Jim Keeney

Fellas,
I did a post a few weeks ago about two guns I had in the works at Dave Sams shop, Sams Custom Gunworks. One was a Delta Elite, and the other a Caspian based .45ACP. The Delta is still being built, but I went and picked up the .45 yesterday. All I can say is WOW! It is absolutely beautiful, incredibly accurate, and runs like a sewing machine. It is everything I wanted and much, much more. I ran 400 rounds of various bullet weights, types, and makers through it at Dave's shop yesterday afternoon with 100% reliability. I used Wilson 7rd mags with the low profile steel base pads for the first 200 rounds, and then I grabbed 12 magazines of various ages, follower styles, and manufacturers for the remainder of the shoot, just to see if I could get it to bobble. Not a chance.

I got the idea for the overall style of the gun from a few places, but the biggest influence came from Dane Burns' best grade Kimber/Caspian build often seen on these pages or his website. It's the one in his photo gallery on the purple background. An absolutely beautiful gun with every touch I have ever wanted in a 1911. Because I have been 100% satisfied with Dave's work for me in the past, I decided to get him to build me one. Dave isn't much on computers or the internet, and he's never seen Dane's gun. I simply described it to him, told him what parts I wanted, and he did the rest. Here's a brief list of what was done and used:

-Caspian Barstock slide, GI serrations, no logo
-Caspian Cast receiver, 30lpi hand checkered front strap
-Kart match barrel
-NM bushing
-Novak Lo-Mount rear sight and front dovetail, serrated
-Ed Brown flat MSH (w/30lpi hand checkering), hex grip screws & bushings, mag catch & hex head lock, plunger tube, recoil plug and rod, grip safety, thumb safety, hardcore slide stop, firing pin & stop, hammer, strut, sear, disconnector, extractor, and ejector
-STI pin set
-Wolff 18.5lb recoil spring, 17lb mainspring, sear spring, and firing pin spring
-Casull long solid trigger
-Hogue Goncalo Alves grip panels
-3.5lb trigger
-Polished slide flats and matte blue the rest of the gun
-Flush cut & crowned barrel to bushing

I apologize for the picture quality. I was fighting like mad to get the oil off of the gun, but lost the battle. I also realized after downloading the pics that I had tons of lint on it and was out of focus a bit. Sorry 'bout that, guys. Enough writing. Now for the pics:


The rest is self-explanatory














Enjoy!

~Jim Keeney

slydel0kt

Wow!

Jealous, very jealous, Green w envy in fact.
Congrats!!

Dan

Absolutely beautiful...something about a blued gun and nice wood grips. What kind of wood is that? Very nicely done, congrats.

Jim Keeney

Steve,
The grips are Hogue Goncalo Alves. Dave had them in his shop and I guess I just got really lucky. Never been a big fan of Hogue wood grips, but I guess that's because I'd never seen any with that kind of figure before. I just had a good feeling about how they'd set off the gun. By the way, very nice commander you built on your last post. I saw it just a minute ago. Are those Ahrends kingwood grips on yours? IIRC, I have the exact ones on my Razorback that Dave rebuilt. Thanks for the kind words.

~Jim

M. Hall

That's a really beautiful pistol buddy, nice job Dave!

Dane Burns

Jim, you have an obviously beautiful gun, congradulations. Also I wanted to thank you for the comment.

Jim Keeney

Dane,
I met Dave Sams about three and a half years ago while I was still active duty at Fort Benning, Georgia and Dave was living just over the border in Phenix City, Alabama. A good friend of mine, George Harris, the assistant director of training for SigArms Academy, was visiting Benning for an AMU/ARMU match, and took me to meet Dave on one of his off days. I had recently gotten a Ruger revolver back from a big time BS artist and was very very upset at the end results of my first custom gun. I had contacted the 'smith with unpleasant results and just decided to eat the costs and have it done right later in life. George and I discussed this and he said, "Jim, I have someone you really need to meet." That's when he took me to Dave's shop.

