This work-in-progress is an Iberia beater that I picked up at a local shop for $50. Some before pictures: Left side Right side Note the mag release on the bottom of the butt. This was probably a truck gun, spending time cuddled up to a tire iron. Here's some slide damage: ... and more slide damage: I found that the frame dug into the web of my hand, so I planned the following recontouring, executed in the following photos: Here are the major components cleaned up and nearly ready for DuraCoat: Note that the frame has already been engineered for the new-style mag release, even though it wasn't shipped with one. And a closeup of the front slide damage area... I searched the web for information about stripping powder coat, and found a number of references to a citrus stripper (didn't work), Strip-Ease (didn't work) lye (sorta worked: I sprayed with oven cleaner and sealed in a ziplock bag to soak), but finally gave up sanded it off, starting with a 180 grit and moving progressively up to 800. This was followed by two grades of rouge on a cloth wheel. My original plan was to redo the slide and barrel in black or black oxide, and clearcoat the frame. However, a polished aluminum trigger is in the works, so I'm now thinking that I may do it all dark. While I won't promise to go with the popular choice, I might as well open it up for discussion: What do you think? Edit by PrimalSeal so the pictures show..... :wink:
Man I kind of like it as is with a finished polish. Make that thing shiny and smooth. Very good job cleaning it up. Can you give the grips a pearl paint job?
I gave very brief thought to that, but that would be too blingy for me. Gotta say though -- if I _did_ go all-polished, those pearl grips would be the way to go! The plan right now is to make new grips from a chunk of walnut burl that I inherited from my father-in-law. This would be another reason to go all evil: they'll probably look better with a black background. Oh, BTW - does anyone know where I can get a short (+- 5cm) tac rail? I'm also considering adding one, and haven't found a short one.
Farmkid, again, you do fantastic work! Make that thing EVIL!!!! Black matte finish would really set that off nicely. :shock: Beautiful! 8)
Primal: Thanks for both fixing the pix and for the praise. I'm leaning toward EVIL (in caps) but am still looking for leads on the rail. I'm debating the practicality of it on that long, thin aluminum appendage, but if I contour it to the frame in front of the trigger guard, and epoxy/screw it in place, it may hold. And, heck, even if nothing is fastened to the rail, it still looks ... (...Jaws theme here...) EVIL!!! Bwahhahhah! 'kid
That is some great work, man! Beautiful stuff. I know you're not into bling, but I was just imagining what a gold tone finish would look like on that with some mahogany grips.
Despite my bling retiscence, as a woodworker, I'm into furniture, so I can get behind the mahogany train. Another possibility, in keeping with EVIL is ebony. I may have some around the shop somewhere from a harpsichord project from years gone by...
I know I'm a rookie, but what is that thing? I'm guessing it's a Hi-Point precursor because of it's Ohio address.
Yes, Iberia still makes the HP .40's under contract to Hi-Point. Does anyone know when they stopped making them under their own name?
The only thing that I didn't like about the Iberia guns was the location of the mag release, on the bottome of the pistol behind the mag well. Then I got my Makarov and got pretty good with it in that location, so it doesn't really matter anymore does it?
Not at all. What I found interesting was that, while it was shipped with a release at the bottom of the mag well, the machining for a grip button is already in place, on the left and on the right. Check out the diagonal spring well, among other artifacts. It's clear that they were planning ahead. No big deal; it just reveals the glacial progress of engineering changes.
Thanks. The project has slowed down, due to the onset of cold weather -- my shop has no heat -- which will affect (i.e., delay) Duracoating. That said, I've already machined and attached a bracket for a picatinny rail, and the rail itself should be done, drilled, and tapped in the next week. Is this practical? Who knows? Is it fun? Duh! Rear, adjustable sights are the other thing that have to be resolved before finishing. I didn't know whether I wanted to bite this off until I sighted in my C9: but, as a result, I'm now unwilling to settle for fixed sights, but I'm still exploring options in this regard. As for color, the semi-final decision is: flat black slide / gloss black frame. And I've found a block of Madagascar ebony for the grips.
Who did your welding on that rail, or did you do it all yourself? Great work and awesome idea buddy! I love the look of that rail! Just a note on the duracoting, you can do it in the kitchen and pop it in the oven and get the same results. Just put newspaper down on the counter when you spray the duracote.
Well, uh, I did it myself. But I'm not exactly the Krupp of metalurgy: I used JBWeld. I do, in fact, have more pix describing the metal-shaping process, which I guess I need to upload. I'm mounting a Picatinny (as opposed to a Weaver), for no better reason than I got a cheap 17" blank on eBay, and figured that I could cut off an appropriate length and polish it up. Thanks. I have to get the sight fitted acceptably before spraying, but it's good to know the temperature limitations. I _do_ have a space heater on which I was unwilling to depend, but it sounds like this may be insufficient. We'll see... Greg
