1911 Build Costs?

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As the internet is full of junk information I come here looking to get an estimate from some of you who have built your own on the cost range for a complete 1911 build.

any recommendations on parts and where to purchase are welcome.
 
Sti or caspian frame and slide. Egw fire control parts. Kart, scheumann, sti, kkm barrel, dawson sights, EGW or ed brown for grip thumb safety.
You will be around $1k in parts, $600 or so for labor
 
You can't build a decent 1911 for 1000 in parts. The cheapest I have been able to buy everything needed for my builds, parts, frame and slide, has been 1300-1400. That's all top shelf parts and Remsport or Caspian frames and slides. Then there is the 30-40 hours involved in building, blending, finishing, test fire for function, accuracy and final tweaks before delivery.

This one cost me 1400 in materials alone. It was for one of my oldest friends so I didn't make anything in labor. Building a 1911 isn't cheap. Especially when you factor in files, jigs, stones, lug cutters, reamers gauges and other tools needed to build a custom gun.

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You are paying too much for your parts

Just priced out another 1911, $1016,

Oops had 2 Grips safeties in my list down to $998 now
 
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About $1200 for Caspian frame and slide, Kart barrel with all top end parts. This was with Brownells "dealer" prices.
 
IMO, a lot will depend on what you plan to do with the 1911. A carry pistol will be different than a bullseye pistol or an IPSC pistol (limited or open class)... Your question is akin to asking how much does a car cost, and where to buy one. [thinking]
 
IMO, a lot will depend on what you plan to do with the 1911. A carry pistol will be different than a bullseye pistol or an IPSC pistol (limited or open class)... Your question is akin to asking how much does a car cost, and where to buy one. [thinking]

Not really, other than not carrying a government size gun, the parts for a carry, range, competition gun, minus an open gun, will be the same
 
Not really, other than not carrying a government size gun, the parts for a carry, range, competition gun, minus an open gun, will be the same

You can get a decent carry 1911 for <$600... IME, you'll spend more getting that gun into competition grade shape.

Some day I might price out what it would cost to build up another race gun like mine, or my father's. I can't replicate mine since the guide rod is no longer available.
 
You can get a decent carry 1911 for <$600... IME, you'll spend more getting that gun into competition grade shape.

Some day I might price out what it would cost to build up another race gun like mine, or my father's. I can't replicate mine since the guide rod is no longer available.

And you can get a decent comp 1911 for the same.

What is special about the guide rod?
 
And you can get a decent comp 1911 for the same.

What is special about the guide rod?

Not to say you're full of it (competition 1911 for <$600) but someone needs to change their shorts...

Harrts recoil suppression guide rod... Contains mercury and bb's inside it...

BTW, I'm talking about IPSC shooting. Don't know what you can do with IDPA since I never did that. I got out of pistol competitions before y2k.

Also, I knew people that had holster rigs that cost upwards of $500 (or more).
 
Worried that your race gun was going to stop working at 12:01? :D

Nahh... Just not as much fun up here where you have to drive 3 hours to get to a shoot. In FL I could drive less than an hour and hit a shoot pretty much every weekend. Wasn't going to go from Methuen to the cape during the week. That's just moronic.
 
Not to say you're full of it (competition 1911 for <$600) but someone needs to change their shorts...

Harrts recoil suppression guide rod... Contains mercury and bb's inside it...

BTW, I'm talking about IPSC shooting. Don't know what you can do with IDPA since I never did that. I got out of pistol competitions before y2k.

Also, I knew people that had holster rigs that cost upwards of $500 (or more).

Things have changed since 2000, $500 holster, Top of the line race holsters are $150 tops

why would you want/need a mercury ball bearing guide rod?

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Nahh... Just not as much fun up here where you have to drive 3 hours to get to a shoot. In FL I could drive less than an hour and hit a shoot pretty much every weekend. Wasn't going to go from Methuen to the cape during the week. That's just moronic.


