1911 build, bad idea?

[JeffD]

So here is my messed up idea. I get a frame and slide with dovetails for sights already. I have to use files and such to hand fit everything to the frame. Get some nice upgraded parts(trigger, ambi safe, beaver tail, magwell, etc) and put it all together. It seems that simple in my head. Maybe I'm over-simplifying this? Even to do what I think is going to be tough and involve lots of work. Plus when I look at frames and slides, they all cost more than the S&W 1911 I have in my safe. FJ450, you have access to a mill and lathe, which I know how to use, I just don't have one in my garage to play with. I can see how this would help the build and make some of the parts cheaper. I think I really want to do this I'm just over-analyzing everything. I should just start buying parts and jump in head first

[Seismic Sam]

I dunno - considering the accumulated wisdom of some of the machinists on this board, just saying you're going to go buy parts and jump in head first sounds like an eminently unsound idea. If you said this about reloading, you'd be getting hand roasted over a charcoal fire even as we speak!! Seeing as FJ540 is on drugs anyway, you could probably just go over and he'd be happy to teach you all sorts of stuff and how to do it right the first time.

And the second question, which has been lightly touched on already, is how much you will really get out of a handbuilt gun later?? I would think most people would run away from the first build from Joe Blow from Kokomo, no matter what the price, so you really have to confront the fact that there's no way you'll ever get out more than a fraction of what you put into the gun in parts. That may not be important right now, but if you're retiring and moving someplace warmer and getting rid of 30 years of stuff, those handbuilt 1911's are likely lost money to you at the end of the day.

[FJ540]

I had a neck operation yesterday, so I was medicated from that. Today I'm just a little sore.

I hand fit both my carry gun and the gamer gun, even though I could've done them on my surface grinder - it was something I wanted to do for my own gratification. Aside from some of the slide cuts, you can get the frame and slide built with hand tools and a vise mounted to a sturdy bench, but keep in mind I've been using files for going on 30 years now. I started young.

The bushing to frame fit really needs a lathe or you risk making it wonky or worse yet, too loose. The bushing to barrel fit is tighter yet, and needs a reamer I don't have - so I bought my barrels matched with a bushing. I had great results with my nowlin barrels, but many of the top tier custom builders don't trust them from some QC issues they had years back (best I can tell it was in the 90's and not wide spread). Nowlin had some barrels split down the side of the bore letting the steam out (so to speak), but didn't damage any guns or hurt shooters from the failures. Kart seems to be the one they'll all agree on now.

Barrel to slide and frame fitting will make or break your gun. This includes the bushing to barrel and bushing to slide fit as that has a large impact on how consistently the parts orient when it locks up.

[67camaro]

To be honest I really think you are over simplifying this process. From you posts it seems you haven't done much research on what it takes to do this from the ground up. Don't take my comment personally as I am not saying you can't do it, I just think it would be better if you did a little more research on what is all involved. As FJ540 said you really should have access to a lathe and a mill(and know how to use them) to do this task from the ground up. As others have mentioned and I agree your best bet would be to get a kit from Fusion Firearms as they do all the hard stuff. From there they have all the other parts that you can custom fit yourself using basic hand tools, files, ect.

[JeffD]

Your right I am over simplifying as I said before. There are many ways to do a build and may ways to start the project. I think I your right, a Fusion build will be my first. looking at the options of other starting guns(RA, Springer, etc) the Fusion seems to be a higher quality. They do all the heavy stuff and I can do some fitting and basically assemble the gun. The first time I looked at the Fusion I didn't realize they came with all that they did. The price does not seem too bad for what you get. Plus no machining needed.

[67camaro]

Yep, like I said all the hard things like slide to frame fitting, barrel fitting, ect. are done for you. If you are looking for a a little bigger/cooler project IMO take a look at these. Not sure on expected wait time, but very similar to Fusions deal except its a 2011 vs. 1911.

http://www.shootersconnectionstore.com/ ... -C436.aspx

[JeffD]

Yeah looked at the STI, like FJ540 built. I am leaning toward the Fusion. Of course, then it comes down what options So many ways to order them. I might need to thin my current herd to finance this project sooner!