gun building 101

[Paul-the new guy]

I built a couple of AR's and liked the fact that it was not a big outlay all at one time. This made it easy to sneak by the wife... Is it possible to do the same with a 2011 style gun? Can you buy the stuff one piece at a time and then have someone put it all together? How hard is it to put it all together? How easy is it to get in way over your head? I would love to have a limited 2011 style gun but there is no way I can come up with that cash all at one time...

[sperman]

I did that with the first 1911 I built. The down side is all of the extra shipping charges.

[JOHNNYGLOCK]

I did that with the first 1911 I built. The down side is all of the extra shipping charges.

and tools you will need but I think I am going to give it a try!

[pjb45]

I suspect there are at least two areas that might be challenging; slide to frame fitting and barrel fitting. I think almost every thing else can be done with a file. But what do I know, I take everything to Pat Miles to fix! Ping him, he posts on BE.

[Paul-the new guy]

The tools are just a bonus. That is why I take on home improvement projects... Wife wants wainscoting <sp> I get a new table saw. Wife wants crown moulding... compound miter saw! I think I will give it a go. Worst case, a lot of new pieces for sale in the classifieds.

[blind bat]

STI offers "short block kits" where they do all of the major hand fitting for you (barrel to slide, slide to frame, etc). I'm planning to gather the tools and hack on a couple of cheap Armscor 1911s. If those work out OK I'm going to buy a 2011 short block kit.

Edit: This trigger job article gets referenced a lot and mentions many of the tools required: http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/lid=12535/GunTechdetail/2___lb__Trigger_Pull

There are a some typos (for instance when talking about the sear they mention a field stone but list the part number of a arkansas stone) but it's a great read overall.

Wilson Combat has a set of DVDs where you watch a gunsmith customize an old Colt 1911. I don't remember the name of the series off the top of my head (Combat Customizing the 1911?) but it's pretty good. And retro, it was probably filmed in the 1980s... It's been a while since I've seen it but I recall there are some stellar mullets.

Edited April 6, 2011 by blind bat

[soaringf22]

i did just that with my open gun, aquired pieces over 6 months to build it myself then had surgery so sent it out to gunsmith in january since i couldt do the work while slung up and wanted it ready for the spring. it roughly is coming out to the cost of an open gun from one of the smiths but at least it was paid over months instead of at once

[want2race]

If you get the short block kit you are limited in frame and slide options. Almost cheaper to start with an Eagle, swap barrel with comp and optic. At least you will know it ran before you started. If you like a challange and want to learn what it takes, then that's different. That's how I started.

Barrel fitment on an open gun is more in depth than a limited gun. Just FYI. It can still be done with files....and a hacksaw. I just had to put that in there.

[Loves2Shoot]

IF you can't come up with it all at once, I would suggest that you put what you would spend on parts away when you can, then eventually you will have enough to buy a good used gun, or wait longer and get a new one. Do you really want a gunsmith to build you a gun from the random pile of parts you bring them? I don't know of any good smith who likes to do builds that way. I just won't.

I'm sure you could find many shops that would keep taking your money until you had enough to buy it if you don't have the "saving" ability.