Re-connected with a 1911 gunsmith yesterday at the Pasadena Show.

[Acera]

Don't know how many of you remember a local gunsmith in the Pasadena area from the 80's named John Dixon. He was the guy that introduced me to early IPSC stye shooting and did all the gunsmithing work on my first real pistol. He was probably the best action pistol shooter in the Houston area at the time, and compeated on a national and international level. He actually won the IPSC World Championships in South Africa in 1991.

Well he is back in business working out of his house in the Deer Park area. Only works on 1911s, as I think he is retired and doing this as a hobby. I saw him at the Pasadena "Real" gun show yesterday, with a table set up and working on pistols.

As far as gun shows go I hit both Houston area shows, and the "High Caliber" show in Conroe was a lot better.

PM me if you want his number.

 

[CZ guy]

Yep, John is staying about as busy as he wants right there at his house. I need to get off my backside and let him smooth out my Kimber.

Funny deal........he called me this morning about going to lunch and I had just read this thread not 15 minutes before. Small world.

 

[CZ guy]

Well, I got the Kimber back and the guru of the 1911 said it was probably the best example he'd seen of fit and finish in a while. He seemed to be impressed with the 'smith that put it together at the factory......since that quality of work is not seen that much anymore.

Still, he polished and smoothed up a few areas of concern. I need to get to the range!

 

[Acera]

That is good to know. Tell him to get on this board! It would help his business and the folks here also.


Next question, do you think he is still using the same price structure he used to???

That was a NIB Colt series 80, and the sights were new Bomar, which was top to the line then also. He had to mill out the slide and seat them down in the slide. All that was a bunch of money then for a poor college kid. Took me a month to save the money for a trigger job, and a few more for the sights. I also got receipts for lowering the ejection port, installing the extended grip safety, polishing the feed ramps, extended slide stop, extended slide safety and all the other things that you used to have to do to the 1911 to make it competitive. Today so many take these things for granted with all the offerings made by other companies. Back then, piece by piece was the only way to go. It took time and money to get a good pistol, just could not go down to the store and buy one off the shelf. Times have changed. And for all the kiddos, we did not have fancy computer printouts for all our business transactions, and local phone calls were only 7 digits long

Is it a little too AR to be keeping this stuff handy after all theses years? And, yes I do have the original box and all the other paperwork, LOL.

 

[Acera]

Follow up on this guy.

Had a buddy that damaged his 1911 Colt Commander at a training class and asked me to help him get it repaired. Dropped it off with John, he purchased, fitted and installed a new Colt barrel, polished years of abuse by hollow points out of the aluminum feed ramp, worked the slide to frame fit, polished out years of on duty carry scratches off the exterior of the slide, cleaned, lubricated, generally slicked up and returned the pistol to top notch shape this past week. Total cost $200. So happy with the work on the gun, I immediately dropped the mag, unloaded my carry gun and passed it to him for a tune up. He took real good care of my Kimber and I picked it up the next morning for $40 in labor. The roughness of the slide to frame fit is all gone, smooth and slick just as it should be.

Bumping the thread in case some of you need some 1911 work done.

 

[Jakashh]

Good deal, and quick turnaround time in my case. He will have my stuff done faster than I can come pick it up haha.

 

[bwdilli]

Could some one PM or email me this gunsmith's contact information? I have a Springfield Armory LongSlide I'd like worked over and smoothed out.

 

[Acera]

Done, just PM'd you the contact information.