Clark Custom Hardball .45

Amanda4461 · Post by **Amanda4461** » Sat Sep 08, 2012 9:47 pm

Hello folks,
I complain when I purchase what ends up being substandard guns and/or parts, so to be fair, I like to give a little positive info when I get a good gun, part or service. I ordered a new Hardball Service 1911 from Clark Custom of Louisiana many months ago, mainly to see if Jim Jr.'s pistol could hold up to his Dad's work. I have three of Jim Sr.'s 1911's, and I can tell you that Jim Sr. would be proud of Jim Jr.'s pistol work. I received the Hardball gun, set up with the same stippling Sr. always used, and took it straight to the range. It came with a Ransom-Rest target showing 10 rounds in about a 2" square using Nosler 185gr JHP loaded with Bullseye, which happens to be a load I use but was out of. So, I substituted 200gr LSWC loaded with Vihtavouri N-310 and also tried 230gr FMJ loaded with Bullseye, basically at a factory equivalent or slightly faster loading. Sandbag rested at 25 yards, 14 rounds of 200LSWC landed in the 10-ring. 230gr FMJ followed close behind, with one edging out to the 9-ring. I then tried 50 yards, and although I did not get them all in the 10-ring, I do believe the pistol can do so, but not with me attempting it. Jim Clark Jr. evidently knows how to get a 1911 to group well. A nice plus is the fact that in over 300 rounds fired that day, all of them, including the LSWC loads, functioned perfectly out of the Colt GI-style magazines that came with the pistol, as well as my favorite Wilson mags. The Clark folks only asked for a $100 deposit, and they followed my build requests to the letter. I now have a new 1911 that can be used for Service Pistol, and it completes my collection of fine Clark pistols, even if it is a Caspian and not a Colt.
Amanda

zetor · Post by **zetor** » Sat Aug 10, 2013 9:32 pm

My experience was different.
I ordered a hardball gun from them and the quality is pretty poor in my opinion.

Barrel:

Here is what the sear looks like

The ejector was very loose. I could move it up and down at least 1/32"
The cut out on the leg for the cross pin looked like a 3rd grader did it.

The pistol is in the hands of another smith now.

Not good enough for a year wait and 1860.00

GunRunner · Post by **GunRunner** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 10:09 am

Of the guns coming out of Clark in the past few years they are not the quality of Jim Srs work, I doubt Jim jr even touches these guns and like other places has hired gunsmiths building them. I would opt for a les baer over clark anyday, as Les still inspects every gun before it ships and prices are comparable, having a good gunsmith with a good reputation that builds your gun is preferable but usually more costly

Isabel1130 · Post by **Isabel1130** » Tue Aug 13, 2013 2:45 pm

My experience is this.

My gunsmith has had a lot of trouble getting quality parts. It finally got so bad, having to order 1911 parts from six different manufacturers, and still having problems obtaining good parts that were properly case hardened,that he gave up, and set his son up in a part manufacturing business with a CNC machine.

Also, the true test of any quality gunsmithing, is not how it shoots when it is brand new. The test is, does it still shoot with five or ten thousand rounds through it?

A lot of guns won't because the accurizing was done in such a way, that it does not last.

Jerry Keefer · Post by **Jerry Keefer** » Sat Aug 17, 2013 11:45 am

Isabel1130 wrote: he gave up, and set his son up in a part manufacturing business with a CNC machine.

:) Yes, and every time I have stopped in, that young man is hard at work...:):):) he's also expanding the shop, (building) so more good things are in the future...
Jerry