Frankenstein 1911
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Chipperman
Member
I personally have never done it, but I know several people who have. A couple did it with bare frames, a couple others did it with 80% frames.
Either way, there will be some fitting needed to make it reliable.
Either way, there will be some fitting needed to make it reliable.
Steve F
Member
Yuppers 
I did.Great experience and had a lot of fun fitting everything together.I used an Essex frame and a Uticah(sp?) slide.Came out really nice except for my blueing job could have been better .Great shooter and that's what matters in the long run.Get your self a how to book and Go for it
I did.Great experience and had a lot of fun fitting everything together.I used an Essex frame and a Uticah(sp?) slide.Came out really nice except for my blueing job could have been better .Great shooter and that's what matters in the long run.Get your self a how to book and Go for it Longbow
Member
I built one Just a couple months ago.
I found a complete Colt commander top end at the show for $50. The finish was taken off, but everything else is in perfect condition. I then Bought a Philippine made frame for $95. Put them together using some parts I have laying around and others I begged from friends.
My total cost is $175 for everything. ' works great! its now my beat around gun.
If you have to use expensive/premium parts, I say, forget it! Just buy a high end one, as it might cost you just the same amount of money or more. Unless you just want it for personal satisfaction of being able to say, " I built it myself ". Anyways, Good luck!
I found a complete Colt commander top end at the show for $50. The finish was taken off, but everything else is in perfect condition. I then Bought a Philippine made frame for $95. Put them together using some parts I have laying around and others I begged from friends.
My total cost is $175 for everything. ' works great! its now my beat around gun.
If you have to use expensive/premium parts, I say, forget it! Just buy a high end one, as it might cost you just the same amount of money or more. Unless you just want it for personal satisfaction of being able to say, " I built it myself ".
Anyways, Good luck!HighVelocity
Member
I picked up a blue Clark " 6.5" "pin gun" top end (comped colt govt slide) complete with bomars for $200 in perfect shape. I sat on it for 3 years until I was at a friends house and saw a nickel govt frame complete with ed brown hammer, beaver tail, wilson trigger and sear, sharp checkering everywhere. I asked him what the deal was and he'd replaced it on his gun with a mcormick frame. I bought it from him for $50. Went home put the clark built top on it, slipped in a mag and emptied it in my back yard as fast as I could. No failures.
I used that gun in local IPSC matches for 2 years after that and never did anything but clean it.
The right place at the right time.
I used that gun in local IPSC matches for 2 years after that and never did anything but clean it.
The right place at the right time.
Longbow
Member
Yup! One of the reason why I still go to gunshows.
Vern Humphrey
Member
Quote:
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I personally have never done it, but I know several people who have. A couple did it with bare frames, a couple others did it with 80% frames.
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I'm one of the latter -- I built mine with a Fed Ord "kit." Most of the parts were sub-standard, and the firing pin tunnel in the slide was off center. I finally put a Ciener conversion kit on it, and made a plinker out of it.
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I personally have never done it, but I know several people who have. A couple did it with bare frames, a couple others did it with 80% frames.
-------------------------------
I'm one of the latter -- I built mine with a Fed Ord "kit." Most of the parts were sub-standard, and the firing pin tunnel in the slide was off center. I finally put a Ciener conversion kit on it, and made a plinker out of it.
Grump
Member
In college, for a buddy who had more cash on hand than the rest of us poor, broke students. His gun appetite still exceeded the allowance then...
Anyway, one problem was that the slide was apparently for .38 Super instead of .45. Without benefit of machine tools, I got it running! That extractor was a booger!! :banghead:
Not sure if he ever blued it. He was done while it was still in the white...
Oh, those were happy days indeed!
Anyway, one problem was that the slide was apparently for .38 Super instead of .45. Without benefit of machine tools, I got it running!
That extractor was a booger!! :banghead: Not sure if he ever blued it. He was done while it was still in the white...
Oh, those were happy days indeed!
1911Tuner
Moderator Emeritus
Frankengun
Oh...a few.
Oh...a few.
Black Snowman
Member
Rock River Arms does it all the time Sorry couldn't resist. In fact most manufacturers products fall under the Franken 1911 these days. Is there anything that is truely 100% origional spec available today including materials and fitting? Not that I know of, but I honestly don't follow it that closely. Doesn't mean their bad guns, just means they're differant.
When I priced out my from-scratch "1911" project I ended up with a $2000+ shopping list just for parts at dealer prices. So, that's been put on the back burner as that much money will pretty much complete my CZ pistol collection. It's still something I'd like to do, after buiding my various ARs and maybe getting a .50 BMG.
