Who is the Greatest 1911 Gunsmith??

A

Anthony

New member
Hello 1911 Gurus,

I'm looking to build a full size 1911 for street use from scratch and prefer to work with a top drawer gunsmith on either Colt, Springfield, Kimber, or Caspian base guns. The gun will be lightly engraved with a fancy look...so asthetics are important here.

Which brand makes the best basis for a custom 1911?

Who is the top 1911 gunsmith? Why? Do you have personal experience with them?

What caliber should I go for? .45 ACP? 10mm Auto? 9x23mm Winchester?

Please don't tell me to look in the archives or leave messages to take potshots at the 1911. I need help here.

Thanks...

- Anthony
 
The generic answer to that question is Richard Heinie. His waiting period for what you are describing is... ahem... very, very long. But his reputation is nearly godlike.

http://www.heinie.com/

On to my personal experience: I had a Colt Delta Elite cusomized by Dane Burns and am extremely happy with the results. Among other things, it shoots sub-1" groups at 25 yards and is reliable in the extreme.

http://www.burnscustom.com/

Caspian doesn't make a "base gun," they make high-end parts for a gun like the frame and slide. If you have an unlimited budget, you want the entire gun built from scratch. If you aren't quite that dedicated to perfection, any basic Colt, SA, or Kimber will make a good base gun since most of the internal parts will be replaced anyway.

Caliber: get what you want to use. I like 10mm best myself.

You might want to check this forum out so you can get answers from a bunch of pistolsmiths themselves:

http://www.pistolsmith.com/index.php
 
Take a look at the American Pistolsmiths Guild web site.
http://www.americanpistol.com
All of the members have passed a rigorous set of standards and have to meet a stringent to continue to be members. Generally speaking all of our members have been around a long time and are not new guys on the block.
God Bless
Jack Weigand
 
Thanks for all the input so far guys.

Yes, I was aware of Caspian only supplying parts. Sorry I didn't make that clear in the post.

Keep the suggestions coming.

- Anthony
 
Anthony,

Wow..what a tough question it so open to person likes and dislikes..

Castlebravo offers a good suggestion in Richard Heinie...He wait period I believe is around 7 years...

The guild site is a good place to start, but there are a lot of good smith out there that are not guild members too.

Good smiths that are out there..

Richard Heinie
Paul Leibenberg
George Smith
Jim Garthwaite
Wayne Novak
Kim Ahrends
Larry Vickers
Mark Morris
David Stagg
Ed Brown
Bill Laughridge
Bill Wilson
Les Baer
Dane Burns
John Nowlin
Pete Carber
Chuck Rogers
Pete Single
John Harrison
Tom Novak
and on and on and on and on... :)

The trick is to find one that will listen to your needs, and wants and is in your price range..Custom guns are now ranging anywhere from 1K for basic mods to 5k for best grade guns..Wait lists go from 60 days to 7 years..

As far as bases to start..
Caspian
Wilson
Rock River
Colt series 70
Springfield
Kimber
Baer
Brown


OK now to caliber..
What do you want..do you reload, are you looking for the biggest variety of factory loadings...
I got 1911's in 45, 9x23, 38super, 22lr..have had them in 40, 9mm and trying to come up with a reason for 10mm.

You got some tough choices....wait till you get to barrels, sights, grip safeties, thumb safeties, triggers, hammers and sears, finishes, checkering, scallops, waves. :D

You ask a tough question...that has a lot of answers and a lot of opinions...

Good luck...sorry if I didn't help any;)
some websites that might be helpful
www.1911forum.com
www.pistolsmitch.com
www.m1911.org
www.roderuscustom.tzo.com
 
If price is no object, try a Caspian frame with their Damasscus slide, a Kart barrel and a bunch of Ed Brown parts for your lockwork. You could even have Ed Brown build it for you.
 
ME. :D

Seriously, I haven't had an actual gunsmith touch any of mine in years (official card-carrying Dremelholic here). Then again, if I actually needed a good gunsmith I'd probably pick somebody local that I can talk to directly.
 
Only based on weapons I have shot myself:

I suppose if I wanted to use Caspian parts, I'd have Ted Yost do the work. He's done nice things with the GSP.

After departing the Gunsite smithy, Ted is up and running with his own shop in the Chino Valley area.

Have not shot one of these much, but if I wanted a pistol done from scratch, another good choice would be Ed Brown, using his own parts.
 
I would say Alex Hamilton and Royce Weddle are two of the best. Royce actually 'invented' the cone barrel long before Bill Wilson saw it and adopted it as his own. Royce would build one piece compensated barrels out of a Douglas Premiun blank. No threading the barrel and screwing on a comp for him, all one machined piece. Some of the nicest work I have ever seen.
 
MY NEXT CUSTOM 1911

My first is Caspian frame-n-slide BarSto'd Ed Brown McCormick EGW Nowlin parts 'smithed by a friend. 45ACP. Perfect. Really perfect.

My next one: I believe I will ask either Ed Brown, or George Smith at EGW, to build it, using Caspian frame-n-slide, in 9x23 or 10mm (really not decided yet, but leaning 9x23).
I don't care how much it costs.

IMNSHO if you intend to use its a defense carry piece either 45ACP or 9x23 chambering.
 
Greetings From Alaska

Tony, over the years I've owned 1911s from Wilson, Clark, Baer, Cylinder & Slide and Ed Brown.
I'll narrow your choices to Ed Brown, Jim Clark or Cylinder & Slide
 
I have two Colt Mark Iv's, one buy Shawn Herman, and the other by EGW. Also have a 1911 done by Nowlin. I would recommend all three. As for starters. Colt Mark IV series 70 and 80, Colt 1991A1, Springfield Mil-Spec. Talking to a few smiths. Caspian is not on the top of there lists.
 
I'll just vote for what I have: Clark and LW Seecamp.
Hermit, Love your comment about kitchen gunsmiths uniting. I rarely have the right tools, time, patience, education and experience but that hasn't stopped me yet from creating boxes of junk with some occaisional creations that far exceeded my expectations - operationally and otherwise:D
 
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