Bob Chow Colt Python

[nickel plate]

javaduke,
Shop around for a 1970 Guns and Ammo Annual magazine and you'll have this article:

[Cato]

What a fine piece of California history!

I wish Huell Howser was aroud to do a story.

[javaduke]

Pretty cool. What was done to the revolver? Parts were hand fit from factory, kinda curious as to what he did besides a (obvious) trigger job.

As far as I could tell, all the mating surfaces in the clockwork were polished, timing was adjusted, DA strut removed, and the SA pull was set to crisp 2.5lbs.

[B&D]

Pretty cool. What was done to the revolver? Parts were hand fit from factory, kinda curious as to what he did besides a (obvious) trigger job.

[AO3]

Made in 1960, accurized and converted to SAO by F. Bob Chow in June 1961. Stamped "Chow" on the hammer and on the left side of the frame, under the grips.

Don't ask me how much I paid for it...

Very cool.

[calif 15-22]

Dang I feel like a boy amongst men in this thread!

Very very nice . . .

[d sauce]

Fantastic lines and all around detail on these fine pieces. Thanks to those who have shared, the community appreciates it!

[dfletcher]

Here you go.


Anything unusual here?

Hadn't noticed that in the first photos, but a factory original Python hammer is "in the white" on its sides. That this one is blued may indicate it was reworked and required rebluing? The spur does appear reshaped - a tad shorter and flatter.

[javaduke]

Your Bob Chow Python just gets more righteous every time I look at it!
I pulled out my 1991 Python to compare hammers and yours appears to have been either milled/reshaped or completely replaced to Bob Chow specs.
Again, great find.

Hm, interesting, I googled for Colt Python Hammer and it looks pretty standard to me. On the other hand, I know that Bob Chow used to lighten hammers often on 1911s, on mine he took quite a bit of metal off. Also I know that on some revolvers (but not on mine) he used to solder a piece of metal to the left side of the spur for easy thumb-cocking during the sustained fire strings (2 strings 5 shots in 20 seconds each string and 2 strings of 5 shots in 10 seconds each string). One of the reasons I could never shoot revolvers accurately is because every time I thumb cock it during the sustained fire string, my grip shifts.

[nickel plate]

Here you go.


Anything unusual here?

Your Bob Chow Python just gets more righteous every time I look at it!
I pulled out my 1991 Python to compare hammers and yours appears to have been either milled/reshaped or completely replaced to Bob Chow specs.
Again, great find.

[Marquand]

Bob Chow turned fine guns into masterpieces of the shooter's art. Javaduke, I am sinfully envious!

[javaduke]

javaduke,
Can you please post a closeup photo of the "CHOW" stamp on the hammer that appears to be on the right side of your Python in your original photo?

Here you go.


Anything unusual here?

[jimmykan]

Bob Chow was before my time... I sure would have like to meet him.

If he were alive today, I wonder what he would think of the resurgence of the 1911's popularity, and especially of these "factory custom" and "semi-custom" models available today.

[nickel plate]

javaduke,
Can you please post a closeup photo of the "CHOW" stamp on the hammer that appears to be on the right side of your Python in your original photo?

[AdamVIP]

Seems plausible, but we'll need more glamour shots to confirm.