Anyone with 1911 build experience??

[LouisianaAKman]

I just ordered a 1911 frame and was looking for some advise/ do's and don'ts for building this gun. I am not building a match gun or carry gun, just a mil spec 1911 for punching paper. I am thinking about the Sarco builder's kit.

 

[kz45]

do's and dont's= do get some one to do it for you so you DON'T fudge it up

I don't know anything about it! but good luck!!

 

[dmh]

Many of the parts can be fit if you study up on how, but the frame and slide fit is the toughest to do. For a novice I recommend a fitted frame and slide, and the trigger group and safeties can be fit with little effort if you're mechanically inclined. Much info on this was available at Brazo's Custom. www. brazos.com. Study hard, go slow and you should be OK. Trial and error teaches a lot, and it's easy to remove metal but hell to put it back...

 

[Ske1etor]

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=199119

and

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=193148

The sixty bucks you will spend to get these two books will probably save you some bucks later on and certainly some headaches. If you want to know 1911's... know these books.

 

[dbolemiss]

Have fun,great gun but alot of parts in it.

 

[LouisianaAKman]

I have a pretty good mechanical background(I've built 6 AK's 5 rifles and one pistol) so, I am pretty handy with files, grinders, emory cloth, etc..etc.. I decided I wanted a long term project to challenge me a bit more than AK's. This is going to be a slow project, and who knows how custom it may get before I finish. I love building guns, and love the feel of a 1911. Unfortunately, I have already bought a 100% frame, so the fitted slide and frame are not going to happen (maybe I got too eager to get my hands dirty), but I have a good friend with an FFL, so the frame only cost me $80. I am leaning towards a GI used slide, preferably Colt, but have looked at remington, ithaca, and a couple of more military contract 1911 slides. Do I need to be concerned about wear/fit with a used frame?

 

[rockmup]

no you don't really. You can tighten a loose slide.
I've built 3 for myself, my first two were from 40% castings and I still have one more of those to build. I used to have a thread in the Gunsmithing section on a 1911 build. I'm fitting the slide to the frame (an IMI nm slide/barrel and bushing) but its been on the back burner for some time.
Brownells has some great "How to's" just click the link tab up top. Great reading

 

[LouisianaAKman]

no you don't really. You can tighten a loose slide.
I've built 3 for myself, my first two were from 40% castings and I still have one more of those to build. I used to have a thread in the Gunsmithing section on a 1911 build. I'm fitting the slide to the frame (an IMI nm slide/barrel and bushing) but its been on the back burner for some time.
Brownells has some great "How to's" just click the link tab up top. Great reading

I read through all of the brownells articles this morning, I can't wait to get started.