanks for the post kaltblitz. I have a Nelson Ford built Colt that has some Chuck Rogers work on it. I had it built with a Bomar but when wanting to go to a fixed sight in recent years, Mr. Harrison's sight would not work as my cuts were located too far back on the frame. John H. said he was working on a solid version of his Bomar replacement sight that would work on my Colt but after checking for a couple of years, John H. still had not built it.
I will have to see if Mr. Jardine's sight will work on this Colt. It is great news to find that someone else makes a Bomar replacement. Thanks again!
By the way, did John J. make your front sight from a blank? If not, who manufactured it? I am on a kick to find the best white dot with a Trijicon insert and yours looks good. I have a sight like that on another Colt and love it but that gunsmith is too busy to make / fit more fore me...
It's his own front sight.
Hogsgunwild
05-03-11, 10:43
It's his own front sight.
Thank you. I will see if he has the time to install some sights.
Rosco Benson
05-04-11, 10:21
I had it built with a Bomar but when wanting to go to a fixed sight in recent years, Mr. Harrison's sight would not work as my cuts were located too far back on the frame. John H. said he was working on a solid version of his Bomar replacement sight that would work on my Colt but after checking for a couple of years, John H. still had not built it.
Check back with Harrison. He has the solid version available now. He also has an oversized blank, so that the pistols with Bo-Mars that overhang the rear of the slide can be fixed up too.
http://shop.harrisoncustom.com/category/53-sights-for-the-std-bomar-trp-cut.aspx
Rosco
Hogsgunwild
05-05-11, 06:13
Hey, thanks Rosco! I had basically given up on John.
I'll give him a call. Appreciate it.
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