azpoolguy
Well-Known Fanatic
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2018
- Messages
- 625
This is the story of my journey into the world of 1911s.
8 years ago I found myself spending many hours a day rocking my third daughter in her room to try and maintain some sanity in my house. She was a difficult baby and was always fussy. We had many trips to the DR., Chiropractor and Pediatrician to try and figure things out. The only thing that seemed to work to get her to sleep for more 30 minutes or not just scream her head off was rocking.
I had been spending 8-10 hours a week riding my bikes to prep for mountain bike racing and with the growth of our business and now the added difficulty of a 3rd child I went looking for something to do to take up the hours spent rocking and a new hobby that I could get into around the house and not be gone for half the day riding my bike on Saturdays.
One day the memory of shooting my Grandfathers Gold Cup popped into my head. I had shot it only one time when I was young and had a hard time keeping the grip safety depressed while reaching the trigger. So I began to read forums and look into 1911s. I had always been interested in them but never owned one. I first started reading 1911Forums and found my self in the Kimber sub forum as I had grown up in Oregon and always wanted one . I began to read about the many issues people were encountering with them. Some one had mentioned Springfield Armory and I went to that sub forum and fell in love. I read for about a year before beginning my search for a pistol. This was during one of the shortages of firearms and ammo and all I could find was some over priced TRP or Nation Match models that were out of my price range. I began to read about guys and gals buying older NM models for the tighter slide to frame fits as base guns and building them up and that started my trip down the rabbit hole to where I’m at now.
I spent two years starting at the begenning as far back as the gunsmithing forum had post to learn all I could from the internet. I would chose one subject like trigger fitting, hammers and sears or grip safety’s and spend weeks reading every post i could find on that one subject. I know. Great way to learn. Right?
I latter found this Springfield listed locally from a guy that had purchased it in ‘86 shot it one time and then put it in his safe. I paid $400.
I then bought a bunch of parts and tools and eventually ended up here doing all the work my self except the sight cuts which I enlisted help from Lou at Business End Customs.
Through this process I have spent many nights chatting on Addicts with Chuck from Rogers Precision and was able to go to his shop and have him recut my feed ramp and do a reliability tune on my build. I have built some great relationships with guys inside the industry. I would not be where I’m at with this build or the skills I have now had it not been for Lou and Chuck and their willingness to freely share their time and experience with me. I have made some great friends with guys like Bender, AJ, DG, and Shokdu through the forums as well all because one day I decided to build a pistol.
8 years ago I found myself spending many hours a day rocking my third daughter in her room to try and maintain some sanity in my house. She was a difficult baby and was always fussy. We had many trips to the DR., Chiropractor and Pediatrician to try and figure things out. The only thing that seemed to work to get her to sleep for more 30 minutes or not just scream her head off was rocking.
I had been spending 8-10 hours a week riding my bikes to prep for mountain bike racing and with the growth of our business and now the added difficulty of a 3rd child I went looking for something to do to take up the hours spent rocking and a new hobby that I could get into around the house and not be gone for half the day riding my bike on Saturdays.
One day the memory of shooting my Grandfathers Gold Cup popped into my head. I had shot it only one time when I was young and had a hard time keeping the grip safety depressed while reaching the trigger. So I began to read forums and look into 1911s. I had always been interested in them but never owned one. I first started reading 1911Forums and found my self in the Kimber sub forum as I had grown up in Oregon and always wanted one . I began to read about the many issues people were encountering with them. Some one had mentioned Springfield Armory and I went to that sub forum and fell in love. I read for about a year before beginning my search for a pistol. This was during one of the shortages of firearms and ammo and all I could find was some over priced TRP or Nation Match models that were out of my price range. I began to read about guys and gals buying older NM models for the tighter slide to frame fits as base guns and building them up and that started my trip down the rabbit hole to where I’m at now.
I spent two years starting at the begenning as far back as the gunsmithing forum had post to learn all I could from the internet. I would chose one subject like trigger fitting, hammers and sears or grip safety’s and spend weeks reading every post i could find on that one subject. I know. Great way to learn. Right?
I latter found this Springfield listed locally from a guy that had purchased it in ‘86 shot it one time and then put it in his safe. I paid $400.
I then bought a bunch of parts and tools and eventually ended up here doing all the work my self except the sight cuts which I enlisted help from Lou at Business End Customs.
Through this process I have spent many nights chatting on Addicts with Chuck from Rogers Precision and was able to go to his shop and have him recut my feed ramp and do a reliability tune on my build. I have built some great relationships with guys inside the industry. I would not be where I’m at with this build or the skills I have now had it not been for Lou and Chuck and their willingness to freely share their time and experience with me. I have made some great friends with guys like Bender, AJ, DG, and Shokdu through the forums as well all because one day I decided to build a pistol.
