Posted: 10/22/2006 11:54:52 AM EDT
| Has anybody assembled a 1911 from a stripped frame and slide? I would like to build a 1911 clone using a Caspian slide/frame combo, but wonder if I might be asking for trouble. Can this be done without too much handfitting? If I can accept a little less accuracy, can I use a drop-in barrel and bushing? What about Essex Arms slide and frames? These seem much less expensive, but I'm pretty sure they are investment castings. |
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A total build from the ground up is not the end of the world for a novice, but between tooling up and learning how to do it correctly, you may be taking on more than you want. If you can find a smith willing to take the time to help you out in his free time, then you are set for the project. Best advice is to post over in your hometown forum to find such a friend, and see what he as available for free time. From there, it’s just a matter of how deep your pockets are in regards to parts selection. |
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With a pre-fit slide/frame combo, what tooling would be required? If I got an Essex frame, even the plunger tube and ejector would be pre-installed. I'm envisioning a very basic, "loose" gun along the lines of a USGI model. If I can get 3"/25yd accuracy and absolute reliability with ball ammo, I would say mission accomplished. I'm guessing this can be built for around $400? |
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Well how good of a pistol are you wanting to build? Loose is ok up to a degree. Do you want any sort of accuracy out of the pistol? Kart makes an EZ fit barrel but you have tuning issues with the barrel, bushing, and how they fit in the pistol. Extractor fitting and tuning (not to bad of a deal). Sights... you can get a pre cut slide, but you will need dovetail files to fit the sight. Polishing and sandblasting - you can farm it out. You can do your best to assemble the pistol...I wouldn't call it building one if all the hard and special work is sent out to the other shops. What you need to do is find somebody that isn't afraid to let you use some equipment and take you under the wing and show you some stuff. The biggest concern would be the reliability and function of the pistol. Like I always say, if you don't know 100% what you are doing...it is best to leave it to the professionals. I don't take part in martial arts...not because I can't punch or kick - because I don't know enought to say that I know what I am doing. With time and training...maybe. Thanks, Bob |
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Do you have Jerry Kuhnhausen's book (s) on the 1911? If not, buy at least Vol. I. It will answer most of your questions about how to build one, and you will understand the tools and skills required to do your own build. I can't speak to the qualitative differences between the Caspian and Essex slides/frames, as I have no experience with them outside of hearsay. There are other manuals, like the Ed Brown manual as well. The 1911 can be hand fitted, but how much is required is based purely on the tolerances of the slide/frame that you start with. The closer they are to Colt specs, the easier time you will have, because those specs are the ones most manufacturer's use when making parts. Getting a slide/frame combo that is pre-fit to each other cuts out a bunch of work, but there can still be a bunch of meticulous stuff to do fitting everything else. Sear work requires a jig. Slide lugs may need cutting. Another special tool. This stuff all adds up, unless you can farm it out. 'Drop in' is a term that, roughly translated, means gunsmithing will be required. You may or may not do this yourself. The term 'gunsmithing' required usually means special tools and abilities are needed beyond those of the average guy. I.E., stuff and skills normally possessed only by a qualified gunsmith. If you have never done 1911 work before, I'm not saying you can't or shouldn't try it yourself. It's great fun, if you enjoy precise work. But I will say that it can be way more expensive than just buying a gun built to your specs by any of several custom makers. BTW, I learned all this starting out where you are now. I saved a bunch of money by getting Kuhnhausen's book. I went the route of buying an operating gun that already had a good sear fit, and a relatively tight slide/frame fit. Then I customized the rest of the stuff myself. Much easier to do, since I never cut the frame, or did anything that was irreversible. I could put that gun back to completely factory-issue in an hour. I did not replace all of the internals, as I didn't need/want to. I ended up with a %100 reliable and fully functional gun that is more accurate than factory issue. But I have a parts inventory that exceeds the value of the original gun.   YMMV.I'll add this. If I was smarter than I am, I probably would have just ordered a Yost-Bonitz 1* or something and saved some money.  Again, YMMV.
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Hmmm, disappointing. I was hoping another 1911 would be the AR of pistols. I had a Norinco 1911A1 about 5 years ago that I foolishly sold off. I was always impressed with how easy it was to detail strip that gun and swap out parts. It looks like this sort of project may be a bit too ambitious at this point. I have no interest in buying a lot of specialized tooling in order to fit one barrel, one bushing, one slide, etc. |
That's awesome. Did you use the SARCO parts kit? How was it? How much fitting did the slide require? That is exactly what I would like to build. A nice USGI clone. |
| No Sarco kit. I did get the slide from them. The rest I parted out from various sources. Most of the parts are U.S.G.I. I even managed to find a milled trigger and original Colt WW2 grips. The Essex frame was already parked and the slide fit just right. The only work I did was to polish the ramp. |
| My friends and I are putting together 1911's using Double Star frames. My roomate just put his together using Sarco parts and a slide off ebay. I'm doing more of a custom look to mine, but don't be dicouraged from putting together your own 1911. It's not as hard as others might say. After building my AR this summer, I'd say the process isn't as difficult if not easier. So GO FOR IT!! put up pics when you're done....I'll put mine up when i'm done |