Custom 1911 Cost?

Mass-diver

Mass-diver

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I wanted to start a NOOB thread related to the possible upcoming NES Members' 1911 group buy. I thought a newbie thread might encourage more people to sign up.

While Greg Derr did do some smith work for me a while ago; I don't have a personal gunsmith that I can call up and ask a ton of price questions for a pistol that I may or may be building at some point in future.

So, assuming I want high quality parts/mil-spec, but not competition level components, I was wondering if anyone wanted to guess what price range I would be looking at. I would provide the slide and the frame and I would want the gunsmith to build a 9mm 1911. I'm not really interested in a every bell and whistle, I just want a 1911 in 9mm and I can't buy one (except for a para) here in MA

Thanks
 
Im with you although I am looking at .45
I want something better then a starter gun but not competition grade for all the components... something I can learn on and not have to immediately turn around and upgrade.

There is way too many options at this point for me I just need the proper guidance to pick out the frame and slide and then everything else can be answered in time.

Total build budget would be around $900-1000 tops.
 
The price difference between MilSpec and competion grade parts for a 1911 is negligible. What adds a lot to the price of a 1911 is the extra cosmetic work. A fitted barrel will cost more than a drop in, but, not as much as you may think. Better to have some well fitted parts, then go for the costlier checkering etc later
 
I agree...I know a build will cost more than something "off the rack" the issue for you in particular is getting an off the rack in 9mm. Just looking at a quality manufacturer's cost I see $500 for a fitted slide and frame with not much else! This is where I get nervous and see that gunsmith you mentioned looking for my credit card number or worse me ordering parts from Brownells and blowing a bundle all by myself. I know there isn't an in-expensive 1911 style anything out there that is worth it's cost and available in MA. So a build is a great idea but I just may stick with my milsurp stuff or keep searching for a used..."whatever" to plink with!
 
Ya I want a nice tight gun - fitting is a must. As with other builds costs can continue to build up and just want to make sure what I am looking for can be done within my budget.
 
Mass-diver said:
So, assuming I want high quality parts/mil-spec, but not competition level components, I was wondering if anyone wanted to guess what price range I would be looking at. I would provide the slide and the frame and I would want the gunsmith to build a 9mm 1911. I'm not really interested in a every bell and whistle, I just want a 1911 in 9mm and I can't buy one (except for a para) here in MA
Click to expand...

You are mis/ill-informed.

You can get an SVI in any caliber you wish, from 9mm to .45. SVI's with a bushing barrels, both single and double-stack, have been approved for years. The bull barrel and compensated/ported models have been approved since last Fall.

Not at all inexpensive and never "cheap," but you'd have a near-custom gun for your money.
 
Mass-diver said:
While Greg Derr did do some smith work for me a while ago; I don't have a personal gunsmith that I can call up and ask a ton of price questions for a pistol that I may or may be building at some point in future.
Click to expand...

I would call Greg or David Santurri, or surf the web for someone and ask them a ton of questions. That is how you form a relationship with your gunsmith. Although they might be busy at times, that is part of getting work. You are just going to get a bunch of guess as to how much stuff costs here.

If you aren't planning on buying top of the line components, you might as get a SW1911. Think $1800-$2000 for a full custom 1911.
 
Don,t forget about JDL Sales.
Remsport Match

Let me give you a few examples of parts cost.
You can buy a hammer for $12.00 up to a hammer for $90.00
A trigger for $10.00 up to a trigger for $100.00
Ambi thumb safety run around $35.00
Sights run between $50.00 a set to over $200.00 a set
Barrel bushings are $12.00 to $65.00
And if you want everything fitted not just drop in the whole gun will cost more.
Slides and frames very in price based on machine work example front strap checkering on the frame, Bob-tail frame, slides pricing is based on sight dove tail cuts front racking groves flat topping or just grooved on top.
And the small parts very quite a bit based on what they are made of.
Same with sears and disconectors, even the springs can very in price.

It all depends on what you are committed to.
 
Last edited:
GTOShootr said:
If you aren't planning on buying top of the line components, you might as get a SW1911. Think $1800-$2000 for a full custom 1911.
Click to expand...

I would if I could get one in 9mm
[wink]

Thanks for all the posts so far, very helpful. BTW, I hope I don't come off as cheapskate. I own a good number of firearms, and as my dear wife can attest to, I'm not afraid to spend $ for high quality toys.
 
Mass-diver said:
I would if I could get one in 9mm
[wink]

Thanks for all the posts so far, very helpful. BTW, I hope I don't come off as cheapskate. I own a good number of firearms, and as my dear wife can attest to, I'm not afraid to spend $ for high quality toys.
Click to expand...

Take Scriv. off ignore and you will have your answer.[wink]
 
Scrivener said:
You are mis/ill-informed.

