1911: building your own from parts?

P

PugetSound5

New member
Well, maybe it's anathema for you 1911 aficionados out there, but bear with me. My excuse is that I am ignorant (ha! some excuse...). :D

I was looking at the CDNN catalog (yum! yum!) and they have all these 1911 parts, including the frames. And so I thought "Jeeez! Looks like one could buy absolutely all the parts right there from one place, and build a kitchen 1911..."

So, assuming that you know what you're doing (otherwise you end up with a grandfather clock: that'd be me :confused: ) would it be like assembling your own computer from parts, where it can be done at a discount (for less money or more power, either way you win), or is it more like a car, where it would cost many times the price of the factory-assembled car if you bought in in parts and assembled it yourself?

Of course, it's irrelevant in term of the high-quality commercial production out there, but how would that compare in cost to the lower-priced surplus 1911's like the Sistema, Star, Ballester-Molina's etc..., or even the $400-500 pieces?

Or am I wrong on the ready availability of all the parts?

PS5
 
IF YOU JUST WANT NOISE

Build it with discount parts.
A decent 1911 is cheaper to buy assembled (think "Kimber").
 
If you use (can get) high quality finished parts, you will probably pay as much as for an assembled gun. The 1911 type is pretty easy to build (assemble) from parts, but there are some areas (e.g., safety spring tunnel) that can be tricky without experience and the proper tools, whose cost must be added in.

With salvage parts or parts of unknown origin, the cost can be kept down, but the quality of the finished product will not be what you might like. Of the guns you name, the Sistema is definitely a good buy and I don't think you can beat the current price even by using "junque" parts.

Definitely avoid any partially finished parts (or "non-parts"); some of those would require a full machine shop to complete as well as the appropriate blueprints.

(Note that the frame is the gun, and if you don't have a dealer FFL - you can't buy a frame with a collector FFL - you will have to go through the same rigamarole as you would buying the complete gun.)

Jim
 
The cost of having a frame even partially finished with a reputable gun smith/licensed machine shop would far outweigh
any money saved by building the gun yourself.

A very expensive Grandfather clock :D

shoot well
 
Hey PugetSound,

I lived in Burien for a year, took another year to dry out after I moved! But it was a nice experience.

With your 1911 question the answer is it depends on what your objective is.

If you want an inexpensive shooter, buy a Sistema or something similar. It will be a quicker, shorter, cheaper path.

If you want a learning experience, try to put one together yourself. But you will have more into it than even a moderately priced shooter and if you have never done it before, you may not have a great or even a good shooter. But it can be an immensely rewarding experience if you approach it studiously, carefully and with consultation from knowledgeable help.

1911's are relatively easy to work on, however, there are certain areas best left to a smith. If you don't know what those areas are, find a smith you like and tell him what you want to do.

Remember to always error on the side of caution because you can injure or kill yourself or someone else if you really flub up!
 
I bought a Systema and completely stripped it to the frame.I did this because new 1911's cannot be sold here but that's another topic.I have never done any smith work prior to this gun and bought a good punch set and a vise.I wanted the gun built up with the parts that I wanted so I did spend more than you could buy a Kimber for.I found no problem installing the parts.I used a Nowlin drop-in trigger job to avoid any problems with the trigger/sear and originally installed a drop-in Wilson beavertail but have since exchanged it with a King's since I got up enough nerve to buy a jig and fit it myself.Drop-in parts do need some minor fitting but if you buy the right files it isn't bad.http://www.roderuscustom.tzo.com/home.htm has great info as well as http://www.blindhogg.com . If you're just trying to go the cheap route I would just buy one already assembled.Or if you want to add a couple of parts here and there for a few months then go ahead and buy a frame and start from there.I wouldn't suggest buying cheap parts though.
 
Thanks all for the replies. Essentially, all my questions were answered. I had completely overlooked that the frame is the gun and I didn't know that it had to go through a FFL to acquire it (shows you how much I know:) ).

Well, money talks and it's true that we don't see a lot of discussions about amateurs building 1911's from scratches, although KPS's Sistema project seems to come very close: kind of like buying a car and using the frame for a rebuild.


Thanks again,

PS5
 
I have looked into this as well. I am planning on buying a Sistema so I have a shooter. Beyond that, I would like to build my own. If you go to http://www.tommygunshop.com you can order all of the parts for the Auto-Ordnance 1911. The price for everything comes out to about $550. You do have to go through a FFL for the frame. I sent them (Kahr) an email to see if they had a discount for buying all of the parts as their msrp on the parkerized 1911 is $450. Nope. It would still be a fun project though. It could probably be done cheaper, but I looked here as it was all one manufacturer and hopefully a little easier to assemble. If I ever do it, I'll make sure to report it here.

Hoppy
 
1911's

> I bought a Systema and completely stripped it to the frame.I did this because new 1911's cannot be sold here but that's another topic.

Yes, and those here go for a lot - I sold my Golt GC last summer!

How was the Sistema? I've been trying to find an inexpensive "shooter" that was built prior to 10/21/98
 
If you really want to

I was also thinking about a roll your own from scratch 1911. Found a lot of interesting info at http://www.ar15.com/ . Just enter 1911 in the search field. I found lots of interesting products including 80% finished 1911 frames at http://www.tanneryshop.com/ . It looks like a lot of work. Would it be cost effective? Probably not, but then again what is being able to say I built it myself worth? Looks like a great winter project anyway. Or in my case, winter spring summer fall winter spring summer fall winter spring summer fall project. Have fun!!!
 
VVG

The Systema is a great little shooter in stock configuration.They could use a new barrel or a match bushing to make them more accurate as their barrels do have some wear to them, otherwise they are great plinkers.Why did you sell your Gold Cup? I bet you got a pretty penny for it :)
 
I bought my Charles Daly to be my first Frankengun. I wanted a shooter that I could experiment on, gain a bit of experience and all that, then start from a bare frame and build my own 1911. I figure that Bill Wilson started this way, so I'll just follow his example. Who knows, 20 years from now your kids may be paying me 1500$ a copy for one of my 1911's.:cool:
 
Well, for a first one, I'll look at a Sistema plinker on the really affordable side, and maybe at a Dan Wesson or Springfield. Colt might be over my budget for a .45 I'm afraid... The DW are reasonably priced, but for my taste the company really went overboard with the gaudy engraving and this badly screws up the aesthetics of their pieces. Kind of strange, since their revolvers are very soberly and elegantly designed.

PS5
 
Wade's in Bellevue has a $50 off special until Jan. 1st. I just picked up a Colt Gov't Model (formerly M1991A1) for $499. You won't get a gen-U-ine Colt any cheaper than that! If necessary, give them what you do have and put it on layaway.
 
A guy I know built up a 1991a1 for his 1st "Frankengun." POS would be an insult to all POS in the universe if I used that word to describe it. We laugh about it now :D
I'd recommend buying an inexpensive base to learn & practice from, then once you get some skill in what you're doing, move up in base. It can be very rewarding building your own gun, but it can also be quite an endeavor.
 
Wade's in Bellevue has a $50 off special until Jan. 1st. I just picked up a Colt Gov't Model (formerly M1991A1) for $499. You won't get a gen-U-ine Colt any cheaper than that! If necessary, give them what you do have and put it on layaway
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip, I wasn't aware that you could get a new Colt in that price range.

PS5
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top