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1911 Build Information

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Chief Sackscratch

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    Posted: January/03/2011 at 11:08
Anyone have any recommendations on literature or video's for one doing a 1911 build themself.  I know its a lot more in depth than the AR and all but I've been contemplating buying the tools and attempting one.  I'm sure it will not be near the quality of a smith who has years of doing them but everyone's got to start somewhere. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pyro6999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/03/2011 at 11:24
check brownells site, they may have some stuff you can watch online for free.i know they have stuff for building the ar.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RifleDude Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/03/2011 at 11:48
I think Brownells has a 1911 build video you can buy.  I know they have an AR instructional video.
Ted


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Urimaginaryfrnd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/03/2011 at 11:49
Not a good choice.  go build another AR and buy a 1911 taurus that is already built.  Building a 1911 is best left to really really good gunsmiths and most dont want to dot that cheap. The fitting of it and how it locks up are tricky at best. Considering the custom features included in the Taurus pistol you would be hard pressed to find the parts for what they cost.  If you really feel you need to build one buy the Taurus and take is apart then put it back together - problem solved.  

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SVT_Tactical Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/03/2011 at 11:54

My thing is i would like to learn how to do it well.  If i get a foundation i can start learning from I think its something that would be a nice hobby.  There is a custom builder down at the coast who does some 1911 stuff but he isn't to fond of "teaching" and i understand that.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bigdaddy0381 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/03/2011 at 12:03
Originally posted by SVT_Tactical SVT_Tactical wrote:

My thing is i would like to learn how to do it well.  If i get a foundation i can start learning from I think its something that would be a nice hobby.  There is a custom builder down at the coast who does some 1911 stuff but he isn't to fond of "teaching" and i understand that.

 
 better devote some years to learning. Thats on of the hardest wepons I have messed with, and still learning. i'm just glad the owner of the shop is really good with 1911s and revolvers. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rancid Coolaid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/03/2011 at 12:10
Small mistakes get expensive; take a little too much off the lockup, ruin a barrel; over-radius the beavertail, ruin a frame; bad site cut, ruin a slide.

My advice would be to better yourself elsewhere, or get a job doing crap tasks with a good smith so he can teach you the art of the 1911.  This isn't the kinda stuff you can get from a video, no matter how good the video.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote supertool73 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/03/2011 at 12:40
I have a friend in Ill. that went to a week long school and they taught them how to build a 1911.  His turned out pretty nice, but he said even with all the things they taught them that his Wilson and LesBaer are better pistols. 

I ,et another guy that built two of them just off watching the AGI videos.  He was using one at a pistol class I was in, it ran great.  He even engraved them and had gold inlays in them.  He said he had no background in machining or anything, just that he was pretty mechanical. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote stickbow46 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/03/2011 at 12:51
Call Bill Wilson group pick out all the components yourself,let them put it together.After you receive it,tear it apart,put it back together & you will have built your own 1911.
 
You see a pattern from the board.Went to armament school in the Navy,owned 1911's from Ed Brown to Springfield.Was a machinist,put at least 250k rounds down range & still I use the experts for the match things.
 
Like RC says those small mistakes are very expensive.Good luck with your endevor.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rancid Coolaid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/03/2011 at 13:10
Originally posted by supertool73 supertool73 wrote:

I have a friend in Ill. that went to a week long school and they taught them how to build a 1911.  His turned out pretty nice, but he said even with all the things they taught them that his Wilson and LesBaer are better pistols. 

I ,et another guy that built two of them just off watching the AGI videos.  He was using one at a pistol class I was in, it ran great.  He even engraved them and had gold inlays in them.  He said he had no background in machining or anything, just that he was pretty mechanical. 


Check your fire!

You WILL NOT be able to produce a Wilson or Les Baer-level gun after a video or a 1-week course.  Their people have built thousands of guns, that manner of craftsmanship is a function of experience and time - and there is no quick way to get to that level of mastery.

You should be able to build a functional gun, but don't think, with a few weeks effort, you can make a Wilson-grade gun.