My first experience with Dave was that day. We talked for a few minutes and George told him about the gun. Dave asked if he could take a look at it. I gave him the gun and told him the various things I'd found wrong with it already, and he started to tear it down. He shook his head in disbelief, as if to say, "WTF was this guy thinking?!?!?!?" He pointed out a few very major flaws I had not yet seen, and quietly went to work. At that time a walked around the shop with George a little and looked at the various pieces and parts, tools & equipment, reloading supplies, and of course, guns. About an hour later, Dave handed me the gun, a Ruger Bisley/Super Blackhawk conversion, and I was simply amazed. He said most of the fixes were very simple and the original 'smith likely neglected them out of pure laziness or lack of concern, since mine was a "small job." One thing I have learned about Dave is that if he takes the time to do it, there is no such thing as a small job, and he, like the many excellent gunsmiths on these pages, takes pride in the work he does. He won't let junk leave his shop. Like you, Dane, his craft is not only how he turns a buck, but also his honor, integrity, and reputation. He lays that on the line every time he builds a gun. I was 23 years old at the time and owned about five factory guns, none of which I have now and all I thought were the cream of the crop at the time.

After the Ruger experience, my first full build from Dave was a pair of longslide Caspians - one a 10mm, and the other a .45ACP. Dave and I sat down and went over what I wanted, and I distinctly remember telling him this (oh, how naive I was), "Dave, I really like the Springfield Longslide and all the features it has, but I want it to scream custom, so build it on a Caspian so the logo tells it all." He asked me about twenty more times if I was sure that's what I wanted. Every time I said yes. I got the guns a little less than a year later (he was backlogged with Berettas for Camp Perry at the time of my order), and they were exactly what I had imagined. They were bank vault tight, very well finished, and shot like a dream... but like I had specified to Dave, they were sharp as the dickens and the big Caspian logos looked a bit out of place. Well, times change, people change, and personal preferences change. Mine certainly have.

So, Dane, what I was getting at is this - like most people, my first custom guns hold a special place in my heart. While I would not choose the same options the second time around, they do exactly what I expect of them, and much more. Aesthetically, they could easily be dressed up a bit, but I likely won't. Since I came to this site the very first time, my horizons have broadened and my tastes in a built 1911 have been greatly affected by the work you post here, and the work of Ted Yost, Dave Berryhill, Chuck Rogers, and Ned Christiansen. I am not trying to slight any other 'smiths, but I have taken a liking to much of the work these guys have done. I guess I like their "style." Sean Smith did a post a while back on how to choose and use a gunsmith. I have been blessed to find an outstanding gunsmith and a very trusted friend in Dave Sams. He is a true gentleman and a top-notch gunsmith and fabricator, in every aspect of his work. While I owe credit for my ideas on a custom gun to many other pistolsmiths, or in Ned's case, gunacologists, I owe my thanks to Dave for taking the time to listen to my wants and making them materialize. A good gunsmith truly is a blessing.

We have all been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to share ideas, creations, images, and wishes on your site. You often say, Dane, that much of the work of the old time 'smiths has not been duplicated or surpassed, even today. I find that absolutely amazing, because through this forum, I have been amazed almost daily. Thank you, Dane, for the opportunity to share and learn, and thank you to all the great builders for allowing lowly shooters like me to maximize our potential by not having to shoot second rate guns.

God bless you all and those you serve.

~Jim Keeney

PS - Dane, check your PMs - I dropped you one the other day.

Jim Keeney

I hit the 4000 round mark today without a hitch. I've fired 500rds Federal 230gr Hydra Shoks, 500 rounds Winchester 230gr JHPs, 500 rounds of Winchester White Box 230gr Ball, and 2500 rounds of Federal American Eagle 230gr Ball. All these loads hit basically the same POA/POI out to 50yds, and it shoots them all very well. The Hydra Shoks shoot best, and I regularly get a ragged hole at 25yds from a rest. Since most of my shooting is offhand at 7-15yds, I really don't do too much accuracy testing with the gun. It puts the bullets where I put the sights, and it runs like a champ. What can I say? I love it.

~Jim Keeney

WhitmerPS

I know this is a response to a very old post....but I just had to add my comments now that I have first-hand knowledge. I have three of David Sams' pistols - and one rifle - and I cannot ever think of the term "accuracy" in the same light again. If you ever have the opportunity to own or simply shoot one of Davids guns - you will understand. I see a lot of "store bought" (yes, even so-called "custom shop") guns coming around in the very high-dollar range - with a variety of options and features - and not to speak ill of these firearms I will just add that they do not compare to a full custom build from a truly gifted gunsmith such as David. I am very pleased -