June 8th, 2023
9minute read
Have you ever owned something really nice?
I dont mean good, or even great.
Im talking about truly remarkable.
Jason Burton applied his artisan’s skillset to the creation of this custom Heirloom Precision SA-35 pistol. Image: Jake Miller/Springfield Armory
First and foremost, a gun is a tool, so function is paramount.
This is much easier said than done.
It features excellent quality as well as notable attention to detail.
Jason Burton of Heirloom Precision is a master gunsmith, renowned for his work on pistols like the 1911. Image: Heirloom Precision
Its at this point we move into the realm of custom firearms.
ASpringfield Armory 1911 Roninis an excellent example of this.
Sending this one to a gunsmith for tuning or tweaking could arguably be a waste of your money.
Burton thoroughly inspected the SA-35 and found it to be an extremely well-made pistol. Image: Heirloom Precision
So, what to do with these gunsmiths idle hands?
Simply put, Heirloom Precision is Jason.
There is no major production facility backing him up.
The SA-35’s slide was flattened to feature 50 line-per-inch serrations, and adapted to fit a Heinie Slant-Pro rear sight. Image: Heirloom Precision
Hes not sending frames out to be checkered, etc.
He does every step of the work with his own two hands the old-fashioned way.
You know, that whole sweat and tears approach?
Burton gave the barrel a 20° crown, as well as a thorough polish to everything. Image: Jake Miller/Springfield Armory
Jason has taken the perfection of detail in a custom 1911 to a degree that few can reach.
Solid Foundation
WhenSpringfield Armory introduced the 9mm SA-35, I was ecstatic.
This is a firearm design I have always deeply admired.
The Heirloom Precision custom SA-35 is truly a sight to behold. Image: Jake Miller/Springfield Armory
really help take it to the next level.
Checkering, for instance.
The gun has a remarkably slim and petite grip frame area for being a double-column magazine design.
This is why it feels so good in the hand.
But, it also requires you to do a great deal of measuring before you do any cutting.
The trigger is another unique part of the design.
Note the fine checkering on the backstrap as well as the extended beavertail work done by Heirloom Precision. Image: Jake Miller/Springfield Armory
Want to take it to the next level beyond that?
It requires an expert that understands the design and how best to approach it.
Snagging a Master
This brings us back to my buddy, Jason.
Heirloom Precision is renowned for Burton’s attention to detail, which is clearly apparent with this custom SA-35. Image: Jake Miller/Springfield Armory
Luckily, Jason understands this design extraordinarily well.
In fact, he is quite a fan.
It was during a recent conversation with him that we arrived at the project you are reading about today.
He told me it is by far the hardest ones of these from this design he had ever seen.
Right off the bat, we were ahead of the game.
He also noted that the internal machining of the pistol was extremely good.
The more he inspected the pistol, the more interested in the project he became.
Soon, he had agreed to take on the project.
Basically, Jason went to town on the pistol.
Ive known Jason for a while, and I can always tell when he is into a project.
because he wants to talk about it.
And we talked a lot about this gun.
I picked up that many, many hours of obsessive attention to detail were being applied to this pistol.
I couldnt see them, but he could.
And when it was finished, it was easy to tell it was something truly special.
This is not Jasons approach.
Honestly, this custom SA-35 should be in a museum or shadow box in some millionaires gun room.
I think the phrase exquisite in detail is appropriate here.
What can a master do when you truly set him loose?
I think the results speak for themselves.
I shot the gun.
And the old adage of the proof is in the pudding could not be more true here.
The gun functioned perfectly, of course, and it was very accurate.
But there is more.
It just felt … perfect.
I dont really know how to better describe it.
It was a joy to just be able to hold it, and it was extremely satisfying to shoot.
Youd spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to get a watch of this same level of quality.
He takes his time to get the projects just right and this principle shows in his project guns.
Works of art dont happen overnight.
I cant speak highly enough of the custom SA-35 from Heirloom Precision.
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