Sorry couldn't resist. In fact most manufacturers products fall under the Franken 1911 these days. Is there anything that is truely 100% origional spec available today including materials and fitting? Not that I know of, but I honestly don't follow it that closely. Doesn't mean their bad guns, just means they're differant.When I priced out my from-scratch "1911" project I ended up with a $2000+ shopping list just for parts at dealer prices. So, that's been put on the back burner as that much money will pretty much complete my CZ pistol collection. It's still something I'd like to do, after buiding my various ARs and maybe getting a .50 BMG.
RugerOldArmy
Member
lol! I adopted one, like a stray dog. Over time it has evolved more. They're like Harley Davidsons or '60's cars. Over time you see it evolve in your mind, it becomes a mission from god. God I love 1911's! Glock folks don't get it....Mine is getting checkered, hard chromed, and a trigger job now....This was the % route.
The better, the 100%, route probably is to start with a Caspian frame and slide....Interestingly enough, there is an Article in this March/April's American Handgunner, by one of THR members, about another THR member's class for doing it yourself from scratch. (By Steven Camp/Dave Sample class). Sweet pistola in the article...
Hide you're Visa baby...this has happened to many of us
The better, the 100%, route probably is to start with a Caspian frame and slide....Interestingly enough, there is an Article in this March/April's American Handgunner, by one of THR members, about another THR member's class for doing it yourself from scratch. (By Steven Camp/Dave Sample class). Sweet pistola in the article...
Hide you're Visa baby...this has happened to many of us
stans
Member
I've done, sort of....
Started with an Auto Ordnance 1911 that I bought in 1989, used, cheap. The gun magazine reviews were all great and at the time I believed the fecal matter that was found in print. Turned out to be a real POS! I have used this gun to learn gunsmithing on the 1911. Currently, it has been converted to a Commander size pistol. Bought an Essex Commander slide. Cut down and modified a Government model barrel to match the dimensions of a Commander barrel (very important to modify it to match Commander barrel external dimensions or it will not function properly). All of the fire control parts have been replaced. The frame was modified to match Colt Commander receiver dimensions. Put it all together and it is an improvement over the original pistol! This one is actually reliable, even with hollow points, and is certainly combat accurate. A lot of work, would have been easier with parts that were in spec, but overall a great experience.
Started with an Auto Ordnance 1911 that I bought in 1989, used, cheap. The gun magazine reviews were all great and at the time I believed the fecal matter that was found in print. Turned out to be a real POS! I have used this gun to learn gunsmithing on the 1911. Currently, it has been converted to a Commander size pistol. Bought an Essex Commander slide. Cut down and modified a Government model barrel to match the dimensions of a Commander barrel (very important to modify it to match Commander barrel external dimensions or it will not function properly). All of the fire control parts have been replaced. The frame was modified to match Colt Commander receiver dimensions. Put it all together and it is an improvement over the original pistol! This one is actually reliable, even with hollow points, and is certainly combat accurate. A lot of work, would have been easier with parts that were in spec, but overall a great experience.
Longbow
Member
How much is "small budget" ?
For a nice custom build with a future trade/sell in mind, I say, go get a Caspian frame and slide, a Kart barrel and a Wilson or Ed Brown extractor. And go from there.
For a beater gun, go get a copy of Shotgun news and browse for parts. Go as cheap as possible.
For a nice custom build with a future trade/sell in mind, I say, go get a Caspian frame and slide, a Kart barrel and a Wilson or Ed Brown extractor. And go from there.
For a beater gun, go get a copy of Shotgun news and browse for parts. Go as cheap as possible.
BluesBear
member
I've dome more than a few but less than a lot.
But then I ain't no expert.
But then I ain't no expert.
I have done a couple. Didn't know enough about it to start but that didn't stop me. Had some problems, got them sorted out. Learned a lot, enjoyed it immensely.
One thing I learned is buy the right tools. You can't do it right or expect quality product without buying or borrowing some tools like hammer and sear jigs for example.
One thing I learned is buy the right tools. You can't do it right or expect quality product without buying or borrowing some tools like hammer and sear jigs for example.
stans
Member
When buying parts, you usually get what you pay for. Cheap parts are almost always cast metal and now MIM has taken over for the low cost champ. The higher end parts from companies like Wilson, Brown, and EGW cost more, but the quality is there, especially in their premium parts. Caspian is the best in slides and frames for building your own. By the time you buy all quality parts including slide and frame, you could have bought a Colt or Springfield Armory 1911.
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