You can get an SVI in any caliber you wish, from 9mm to .45. SVI's with a bushing barrels, both single and double-stack, have been approved for years. The bull barrel and compensated/ported models have been approved since last Fall.

Not at all inexpensive and never "cheap," but you'd have a near-custom gun for your money.
Click to expand...

Thank you. I always thought they ran close to 2K (I'm looking to spend 1/2 that), but I will investigate. Do any MA shops stock them or is just a custom order thing?
 
A good idea is to make a list of the mods you want and then look at the factory customs. It is a lot cheaper to buy it from the factory than to have a gunsmith install it. If the gun needs a trigger job or accuracy work, then give it to a gunsmith.

PS It is amazing how well stock 1911s shoot and how few really need accuracy work.
 
I understand what you are saying, it is a means to get a 9mm 1911, not just an extra nice 1911. I have a 9mm Caspian built by Santurri for the same reason. Building a really nice .45 is harder to make sense of because you get a good gun from the factory.

An SV would be over $2k and would never be stock since they are built to order.

SW needs to offer a 9mm 1911.
 
Last edited:
Mass-diver said:
Thank you. I always thought they ran close to 2K (I'm looking to spend 1/2 that), but I will investigate. Do any MA shops stock them or is just a custom order thing?
Click to expand...

A used one would run "close to 2K" and probably on the other side of it. A new one would be closer to $3k.

I know of no shop that stocks SVI because they are basically the 1911 version of "bespoke clothing."

It would probably be cheaper to have a 9mm barrel fitted to an S&W 1911.
 



Here are the pics of my build it cost about $1100. It was fun. You must have the basic understanding of how the 1911 works, and the tools.
Jim
 
Anyone interested in building thier own 1911, or seeing what kind of work goes into building one, should read this article/"how-to" written by someone on another baord I frequent.
 
Does size really matter? (sorry!)

wrt building a 1911 - the frame size is Government, Commander and Officer.

The Government is the same as the M1911A1, correct? The Commander a little smaller and the Officer a little smaller than that?

I'm a large person with large hands. An M1911A1 feels about right in my hand.

A 1903 Pocket .38 I think would be similar to the Officer's size (yes, I know it is not a 1911, but it is similar in look and feel). Does that sound about right? That still feels fine but the larger one feels better.

Are there any practical reasons to select the Commander or Officer model over the Government, other than the way the gun fits the hand?
 
Some people feel the Commander and Officer models, being shorter than the Government line, are easier to conceal. Then there is the relationship between weight and recoil. The heavier the pistol, the less "felt-recoil" the shooter will experience. Accuracy is, in part, related to the length of the barrel. The longer the barrel, the more accurate the gun. Of course these are all generalizations and any one gun may out perform another based on its own combination of these and other characteristics.
 
I might aggree that the longer the "Sight Radius", the more accurate the shooter will be. On the other hand, it's been pretty well proven that a short barrel gun is just as accurate as a long barrel, one of the reasons being that a longer barrel has more time for "harmonic vibration" to effect the shot.

MANY short barreled rifles, especially thick ones, shoot better than long barrels.

Oh, we were talking about .45s. Now where is that cookie I was eating.... must be here near the sunday paper![wink]
 
length and distance

the barrel length has a lot to do with the distance your shooting.

A 4 or 5" barrel is more that adequate for bullseye, shooting 50'.

As for a defense carry gun, a barrel length or 3.5-4" sounds more than
adequate.

If your bad guy (at least in this state) is 75' away, i believe it would
be better to retreat than engage.

JimB
 
Hamar said:
Quote:
my officers ACP will shoot golf balls at 30 feet!

How many grains is that golf ball and how many grains of powder are you using behind them? I would think I'd want my golf balls to go out to 50ft at least...No?
Click to expand...

Either way, thats a mighty big bore, and those 15 people whose feet you're shooting at are gonna be ticked off.
 
namedpipes said:
Does size really matter? (sorry!)

wrt building a 1911 - the frame size is Government, Commander and Officer.

The Government is the same as the M1911A1, correct? The Commander a little smaller and the Officer a little smaller than that?
Click to expand...

The Commander and Government model have the same size frame. Yes, the Government model has the same frame as an M1911A1. The difference is barrel/slide length. The Government has a 5" barrel. The Commander has a 4 1/4" barrel.

The Officer's model has a shorter grip frame and shorter barrel (3 or 3 1/2, depending upon manufacturer).

Are there any practical reasons to select the Commander or Officer model over the Government, other than the way the gun fits the hand?
Click to expand...

Concealment. A smaller gun is easier to conceal than a larger gun. Personally, I find that the grip is the hardest part of the gun to conceal, so I find little difference in concealing a Government model versus a Commander model.

I have a couple Kimber Compacts, which use an Officers frame, but with a slide that is almost the same size as a Commander. I find that significantly easier to conceal than a Government model.

I'm not a fan of the Officers model -- I think the slide/barrel is just too short. YMMV.
 

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