So I want to build a 1911...
- Thread starter l!fealert
- Start date
My suggestions;
Get Jerry kuhnhausen's book, Part 1 or 2, preferable both. Read them twice. After that price out the minimal 'smithing tools required to do what your thinking about.
After that I would think you would realize;
1) it's vastly cheaper (and safer) to buy new quality pistol, or
2) shop the EE for a pistol that someone has had a known pistol smith make and pick it up for less than half the cost and with no wait...currently the EE is filled with some really quality pistols (dozens to chose from).
Don't mean to rain on anyone's parade just pointing out some of the bumps on the road I've travelled...
Get Jerry kuhnhausen's book, Part 1 or 2, preferable both. Read them twice. After that price out the minimal 'smithing tools required to do what your thinking about.
After that I would think you would realize;
1) it's vastly cheaper (and safer) to buy new quality pistol, or
2) shop the EE for a pistol that someone has had a known pistol smith make and pick it up for less than half the cost and with no wait...currently the EE is filled with some really quality pistols (dozens to chose from).
Don't mean to rain on anyone's parade just pointing out some of the bumps on the road I've travelled...
Whats your experience level?
Unless you know the ins and outs of a 1911 you should start with a base gun (norc) and start by learning to fit the small parts and in the meanwhile price out parts as well as tools, have you looked at brownells yet?
Unless you know the ins and outs of a 1911 you should start with a base gun (norc) and start by learning to fit the small parts and in the meanwhile price out parts as well as tools, have you looked at brownells yet?
I'm building a Commander out of a Norc and have over $600 Cnd in Nighthawk internals to be fitted yet. Once I get started (winter project) I'll fit the slide frame (currently smooth but loose) and "bob" the frame. Blank out the slide and frame (less ser #) and then fit the internals. I'm contemplating finishing the Commander case coloured 'cause I've never seen a whole firearm case coloured...and perhaps there's a very good reason I've never seen one lol (more research).
Norc 1911's have notoriously great steel and for us Canadians, they're also cheap. These two factors steered me toward Norinco. Also, as the others have stated, a build is not the cheaper route in the long run and once completed there's no guarantee that all you're left with is a really expensive lump that won't shoot or perhaps even dangerous.
I do it for the tinker, I would buy a Ruger SR1911 Commander if I just wanted a Commander.
Norc 1911's have notoriously great steel and for us Canadians, they're also cheap. These two factors steered me toward Norinco. Also, as the others have stated, a build is not the cheaper route in the long run and once completed there's no guarantee that all you're left with is a really expensive lump that won't shoot or perhaps even dangerous.
I do it for the tinker, I would buy a Ruger SR1911 Commander if I just wanted a Commander.
That's pretty much exactly what I intend on doing, but I'm staying gov't length and I'm going to checker the front strap and mill the slide for a Bomar style rear sight.
Agree. Go to Brownells and cost out parts and tools necessary. Cheaper to buy a quality pistol or refit a used pistol with high end parts.
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The fit of all the parts is a major point. And right off the bat I can assure you that the fit of the frame and slide on any given Norc can vary from simply amazing to simply awful. And there's simply no way to tell until you put them together.
A proper gunsmith educated in the ways of accurizing 1911 frames and slides would peen the two then stone and lap to a fine fit. But that's not something you do as an "assembler". It takes skill and patience to do it right without harming the metal. So right off the bat you're potentially looking at a fairly major gunsmithing bill just to get started.
On the other hand if you start with a good brand of gun at a higher price point this feature along with a bunch of other such work is already done for you.
Something you need to understand is that there are very few "drop in" packages that work seamlessly in a 1911. At least not where they'll work perfectly with the rest of the items in the action. You may install a drop in hammer and sear kit, which is fine. But the thumb and grip safety may or may not work with the new items correctly so you potentially have an unsafe gun which then needs those parts trimmed to work with the new drop in parts. Or if the "trimming" needs to go the wrong way you need to start with new oversize safeties that are then dressed down to work with the new drop in kit.
Can you assemble a 1911 from parts? Yes you can. Will it be a super nice match grade gun with match grade fits throughout the workings without a steep gunsmithing bill to make all the parts work? Highly unlikely.
Even if you simply assemble a mediocre gun from various parts do you understand the importance of measuring and tuning the fits such as the barrel link? As mentioned before the 1911 is just not a LEGO style gun such as a Ruger 10/22. Too many parts rely on other parts for their fit with the tolerances of each part affecting too many other parts.
If you want a truly nice to shoot 1911 my suggestion would be to start with a nice mid priced STI or similar and have a good 1911 guy do a trigger job on it. Then you can do the rest yourself such as de-horning and fitting it with releases and safeties that suit your desires. But start with a good core gun with good fits and a good reputation for accuracy. It'll be both cheaper by a lot as well as a lot less frustrating.
A proper gunsmith educated in the ways of accurizing 1911 frames and slides would peen the two then stone and lap to a fine fit. But that's not something you do as an "assembler". It takes skill and patience to do it right without harming the metal. So right off the bat you're potentially looking at a fairly major gunsmithing bill just to get started.
On the other hand if you start with a good brand of gun at a higher price point this feature along with a bunch of other such work is already done for you.
Something you need to understand is that there are very few "drop in" packages that work seamlessly in a 1911. At least not where they'll work perfectly with the rest of the items in the action. You may install a drop in hammer and sear kit, which is fine. But the thumb and grip safety may or may not work with the new items correctly so you potentially have an unsafe gun which then needs those parts trimmed to work with the new drop in parts. Or if the "trimming" needs to go the wrong way you need to start with new oversize safeties that are then dressed down to work with the new drop in kit.
Can you assemble a 1911 from parts? Yes you can. Will it be a super nice match grade gun with match grade fits throughout the workings without a steep gunsmithing bill to make all the parts work? Highly unlikely.
Even if you simply assemble a mediocre gun from various parts do you understand the importance of measuring and tuning the fits such as the barrel link? As mentioned before the 1911 is just not a LEGO style gun such as a Ruger 10/22. Too many parts rely on other parts for their fit with the tolerances of each part affecting too many other parts.
If you want a truly nice to shoot 1911 my suggestion would be to start with a nice mid priced STI or similar and have a good 1911 guy do a trigger job on it. Then you can do the rest yourself such as de-horning and fitting it with releases and safeties that suit your desires. But start with a good core gun with good fits and a good reputation for accuracy. It'll be both cheaper by a lot as well as a lot less frustrating.
the frame/slide fit will be done by Armco.
once i have it at a point where im confident it's operational, i will then send it back to Armco for inspection/adjustment/making sure it's safe.
there will most definitely be a gunsmith involved in this process.
im not an idiot.
any reason its a 'good thing' they're not?
