Make: Ithaca frame, Colt slide, customized by F. Bob Chow.
Model: Custom M1911A1
Serial Number: 1853329
Year of Manufacture: 1944
Caliber: .45 ACP
Action Type: Single Action Semi-Auto with Removable Magazine
Barrel Length: 5", High Standard
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade with a serrated rear face fixed to the slide. The rear sight is a Micro square notch target side adjustable for windage and elevation, dovetailed into the slide. The rear sight dovetail was cut larger for the sight. The sights are not original to the gun.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grip is a Pachmayr Signature one-piece checkered black rubber wraparound. The grip has light handling wear with a few light marks. The checkering is well defined. There are no rips or tears. Overall, the grip is in Fine condition as not original to the gun.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Refinished when customized by Bob Chow.
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright with sharp rifling. There is infrequent minor erosion and a little stubborn fouling in the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates 8+/10.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 87% of its current metal finish. Bearing surfaces have been polished bright and the internal edges of the ejection port have been left in the white after re-profiling. There are some scattered minor nicks and tiny scratches. There is wear under the slide stop, mostly concealed while assembled. The finish is thinning at most edges. There are scattered spots of minor oxidation, more notable in the grip areas and under the grips on the frame. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to lightly tool marked with strong slots. The markings range from clear to worn and incomplete. Overall, this pistol is in Very Good condition as customized.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We have not fired this pistol. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pistol comes with a single 7-round magazine and a printed copy of a vintage Bob Chow newspaper advertisement.
Our Assessment: The 1911 and 1911-A1 pistols served the military of the United States from 1911 to 1985, through two World Wars and the Korean and Vietnam wars. They gained a reputation as a reliable handgun with plenty of stopping power, and are held in high regard by those who have used them. In addition to military service, the 1911 prove to be quite a good platform for building custom pistols. While there are many options for high-end and feature-rich 1911s today, in the early post-war period, you'd want to go to good gunsmith and have them build it to meet your needs. From the 50s to the 80s, if you were in San Francisco, you'd want to go to Frank Robert "Bob" Chow.
Chow was a fascinating gunsmith who got into shooting in the 1930s while in the Naval Reserve. He set multiple records, competed in the 1948 Olympics for 25 meter rapid fire, and coached several other Olympians. In the 1950s, he established his shop in San Francisco where he built some of the finest custom target pistols in the world, while he wasn't playing in local jazz bands. Chow's name is up there with other contemporary luminaries of gunsmithing like Swenson, Clark, and Hoag.
This example of his work is built on a WWII-era Ithaca M1911A1 frame with a Colt slide and High Standard barrel. Chow re-profiled the barrel, fit it to one of his bushings, slightly enlarged the ejection port, polished and fit the bearing surfaces of the slide and frame, and installed a set of target sights including a fully adjustable Micro rear. The bushing, barrel and slide each have his name stamped, with the bottom of the slide also marked with the last three digits of the frame serial number, confirming that this work was indeed performed by Chow, not just using his parts. Rounding out the customization is a Pachmayr Signature grip and a wide, serrated trigger shoe installed on the replacement long trigger. The gun appears to have been put to its intended purpose, just starting to show a little play between the slide and frame, but with the barrel still locking up tight. The trigger is crisp with just a little over-travel and a very short reset.
This Bob Chow custom should still prove to be a great shooter, retaining a strong bore and good mechanics. It would also make for a wonderful addition to a collection focused on custom target pistols. Please see our photos and good luck!
