Already have a frame waiting on me (Caspian recon) and am looking at my options as far as kits go.

Most of the one's I've found are out of stock and most of my searches are at least 3 years old.

I recall there was a thread on here about someone who decided to build one himself and it came out great.

I would have limited tools, mostly hand files, and limited knowledge (figure I'll have plenty of time to read for now).

Any links to kits and DIY tutorials would be greatly appreciated.

Trying to keep it under $500 not including what I already have.

i havent used kits as it is pretty easy to piece together what you need, and you get better components that way.

also, a decent quality barrel and slide will eat thru what is left of your budget for this.

Kuhnhausen shop manual

If I only had one piece of reference material it would be this one....good luck man and have fun

Yeah, I realize that now.

Disregard the budget...

Check Fleabay,lots of complete slides and parts.

the good thing is that if you are mechanically inclined at all, you wont need a lot of tools, most of it can be done with hand files and a few punches.

One of those outfits that always has big ads in shotgun news(numerich arms?) always has cheap 1911 parts.

SARCO.

http://www.e-sarcoinc.com/parts-kits.aspx

Yeah, I was eye fucking the shit out of this webite recently but nothing in stock. I guess I have roughly 8 months before I even get hands on any of this stuff so I can (have to) be paticient.

Sarco kits can be built into a functioning pistol.  It will take some skill with a file and fitting.  Get the plunger tube install tube and escutcheon die at brownells or midway.

You can backorder the parts at Sarco.  They supposedly are all US made parts.  The kits come with authentic USGI grips.

Its a decent priced kit for a shooter beater pistol.  It won't be a high quality match gun, but its a great price for what you get.

Go to Brownells and click the learn tab.  Check out the 1911 articles.  There are a few build up series with a ton of info.

Done and saved for further study.

Thank you.

Also check Youtube for assembly disassembly videos.

Once you build one, you will want to do another.  Its not as easy as an AR15, but not as hard as I thought it was going to be.

I've spent an equal amount of time lately on youtube as I have 1911 forums and arf.

So true, I've ordered more parts myself.  Fun process, fun to build exactly what you want.

Already bookmarked

Decided that I might pick this up to practice on along with a frame that I've had sitting around for years.
https://www.cdnnsports.com/1911-slide-stainless-remington.html?___SID=U

The ONLY Sarco parts wirth using are frame, slide, and barrel. I've built some great guns that way.

Any other parts they offer in kits are terrible. The trigger parts are singularly awful, the grips don't fit, the springs are too short, and the barrel bushing doesn't fit. Pure garbage.

The expensive parts are nice though.

While I won't be an advocate for Sarco, the kits I've received and bought at shows directly from their table (SAR East show) worked (although fitting required.)

The Grips I received were used USGI and fit the Frames I had.

The Sear Springs 2 kits had what appeared to be USGI old stock and another did have a commercial blue spring I replaced with USGI - it was not as strong.  The other spings (mainspring and recoil spring) - they worked and the guns cycle.  I bought an assortment of spare springs - from Wolff to have as spares - If they wear out, I'm out $15-$30 in replaced springs.  No biggie.

With fitting all the parts fit and made a decent guns.  Buit a  45acp and one 9mm from their parts.  

Some will say they are junk, but for the price, you can buy the same lower quality junk for 2X the price easily at other vendors

There are many high quality 1911 custom guns with tight tolerances, and I am likely going that way myself as I learn.  However if one wants to build those Sarco probably isn't the best parts, but for a shooter, my opinion is they are fine to start-If you are willing to file sand, etc. to fit.

When I went to look at building a 1911, most online experts said they can't be built unless your one of the few 1911 wizards that has the advanced skills.
Well that was not true.  Just like an AR15, you can buy a budget kit and get a shooter or spend a fortune or leave it to the experienced builder.  both approaches have their place.  For me building cheap was a great start.

Built up a 1911 9mm awhile back using a caspian recon frame...used ramped barrel...stainless KKM precision.......ed brown pin kit........Wilson combat controls........wolf springs...........Used an enhanced Essex slide.........that had forward serrations and was cut for Novak sites............which I used.............nice shooter, shot in many times in IDPA...........reliable and light recoil....

While most of what Sarco includes in the kit will work well enough (or can be fixed enough) to end up with a functioning 1911, you will probably be immediately looking to upgrade parts.

It isn't awfully difficult to drop parts in and have a gun that will get through a mag, especially with the loosey-goosey Sarco quasi-mil-spec parts.  But you are a lot more prone to have weird issues that can be difficult to troubleshoot to give you a reliable, accurate gun.   Barrel timing and fitting as well as knowing how the fire control parts interact are very helpful skills here.

You may want to give Armscor/RIA 1911 parts kit a try...they are of decent quality and price point.

If you have a stripped frame in hand, all you will need is the parts kit...

The kits generally are for building Gov't sized 5" Bbl'd standard type
.45ACP or 9mm caliber pistols...

Good luck.

That is a beautiful pistol. Having done it myself, I'm always impressed when someone can make w functional pistol with Essex parts in it.

Thanks dude, only part that is Essex is the slide...........before they closed I bought three slides from them.......they were cast.....but heat treated to where they are hard as a rock...........I've shot the tar out of this build.........many IDPA matches without a single hiccup..........My buddy said.......1911 finicky ...........my response was not mine..........LOL