1911 Target Build

[Powersgt]

ALCON,

I started this thread sometime ago and seem to have lost it. I just about finished with a complete ground up build of a Target (bowling pin) 1911 pistol. I received the frame from a friend just before a deployment a year and half ago and took several weeks to get this far (just when you get going something else pops up.) The frame is a Foster and the slide appears to be the same. I found a similar build picture on Brownells Facebook page but this was built on a virgin frame and slide. Some of the machine work was done on it before I got it like sights and trigger guard relief.

The rest I performed myself and before I get a lot of Nay Sayers; I worked with a gunsmith friend who is known locally for his quality builds. I did use tools provided by him and listened to advice as well as reading quite a bit of material. I am a mechanic by trade as well as serious tinker of firearms and archery.

I started out going the cheap looking for bargain parts and ended up using nothing but quality parts in the end.

Why a Target gun, dictated by the frame. It was already milled for a Para ramped barrel, BM #2 sights and the frame and slide are extra heavy. The slide is actually a 1/2" longer then my Springfield and Sig 1911's.


Parts:

Frame/Slide: Foster $300.00
Barrel/Bushing: Briley $239.00
Trigger Kit: EGW $85.00
slide stop, plunger tube kit, recoil spring 18.5lb, thumb safety:
Fusion $72.00
Trigger, long alum solid smooth: C&S $33.50
All internal parts: ED Brown $193.00
Grip Safety
firing pin .45acp
rebuild kit
grip screws/bushings
recoil buffers
plug std
firing pin stop
extractor
ext ejector
hammer strut
Mag catch, ext
Main spring housing: Caspian $53.48
sights: Champion from EGW $85.00
Parkerizing materials: Lauer $40.00
Total: $1100.98

This does not include my labor, specialty tools (purchased or borrowed), extra parts (ones I screwed up like grip safeties :banghead books and videos.

Roughly 80 hours involved

Will I do it again........? Defiantly!

I will try to post pictures of project on photo bucket

 

[Powersgt]

Photos

by the way, wife named it the "Grey Ghost" but it really should be called "Education"

Jeff

http://s1113.photobucket.com/albums/k504/Jeffery_Chapin/Grey Ghost/?albumview=slideshow

 

[Baldy]

I'd say your doing a fine job on that pistol. You can feel good about building it yourself. I'll be looking foward to the range report. Good luck.

 

[1SOW]

Sounds like those pins don't have a chance.

 

[35 Whelen]

Beautiful job!
35W

 

[Promod1385]

So you have $1100.98 in parts and 80 hours, i saw a shop rate today at a small town MN gunsmith of $40 per/hr (i thought that was cheap) thats $3200 in labor for a total of $4300.98.

Now the question is "Does it shoot like a $4000 1911"?

 

[35 Whelen]

So you have $1100.98 in parts and 80 hours, i saw a shop rate today at a small town MN gunsmith of $40 per/hr (i thought that was cheap) thats $3200 in labor for a total of $4300.98.

Now the question is "Does it shoot like a $4000 1911"?

Funny how so many people in our "microwave society" do not understand the satisfaction of doing something for yourself instead of throwing cash around and having others do it for you.
I first became aware of this when I bought and trained my first bird dog. Given the countless hours I spent with the animal, I could've more cheaply bought one already trained. But oh my, the satisfaction everytime that dog (now dogs) pointed and retrived, and to think of all I learned by doing it myself.
I shoot a monthly High Power match here locally and cast my own bullets. For the time I spend casting, visually sorting, weight sorting, gas-checking, lubing and sizing, I could buy commercial match grade bullets. But you cannot imagine the satisfaction had when I outshoot one of the guys who's using an AR and 25¢ apiece match grade hollowpoints!
So my guess is PowerSgt gets MUCH more from building this pistol than money can buy.
Just my 2¢...
35W

 

[Silverado6x6]

I am also doing my own build, I have an acceptable frame and I will go a Caspian slide, will be my first 1911 build but being a fabricator, a modelmaker and an at home gunsmith for over 10 years I will do as much as I can at home.

If I can get something that feeds and fires plus a decent shot pattern then I will go on to something more refined. The frame I have is from my older Auto Ordnance that I stripped down last week, after I took the blue off I found that the slide was cracked so its junk, but it was a learning process, I used a 1200F ceramic paint made by Duplicolor for header pipes, baked everything at 300F for at least 2 hours, reassembled and it looks great, but its just for show until I restrip it again and this time it will get ceracote airbrushed on in shallow layers.

 

[Powersgt]

35W, you're right. The satisfaction is the reason I did this and will do many more. If it shoots like a $3-4k gun then that's a bonus.

Anyway Promod1835, education is not cheap and if it was everybody would do it.
Besides, most of that 80 hours was playing with it. If I care to do another finish like Duracoat or ?, then it might look like a $3000 dollar gun but then you don't get alot for your money these days anyway. The gunsmiths I know give away alot more of their time than they ever charge for.

This is a first build and I hope my kids will enjoy it as much as I do.

Thank you for your opinion.

Chief Chapin

"GO Army!"

 

[ekgandj]

That is a very sweet gun. Excellent job. Post range report when you make it out.

 

[Powersgt]

Range Report

Ok, took it to the range in the Twin Cities today; was really not intending to shoot but had the time after Army today. Shot 50 rounds through it and no hicups. The slide lock came on once during fire but I think I hit that with my finger.

Best group 1 3/4" center to center at 50ft off of a supported rest (gun barrel only and I sitting in a metal chair with no arm support.) Best free hand group was was 1" at 21ft. Front sight still needs to be finished but it shoots great. Also, still a little trigger creep but very smooth 3 1/2lb trigger pull.

I let the range master's look at it and they seemed impressed (or mabey I am just bigger than them and they didn't want to hurt my feelings!)

Chief

 

[Powersgt]

I am also doing my own build, I have an acceptable frame and I will go a Caspian slide, will be my first 1911 build but being a fabricator, a modelmaker and an at home gunsmith for over 10 years I will do as much as I can at home.

If I can get something that feeds and fires plus a decent shot pattern then I will go on to something more refined. The frame I have is from my older Auto Ordnance that I stripped down last week, after I took the blue off I found that the slide was cracked so its junk, but it was a learning process, I used a 1200F ceramic paint made by Duplicolor for header pipes, baked everything at 300F for at least 2 hours, reassembled and it looks great, but its just for show until I restrip it again and this time it will get ceracote airbrushed on in shallow layers.

I would really like to see that finish, Is it an enamel or ?