Building a 1911

[ColdDeadHands1]

I'm thinking about building a 1911. Does anyone have experience with the Sarco kits? Like this:

http://e-sarcoinc.com/451911autobuildkitlessframe.aspx

Includes slide, barrel, & all parts except frame for $210. Anyone know who makes these? Are they American made?

Next, the Rock Island frame $99:

http://e-sarcoinc.com/frm-rockislauto1911parkerizedframe.aspx

About the "No Ca sales"... Could I PPT this frame at a CA FFL from a buddy who has one?

If I could make this happen, it is a $310 1911. My plan would be to bead blast and park all the parts once fitted and ready to go.

I am getting to be a pretty competent gunsmith and am ready to give something like this a shot.

Your thoughts?

[leelaw]

I have no experience with Sarco kits, but have built up a couple 1911s from 80% and 100% frames. From a 100% is pretty easy (a bunch of hand-fitting on the contours, safety, etc) but if you're fitting a virgin slide to a fitted frame, you might need a tinker a little bit.

If your friend already owns an off-roster frame, then the roster is nullified for the PPT, and you can buy it from him.

[Cyc Wid It]

Don't buy from Sarco.

[ColdDeadHands1]

Don't buy from Sarco.

Care to elaborate? I already bought a 1919 kit from them and that worked out. I have read mostly good things about them.

[Cyc Wid It]

Crappy quality and not always in spec. All the fitting etc. will require much more effort and not necessarily produce the same results at the end of the day. You might end up having to scrap parts as well.

[ColdDeadHands1]

Do you know who makes their kits? The RIA frame is what it is, so I assume you're talking about the slide & parts.

[Cyc Wid It]

Unsure, and yes I'm talking about the slide and parts. I mean if you get some perverse pleasure from slaving over annoying details knock yourself out, but you wouldn't pay too much more for some higher quality parts. If you calculate your extra time spent as low as minimum wage, I bet more times than not the difference in time invested would make the Sarco kit more expensive (that is if you don't need to request a return/exchange or have missing parts).

[ColdDeadHands1]

Good input. Got any leads on other parts kits?

[Cyc Wid It]

Hmmm IMO it might be easier to buy a complete gun and replace/modify an existing gun, but I know in the OP you said you wanted to build something up. Essex I'd say is a step up from Sarco, and not much more expensive. Wilson Combat, Caspian, etc. make parts kits too, but they are quite a bit more. First thing to buy are probably Kunhausen's books and a good video or two, but I'm sure you've got those/tools. More power to you for building your own 1911, I know some other members have done it too... maybe someday down the road for me.

[jeffrice6]

If you're looking to build & can't get a frame, I'd start with Springer bones! In the off chance you ever want to sell, you'll have a greater chance to recover your investment.

[Dave Frost]

In the distant past, I built a couple of 1911's from Sarco kits. The kits they had at the time were Viet Nam War era military kits with unmarked slides. They were complete, but did require fitting. I used Essex frames at the time, because they were reasonable and available. In order to make it work, I did a lot of fitting of the slide. When finished, the fit was like ice, but it took a lot of hand lapping to get it that way. If you are doing this for the experience of the project, I'd say go for it. I learned a lot by building them.

[Mute]

Forget Sarcco. Those kits have poor finishing and are often times off spec. If you want to go cheap get an RIA. You'll be much happier. If you insist on building, as already mentioned, the Essex kits are better quality. Not as good as Caspian or other premium makers but not bad.

[mikaarce]

Check this thread:

http://how-i-did-it.org/1911-project/lessonslearned.html

[rubber duckie]

the only thing i care to buy from them is an extended barrel to meet single shot requirements. there are a couple of reviews online and youtube about the sarco build kits. most people say they look like they are made in some third world country, that just means some fine sanding and refinishing is in order to make it feel right. look at the RIA and how they come from the factory, they are rough to say the least, but work.