Posted: 12/19/2011 9:29:59 AM EDT
|
who has done it?
i know that for $500 i can get a decent used SA, less $ gets me a RIA which isnt too bad, $700-1000 gets me a respectable 1911 from say Sig, Ruger, better SA, Colt but hell, i LOVE buildin things .. im a tinkerer .. i build cars, suspension setups (air and hydraulic), etc, etc, etc .. i just like doin things myself and i take a lot of pride in doing things right and doing them well ive had my SP101 apart a ton since geting it a month or two ago, every piece has been gone over and smoothed like silk, and its an AMAZING revolver now imho ... also was the first time i even took a gun apart! that really got me going and thinking that id like to dabble more in playing with parts and home "gunsmithing" if you could even call it that LOL.. ive wanted a 1911 forever, but never bought one .. i think the hang up is that i want to know everything about them inside and out, and i just dont yet .. ive been a wheelgun guy forever and ive shot plenty of semis but never owned one .. NOW PLEASE UNDERSTAND I KNOW INTERNALLY A 1911 IS MUCH MUCH MUCH more difficult than a wheelgun so in the interest of learning the hell outta these things, i figure i have 3 routes i can take: 1 - buy a cheaper model to start with so i dont feel bad if i mess things up .. an SA MilSpec or RIA probably, change it around and modify it as i go (but then you end up with $1k ior so nto a low end gun if that makes sense) 2 - just go out and buy a nice 1911 like a Colt, Sig, or Ruger (the ones that catch my attention now i dont need a crazy target master piece, this is more for the fun of owning a 1911 than trying to hit 1" groups). this could be nice but at the same time i would leave these guns stock more than likely as they are already nice pieces 3 - piece one together myself and take my time .. spend a little more money maybe, but have something i can REALLY be proud of .. using good parts from day 1 (i understand resale is horrible on "kit" type guns but this is a keeper.. believe me im not taking the time to put this together just to sell, this will go to my kids and their kids if i have it my way) so anyways, just thought i would spark up a conversation .. lots of guys here seem to have $800-3000 to just drop on a firearm and i dont ... although i could spend $1k over a year or so of puttin it together and not feel badly as long as it came together as a NICE gun .. and id have the pride of having done it myself thanks richard |
|
Richard,
I too played with this idea at one point but shyed away for several reasons, the biggest being the outlay of tools. I didn't get into the thought enough to figure out what all I would need but it ends up being some very specialized stuff that if you're just going to build one adds up. Perhaps you could use some of the stuff for other things, might have some on hand, etc. I guess you could always see if you could rent/borrow some of them or sell them off when you are done. Another route would be one of the easy build kits from Fusion Firearms and they will do as much or as little work on it as you want. Then there is the finishing issue which I probably would just farm out. I know there are several books and videos on the subject and I would suggest you check out Brownells for tools, parts and I believe they have some videos online. Somebody will be along in a moment to point you in the right direction there. I think if I decided to do it I would start off with a SA GI and modify as I want but then you have issues like milling the slide for sights and all that stuff vs buying a kit build with the slide milled already. I guess it may be six one way half a dozen the other. |
|
Go read this thread and then decide whether you still want to tackle it.
http://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=272326 |
|
this is my favorite build thread ive found ..
http://how-i-did-it.org/1911-project/a_million_little_pieces.html he had lots of issues, which i would expect to have too, but then again he seems to have used cheap parts .. i like things not working and finding ways to make them work.. hmmm .. thanks for the other link checking it out now! |
|
Quoted:
this is my favorite build thread ive found .. http://how-i-did-it.org/1911-project/a_million_little_pieces.html he had lots of issues, which i would expect to have too, but then again he seems to have used cheap parts .. i like things not working and finding ways to make them work.. hmmm .. thanks for the other link checking it out now! There's a big difference in just getting one together and doing it right. |
|
![/quote]
There's a big difference in just getting one together and doing it right.[/quote] couldnt agree more .. for me this would be all about building teh best possible firearm i could .. for kits, if i was to go that way the Fusion Scout has my attention . . . . id be well over $1k in parts alone after getting that .. but i think id have a hell of a gun if i got it all together correctly .. problem is for $1000+ i can buy a nice used 1911 .. but then again it wouldnt be "mine" ... then again it never would be unless i milled everything out myself and screw that lol, no time for that even tho i have enough friends with enough tools to help me complete that task hmm |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
this is my favorite build thread ive found .. http://how-i-did-it.org/1911-project/a_million_little_pieces.html he had lots of issues, which i would expect to have too, but then again he seems to have used cheap parts .. i like things not working and finding ways to make them work.. hmmm .. thanks for the other link checking it out now! There's a big difference in just getting one together and doing it right. Which is why, for the hours I'd spend I may as well buy a nice 1911. Certainly a lot of satisfaction in building your own, but I am smart enough to know I don't have the patience for such a project. Now if a 1911 Smith was close and would supervise me, I'd be a bit more tempted. |
|
Quoted:
this is my favorite build thread ive found .. http://how-i-did-it.org/1911-project/a_million_little_pieces.html he had lots of issues, which i would expect to have too, but then again he seems to have used cheap parts .. i like things not working and finding ways to make them work.. hmmm .. thanks for the other link checking it out now! That build thread is what inspired me to build my first 1911. If you have any mechanical sense it's really NOT all that hard, just go slow. |
|
I built my first in the 80s, without the help of the internet. I had nobody to tell me it way too difficult, so I went ahead and did it. Not the best looking .45 I ever saw, but it would shoot, and it shot reasonably well.