I talked to my smith about this, he said with a fair amount of effort, you should be pretty good in about 10 years.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tahqua Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/03/2011 at 13:24
SVT, thanks for this thread. It got me looking into two gunsmiths that worked on guns in the Detroit area. Russ Carnaiak worked on a 1911 and Frank Paris on BHP. They are both gone now and I have gotten plenty older. Thanks for the memory trip and sorry for getting off track.
The 1911 is very hard to work on.
Doug
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote supertool73 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/03/2011 at 13:29
Re read the post Rancid.  I said he said it was not as good as his Wilson and Les Baers.  
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rancid Coolaid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/03/2011 at 13:33
Originally posted by supertool73 supertool73 wrote:

Re read the post Rancid.  I said he said it was not as good as his Wilson and Les Baers.  

No, I understand, but the statement struck me as odd, kinda like needing to mention that a Ford Fiesta wasn't as fast as a Ferrari Modena Spyder.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote supertool73 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/03/2011 at 13:39
Sorry for misconveying my thought. 

His gun functions well, but as you said it is not a Wilson quality gun.  Just pointing out that it can be done, but don't expect a Wilson gun. 
Lifetime warranty and excellent customer service don't mean a thing when your gun fails during a zombie attack.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tahqua Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/03/2011 at 13:45
If you want to start, start small.
You can't hurt a ramp with 600 or 800 emery paper. Don't stone.
Stay off the throat with a stone. A 1/2' wood dowel with 600 won't wreck it, though, unless you go through a hundy sheets on it like a caveman. It might not break it enough for reliability improvement either.  I have done ramp work on various Browning types and Walthers with positive results.
A lot of the other work is machining to max/min dimensions and then hand fitting. This is expert work only.

Doug
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pyro6999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/03/2011 at 14:47
Originally posted by Rancid Coolaid Rancid Coolaid wrote:

Originally posted by supertool73 supertool73 wrote:

Re read the post Rancid.  I said he said it was not as good as his Wilson and Les Baers.  

No, I understand, but the statement struck me as odd, kinda like needing to mention that a Ford Fiesta wasn't as fast as a Ferrari Modena Spyder.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Steelbenz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/03/2011 at 14:47
It's really up to you!  I have a full bird retired army officer that I know who build .45s for relaxation. He has 25 to 30 of them in his gun safe an always has one that he is building.  I've shot three of his pistols and they WILL shoot with anybodies so it can be done, but I would say he's been doing it for years and has probably learned a thing or two about it.  He told me he'd help me build one but I've never start one up.  His really are works of art, if I get over there in then next few weeks I'll take some pics if I remember.  Everyone should own at least one 1911.  I applaud you for at least thinking about the endeavor.  Excellent 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SVT_Tactical Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/03/2011 at 15:15
I just think it would be a good hobby, and if I ever got real good I'd hook yall up with a nice buildWink
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dale Clifford Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/03/2011 at 20:31

One of the best ways to learn is to understand why the current modifications are done to the basic models, and when one is in tolerence. One of the best books is The Colt .45 automatic, by Jerry Kuhnhausen. I disagree that you can't build one as good as the best stuff coming out after the high dollars. First off if you get the best parts you are already into the high dollars. Most of the aftermarket parts are built to tolerances that required smiths in earlier years to either build them up or remake them, something no longer needed. Jump in have fun. No need to cut radius for beaver tails anymore, already done on a to go frame, sight cuts can be purchased on forged slights already made, all the hard stuff. All you need to do is understand why they go in the way they do.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GetSome Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/03/2011 at 23:36
A book that has helped me allot is Gunsmithing Pistols & Revolvers 3rd Edition....By Patrick Sweeney

I mostly just tinker on my own stuff, but help friends out when I can, and Mr. Sweeney has a ton of helpfull hints, and suggestions for cheap ways to practice, also what tools you could do without, and what tools you need for individual tasks.... If nothing more it will give you a better understanding of revolvers and pistols...or at least it did for me.  Good Luck SVT, I hope you go through with it.
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