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Hello all! This is my first post, so please bear with me if this is posted in the wrong place (moderators please move this topic if this is the case). Also I have not yet mastered the search function, so I apologize in advance if this has been covered in the past. I have a tendency to ramble, but I'll try and stay on topic... A little about me: I started building 1911/2011's about 4 years ago (the first few were built from 80% receivers, yuck!) and at this point I have built two dozen or so. At this point, I would like to think I am reasonably competent when it comes to building them; slide to frame fits are good, barrels are tight with good lockup, I can assess and fix most problems with relative ease etc. I have extremely limited access to a lathe/mill, so everything has to be done by hand for better or worse. I'm at a bit of a crossroads, metaphorically speaking, and I'm trying to make decisions about what to do with my life, and I am considering trying to make a go of it with this whole custom pistol thing. As much as I would like stick solely with 1911's, it doesn't strike me as the most viable business plan, at least not to start with. I have a fair bit of experience with other pistols, glocks and CZs mostly, but I've built an AR-15 or two as well, and I thought maybe there would be a niche for custom or semi-custom (or even just upgraded factory) pistols, both with the competition crowd but the tactical crowd as well. I see a lot of high-end glocks (salient, zev, taran tactical etc) and 1911/2011s (atlas, akai, cheely etc) but I don't see that much for sale in the middle ground between factory guns and 3-5k+ high end stuff, and I'm wondering if there would be interest in pistols/rifles that fall somewhere in the middle, i.e. flashier than factory, but still relatively affordable. In a nutshell, what I am asking is... what are your thoughts on the viability of starting a small business building custom/semi-custom pistols and rifles (from the ground up, as well as upgrading/customizing factory weapons), aiming for somewhere between factory guns and big dollar customs, for both the competition and tactical crowds and then selling them either through local dealers or my own storefront. To be clear, i'm not interested in opening a gun shop so much as I am in BUILDING things, be it 1911s, glocks, ar15s you name it. I have always been quite technically/mechanically minded, and not to be a braggart but i feel i am not half bad at this sort of thing. I am hoping that any custom builders or shop owners might chime in and give me some advice on how they got started in the industry. How did you get things rolling, how did you build a name for yourself, how did you promote your brand... I would just like to get some feedback from the community here on whether such a venture would be worth pursuing. Any and all input would be welcome. Postscript: I do know how to use a manual mill and lathe, and I know how to weld (TIG and MIG), and have done some some CNC programming as well, so I'm not a complete amateur when it comes to these things, but my experience is limited.
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Hi everyone I just finished a 1911 build minus a front sight that is in the mail from an 80% RIA frame a colt slide that someone had mildly changed from GI and an RIA barrel with a Sarco GI parts kit. This was the education first build for me and man was it ever an education. I had been told to start with a cheap kit to learn on. Lets just say there wasn't a whole lot that was square or as flat as I would of liked to to been. The mill took care of some but others I just had to live with. I in the end is fired 65 test rounds flawlessly once I ditched the Sarco mag for a Wilson and the gun is very tight. Question is what slide frame combos have you used that you liked and met up well with minor less than full overhaul but still get good tight fit.
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This is going to be a multi video process. Stay tuned for further videos. They can also be viewed on my Youtube Channel. More videos to follow shortly 3. Removing The trigger bar and trigger assembly - (SEE ABOVE FOR POLISHING) 4. Removal of stock staked trigger pin 5. Installation of CGW reduced power trigger return spring and CGW floating trigger pin 6. Reassembly 7. Testing
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I like doing weird things to my guns and making them unique. I want to put a new finish on my s&w 929 hammer and I think hot blueing is the way to go, but I've read on other forums that cold blue can eat holes in mim parts and now I'm thinking that a hot blue could do the same. I know the finish wont be as dark as it would be on carbon steel, but is it at least a viable option? Thank you
