Customize my 1911 or Buy Stock?

[MNine]

I face a dilemma. I am interested in upgrading my Springfield GI ww mil spec to MEU clone status. I have an excellent smith who has helped me work out the costs and parts (Kings parts and everything) needed. To get this 1911 upgraded will run around $900 to $1000. For that much I can buy a brand new Kimber TLE II. Is a custom 1911 really worth it or am I better off just buying a stock Kimber TLE II?
Thanks!

 

[Sean Smith]

I face a dilemma. I am interested in upgrading my Springfield GI ww mil spec to MEU clone status. I have an excellent smith who has helped me work out the costs and parts (Kings parts and everything) needed. To get this 1911 upgraded will run around $900 to $1000. For that much I can buy a brand new Kimber TLE II. Is a custom 1911 really worth it or am I better off just buying a stock Kimber TLE II?

It depends.

Don't confuse feature count with quality. A Kimber is made largely from drop-in parts made of MIM slag. A custom pistol is made from hand-fitted parts made of high quality steels. A TLE II is not comparable to a custom gun just because it superficially looks like one. Of course, it is also much cheaper, and Kimbers usually work fine and are reasonably durable for most people's uses most of the time.

The pre Series II Kimber I owned was nice. But it was no custom gun. And the Series II guns are getting alot more complaints about reliability (see 1911forum.com for details), the guns are cosmetically uglier, and the accuracy test results showing up in magazines are considerably worse than they used to be for Kimbers.

 

[gharsh]

I have also been debating this issue. I have a Springy Mil-Spec that I bought soley as a project piece, but have liked it so much stock that now I'm back where I started. I have one of their Loaded models that I really like, but wanted to try putting one together.

Custom pieces become unique pieces. One of a kind. Especially if you are doing some of the work. You know, the old satisfaction feeling and all. But $1000 is still a lot of money for most. If you bought a second pistol with that money, then you'd have two good guns. Or invest it into something custom and have one really outstanding gun. Tough choices. My initial thought for my project was to slowly put together something. I don't have $1000 to spend so a little at a time was/is much easier to digest. However, I think you reach the point of no return where the time, money, energy invested into the piece outweighs the cost of a new gun, especially custom work.

Good luck with your decision. I know it's a tough one.

 

[tetchaje1]

The downside to customizing a 1911 is that unless your 'smith is famous, your gun will become a money pit if you ever decide that you want to sell it. His work may be great and the components may be perfect, but people who are in the gun market will not know it, and will be drawn away to other better known guns.

For $900, I would keep your GI MilSpec and get an STI Trojan. They are probably the best deal going right now on semi-custom guns -- as long as you don't mind a cast frame.

 

[DMK]

tetchaje1 raises a good point. Make sure that you and this gun will be married for a long time. You will never recoup your investment.

That said, I say go custom. You will get a gun built to YOUR specs not some marketing department's idea of what will sell good.

Do some serious research on each individual component you wish to include on the gun. Talk to more than just a couple gunsmiths. Get an idea of what they like to do and why it should be done. Take notes and compare. Look for quality not just price. These guys may be pros, but don't just take their word for it. Come back here or www.1911forum.com and look it up. See how the "improvements" work out in the real world.

I went the custom route with one of my Sistemas and I'm very glad I did. The gun is perfect for me. It's reliable, shoots like a target gun, but makes a fine CCW or HD weapon also. I had John Harrison of Precision Gunworks in Atlanta build it for me. I had one slight glitch with it about a year later, but he stood behind his work and bent over backwards to make sure I was happy. He's a real fine gentleman gunsmith IMO.

If you need his contact info, just PM me.

 

[bradvanhorn]

If you are into customizing your guns (as I am), then I think you may find the costs can evenutally work out about the same either way. You pay $500 for a mil-spec gun, and spend $1,000 getting all the special parts and 'smith work done. Or you pay $1,000 for an enhanced gun, and spend $500 fine tuning it. So, depending on your desires and point of view, you might spend the same cash no matter what. My thought is that if you're otherwise happy with what you have, then just customize it and have it done the way you want it.

 

[10-Ring]

Don't skimp! Get the parts YOU want put on the base YOU want by a smith that meets your standards! Ask for references & check out guns he's finished & ones he's working on. $1000 is really not alot if the gun comes out the way you intended in the beginning of the project!

 

[Jspy]

I would tend to agree with tetchaje, after all sometimes the end result doesn't result in the sum of all the parts. After all, a jazzed up Yugo is still a Yugo with glitter, and should be valued as such. If you are keeping it, maybe no big deal,but I'd put my money into something I might eventually have to get rid of without taking a humongous hit. YMMV

 

[Ken Rainey]

It depends on what you want and how much you want to learn about these pistols. If you want to learn the 1911 inside and out, then get a base gun (your Springer?), find out what parts are not proper forged steel and heat treated, etc. and replace them yourself (with help if need be) and then you'll have learned your pistol inside and out. The money you spend will also be buying you a pistolsmithing lesson as well as upgrading the pistol - two birds with one stone - so to speak. Would your pistol smith let you do the work with his guidance?? I have just completed this process with a base Kimber (pre series II) that was a perfectly functional pistol (all removed parts were in excellent conditon and the pistol never missed a beat) and now I know all the parts are of 'better' (supposedly) quality - BUT, I learned (am still learning) the 1911 pistol in the process. It seems that the american made pistols are the easiest to work on.

If the above process is out of the question, then it would depend on what you were going to use the gun for - range games or defense or both. If defense is in the issue then it must be a 100% functional above all else - the easiest to get that way (if they aren't already) is a full size model. They are the easiest to 'tune' if need be - not that the commander size can't be a 100% too, but any smaller and maintenance and tuning seem to increase. Remember that the more simple it is, the better chance it has of working.

Get some advice from 1911Tuner - he's D'man on the 1911 pistol. He has posted several threads here about the 1911 that has essential information in them about the proper functioning of these pistols - READ them all. If it's a strictly target gun, then buy whatever you want since any malfunctions won't be life threatening.

It's all about the quality of the parts and how they are fitted. Good luck and welcome to the 1911.

Ken

 

[45auto]

If your major interest is having the MEU(SOC)? clone, I'd wait a little while and see what they pick. From what I read they are in the process of "trying" to pick a "standardized" 1911 that fits their needs.

You may be able to buy a "production" model pretty close for a lot less money than a custom gun. . It could be a brand with a rail that you could buy right now...time will tell.

After reading the article in Swat magazine, the specs for the 1911 are quite ordinary IMHO. My "take" on it is the want a 1911 that can take a lot of shooting and have easily replacable parts...not custom fit.

Have fun