Help me find a 1911 frame.

[Demitrios]

I started kicking around the idea of building my own 1911 about a year ago, since then I've done quite a bit of research and am confident in building one. My only problem is finding a frame for the thing. What I'm looking for is a frame with a full dust cover that has an integral tac rail on it. There are only two companies, that I know of, who make it, Guncrafter Industries and Springfield Armory. Neither of them will sell me just the frame and Fusion, Caspian, STI, SVI, Essex, Nighthawk, Ed Brown and Gemini will not build me one with a full length integral tac rail. If anyone can help point me in the right direction I'd be forever grateful. Thanks guys.

 

[rcmodel]

You need to get yourself a Brownell's catalog.
It is chock full of 1911 parts and gunsmith tools.

Essex railed frame:
http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=6051&title=1911 AUTO SELECT RECEIVER


You could also TIG weld or screw one of these rails on any 1911 frame.

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/st...le=BERETTA 92/96 & 1911 AUTO LIGHT RAIL MOUNT

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/st...x?p=27001&title=1911 AUTO TACTICAL LIGHT RAIL

rc

 

[Oro]

Perhaps I don't understand what you want exactly, but I know for a fact Caspian offers, ready to go, a fully-railed frame with a lug cut in the bottom of the frame for accessory mounting. It is called the "Recon" model and comes in Carbon and stainless. They machine some of the highest quality frames you could possibly purchase, and at competitive prices. These are regularly catalogued and ready to ship items and not something you have to special order.

They also offer a slightly less expensive one via their "Foster" line, too.

 

[Demitrios]

I see what you guys are saying but what I'm looking for a is a full dust cover AND full length tac rail. I'll show you what I mean.

http://www.gunshopfinder.com/springfield/PC9105L.jpg

http://www.guncrafterindustries.com/graphics/images/50gi_1_500_mod2_b.jpg

 

[mljdeckard]

+1 on the Brownell's 1911 catalog. It's free, and has all the parts and literature one would need.

I have had more than one person recommend an Essex frame, but I recently heard that Caspian offers hand-fitting for the slide and frame for about $150. (I would love to know how to do it myself, but I don't know if I'll ever have that kind of time.)

 

[Demitrios]

That's just it, I'm only seeing guide rails that go half the length of a full dust cover. What I'd like is something like the two pictures I posted above.

 

[wditto]

dammit, Demitrios, now I want another 1911 !!!!!!!!!

 

[Demitrios]

I'm sorry! I just. . . I just. . . I don't know what came over me!!

 

[Demitrios]

OK, in all seriousness though, can anyone help me with this?

 

[farscott]

Springfield Armory used to offer the Operator model with full-length dust covers and full-length rails; however, they have switched to half-length rails. You may need to buy a used Operator to get the frame you wanted.

 

[Demitrios]

Yeah I know, it's looking more and more like that'll have to be my option, the only problem is I really don't want to spend $1200 on the frame alone. Well you can defecate in one hand and wish in the other and see which one will get filled first.

 

[TurboFC3S]

Nobody makes a frame like that because it serves no purpose, except to look uber tacti-cool. And then once you have one you don't shoot it as much because they don't balance right with all that weight hanging out front.

... sorry I'm a grump, just think the full rail thing is silly since it's for looks only.

 

[Demitrios]

It's cool, I don't judge on opinions. However there are a couple of reasons I like the full tac rail. #1 it does look cool, I have to admit it as soon as I saw it I wanted it, #2 I own a Dan Wesson 15VH2 revolver and it's been my experience that I like heavier, particularly front heavy, it just reduces the recoil so much on the snap and makes shooting it such a pleasure #3 I'm building this into a 10mm and having the extra weight at the front end of the pistol should reduce that snap up, plus like I said earlier I like weightier (is that even a word?) guns. Also for range shooting I'd be able to mount a weight to the front end of the pistol if I pleased which is another consideration of mine. So yes it is primarily aesthetics but I don't buy for that reason alone, I do have deeper motives (issues) than that. But alas it looks like this is not to be, no gun smith will even touch my idea so I'm up the creek without a paddle and this project looks to have been scrapped before it even began. Se la vie.

. . . . . . . . unless of course some brave soul were to consider taking on this project for me **RAISES AN EYEBROW**

 

[TurboFC3S]

There are plenty of non-dorky ways to add weight to the end of a 1911

 

[Demitrios]

Oh come on, it's the dorkiness that makes things fun. Seriously, does anyone NEED a beavertail grip safety? No, there are multiple ways to avoid "hammer bite" but the beavertails look kind of cool. And slanted serrations, vertical ones do just fine, but when put at an angle they look pretty cool. Like my father always says, "Man's got to have his toys.".

 

[Rex B]

I've never seen frames like that SA, but I like 'em too.

 

[ACBMWM3]

Sti! Sti!

 

[weisse52]

I use to think the full length dust cover / tac rail was dorky. I tried one of the SA MC Operator with the half dust cover / tac rail. It was not a bad combination, but it was way too, way just way too for my Colt 1911A1 soul.

Now, I do not want to own one, do not see the need for "ME" own one.
But I have come to think that in their own way they look very nice and if it something you want, then find a way to scratch that itch.

 

[Demitrios]

Thank you for those words Weisse. I have an idea, come Monday I'm going to call Bar-Sto and see what they have available in terms of frames which I'm pretty sure is limited at best. However I'll propose to buy a Fusion Combat frame (a 1911 frame with a full dust cover) and see if they're willing to build a tac-rail on it similar to what Springfield and GI Customs do. Get this though GI Customs wouldn't tell me (and I cannot blame them in the least) who supplies them with their full length dust cover/tac rail frames are. While that may sound like a complaint it actually gives me hope that I can find someone to do the job I'm requesting.

 

[ROBBY.1911]

try fusion firearms. bob serva is always game for a project, and he's a super-nice guy.

 

[ROBBY.1911]

fusion firearms sells a frame with a full length dust cover. tap it and add the picatinny rail. that's how all this got started. it will look cool, i promise.

 

[Demitrios]

Actually I just spoke to a gentleman at Bar-Sto and he's going to get back to me tommorow with some prices. I asked for a the rail but also asked him to bobtail it like the Dan Wesson's, to make sure the trigger guard is rounded and to "dehorn" it. I figured if I asked for a magwell that'd be pushing the price limit but he's looking into multiple options for me to see what he can do. I CAN'T WAIT, I CAN'T WAIT, I CAN'T WAIT! If I had a tail. . . it'd be wagging.

 

[DRADELLJR]

I wanted a double stack with a full length rail so I had to have it custom made. It wasn't cheap!! But I got exactly what I wanted.

 

[Demitrios]

Looking good DradellJR. I actually never heard back from BarSto who said they'd look into making me the frame I wanted. So I opted to get a Dan Wesson RZ-10 ad haven't looked back. One day down the road I may take up my desired project but for now I'm feeling saucy enough with my DW.

 

[CaptainM1911A1]

Oh, goodness! DRADELLJR, I asked SA for that exact option *YEARS* ago.

Any possibility you'd share the name of your gunsmith and a general idea of the cost?

Thanks in advance!