Classic SSUSA: Turnbull Manufacturing Restores An Old War Horse

From the archives: An inside look at the meticulous 1911 handgun refurbishment process by Turnbull Manufacturing. As published in the September 2011 issue of Shooting Sports USA.

An Old Soldier’s Makeover: Model 1911 Restoration by Turnbull Manufacturing Co.
Story and Photos by Tracy Halpin

Turnbull Manufacturing Co. staff: Author Tracy Halpin in the front row, third from left, next to Master Craftsman and President, Doug Turnbull in the green shirt.

Note: During the 100th anniversary of the model 1911 pistol in 2011, many honorary versions appeared on the market to celebrate John Browning’s enduring design. We explored another approach—to resurrect grandpa’s service pistol (with incorrect sights, grips, a bad bluing job and rust) with a professional makeover. In the process, we were granted a rare peak behind the doors of one of the most talented and respected restoration companies in the world.

Turnbull Manufacturing Co. offers a no-fee, no-obligation quotation process. Once the customer confirms the order, detailed research and restoration begins.

The first step after disassembly is to make an ink pull before any polishing occurs so that all markings can be properly replaced. During this process, the craftsman applies inletting black to create the ink pulls seen on the right.

In 1983, Doug Turnbull and two employees began restoring old, American-made firearms in the back room of Creekside Gun Shop, formerly located in Holcomb (Bloomfield), New York. Specializing in Winchester rifles, Parker, LC Smith and Fox shotguns made after 1873, Turnbull Restoration gained a reputation for returning these pieces of American firearm history to their original, factory-new condition.

Next, all parts are hand polished and filed to remove the old finish. Here, Mike Knowles is polishing the frame, followed by the slide, before manufacturer marks and logos are restored to their original condition.

As news spread of Turnbull’s high quality work, the business grew until its first move in 1998 to a 4,000 square-foot building. Three years later, another expansion was needed, followed by a federal firearms manufacturer license to build their own line of Colt-style single-action revolvers and Winchester-style rifles, both in original calibers and a proprietary cartridge called the .475 Turnbull. To date, Turnbull has restored and/or repaired more than 25,000 firearms and built more than 600 new guns.

Here are the before and after photos of the improperly blued and rusted slide with incorrect sights (left), and the corrected version (right), before applying the period-correct charcoal bluing. To create a new sight, Turnbull welded a sight made for a 1911A1 and then painstakingly shaped it to the correct dimensions. No detail is overlooked as even the magazine will be overhauled to the original specifications, which includes bluing only the lower half.

Turnbull Manufacturing Co. was created in February 2010 in response to increased demand for the manufactured product line. With a steady increase in demand for the period-correct firearm finishing processes, another expansion was completed in the spring of 2010 with a large showroom and administrative offices for 16 employees, including 10 full-time gunsmiths, an in-house engraver, plus a full-time marketing coordinator.

One of the key steps provided by Turnbull Manufacturing is the thorough research that goes into identifying the correct manufacturer and logo markings. On the right, Knowles is researching the correct roll die to use for this particular gun, based on the serial number and date of issue. After much care is given to proper alignment, the roll die re-imbeds the proper model and patent information onto the slide (left). Note the reinforcing bar inside the slide and blue painter’s tape to prevent damage.

Turnbull Manufacturing Co. provides color case hardening and period-correct bluing services for Kimber, Remington Arms, Colt, Smith & Wesson, U.S. Firearms and myriad gunsmiths and smaller gun manufacturers all over the world. Clients demanding accurate restoration of original guns send firearms to Turnbull from as far as Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Great Britain and Germany, among many other countries. The next time you’re near Bloomfield, New York, plan to visit the Turnbull showroom, which is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. (Editor’s note: Turnbull Manufacturing is now known as Turnbull Restoration.)

The final stage is bluing with a recipe that has been developed through extensive experimentation. This process is a closely guarded trade secret. The result is a work of art, in the original charcoal bluing style of the period. With a set of replacement hand stocks that Turnbull cuts to the original specifications, the final product is ready to admire and cherish for future generations.

You can learn more about Turnbull at turnbullrestoration.com.