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Pistol Expert Badge grips/belt buckle?

DreQo

State Researcher
Joined
Jan 8, 2007
Messages
2,350
Location
Minnesota
I have a 1911. I just got the idea of having a Marine Corps pistol expert badge set inside a nice pair of wood grips. I can't find anything like it online. Has anyone ever seen anything like that? If not, anyone know someone that would be willing to try it? Preferably a fellow Marine so he doesn't charge me too much for them. :)

Along those same lines, I really want a belt buckle with the same badge. I found a vintage buckle from the 80's with the rifle expert badge, but it's just not what I want. Anyone know someone that makes custom belt buckles?

VB43FST5FYBCMRXI.jpg
 

skidmark

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Messages
10,444
Location
Valhalla
The whole thing is going to be too big to get inlaid on 1911 stocks. Maybe the bar on one side and the device of the other? (But I'm thinking the device is just going to be too big.)

Do a google search of makers and ask them if they will do a custom inlay/inlet job.

How much are you planning to shoot with the stocks once you get them? Anything that sticks above the surface is going to rub skin - usually in an unfriendly way. Unless it's going to be a BBQ gun I'd seriously think about having it set a tad deeper than the surface and then filling the gap with clear epoxy to mate with the surface of the rest of the stock.

As for the belt buckle - I'd start out knowing if you want the whole thing embedded in epoxy and then mounted to a buckle (the cheap & easy way IMHO) or if you want someone to cast a larger-than-life replica (enormously expensive). Folks that make rodeo buckles might be a good starting place for this project.

stay safe.
 

DreQo

State Researcher
Joined
Jan 8, 2007
Messages
2,350
Location
Minnesota
I'd be ok with just the badge, and no bar. It's really not that big - I'll have to dig one out and see how it would fit. The grips would indeed be BBQ grips. I have a $5 pair of comfortably grippy black synthetic grips for EDC.

The belt definitely needs to be larger than life. Like this:

102308120a.jpg


Again, I'm not partial to the bar at the top.
 
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