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So I couldn't find ANY info on the internet on this topic, so I'm beginning a new thread. I own a CZ 75 Tactical Sport and do all my own gunsmithing. I've done a lot of work to my gun, all of it myself. I'll attach a list at the bottom of this page. As many of you probably know, through CZ USA and CZ Custom (http://czcustom.com/CZ75SAOTrigger.aspx), you can buy a flat-blade trigger for the Tactical Sport. Pretty cool, right? Well, for dudes like me with monster hands (and/or long fingers) that trigger sits so far back in the trigger guard that my trigger finger looks like a pirate hook to get the pad of my finger tip on the trigger for the perfect "press". It had a great feel, but I can't manipulate the trigger fast enough with my finger shaped like a booger-hook, so I went searching elsewhere for custom triggers for the TS, and the ONLY place to get them (someone correct me if I'm wrong but I scoured the interwebs looking) is on the CZ UB website. For those that don't know, the CZ corporation can be broken down into three divisions that sell stuff (in regards to competition pistols): CZ UB - (Uhersky Brod) - The CZ mothership in the Czech Republic, where all the cool but hard-to-find stuff comes from. (Like the Tactical Sport Orange) CZ USA - (Kansas, USA) - The CZ distributor for the US. They import from the CZ mothership, and sell much of what CZ UB sells, but not ALL of it (or it's hard to get). CZ Custom - (Arizona, USA) - The "Custom Shop" for CZ. They do business as "Ghost Products". This shop is run by Angus Hobdell, a Grand Master and team CZ shooter and know-it-all (in a very good way). They sell much of what CZ USA/UB sells, plus many products in-house that you can ONLY get there. I've navigated this maze for many months now as I built up my Tactical Sport. So with this topic of "what comes from where" covered, the rest of this will make more sense. CZ UB's online shop sells some really cool stuff, that is ONLY available through their online shop. This includes the custom triggers I'm going to discuss. So they make several different trigger "shoes" (just the trigger itself, that doesn't affect pull weight, etc.) that are apparently designed for different hand sizes and purposes. This is RAD. STI/SVI 2011's are about the only other pistols I know of that you can find triggers designed for different ergonomics. The problem is, you have to order them through the international CZ UB site, and shipping is expensive, and more importantly (for me) was how long it would take to get to me, would the trigger get through customs, etc. Well, I jumped through the hoops and bought one, and holy crap is it worth it. So with that said, here is a link to the shop where these can be found: http://www.shop-cz.com/sporting-parts-ipsc/c-1204/ Here's what they offer, all in a variety of colors: ^This is CZ UB's Straight Trigger. Slightly Different than the one CZ Custom sells. ^This is CZ UB's "Target" Trigger. Has slightly more curve than the factory Tactical Sport trigger. ^This is CZ UB's Aluminum Trigger that is identical in shape to the stock TS trigger, just aluminum rather than polymer. ^This is the "small hands" trigger. It moves the curve of the trigger very far back in the trigger guard, so it's easily reachable for small hands. ^This is the "large hands/long finger" trigger. It has a shape like the target trigger, but moved forward to INCREASE the reach to the trigger, so that the aformentioned "booger hook" isn't an issue, and someone with longer fingers can comfortably use the pad of the finger to manipulate the trigger... like you SHOULD be doing. At the current exchange rate, these come out to about $25! Totally a deal in my book, despite paying for added shipping costs. So I went through the purchase process to get the long finger trigger, and wanted to share my experience so if anyone else out there has considered the same thing but wasn't sure about it, they could at least use my experience to know if it's worth it. So here's what I did: I went to the site, and created an account (which you must do first). I then added the trigger to the cart, and began checking out like you would at any other online shop. I used Google to check what the total was going to come out to before I placed my order. I selected "Worldwide Express" shipping, that was about $50. Considering this is the ONLY place to get these, I was willing to pay this for the trigger. The checkout process asks for everything but payment info when you "confirm" your order. In total, it came in at about $80 shipped. I immediately got an email asking for payment info through a secure online payment site. I entered all the info and hit "confirm". Several hours later (I assumed when they opened up shop on the other side of the world) I got an email confirming everything, and offering a cheaper shipping option. I replied that I did want the express shipping (assuming it would still take weeks). I got a final confirmation email, including a DHL confirmation number. This was on Wednesday, October 7th. To my astonishment, the expensive shipping I paid for was VERY fast. The trigger was at my door on Monday, October 12th. It installed into the gun perfectly. Holy crap was it worth it. It acheived exactly what I was after. In my personal opinion, it was absolutely worth the $50 shipping cost on top of the relatively cheap $25 cost of the trigger. The ONLY thing I would have done different would be to throw a few more things in the shopping cart to get the most of my $50 shipping cost. There you have it. Whether you were aware of their custom triggers or not, or knew of them but weren't sure about ordering from an international online shop, it was painless and the result was great, especially if you consider biting the bullet for $50 shipping worth it to ensure your expensive pistol has the perfect trigger for you in it. Considering my CZ 75 Tactical Sport is worth well over $2,000 at this point, it did not seem too crazy to me to spend $80 on a trigger that "fits" me perfectly... especially since there is only one place to get it. I'll get some pics posted of the finished gun soon, but for now, here's a phone pic of the trigger after I got it out of the packaging.
