Valtro 1911

[Midian]

Which I guess is actually called the 1998A1

I read a lot of great things about these, and it's California pistolsmith, John Jardine.

Anyone here ever own or fire one? They look wonderful, and I'm sure cost in the neighbourhood of 2K. Pretty much a semi-custom pistol...I think that'd be a pretty snazzy way to go.

[kamagong]

Good luck finding one. I want one too, but it's not happening. The Valtro, when available, was supposedly one of the best semi-customs around. Apparently Jardine himself made sure every one of those pistols met his exacting standards. However this proved to be labor intensive and few Valtros found their way to the market.

[koz]

Good luck finding one that cheap. I think the one I saw posted here went for $5500 http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/a.../t-127897.html John does great work.

Koz

[Gryff]

The guy who shot next to me in last weekend's Blackwater class was using a Valtro. And, while stating coincidences, John Jardine sat next to me during a USPSA Level 1 RO class a couple of weeks ago.

[Midian]

Well from what I gather you order one, wait, then find out how much it is.

You don't really waltz into a retailer and snatch one off the display case.

Further investigation required.

[Knight]

You bring up Valtro shotguns in a room full of gun owners, and they all start to drool. Bring up Valtro 1911s, and people start frothing at the mouth and speaking in tongues.

[Sam]

http://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=229625&highlight=valtro

This should give you some more information.

[guns_and_labs]

They look wonderful, and I'm sure cost in the neighbourhood of 2K. Pretty much a semi-custom pistol...

Try $4-5K, and buyers bursting with anticipation.

They are spectacular pistols, made more so by Mr. Jardine. I have one. I've had it for several years, but never shot it much. Just enough to prove to myself that I'm not worthy of such a fine example of art and function.

I just got an offer for $4k. {sigh}

[norbs007]

I placed an order on his list back in 2002 but never heard anything. Last thing I heard from a Valtro owner that John stopped making them. He customized this for me way before Valtro, first time I heard about doing an undercut below the trigger guard.

[E. Fudd]

Awesome 1911...

And to think I used mine for a Level III pistol class w/ Bennie Cooley where I beat the crap out of it using it for weapon impact techniques on a kick bag (muzzle strikes and slide strikes, each strike followed by a shot or two at targets downrange). Who knew they'd be worth $4k-5k?

[lunde]

I am one of the lucky few to have a Valtro. Mine has been hard-chromed, has fixed night sights, synthetic grips, magwell, and a couple other nice things (all work done by John Jardine).

[sned45]

Sure would like nice next to my blue Valtro.

[SFFRONTMAN]

John is a super good guy, and a wealth of gun knowldge. Anything he toches comes out like gold. To bad his waiting list is years long.

[Sam]

Lunde, you sure do take some pretty pictures of not just your Valtro but other nice 1911s. Is it just my imagination or is the front sight slanted slightly to the right?

[Kiba]

There were 2 used ones in the classifieds here just a couple of months ago (one of which is liked above)... they were both asking $5500.

About a year and a half ago someone else on the classifieds listed a pair; one unfired at $3500 and one used at $2300. I should have bought both of them and resold them... 20/20 hindsight again. Even better would have been to purchase one at the original price of $1200.

They have a cult-like following for sure. I'm sure a healthy portion of the price is the quality (as is the price of any 1911 turned out by a well-respected 'smith) but a lot of the Valtro's price and appeal seems to be the "unobtainium" factor. I should have bought at least one a year and a half ago and found out myself!