[Michael W Cuber]

Had a friend 30 years ago that retrieved a Colt 1911 that had been cut in half at the slide and the frame cut through the mag well (basically demilled). He was a good welder and machinist and he put it back together over a slow period of time, and replaced the barrel and some small parts, but you couldn’t tell what had happened to it after it was finished, so, yes, it can be done!
All depends on what you want to put into it in regards to time, effort, and cash? For my friend I think it was more of a personal challenge / piddle project while he was recovering from his first round of cancer—just to see if he could turn the paper weights back into a Colt!
Unfortunately he passed of cancer a while back.

 

[Michael W Cuber]

Fortunately for me, this is just a couple hundred dollar loss at worst. I have other BHP's that I love dearly. The high price of BHP these days is the only reason that I would consider fixing this one. It was never going to be a carry "with my life on the line" use pistol anyway. I have others for that task.

I’ve got a friend here in Alaska that does really fine welding and also makes jewelry. If you could find someone in your area that could do it as a challenge / favor, and you take on the fine finish / filing work, I think you’d at minimum have a serviceable ‘truck gun.’

 

[Michael W Cuber]

Shop rate makes some work not worth it for the client.

If someone walked in the door with this or it belonged to a friend I might take it on just to help them out and as a project and would know going in I’d be giving away my time.
If I quoted straight time the client might still say ok and have it done for their own reasons.
Skill, curiosity and attitude have little to do with it, it’s just the hard reality of what billable rates mean for this class of work.
The repair will cost more than the pistol is worth.

I own a fabrication business- it could be gunsmith’s have a rate schedule which changes that equation.
I doubt that is true.

One has to take a hard look at this pistol and see if it is worth the bother.
Look at the scoring under the grip scales.
This pistol looks like it has been rode hard and dirty for a long time.
Is it worn out in addition to being fatigue cracked literally to pieces?
If it were mine I’d fix it right up but I have all the equipment just sitting here to do the work.
If you have to pay a shop?

That’s the way I’d feel if it were mine, and I’ve had friends that could do that kind of detailed welding, and I’d do the rest of it myself, but to pay a working shop rate, no, it’s not worth it!