Side Winder .45

Like a snake beneath the desert sand, this custom 1911 from pistolsmith Tim Brian is completely undetectable and ready to strike.

Master pistolsmith Tim Brian specializes in handcrafting custom 1911 pistols to a level of refinement rarely seen in today's "production custom" world of gunsmithing. Brian's newest creation is a customized Kimber Ultra Carry that he calls the SideWinder, which is designed as the ultimate rendition of a .45 ACP Government Model slimmed down to a concealed carry masterpiece.

"I decided to call it the SideWinder based on the reptile itself. These snakes will bury themselves in the sand, becoming completely invisible, just as a concealed weapon should be -- completely invisible, but, like the reptile, ready to instantly pack a deadly punch if need be," the Colorado-based craftsman said.

The Kimber Ultra Carry features an abbreviated slide and a 3" barrel, shorter than a Colt Officers Model. Many regard Kimber's Ultra Carry as the best out-of-the-box 1911 for concealed carry, but to Brian's discerning eye, the Ultra Carry appeared as a lump of coal.

"While the box-stock Kimber is bit of a diamond in the rough, it has the capability of being modified to a level not seen before in such a small carry gun," Brian said. With file in hand, Brian set about reducing the overall size of the pistol and, at the same time, upgrading the gun both cosmetically and functionally.

The basic components of the Ultra Carry -- the frame, slide and barrel -- were more than up-to-snuff for the discriminating pistolsmith. "While some aluminum frames from other manufacturers don't impress me with their track record, Kimber has done some pretty extensive testing with theirs. Made of 7075-T7, these frames have been tested to 20,000 rounds with no measurable distortion or wear. Plenty tough for a daily companion," Brian observed.

That's the good news, said the doctor, now for the bad. "However, with the exception of the slide, frame, barrel and recoil spring system, everything else is pretty much destined for the garbage can when an Ultra Carry crosses my bench," Brian reported.

All New Parts

Brian tosses all of the internal parts, like the extractor, firing pin, ejector and mainspring housing, into the circular file, replacing them with CNC-machined tool-steel parts from the finest aftermarket manufacturers. "I'm not a fan of the MIM [Machined Injection Molded] parts that Kimbers come equipped with," Brian sniffed, referring to Kimber's extensive use of the cost-cutting method of manufacturing.

MIM parts are essentially made of "melted metal" and the downside is that they lack the molecular grain structure of machined steel. MIM parts are made by pouring a glue and powered metal particles into a mold, heating it up so that the glue bonds the powdered metal, and then melts away. The advantage of MIM parts is they come out of the molds completely finished because the molten metal can take a final shape inside the mold, unlike forged or cast parts that must be finish-machined.

Brian replaces the extractor with a custom made one that he recuts and tunes by hand. He polishes and throats the barrel's feedramp to assure perfectly reliable functioning of the Lilliputian .45.

Most of the metal work on the SideWinder is done by hand, with files and polishing sticks, including the finely wrought, handcut checkering on the front strap.

The checkering on the front strap is cut at 30 lpi, by hand, using a special fixture Brian designed and built just for that purpose. He begins the laborious process by truing the radius of the front strap and then meticulously laying out line after line of the finely cut checkering. Finally, he gives his work a light brush with a bead blaster just to take away any overt sharpness in the handcut diamonds.

"Time consuming, but there's just something about handcut checkering that machine cut checkering can't duplicate," Brian said. That "something" is the knowledge that a master craftsmen applied his skilled hand to a machine-made object, breathing vitality and pride into the inert metal.

"Each and every individual part is modified until it achieves absolute perfection in both looks and feel. Anybody can install parts. The difference in my work comes from making sure all of the parts and pieces that make up a pistol flow together," Brian said.

File Work

The majority of the work on the SideWinder involves the gradual shrinking of the Ultra Carry and a host of fine touches to make it aesthetically and practically pleasing.

In order to reduce weight and to improve the gun's cosmetic appeal, Brian carefully narrows the slide. He removes just enough material to smooth the slide, but not enough to weaken it structurally. It allows the master pistolsmith a beautifully flat plain to hand polish for that deep "Colt blue" luster that the SideWinder boasts.

To shrink the overall length of the SideWinder, making it easier for the little gun to wriggle further into your clothing, Brian performs some radical surgery on the frame, grip safety and hammer. By carefully resculpting the frame and "flush fitting" the Ed Brown Memory Groove grip safety, Brian is able to shave nearly l" from the overall length of the reptilian pistol.