Anyone ever build a home-brew 1911?

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dalepres

I've done it; don't know if I would say that it was as good as a factory model, but I had fun doing it. It was one of those winter projects that I like to do when there's a lot of snow on the ground and no compelling reason to go anywhere. I started with an Essex frame, bought a surplus parts kit for the internals, bought Colt parts when the surplus parts ended up being more trouble than they were worth, and finished it off with a complete Colt upper slide assembly. It probably cost as much as a factory model would have (the frame was by far the least expensive part), and definitely would have gone over budget if I had to pay for my own labor costs. But still I enjoyed the time spent working on it, and I learned a lot about what makes a M1911 work the way it does.
 
bannockburn,

I looked at the Essex frames. Their web site is really poor. They have no pictures, no real descriptions, no details. Where did you get the Essex frame from?
 
Springfield used to sell "kits" back in the 80's. $250 a pop. I built three of those and all were great shooters. They were still making them to pretty much GI/Colt specs back then and they worked without trouble. They felt like a Colt in your hand, not like the new ones. I sold two, and gave the other one to my son. I just got it back from him over the weekend, as the extractor broke on him last week. I guess he'll just have to make due with an old Colt Commander for awhile. :)

I'm not big on Springfields these days, but I may have to hold on to this one if he doesnt want it back.

I also built one out of an Essex frame, old Colt slide and "surplus" parts. Thats where I learned that "surplus" doesnt just mean "extras". It also means, "refused due to not meeting spec", or many other reasons. It took awhile to get that one together and working. Ended up being a decent gun though, and my other son got that one.
 
Fusion and Caspian are worth looking at for frames and slides. Also Les Baer's components are top quality.
 
Well, mine wasn't really home-brew, at least not by the standard of buying parts from a lot of sources. Back in the '70's, I bought a Colt new, got a Bar-Sto barrel & bushing, put Pachmayr grips and a 1911 mainspring housing on myself, then sent it off to Wilson for Bo-Mar sights, a long trigger & trigger job, relieving the ejection port & magazine well. As I recall, I had $500-something total invested in the gun, which was (and is) a tack-driver.
 
I've done it and I'm doing it now. Building nice 1911's is one of my hobbies and it's gotten to a point that I'm not afraid to do any part of the project, including some finishes. I've been at it for over 30 years.

Over the years I've done most things wrong at least once and have had to buy replacement parts of most all of them just to get back on track.

For a newcomer I'd recommend Fusion kits. You get everything needed, but more importantly you get their help and guidance throughout.

I'd also recommend Jerry Kunhuasen's set on the pistol, both volumes. Understand them before you start to work.

Another thing....buy a Glock 19. Best pistol in the world today. If your .45 turns out bad the Glock can solve all of your problems.............ultimately.
 
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I put my Para P14 up for sale today. I like it, but I wanted to go for a traditional single stack. Thinking either building my own (frame already picked out) or buying a enhanced Colt XSE.
 
The Essex site is pretty lame. Brownells carries some of their products and has some photos and info on their site: http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/catsearch.aspx?k=essex&ps=10&si=True
I have a pistol that was built (not by me) on an older Essex frame and slide. It's not much to look at, but it has been durable, reliable and accurate:
2vct7cl.jpg

If you want to try your hand your hand at it for less cost, Sarco has a Rock Island frame and slide combo listed for less than $170 (right at $200 with a barrel):
http://www.sarcoinc.com/rockislands-new.html

Also - Foster Industries, http://www.fosterind.com/, sells Caspian seconds (cosmetic blemishes)

Regards,
Greg
 
I did it once. The only thing I had a 'smith do is stake on the plunger tube and front sight. I bought all parts over the internet, including the frame (from an FFL) and all other parts from e-bay (back in the day). I needed to fit a couple of parts by hand, but it worked (not perfectly) when I got it all together.

I would not do it again with a 1911 clone, but perhaps with something else.
 
the thought struck me that maybe I could build a better 1911 than I could afford to buy.
Click to expand...
With the price of high quality parts & tools being what they are anymore, it's doubtful.

rcmodel
 
I did it. It's not easy and not always fun, but certainly satisfying. A more complete account of my misadventures may be found here.
 
Did it and would do it again. Learned a lot the first go-round that I would apply to the second. (Like don't try to do my own checkering on the front strap without a jig). My Colt/Essex has about 31,000 rounds through it. No complaints about the Essex frame. Here it is pictured with a Mk IV Series 70 with a .22 Conversion unit installed.

DSCN0317.jpg
 
Candiru, thanks for a great set of articles. While I will use Jerry Kuhnhausen's books as my guide when I build :), I still really appreciate the interesting story and the introduction into what lies ahead.
 
it was fun but

I was fun and very interesting but with mistakes and changes along the way it cost me 2x what a mid priced 1911 would cost but it was done right and with top quality parts/ one tip be really shure it is done before you coat it or plate it I did alot of things twice and ended up with lot of spare parts that i did not want to use for one reason or another//jim;)
 
I have one on an Essex (not built by me, need to go out and test-fire), and I'm actually planning to make myself some from either PCR's or the raw-metal level--I have an acquaintance whose idea of an "adult toy" is a CNC milling-machine who's also a homebuild 'smith, and we've been tweaking the design a little.
 
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