are you reading the specs? or just looking at pictures. i'm pretty sure you can get a steel Caspian frame, i understand they are cast. pictures might look SS, but, i think that would be because they're not finished, in the white, so to speak...
most manufactures offer Stainless, Steel and Aluminum.. research the Metal that will suit your needs...

 

are you reading the specs? or just looking at pictures. i'm pretty sure you can get a steel Caspian frame, i understand they are cast. pictures might look SS, but, i think that would be because they're not finished, in the white, so to speak...
most manufactures offer Stainless, Steel and Aluminum.. research the Metal that will suit your needs...

The Caspian receiver is stainless. They have a deal going on their website right now, $600 for slide and receiver.
I like the weight and durability of carbon or stainless over aluminum.
I want a reliable sidearm that I can say I had a hand in piecing together.

 

the Caspian website shows a reciever/frame in Carbon Steel, as well as Stainless Steel, take your pick...

 

You might also look at Jem Guns. I think they offer stainless.

 

Caspian Arms | Serving the custom pistolsmith since 1983

 

It depends on how nice you want the gun to be and what caliber you're going with (I'm guessing 45 acp).

IMO, lower calibers like the 9mm doesn't need a steel frame and a lot of guys here will say that a 45 will work great with an aluminum frame. I suppose it depends on how good the aluminum is.

Furthermore, what you're really going to invest in is tools. I've already spend $1k and I haven't even built my 1st 1911 yet, and I've still got more tools to buy. Of course, I'm also building ARs and multiple pistols, plus doing other gunsmithing, so the investment is going to pay off regardless.

Also, are you going to do an 80% frame? If so, then you've got more tools to buy.

Of course, there's the usual guides and how to videos. My personal favorite guy to watch is MosinVirus. He's documented several of his own builds and it might be a good idea to watch him and see what he does.

Personally, if I weren't building 80%s, I'd just buy a regular 1911 and upgrade it rather than build one.

Good luck.

 

Seconded on building up an existing pistol. There is a LOT to learn, tackling a full 1911 build, if you don't have experience upgrading/repairing/modding/tuning an existing pistol. Plus learning HOW to use the tools not to mention how many tools you need. And some tools you improvise.

Start with a working pistol and learn how to upgrade/tune/massage every part.

 

I’m looking into building my first 1911. I don’t have a ton of knowledge on them. I’ve shot my fair share of Colts and Kimbers, nothing high end.

I’ve been looking at Stealth and Fuison but they are aluminum from what I can tell. I would like to have a stainless receiver. I found Caspian and it looks the be stainless.

Are 1911 receivers and slides like Ar uppers and lowers, as in it doesn’t really matter for a decent build what you buy?

I know you can spend a lot of money on the internals. Seems like the slides and receivers are all pretty close in price.

Any advice on who to buy from and the best parts to get would be great. TIA

Photo is what I would like to end up with when I’m done. View attachment 695153

You might want to try and assemble one of those Tisas complete kits they are on a deal at about 350.00 and you wouldn’t need to buy a bunch of tools . If you can put it together and tune it plus put the finish on you will have started your adventure into building a 1911.

 

Building a 1911 is nothing like building an AR. The latter is mostly a bolt-together proposition. 1911s will need a LOT of fitting of the parts, especially if you're building one from the ground up. I recommend doing as much research as possible before you buy your first component so that you have some idea of what you're getting yourself into.

 

I was kind of wondering when someone was going to bring up the "not like an AR" consideration in regards to building a 1911. Moderately surprised it took 10 posts. For the record, I agree with you 100%.

 

Building a 1911 is nothing like building an AR. The latter is mostly a bolt-together proposition. 1911s will need a LOT of fitting of the parts, especially if you're building one from the ground up. I recommend doing as much research as possible before you buy your first component so that you have some idea of what you're getting yourself into.

100% spot on. You can buy a frame and slide pre mated but then you need everything else. You must know how to fit a barrel, the fire control group and have the tools and mechanical ability to do it.

Not trying to dissuade you from it but being basically a simple gun, it really isn't. You need a few hundred worth of tools and the ability to measure to the the thousandths of an inch and angles are included. If you don't have Kuhnhausen's 2 volumes of the 1911 get them and study them for the basis. Things have been adjusted and changed since then but that info will get you a great build.

 

The original military 1911 pistols were made to fairly generous tolerances and had near 100% parts interchangeability. I've slapped more than a few USGI pistols together in an afternoon using surplus parts. Modern 1911s are different creatures entirely, with most new off-the-shelf parts being made intentionally oversized so that they can be fitted to any maker's 1911 no matter how bad their tolerances are. I agree with rexm that buying a pre-fitted slide and frame combo is a very good idea, since that's one of the harder things for a 1911 builder to do without the proper tools and expertise. Fitting the barrel, and cutting the frame for a beavertail are also daunting tasks for a new builder. The more of that that's already been done the easier it will be for you to just add the fire control group and sights.

 

Oh yes, the beavertail.

That's one of the things I don't much care for with the new 1911s. I actually like the look of the old GI grip safety better, and the fact that you don't have to fit them, or needs very little fitting, makes it even better.

All my builds will have the GI grip safety. My hands are kinda skinny, strong but skinny, so hammerbite might not affect me much if at all.

 

Buy the Jerry Kuhnhausen 1911 books, read them cover to cover, and then decide if you really want to build a 1911. It’s not an insignificant investment in tools and learning.

 

Building a 1911 is nothing like building an AR. The latter is mostly a bolt-together proposition. 1911s will need a LOT of fitting of the parts, especially if you're building one from the ground up. I recommend doing as much research as possible before you buy your first component so that you have some idea of what you're getting yourself into.

What I meant by “is it like an Ar” is the fact that AR uppers and lowers are all pretty much the same no matter who you buy them from. what matters is the barrel and internals.

I was trying to ask the question about 1911 frames and slides. Are they all pretty much the same or are there company’s I need to stay away from?

I’ve owned 1911’s just never built one from the ground up.
Every gun I own I’ve taken completely apart and put back together. That being said. I have a lot to learn about building a 1911.

I’ve been researching this for a few weeks now.
I have an idea on what parts I’m going to get I just wanted to see what everyone on here suggested to use.

 

What I meant by “is it like an Ar” is the fact that AR uppers and lowers are all pretty much the same no matter who you buy them from. what matters is the barrel and internals.

I was trying to ask the question about 1911 frames and slides. Are they all pretty much the same or are there company’s I need to stay away from?

I’ve owned 1911’s just never built one from the ground up.
Every gun I own I’ve taken completely apart and put back together. That being said. I have a lot to learn about building a 1911.

I’ve been researching this for a few weeks now.
I have an idea on what parts I’m going to get I just wanted to see what everyone on here suggested to use.

There is quite a difference in parts and how you do it between an AR and a 1911. You might compare it to the difference between building an AK as to and AR. Starting out with an 80% lower and a flat plate AK lower. Your going to build the lower but in a very different way. Fitting and tuning a 1911 takes time skill and knowledge and tools most gun owners don’t have in their tool box. If you are good with tools and have the will to learn and ask questions from people who know you will attain your golds. 1911’s Forever

 

Yes there is a lot of difference between 1911 slide and frame makers. At the lower end, many of them need quite a bit of fitting and the dimensions may be slightly off. Also many of them are cast. At the high end they are forged and pretty much GTG but you're going to slap down a lot of Benjamins.

 

And sometimes you'll look at something you did and think "I did THAT?...ugggg"

 

And sometimes you'll look at something you did and think "I did THAT?...ugggg"

LOL…you have that right.

 

Fusion makes them in SS