Custom motorcycle builder turned gunsmith, Jesse James has built a stunning custom 1911 in honor of President Trump. It's a .45 for number 45!
Reality TV star Jesse James, builder of freakish custom motorcycles and now freakishly beautiful custom guns, designed and built a wicked-looking Model 1911 handgun for President Trump.
The hyper-engraved, long-barreled .45 was on display at SHOT Show 2018.
James posted the picture below on his Instagram account with the declaration, "I think it's pretty much the Law. If you build guns and your friend becomes President. You build him a Badass gun!"
James became friends with Trump when he appeared on the reality television show, "The Celebrity Apprentice."
He told Maxim he built the gun for Trump because he wanted to celebrate that friendship, as well as Trump's presidential victory.
"Besides us being friends and me building guns for a living, as soon as I knew he was gonna win, I was like, 'Oh, I'm gonna build him a gun,'" he said. "I wanted to really do something special. Even without the presidency, I wanted to do something that was a little on the flamboyant side. Something that looks kinda badass, like a 'Dirty Harry' gun. Dirty Harry always had that long .44 Magnum. So it seemed kinda obvious that we should do a .45 caliber since he's the 45th president, right?"
This particular Model 1911 is a JJFU Grand Master X.
"Donald J. Trump" is engraved on one side of the gun, and "45th President of the United States of America" is engraved on the other. It features relief engraving and 24-karat gold plate.
The case is handmade from local Texas pecan and walnut. "DJT" and "45th" are inlayed inside, made from from one of George Washington's original 13 chestnut trees. Its frame is longer than normal 1911s, and it features a two-piece slide and compensator. The slide splits when you cock it, and then goes back together flush.
Maxim asked James how he was planning on giving the gun to President Trump. He indicated he's a little uncertain, partly because of the rules associated with Presidential gifts.
"I could sell it to him so he could own it," he said. "A couple friends of mine that are governors want me to take it to the White House and present it to him as like, a formal thing. I mean, I guess that would be cool, but then it becomes property of the people and it'll go to the [Presidential] Library when he's not president anymore, which I guess is cool for the gun because it'll be on display, but I kinda think he should keep it and shoot it, because it's an awesome gun."
James also spoke about the personal nature of building a custom gun for someone as opposed to a custom motorcycle. He said guns have a more emotional connection with people.
"It's like, important to do a gun for the president," he said. "It's pretty cool. But a bike for the president wouldn't be as cool, you know what I mean? Roosevelt didn't have a bike, Eisenhower didn't have a bike, and all these presidents had bitchin', famous, legendary guns. It's pretty special for me to build something for him. Even if we weren't friends, it's special for me because I wanna make something badass."
Like what you see here? You can read more great articles by David Smith at his Facebook page, Stumpjack Outdoors.
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