The Two-Tone Gun, Simplified...

**Jason Burton** · 09-03-07, 01:59

... well maybe not really simplified...

A two-tone Government Model has remained popular for as long as the word custom has been attached to 1911, and for good reason. Called many things by many others before me, the classiness and classic-ness of a two-tone Gov’t Model has kept the finish combination a perennial favorite. Out of all the finishes available, be it traditional polished blue or any of the newest wonder finishes, a proper two-tone finish combination of “black” over “white” is a continuing favorite of mine and, like the Summer Special pictured with the gun, it’s a perfect recipe of tradition and practicality.

But this gun didn’t start a two-tone... this piece was a “spare” base gun I’ve been sitting on for a while that began life as an all-stainless “Enhanced” Colt Series 80 Government Model. Right about the time I finally got around to building it I happened to find an older carbon steel MK4 Series 80 slide so I figured why not make it my own idea of what the old Colt Combat Elite should have been… and a few months later this is the end result...

While not an “all the way” gun this piece got a thorough tuning... high-cut the frame with the factory “high-cut” removed, serrated front strap @ 20lpi, frame and slide fit with welded frame rails, Kart barrel with EGW bushing, flattened and serrated slide top, Professional Grade sights, hand-beveled mag-well, trigger job with our action components, new internals throughout and much more. Simplified? In reality probably not, but it did sound good.

**DrMark** · 09-03-07, 11:22

I really enjoy these threads, Jason. Thank you for sharing.

Another awe-inspiring pistol.

**dubb-1** · 09-03-07, 11:42

Lookin' good, Jay! Stay on it, Brother!

DW

**militarymoron** · 09-03-07, 12:17

beautiful! "Salt 'n' Pepper" 1911's have always been a favourite of mine. in fact, i'm having a 'spare' stainless govt model converted to a two-tone pistol right now.

**bc.45** · 09-03-07, 14:03

Beautiful!

**Robb Jensen** · 09-03-07, 15:53

Very nice. I'm a two-tone junkie.

**Bushytale** · 09-03-07, 16:21

Beautiful treatment of the "high- cut" and the front strap serrations. "Simplified" hahaha. Jason, you are an artist! Which beavertail did you use? Thanks for sharing pics with us.

Billy

**Jason Burton** · 09-04-07, 23:20

Thanks so much for your thoughts guys...

Now and then I'll find time to build a gun in my spare hours and this time around I thought what better than a solid conversion with every functional detail addressed as well as some nice cosmetic embellishments. In the end a gun that would be just as well suited in a concealment holster as it would in a display case... but I guess that’s kind of the goal with all of them.