Custom 1911

SteveS · Mar 25, 2011

What is the best 1911 to buy if I want to trick one out. I have the inside track at Springfield. I can get one at 22% below dealer cost. So, would I go with a TRP, Trophy Match, or just a base GI? When I say trick one out I am talking a limited gun.

Spiff · Mar 25, 2011

You mean single stack gun, right?

redneck1861 · Mar 25, 2011

SteveS said:
What is the best 1911 to buy if I want to trick one out. I have the inside track at Springfield. I can get one at 22% below dealer cost. So, would I go with a TRP, Trophy Match, or just a base GI? When I say trick one out I am talking a limited gun.

Out of what you mentioned I would go with the TRP, but that is just a persoal preference

Jefpainthorse · Mar 25, 2011

Mike C did a little survey of what the market offers as the bones for a build up gun. Dang it to old age... I think it's over at the other forum.

Cast vs forged.. frames... forged usually wins. Barstock or forged slides trump cast. One of the other things Mike noted is the holes need to be located and drilled to tight tolerances. Holes that are correct generally make fitting everything else easier.

As far as what comes on a stock gun.... my first question is "What stays and what goes?". If you like Novak sights, it may make sense to buy a base gun thats already dovetailed for them. If you want some cool slide cuts or a custom finish added... stay with a plain jane gun... simple things so you don't do the same work twice.

Caspian and some of the other shops sell frames and slides in the white... maybe the way to go if your looking for a true custom gun

drmitchgibson · Mar 25, 2011

An actual 1911 smith can turn any gun into a dream. Your base gun should have good quality steel. And that's about it. You'll end up with few original parts left, probably the extractor, slide, and frame. I'd start with a low-end GI, like the Springfield, or, at the higher end, the cheapest Colt I could get. The gun will almost certainly be refinished anyway, since the new grip safety will have to be blended in, and the trigger guard will be undercut, plus all the hand filing, etc.

redneck1861 · Mar 25, 2011

I will say that cyrwus and Traxxis does amazing jobs refinishing 1911's

technetium-99m · Mar 26, 2011

Quality base parts are cheaper than a base gun.

Buy a frame and slide, go from there.

redneck1861 · Mar 26, 2011

Or you can have crywus build you one with the STI frame and slide he has, but that is more as a competition gun, and a 2011.

mike cyrwus · Mar 26, 2011

Dr Mitch said:
An actual 1911 smith can turn any gun into a dream. Your base gun should have good quality steel. And that's about it. You'll end up with few original parts left, probably the extractor, slide, and frame. I'd start with a low-end GI, like the Springfield, or, at the higher end, the cheapest Colt I could get. The gun will almost certainly be refinished anyway, since the new grip safety will have to be blended in, and the trigger guard will be undercut, plus all the hand filing, etc.

kinda true, if money is no object; but a good smith will refuse to work on crap. Its almost always better to build up from scratch.

Wall · Mar 26, 2011

mike cyrwus said:
kinda true, if money is no object; but a good smith will refuse to work on crap. Its almost always better to build up from scratch.

You've never refused to work on my crap

.

redneck1861 · Mar 26, 2011

Wall said:
You've never refused to work on my crap .

Thats cause he said a good smith wont work on crap. lol JK

Wall · Mar 26, 2011

How about a Great one?

scooterj · Jul 20, 2011

Freedom Gunworks did a little cosmetic surgery on my STI Spartan
Plate-Tacular did the Ceracoat finish on the frame

mike cyrwus · Jul 20, 2011

nice undercut and checkering, looks like, too.

scooterj · Jul 24, 2011

mike cyrwus said:
nice undercut and checkering, looks like, too.

You are correct. The slide has been Tri-topped and the cocking serrations have been deepened and rounded. When shooting 200gr bullets, it feels more like a 40S&W than a 45acp. The timing is much quicker and by it being lightened, target to target splits are less too.

Chambers · Jul 24, 2011

I dig tri tops. That's the only legal way to lighten the slide on a SS div. gun, right?

mike cyrwus · Jul 24, 2011

youre not supposed to "lighten" a ss gun for ss division. Its a little fuzzy in terms of interpretation.

scooterj · Jul 24, 2011

USPSA is giving smiths some "artistic freedom" with cosmetic alterations to personalize their stuff. USPSA was consulted before any of this was done.

The Antichrome · Jul 24, 2011

Chambers said:
I dig tri tops. That's the only legal way to lighten the slide on a SS div. gun, right?

mike cyrwus said:
youre not supposed to "lighten" a ss gun for ss division. Its a little fuzzy in terms of interpretation.

Think really really deep, wide, uh, serrations;-)

technetium-99m · Jul 24, 2011

I made very deep chunky cocking serrations on my SS, as well as hi power cuts, both are legal, look good, and take some of the weight out of the slide.

I still had to go after the frame under the grip panels to make weight though.