The main thing is to go slow, take your time. Don't get in a hurry. Did I mention patience? 
Finishing doesn't have to be farmed out. I started investigating the wonderful world of home made finishes. Rust bluing is pretty simple, if labor intensive. Parkerizing is easy, and it can be used as a finish, or as a base for many of the various paints out there. Tools aren't so bad. Though, if you look at the price for just building one gun, they might be considered expensive. Did I mention taking your time? |
| As mentioned check out Fusion for a slide-frame and parts and as always Forster Industries, they have a sale on a nice frame/slide set (Caspian overruns) for about $380. Add about another$600 in parts/tools and you should be able to build a really nice pistola. Find a friend who has experience fitting the difficult/critical parts too, farm out the things you feel you can't do or may mess up the frame/slide permanently by a mistake. |
|
This is my 1991A1 purchased in 1998. In a few months time I did the following:
Oversized firing pin stop Semi-drop in fit barrel Barrel link Barrel bushing 18.5lb recoil spring Full length one-piece guide rod Oversized pin slide stop Oversized thumb safety Beavertail grip safety Commander hammer Trigger TiN coated safety linkages and pivot pins Ambidextrous mag release Adjustable rear sight Serrated flat mainspring housing Polished feed ramp and barrel throat The parts that required fitting in red. The only tools purchased were a jig for the beavertail and a mainspring housing pin punch. The rest was done by hand or with fixtures improvised when needed. Parts killed in the process were one thumb safety (filed too much) and one fancy sear spring was broken while attempting to tune it. The most nerve wracking install was the ambi mag release as that called for permanent frame alteration. The slide fit was tightened old school in a padded vice, increasing tension little by little until the desired result was reached. Up and down play was fine, and something I wouldn't attempt anyway. The tools used most often were a couple of flat files...a mill file and a bastard cut. Finer surfaces were stoned where needed. 
A drop-in beavertail was used initially but it didn't offer much improvement over the standard tang. Just this year I finally flared the ejection port. All these years I feared wrecking the slide, but it ended up being a lot easier than expected. 
I love this pistol. It's hard to tell whether it's the gun or due to all the time I've spent putting things together. Final outcome was a 4.5lb trigger pull, 100% reliability, and I've been able to shoot roughly 1-1/2" offhand, unsupported five-shot groups at 25 yards with it. Stock it jammed every 200 rounds like clockwork, and I could only manage about 2-1/2 to 3" groups at 25. It fits my hand perfectly and points so naturally the front sight comes right back on target as the slide comes home. 
All that said, I'll never sell it, and I'd never do it again. |
The amount you'll learn is invaluable but you have to realize it's a challenging thing you are asking to do. Take it slow and do it right and you will build one. Something to remember is when ever you get into building something it tends to cost more than buying one from some one else who already built it. As long as you're ok with the steep learning curve and the additional cost you should be fine. Good luck, ask more questions and the typical cost for our advice is pictures! Lots and lots of pictures! 
|
|
Quoted:
mehhh.how hard can it be I just "built" an AR...... A well fitted 1911 re1uires that metal be removed to fit pieces, not just drop them in. Putting back metal when you remove more than needed is pretty much a non-starter (at least until you really know how to build a 1911). The part is now scrap. If you make a 'drop together' 1911 it will be no better than a 'GI fit' 1911. It might be useful as a learning experience the first time. Lots of parts in a 1911 need to be hand fitted, including the thumb safety. Purchasing a not well fitted complete gun and then upgrading it as you learn is often a better path. |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
mehhh.how hard can it be I just "built" an AR...... A well fitted 1911 re1uires that metal be removed to fit pieces, not just drop them in. Putting back metal when you remove more than needed is pretty much a non-starter (at least until you really know how to build a 1911). The part is now scrap. If you make a 'drop together' 1911 it will be no better than a 'GI fit' 1911. It might be useful as a learning experience the first time. Lots of parts in a 1911 need to be hand fitted, including the thumb safety. Purchasing a not well fitted complete gun and then upgrading it as you learn is often a better path. I was being a smart ass...but I couldn't have said it better...... |
|
Nothings sacred, everything can be replaced. If I screw it up I can buy another. It's only gun metal who cares ? Hello, Jason ? I got a problem.
Where's the Brownells catalog ? Need more tools ! Midway USA in a pinch. Need more parts. One is never enough. Power tools are bad, sand paper is my freind. Learn, learn, learn. You'll spend more on tools than buying a new Colt if you want things done with some precision. Must have $300.00 in stones. Not even gonna try and list all my tools. Tool need list is still longer than have list. Need a mill, need a lathe, need, need, need. Hello Jason ? Yea, me again. Can I use your mill tomorrow ? Please ? |
|
I got about 600.00 in a 300.00 gun. But it's been a lot of fun. If your idea of fun isn't hand filing a part for 5 or 6 hours then just buy one.
Essex slide, Armscor (RIA) frame, Sarco parts kit. I think the only part I kept from the parts kit was the barrell/bushing and the grip safety. Bought a lot of parts off the EE. Now that I have learned how not enough trigger travel can break a perfectly good sear I think I am close to being mechanically finished. I will say I have a fair understanding of how one works now.
|