Best 1911 Steel Open Base Gun? Springfield, Colt, Ruger, RIA?

[ezra650]

What are some preferred model 1911s for building an open gun off of for steel challenge? My personal requirements are 9mm ramped barrel, and series 70 design. I'd prefer stainless, but could live with a blued gun. I'd say the springfield RO/loaded is the top pick for me right now. I've got a stainless loaded and love it. I'd probably use it or leave it as is and pick something else up for single stack.

 

What about the RIA Ultra FS 9mm? Has anyone ever built an open gun from those?

 

I'm also curious about the ruger 1911s, from what I've heard people saying they are GTG. Opinions on using an aluminum frame for minor open? Ruger makes a commander length lightweight one that I imagine would be quite fast for steel.

 

Another option I've thought about is the colt competition guns, although I'm not sure the barrel is ramped on it. 

 

The main concern with the above mentioned models is also slide durability and quality of steel.... so thoughts?

 

 

[zzt]

I would have no hesitation in turning a Loaded into an open gun for steel.  Have the barrel threaded and put on a cone comp, or a conversion cone with a separate comp.  Add a dovetail adapter and red dot and you are good to go.  You do not need a ramped barrel for minor.  You don't need a ramped barrel for +P, so you definitely don't need it for 125-130PF for steel.  Steel on the Loaded is really good quality for both frame and slide.  The only time you have to worry about the slide is you go nutso with the slide lightening.

[ezra650]

On 3/15/2019 at 2:14 PM, zzt said:

I would have no hesitation in turning a Loaded into an open gun for steel.  Have the barrel threaded and put on a cone comp, or a conversion cone with a separate comp.  Add a dovetail adapter and red dot and you are good to go.  You do not need a ramped barrel for minor.  You don't need a ramped barrel for +P, so you definitely don't need it for 125-130PF for steel.  Steel on the Loaded is really good quality for both frame and slide.  The only time you have to worry about the slide is you go nutso with the slide lightening.

Yeah we had talked about it in the other post I started. I've actually already bought the EGW slide mount for a vortex venom, will be getting the optic soon. I would like to have a comp fitted at some point, just not in the shooting budget ATM. Also may go frame mounted optic with a CMORE slideride. I just love the CMORE dot clarity, if the vortex wins me over I'll stick with it slide mounted. Mainly just curious if there is anything besides springfields that people are using to build 1911 open guns. Of course I'm sure there aren't many 1911 open guns being built today as there was years ago. 

 

If I pickup another gun to turn into an open rig it will probably be a colt competition, springfield RO/loaded, or a possibly a ruger 1911. I like the idea of a ramped barrel, but if people are running 9mm reliably through unramped ones....

[zzt]

If you are going to start a new Open gun later, why not build from scratch.  I'm just finishing a 1911 Open gun for steel.  JEM frame, Caspian slide (JEM was out of stock at the time), custom Trubore barrel, EGW internals, frame mount and DPP 2.5 red dot.

 

There is no downside to a ramped barrel.  If building new, that's what you should buy, even if you will only ever shoot minor out of it.

[ezra650]

On 3/17/2019 at 8:59 AM, zzt said:

If you are going to start a new Open gun later, why not build from scratch.  I'm just finishing a 1911 Open gun for steel.  JEM frame, Caspian slide (JEM was out of stock at the time), custom Trubore barrel, EGW internals, frame mount and DPP 2.5 red dot.

 

There is no downside to a ramped barrel.  If building new, that's what you should buy, even if you will only ever shoot minor out of it.

 

I'm keeping one 1911 as is for iron sighted shooting in limited/single stack. I'll either build the springfield I have now into an open gun or get another gun just for that. In the meantime I'm going to run just a slide mounted optic and see how it is.

 

Your build sounds badass! Whose frame mount did you use?

[zzt]

I used a Cheely Custom fame mount for a DPP.  Here is a picture of the 2011.  I still have some cosmetic blending and stoning to do, but otherwise it's done.  The 1911 Open gun is not quite as far along.  I have more cosmetic work to do.  It looks exactly the same except it is a single stack with VZ grips.

 

 

Edited March 18, 2019 by zzt

[ezra650]

On 3/18/2019 at 6:25 PM, zzt said:

I used a Cheely Custom fame mount for a DPP.  Here is a picture of the 2011.  I still have some cosmetic blending and stoning to do, but otherwise it's done.  The 1911 Open gun is not quite as far along.  I have more cosmetic work to do.  It looks exactly the same except it is a single stack with VZ grips.

 

 

 

Well... I'm going double stack. Traded my edge for a 9major gun this weekend. Tripp frame STI slide with KKM bushing barrel and EGW 7 port cone comp. It's a little big for a steel gun 5", but it should get me started. Thinking I'll just duracoat it flat black. The frame/slide is in the white still.

[rojo1911]

I am having a Sig Max Michel 9MM 1911 steel gun built. Getting some custom work done with the fit and trigger, then I am going to put the Sig Romeo Max 3 red dot when it comes out.