Please excuse the longwinded-ness!
I'm kinda tired of buying an SA loaded or Kimber Custom and paying for options I don't want.
I'd rather put that money (let's call it 3-400$)into the few things I do want.
Also, some things I don't need to be custom-level 'perfect'
eg. I don't need .0000003 moa shooting. I do need 'bang' every single damned time!
I don't need microscopically perfect hand checkering. I do need an extremely hi-cut front strap and short trigger (small hands).
stuff like that.
I'm looking for a gun to shoot the heck out of, and I'm pretty set on a SA GI for two reasons:
a) I've always wanted to shoot the WW2 version for a while, just to see why the mods that we do are so necessary.
b) I can send it back to the SA custom shop to get the mods I want at pretty damned reasonable prices.
Anyhow here's my list of mods I plan to do.
a) grips (VZ ultra thin)
b) short trigger installed/action job
c) SA magwell
d) better sights (maybe TFO's for my weak eyes)
e) front strap checkering and hi-cut
f) ed brown grip safety
g) refinish in Black T or some durable finish like that at some later time cause that's expensive!
145$ to fit a SA magwell and blend it
75$ 4lb. action job
45$ short trigger
25$ tune extractor
45$ Polish feed ramp and throat barrel
65$ undercut front strap
questions a)
Can I get away with stippling for a decent grip. all I need is somthing to keep my fingers from moving.
60$ stipple
100$ Machine checker at 30lpi
questions b)
They want 90$ for a 'SI beavertail grip safety' - what's SI?
So, without the sights (lets call the VZ grips at 75$) that brings me to 625$, which is - alas - more than I want to spend, but leaves me with a pistol that I can call my own with no forward cocking serrations, guide rods, or any 'tightening' job that I despise (not to mention the light rail that makes it not fit in ANY of my 1911 holsters!).
So first I get a 400$ pistol, shoot the crap out of it, then put 625$ into it, shoot it some more, then get some new sites on it (figure 150$ for sights and install) and walla I'm done (without the refinish that is...)
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I'm gonna take that number to my local 1911 guy (who I've never used but comes highly recommended) and see if he can beat it. If he can, then I can pick my own parts and have him fit them..... SS small parts, refinish pistol in Black T, oughtta be wicked....
wilson wide ambi safeties
ed brown grip safety
S&A magwell for thin grips:
C&S short trigger:
TFO's
and I'll just let him work the innards to give me a 4 lb pull, tuned the extraxtor and make work the feeding process.
So what do we think?