Custom 1911

[Hank15]

Finally got her home after 18 months.

Before:



Here she is now:

[California44]

Started as an xse, special combat???

[TheDigitalPicasso]

It's sweet I'm just getting into 1911's too so I'm trying to understand what's the difference between all these 1911s.

[Hank15]

Started as this:



If you're interested PM me and I can explain the differences to you.

[TheDigitalPicasso]

What brand is the magwell that you're using?

[Raider888]

Nice!

[Hank15]

Picasso,

it's a Smith and Alexander.

[bombadillo]

I can see most of it.

Specs, prices, more details on specifics.

[Hank15]

-Dawson fiber optic front sight
-Sevigny rear sight
-Blend front sight to slide
-Fit and blend magwell
-Fit and blend grip safety
-Fit and blend thumb safety
-Fit oversize STI trigger
-Trigger job with Cylinder and Slide internals
-Drill out grip screws and install new grip bushing
-Fit match barrel and bushing
-Fit and tune new extractor
-Dehorn deluxe and bevel bottom of slide
-Flush cut barrel and deep dish crown
-Modify slide stop for easier reassembly
-FBI cut
-Hi cut frame front strap and serrate 30 LPI
-Serrate mainspring housing 30 LPI
-Serrate rear of slide 40 LPI
-Fit new grips to match mag well
-Bead blast

[Synergy]

If you're interested PM me and I can explain the differences to you.

Since you posted it publicly, why not share the cost, who built it and why you went that path with your 1911. No need to hide the details in a PM.

First 1911?

[Hank15]

Look through the work and make requests on specific areas of work.

Let's see if anyone can guess who the gunsmith is and how much the total cost was!

I don't remember how much the labor cost, but I replaced almost all the parts, think about $550 worth.

Let the games begin.

[bombadillo]

I hate doing this, but I would GUESS, 2900 in labor and maybe CT Brian. I could see him doing a gun like this.

[Hank15]

I hate doing this, but I would GUESS, 2900 in labor and maybe CT Brian. I could see him doing a gun like this.

Holy...I am very flattered (I am sure the gunsmith is as well). Your guess is a bit on the high side, I just looked at the build list and the TOTAL (parts + labor) came out to less than $2900.

Here's how she shoots at 20~25 yards offhand, by 3 different shooters:


And a few before pics for comparison purposes:






Hopefully that gives you a better hint of who did the work.

[Hank15]

Since you posted it publicly, why not share the cost, who built it and why you went that path with your 1911. No need to hide the details in a PM.

First 1911?

Fair enough! The cost and builder will remain a secret for now, as I'd like to see if people can appreciate the work and skill of the gunsmith/shop who built it rather than the name of the gunsmith/shop. I'd also like to see how people evaluate the cost of the work...especially after bombadillo's educated guess. I am flattered that people who know guns would credit such value to this build.

This will give custom 1911 newbies an idea of what to expect! So that they know how to identify good work rather than brand name.

The path:
About 2 years ago I wanted to make a few modifications to the 1911 so that I can compete with it. At the time IDPA was making a resurgence on the competitive shooting scene, so I decided to build a Custom Defensive Pistol.

I went with basic, functional modifications that I thought were necessary: a high grip grip safety (not the crappy Colt duckbill one), sights I can see clearly and quickly (I am near sighted), and a magazine well that would enable me to perform smooth and quick reloads without tearing up the tip of my finger.

Since the gunsmith couldn't get around to the gun in a timely manner, I added work little by little. It started with a trigger job. Then I added a new barrel and bushing (accuracy work). Then I added dehorn. Then a few cosmetic touches. Fast forward 18 months, it eventually evolved into what's essentially a full house custom.


When I looked into cosmetic modifications I looked through renowned gunsmiths/shops such as Chuck Rogers, Wilson Combat, John Harrison, Rodgers, Heirloom Precision, etc. What I found was that a lot of the work my gunsmith did was comparable, if not better than the gunsmiths/shops I listed.

In fact I did some random testing and a lot of the local 1911 enthusiasts said the work was neck in neck, and sometimes better. The grip safety improvement should speak for itself!

So I added everything that I found cosmetically pleasing yet still served somewhat of a function (countersink slidestop, serrations on front and backstrap, flush barrel and deep crown, etc).

And here you have it, a custom 1911 made exactly as I intended it to be.

[yankee-pete]

I like it a lot. I'm a 1911 guy but don't know a ton about customizers, so I don't have a guess. It's definitely a beauty. Congrats!

BTW, I really like the look of black/grey grips on SS. I did that with my TRP.