What was once considered the ultimate open gun

[Torie]

Original Jim Boland:

[Nik Habicht]

That's cool.....

[GrumpyOne]

Well, tell us more about it!

[Torie]

What I find most interesting about it is the fact that you wont find anything done strictly for cosmetic appeal, everything has a purpose. You'll see a Boland innovation on nearly any modern custom build. A majority of the work was done on a milling machine or with a file. The rear sight slants to the left and the checkering and serrations are crooked; crude in contrast to anything you would see today. I'm sure someone who builds 1911's could say a lot more about it.

Well, tell us more about it!

[Patrick Sweeney]

Oh, that brings back memories. The multi-port comp, starting life as a full slide contour, and then being carved to lower weight. the weight-saving holes bored back in the firing pin area, and the ambi safety with thumb shields.

Some, not me, had problems with thumb-drag on the slide. Well, not until i started shooting Super at Minor for Steel challenge and PPC.

And yes, if you had the chance to look at this gun close-up, expecting to lust on the details, well, there's a line from the movie "The Princess Bride": Get used to disappointment. Rare back in the 1980s was the gunsmith who delivered the detail work we take for granted. And part of that was simply that the guns themselves weren't up to it.

Never did like the funky Boland tang treatment. My hand just went "meh" each time I picked one up.

[AZGunut]

I have almost a twin to this gun, mine is in 40S&W and still a octa-comp and the details are almost identical. I also have a one off Boland P713 which is pretty unique as well.

[kimberacp]

I had a Double "D" comp 45 singlestack from JB. I dreaded going to his shop for work, he would just talk on and on about his camera's or anything else. I didnt mind his conversations but what should have taken an hour or so, ended up the whole evening! I did see his "wide body" major nine pistol, he built by widening a standard frame 1911, I forget the name he gave the gun but he built it for J. Bartell. He was working out of a shop in the evenings, it was like a cave! He shared it with Bruce Gray and in the daylight hours the shop was used by Dean Wilkerson, which I believe it still here.

The thing most different about the smiths back then was that, you just didnt really know when you would get your gun! Unless you paid up front or they liked you or you were doing them a favor in exchange and still that was no guarantee.

I had guns from JB and Paul Lindenberge, when he had a shop here in S.Calif. Same deal from Paul, too.

[mpolans]

I have almost a twin to this gun, mine is in 40S&W and still a octa-comp and the details are almost identical. I also have a one off Boland P713 which is pretty unique as well.

Can we see some pics of this?

Also, if anyone have pics of the gun where Boland reversed the slide rails (ala CZ-75), could we see pics of that too?

[Mike Dame]

anyone else glad that beavertail design didn't catch on?

[outerlimits]

anyone else glad that beavertail design didn't catch on?

Jim built the beavertails byhand-welding up stock ones- he was a frigging artist...way before the curve.

[flack jacket]

anyone else glad that beavertail design didn't catch on?

Jim built the beavertails byhand-welding up stock ones- he was a frigging artist...way before the curve.

Definitely! I remember as a teen learning about IPSC in early 90's and his guns were ALWAYS on cover of American Handgunner.

Jim Boland, was an metal artist and his medium was the 1911...

Brings back memories. Open guns back then were : Single Stack, Bomar Comped pistols. in 38 super...

[kimberacp]

I have almost a twin to this gun, mine is in 40S&W and still a octa-comp and the details are almost identical. I also have a one off Boland P713 which is pretty unique as well.

Can we see some pics of this?

Also, if anyone have pics of the gun where Boland reversed the slide rails (ala CZ-75), could we see pics of that too?

wasnt the P713 from B.Gray? the widen major 9 he built did have reverse rails but am sure the P7 were from Bruce.

[aaronjbush12]

I miss you Jim!

[Torie]

I have almost a twin to this gun, mine is in 40S&W and still a octa-comp and the details are almost identical. I also have a one off Boland P713 which is pretty unique as well.

Can we see some pics of this?

Also, if anyone have pics of the gun where Boland reversed the slide rails (ala CZ-75), could we see pics of that too?

wasnt the P713 from B.Gray? the widen major 9 he built did have reverse rails but am sure the P7 were from Bruce.

