Purchased a possible custom 1911, need help I.D’ing

[ralph]

Purchased a pistol today, from a friend who is selling. I need some help from the 1911folks, I think I have a older, custom 1911, built on a Govt model Colt. Pistols front sight extends past the muzzle about an inch. Rear sight is adjustable, and marked Bo-Mar. Has a set of target grips that have an adjustable hand rest and a very large thumb rest on the left grip. I’m pretty sure this setup for one hand shooting. Where it gets really interesting is inside the slide, on the third rail, it’s marked I.E. Clark, Shreveport LA, along with what I think is a build number, and a date 10/61.. I understand the I.E. could be J.E. But it sure looks like an I.. Pistol also has stippling on the front strap.. Anybody know what this pistol is?

[Greg]

https://clarkcustomguns.com/


James E. Clark

[farscott]

Sounds like a Jim Clark pistol built for Bullseye with a BoMar extendable front sight for a longer sight radius and better practical accuracy. https://clarkcustomguns.com/about/

Pictures would be appreciated. Does it have the famed "tiger tooth" stippling?

[revchuck38]

Is it .45 ACP or .38 Special? He made an unknown number of .38 Specials for folks who didn't like S&W M52s.

The rear sight on my bullseye/UIT Sport Pistol Ruger MKII is the factory base and the replacement leaf and adjustment mechanism he designed.

[ralph]

Sounds like a Jim Clark pistol built for Bullseye with a BoMar extendable front sight for a longer sight radius and better practical accuracy. https://clarkcustomguns.com/about/

Pictures would be appreciated. Does it have the famed "tiger tooth" stippling?

Yes, I’m assuming that’s what’s on it, very nicely done I might add. I would love to post pics, However, posting pics on this site is beyond my skill set. I could email someone pics if they’d want to post them.. Almost forgot, this pistol is in .45acp..

[ralph]

Is it .45 ACP or .38 Special? He made an unknown number of .38 Specials for folks who didn't like S&W M52s.

The rear sight on my bullseye/UIT Sport Pistol Ruger MKII is the factory base and the replacement leaf and adjustment mechanism he designed.

It’s .45acp.

[farscott]

Yes, I’m assuming that’s what’s on it, very nicely done I might add. I would love to post pics, However, posting pics on this site is beyond my skill set. I could email someone pics if they’d want to post them.. Almost forgot, this pistol is in .45acp..

Posting pics is easy. In the reply box, go to the "Manage Attachments" box and click it. That opens a dialog window. You can add an attachment by clicking on the "Add Files" button and selecting the picture on the device and choosing "Upload".

[ralph]

Ok, here goes

[ralph]

I’ll admit, I’m not digging the grips, and I wouldn’t mind changing the front sight. Anybody know how they come off? Unless this a valuable pistol as is, I’d like to remove it. It seems to me, that it’s asking to get broken off, the fact that it hasn’t in the last 50or so years, is a miracle in itself..

[rainman]

I would contact Clark Custom before doing ANY modifications, and try to check the history on that piece. You may well have a 'time capsule' on your hands, and the work of some of these craftsman may never be seen again.


-Rainman