Camp Perry was a success for one incredible reason: I got to handle a personal firearm of one of the greatest pistol shooters to ever live: Jim Clark, Sr. But what is even more interesting is this talisman wasn’t hanging on a wall or under glass waiting to be fondled by a cotton-gloved, Gun-Jesus.
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- Originally a Colt. Modified by Clark
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- Jim Clark Bullseye 1911 38 Special Wadcutter.
Actually…it wasn’t even out for the public to see. It was put away in a personal range bag. After being shot in a match. Dirty and all. And I got to touch it, press-check it, dry fire it and cycle it again and again.
And how did I get such rarefied access to this national treasure? Who in their right mind would let, “Marky from John1911” touch such a thing? All the punishment and or praise goes to this guy:
Employee at Clark Custom Guns holding 38 Special 1911.
The price of admission? Shekels paid? Zero. Zip. Nada. All one had to do was…ask. Well…first know about it…and then ask.
You see…truly desirable things happen almost by accident or circumstance. Limited edition collector’s plates of Elvis, commemorative pistols, numbered and engraved knives…that kind of thing is schlock.
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- The Clark Table at Camp Perry
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- Handful of Clark guns on Display. the 38 wasn’t one of them.
The truly great collectible artifacts are imbued with greatness either through individual deeds or accidents of history. The Jim Clark, Sr. 38 Special Wadcutter Bullseye Pistol is one such item.
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- 38 SPL Markings on barrel hood.
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- 38 SPL marking added to slide.
But it’s with a twinge of sadness that I look back and realize, I may have been the only guy to inquire about Clark Custom Gun’s long and storied heritage. And perhaps the only person to even notice a 38 wadcutter, 1911 built by Jim Clark, Sr. was on property.
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- Notice how ejector is fit back in the day.
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- Look how close the bobbed hammer is to beavertail.
For the record, I couldn’t get the Clark guys to sell me this pistol. Nor would I expect them to. But you can’t hold such a valuable piece of firearms heritage and not secretly wonder, “Can I actually own this?!”
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- Clark makes their own parts.
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- Is it weird to see a red dot on an original Jim Clark pistol?
Many of our younger shooters don’t know about this pistol or the legendary family that is behind it. Hell! Most modern fans of the 1911 don’t even know who “Senior” and “Junior” were. Let’s hope this post plays a small part in changing that.
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- Original Colt frame. Typical back in the day.
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- This front strap texture is no joke. It’s very tacky.
Jim, Sr. and Jr. have passed on, but it was heartening to see a 38 Wadcutter 1911, shot by family member Logan Clark, still on the line at Camp Perry.
My search for the ultimate target pistol continues.
Marky
www.John1911.com
“Shooting Guns & Having Fun”
Areas of focus: Defense and National Security, Modern Light Weapons, Small Arms, Weapons Training.
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