I agree, a few pictures would be great! As far as I know Bruce is the only one that has done the the long-slide, compensated, checkered P7 race guns. I'm not sure though. He still does them. We have about 6 in the shop right now.

Edited June 2, 2010 by Torie

[Patrick Sweeney]

Photos, please.

[AZGunut]

Torie,

First of All tell Bruce that Tony Luciani says Hi. I do have a P7M8 which Bruce has pictures of on his website. NP3, checkered backstrap, beavertail, steel trigger, Novak Sights, etc. Plus I have Bruce's old competition P7M13 Frame only which he used with a long slide upper, but sold the upper some time back. Ask Bruce about the Boland Gun, It says Boland on it, but Bruce and Jim built it together back when they worked at the same shop, Dean Wilkersons. It was pretty strange and Bruce saw it back at a Area 2 a few years ago. I will take some quick pics and try and get them up. In fact the M13 has a Bar-Sto conventional barrel in it and when I had dinner with Irv a few months back he told me all kind of horror stories about fitting the barrel to that gun!

[JimmyZip]

I had a Double "D" comp 45 singlestack from JB. I dreaded going to his shop for work, he would just talk on and on about his camera's or anything else. I didnt mind his conversations but what should have taken an hour or so, ended up the whole evening! I did see his "wide body" major nine pistol, he built by widening a standard frame 1911, I forget the name he gave the gun but he built it for J. Bartell. He was working out of a shop in the evenings, it was like a cave! He shared it with Bruce Gray and in the daylight hours the shop was used by Dean Wilkerson, which I believe it still here.

The thing most different about the smiths back then was that, you just didnt really know when you would get your gun! Unless you paid up front or they liked you or you were doing them a favor in exchange and still that was no guarantee.

I had guns from JB and Paul Lindenberge, when he had a shop here in S.Calif. Same deal from Paul, too.

I know of a guy that is stilll waiting for his Bren Ten converted to .45 by Tim LaFrance formerly of and founder of LaFrance specialties. I think we might be talking a decade or close to it.

[eerw]

I have almost a twin to this gun, mine is in 40S&W and still a octa-comp and the details are almost identical. I also have a one off Boland P713 which is pretty unique as well.

OK..you got to post photos of both..especially the P7M13

[Rln_21]

anyone else glad that beavertail design didn't catch on?

Actually, it is too bad that it didn't catch on more predominantly as it negates the percieved need for pinning the grip safety.

The solid beavertail (or Hardtail Conversion as we now call it), has a significant practical advantage and no downside except that it is harder to perform than a standard beavertail fitting. This type of conversion will solve any issues that someone has with deactivating the grip safety pretty much regardless of hand size/shape while still keeping the grip safety active on the firearm.

It is still an excellent idea, it has just evolved into something a bit more ergonomic...

Edited June 11, 2010 by Rln_21

[Anthony Lombardo]

JB is the greatest genius to ever work on a 1911. Thats what. Once you take it apart, you will see..

[ebg3]

I like the looks of that "hardtail" conversion. Who does that work?

[davidwiz]

I like the looks of that "hardtail" conversion. Who does that work?

Bruce Gray

[Torie]

I think that Roy did that one but I can't be sure, he does a majority of our 1911 work (under Bruce's tutelage of course).

I like the looks of that "hardtail" conversion. Who does that work?

Bruce Gray

[EmanP]

I had a Double "D" comp 45 singlestack from JB. I dreaded going to his shop for work, he would just talk on and on about his camera's or anything else. I didnt mind his conversations but what should have taken an hour or so, ended up the whole evening! I did see his "wide body" major nine pistol, he built by widening a standard frame 1911, I forget the name he gave the gun but he built it for J. Bartell. He was working out of a shop in the evenings, it was like a cave! He shared it with Bruce Gray and in the daylight hours the shop was used by Dean Wilkerson, which I believe it still here.

The thing most different about the smiths back then was that, you just didnt really know when you would get your gun! Unless you paid up front or they liked you or you were doing them a favor in exchange and still that was no guarantee.

I had guns from JB and Paul Lindenberge, when he had a shop here in S.Calif. Same deal from Paul, too.

And still true to this day! I'm going over 5 years on one 1911 and over 3 on another.