Refinshed a Detonics Combat Master MC1

PlayboyPenguin · Jun 12, 2009

I had a chance to pic of a .45acp Detonics Combat Master to keep the one I have in 9mm company. The problem was it is an MC1 model...which is there "rough finished" gun. The rough finished guns have no polishing what-so-ever. They are pretty much pulled out of the mold, slapped together, and thrown in a box to be shipped.

What little work they did do to it was done poorly. The top flat was uneven, the edges were lost in some places, the finish was very poor, the slide alignment at the rear was poor, the extractor stuck out horribly, and the gun was covered in casting artifacts.

I decided to get it anyway and fix it up. I filed off all the casting defects, sanded out the rough surface/pits, restored the shape, flattened the top, softened the edges, flushed the extractor and ejector, flushed out the slide alignment, had the slide engraved, and gave the gun a nice satin/pearl-like bead blasted finish.

Here are some BEFORE pics that show the condition when I bought it...

PlayboyPenguin · Jun 12, 2009

...and here are some AFTER pics.

bcmclane · Jun 12, 2009

Very nice work. That thing looks 1000X better!

gbambeck1 · Jun 12, 2009

Beautiful! Looks much better! Looked like a toy at first.

kahrcarrier · Jun 12, 2009

I'm surprised any company would let a product like that, bearing their name, hit the shelves. Wow.

You did a good job. Congrats.

PlayboyPenguin · Jun 13, 2009

I'm surprised any company would let a product like that, bearing their name, hit the shelves. Wow.

I think they justified it by saying that this was their "budget" gun. If you wanted a nicely finished one you had to buy the MKVI.

Boris Bush · Jun 13, 2009

PlayboyPenguin said:
I think they justified it by saying that this was their "budget" gun. If you wanted a nicely finished one you had to buy the MKVI.

Nice pics, and good job on the refinish!

Good to see ya runnin' around in these parts. Stick around for a while now!!!!!

JFrame · Jun 13, 2009

Boris Bush said:
Nice pics, and good job on the refinish!

+1

I have an original Detonics Mk-VI, and the OP's finished work is lookin' like a dead-ringer...

PlayboyPenguin · Jun 13, 2009

JFrame said:
+1

I have an original Detonics Mk-VI, and the OP's finished work is lookin' like a dead-ringer...

What caliber MKVI do you have? I have the 9mm and I love it.

JFrame · Jun 13, 2009

PlayboyPenguin said:
What caliber MKVI do you have? I have the 9mm and I love it.

I have the .45 ACP...Love mine also, though it's sort of become a safe queen lately.

I would have no hesitation pressing it back into service in a heartbeat, however...

kahrcarrier · Jun 13, 2009

PlayboyPenguin said:
I think they justified it by saying that this was their "budget" gun. If you wanted a nicely finished one you had to buy the MKVI.

Okay.

Very interesting.......

I always get confused when somebody starts telling me the ins and outs and ups and downs of the Detonics, corp.

It seems the company has had a rough road to go.......................

PlayboyPenguin · Jun 13, 2009

kahrcarrier said:
Okay.

Very interesting.......

I always get confused when somebody starts telling me the ins and outs and ups and downs of the Detonics, corp.

It seems the company has had a rough road to go.......................

Yes, they sure did. Which is sad because they made a high quality, innovative, and unique product. Not to mention they were a local company for those of us here in the PNW.

bac1023 · Jun 14, 2009

Looks much better.

Detonics did have their issues.

However, I own a ServiceMaster and its been great.

PlayboyPenguin · Jun 14, 2009

bac1023 said:
Looks much better.

Detonics did have their issues.

However, I own a ServiceMaster and its been great.

I would kill to have a couple sets of those style grips made for the Combat Master.

bac1023 · Jun 14, 2009

PlayboyPenguin said:
I would kill to have a couple sets of those style grips made for the Combat Master.

I guess they're hard to come by these days. :dunno:

Substance-P · Jun 14, 2009

Refinish looks great. Always nice to see a rough 1911 get a solid makeover.

bac1023 · Jun 14, 2009

Substance-P said:
Always nice to see a rough 1911 get a solid makeover.

:agree:

G33 · Jun 14, 2009

What Bac said.
:supergrin:

JFrame · Jun 14, 2009

bac1023 said:
Detonics did have their issues.

However, I own a ServiceMaster and its been great.

Chalk me up as one of those with issues.

My Detonics came with a poorly milled slide stop which wouldn't consistently engage the slide. I contacted Detonics customer service, and they sent me a new slide stop.

While first shooting the Detonics, I noticed that the front screw for the recoil spring assembly was loose and coming out from the gun. Another call to Detonics -- they apologized for some QC problems they had experienced under a "previous" manager, said that some recoil spring assemblies had gone out without the proper Loc-tite treatment, and suggested that I use some clear nail polish to secure the screw.

Geez -- after spending the gigabucks I did back then for a premium handgun, you'd think they would've sprung for a tube of Loc-tite...

Having said all that -- after those growing pains, I must say that the Detonics has been (along with a Glock 27) the most reliable semiautos I've ever owned. The Detonics has never once had a FTF or any other malfunction with any type of ammo -- ball, dirty reloads, lead SWC, etc.

bac1023 · Jun 14, 2009

JFrame said:
Chalk me up as one of those with issues.

My Detonics came with a poorly milled slide stop which wouldn't consistently engage the slide. I contacted Detonics customer service, and they sent me a new slide stop.

While first shooting the Detonics, I noticed that the front screw for the recoil spring assembly was loose and coming out from the gun. Another call to Detonics -- they apologized for some QC problems they had experienced under a "previous" manager, said that some recoil spring assemblies had gone out without the proper Loc-tite treatment, and suggested that I use some clear nail polish to secure the screw.

Geez -- after spending the gigabucks I did back then for a premium handgun, you'd think they would've sprung for a tube of Loc-tite...

Having said all that -- after those growing pains, I must say that the Detonics has been (along with a Glock 27) the most reliable semiautos I've ever owned. The Detonics has never once had a FTF or any other malfunction with any type of ammo -- ball, dirty reloads, lead SWC, etc.

Glad to hear you got it worked out in the end.

Refinshed a Detonics Combat Master MC1

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