There are plenty of places in 1 hr to shoot
 
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I guess my $375 build is gonna suck ass. Oh well, my beat up AK build still hits the backstop almost every time.


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Make that 2. Just got my cheap ass part kit. I'll build it as a gangsta 1911. No need accuracy, just need to be able to shoot sideway.
 
Nahh... Just not as much fun up here where you have to drive 3 hours to get to a shoot. In FL I could drive less than an hour and hit a shoot pretty much every weekend. Wasn't going to go from Methuen to the cape during the week. That's just moronic.

There are several monthly matches within reasonable distance from Nashua, if you ever want to get back into it.
 
Thinks have changed since 2000, $500 holster, Top of the line race holsters are $150 tops

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There are plenty of places in 1 hr to shoot

Different world/time when I was in it...

Oh, and I'm not going into assachusetts with my firearms since I don't have a PRM permission slip...

Plus, I'm out of this thread. The guy asked a question, I suggested he outline what he wants to do with the 1911 in order to get better information. You decided to rant about cheap 1911's... IMO, I'd rather spend a bit more to get a much sweeter pistol. Especially for competition shooting. Even to carry, I'll either tune the pistol, or have it tuned to be exactly what I want. That means paying a qualified, quality smith to do the work. If you have issues dropping a few bills to have sound work done, you have deeper issues that won't be solved here.

/out

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There are several monthly matches within reasonable distance from Nashua, if you ever want to get back into it.

In NH???
 
A couple at Sig. Otherwise Harvard and Hopkinton are close. Lots of southern NH residents compete in MA.
 
A couple at Sig. Otherwise Harvard and Hopkinton are close. Lots of southern NH residents compete in MA.

I don't have a MA permission slip and I'm sure as **** NOT paying MA $100/year to have one. Not to mention killing time going to interviews and the other BS... Very much NOT worth it to me.

/I'm out... play nice children... [rofl2]
 
Different world/time when I was in it...

Oh, and I'm not going into assachusetts with my firearms since I don't have a PRM permission slip...

Plus, I'm out of this thread. The guy asked a question, I suggested he outline what he wants to do with the 1911 in order to get better information. You decided to rant about cheap 1911's... IMO, I'd rather spend a bit more to get a much sweeter pistol. Especially for competition shooting. Even to carry, I'll either tune the pistol, or have it tuned to be exactly what I want. That means paying a qualified, quality smith to do the work. If you have issues dropping a few bills to have sound work done, you have deeper issues that won't be solved here.

/out

What the hell are you talking about? All you have posted about it popcorn, mercury guide rods and $500 holster
 
You are paying too much for your parts

Just priced out another 1911, $1016,

Oops had 2 Grips safeties in my list down to $998 now

Why do I have in my mind a picture of you with a 1911 for each finger and thumb?

Michael 1911 Hands.

-Proud to be dad every day, a licensed plumber most days, and wish I was a shoemaker on others.
 
People from out of state shoot in MA all the time. I don't know the ins and outs of it, I think there is a competition clause or something, I don't care enough to look into it. If I really wanted to shoot in MA, and the competition scene down there is worth it, not having an LTC wouldn't stop me from doing so.
 
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People from out of state shoot in MA all the time. I don't know the ins and outs of it, I think there is a competition clause or something, I don't care enough to look into it. If I really wanted to shoot in MA, and the competition scene down there is worth it, not having an LTC wouldn't stop me from doing so.

According to Guida that clause is basically invalid because there isn't a single state that is compatible with the requirements being set forth in the law. That being said, tons of free people don't care, and come to MA every year to compete regardless. They seem to "fly low and avoid the radar. " Funny how that works.

-Mike
 
Make that 2. Just got my cheap ass part kit. I'll build it as a gangsta 1911. No need accuracy, just need to be able to shoot sideway.

You should get a set of those GangstaGlock slide side sights and retrofit them to it.

butuje8u.jpg

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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