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Hi all, I have an interesting question (I think...) I normally shoot GLOCK, but I have a romantic attraction to the 1911 that I'm sure many of us have felt at some point. Recently I acquired a Springfield Armory TRP Operator with a Bull Barrel and full-length guide rod. My problem is that although I am a GLOCK Certified Armorer (that's not saying much) I have never known anything but the striker-fired, plastic anti-1911. I plan on getting another 1911 (not yet determined) to shoot USPSA Single Stack with, and I will also be using the Operator in L-10 occasionally at a local match. But like I said, Ive never dealt with a gun that had a hammer before. I'm not completely in the dark but need to learn about the 1911 platform in general. I'd like to have a healthy education from years of experience but I'd also like to get as much of a head start by reading first. Can anyone recommend a good book(s), DVD(s), or YouTube video(s)? I have looked around myself and found some of the "1911 Build" videos to be a little useful but not too much. Thanks guys.
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Hello all, I am new to this forum and am looking for some help with removing a stuck case out of the chamber of my SA XDm .40 S&W 4.5''. The end of the brass case blew back and separated from the rest of the brass which is still stuck in my chamber. No other harm was done to the gun or me. But about 2/3 of the brass case is stuck in my barrel. I have tried cerrosafe multiple times with no luck. Any input would be appreciated. Bluedog14
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...so I asked myself the question "What is the cheapest 2011 I can build?". I generally buy top end parts for all my competition 2011's and the cost is generally around $1400 - $1600 in parts. After reading about kguns11' frames (Freedom Gunworks), I decided to order one for a open build. Long story short, I ordered two and therefore I will have one ready for an additional build. So back to the original question... What is the cheapest way one could build a 2011? Can a reliable 2011 be built for less than $900 in readily availabe parts? -TriggerMeister P.S. This post has nothing to do with buying an 2011 vs. building one. Currently, this is a brainstorm session on building a low cost 2011 and what parts to use. P.P.S This post presumes that you have knowledge of how to build a reliable 1911. If you have never built a 1911 your best option may be to buy one, research building a 1911 and/or consulting a gunsmith. Parts Price List: (UPDATED IN POST BELOW)
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One day while trying to take as much weight off my original TS Slide, my local machinist (who does amazing work) accidentally milled through the place where the recoil rod and spring mount into the front of the slide. Really, its something I didn't think to advise him of and he, doing mostly 1911s and 2011s didn't think to look into it. He fixed it by cutting a SS cross section, milling an exact replica of the countersink face then TIG welding it in place and also lathe-ing a longer recoil rod that it now takes to use. The slide works, its just not pretty. Anyway by the grace of god I was able to get another slide and my gun is all done: http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=187929 Now Im itching... Im not sure if I should pump a little money into it and send it some place to get milled/ cleaned up and then paint it myself or, sell it off to fund other projects. Not sure if its just safer to have on hand due to the absolute impossibility to get a spare slide on demand. Take a look:
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Hello all, Long time lurker here. I've benefited greatly from all the advice I've observed over time. I just picked up a second M&P Pro 5" in trade, as well as a KKM barrel. This is my second Pro, my first being my favorite pistol to shoot despite some subpar accuracy and a dislike for 115 gr bullets. I attempted to install the KKM in the new Pro, and found while cycling the action that it feels like it "hangs" just a split second when drawing the slide back. Further, if I ride the slide into battery at all, the slide stops a fraction of a inch from all the way forward. I can push it the rest of the way with my thumb, and it the barrel appears to have locked up, that is the barrel doesn't visibly move at all in that last fraction. I can still dry fire the gun, but I'm now worried that it would be unsafe to fire. The KKM barrel fits without issue into the old Pro, but the trigger on the new one is, out of the box, nicer than the old, which has a quite a few rounds through it. I'd like to keep the KKM barrel in the new, but am I running any kind of risk? Thanks all!
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Greeting to the group, I need to have a couple of pistol receivers Anodized. Wondering if there is anyone that has the ability to do the process. I can do the bead blasting and have them "basically" clean. Will ship one of the Parkerized barrels to have on hand to for compariion..Not looking for a perfect match,,just a more durable coating then what I suspect that an epoxy coating would do..Can be contacted at < aircavvietnam@yahoo.com >
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I have a loaded SA 1911 with stock rear adjustable target rear sight and a front solid black sight. I want to replace the front sight with a high visibility front sight. I chose tritium since it looks to be a better choice for indoor range shooting. The front sight measures .130 tall by .125 wide. Where can I get a suitable replacement in Tritium? Thanks
