I would definitely try a build. Minus fitting the beavertail😬

 

Nighthawk offers kits.

 

The beavertail is easy compared to fitting rails and a barrel, but....

 

I like to buy my 1911 kits fully assembled and serialized.

 

For the most part you assemble ARs from a pile-o-parts. 1911s are different. For it to be worth your time your parts will be oversized and require fitting to get the best outcome. Otherwise just buy a good quality complete basic pistol and modify it once you figure out what you want it t do.

 

Great advice. After modifying and advancing (still a noob) skills over 7 pistols - I am finally doing a full project pistol. STILL using a frame and slide from a complete pistol but tightening it up and adding beavertail, barrel fitting, etc.

 

Sarco sells a kit for a GI type. Every part but the stripped frame. Based on past experiences with Sarco, I imagine successfully completing this kit would make one very, very familiar with the 1911 pistol. Lol

 

I had good luck with a sarco kit but you do get very familiar with the platform : )

 

Rock island arms sells full kits minus frames as well.

 

Sarco kits as stated above is good some minor fitting needs to be done but pretty much a drop in. Have used them in calibers from 22tcm to 45 acp they are priced reasonable and shipping and customer service is great.
They also carry kits for other style of builds

 

I’m working on my first 1911 build. I have worked on guns for decades but wanted to build my own pistol so I could learn the 1911 from the ground up. I chose 1911parts.com. Mike, the owner, has been very helpful in putting the parts together. He has everything needed and all very high quality. I received the parts last week and I’m really happy with the quality and availability. I chose a short block where the slide was fitted to the frame and the barrel was fitted. My next build I will fit the slide and barrel but I wanted an easier build for my first build. I have invested in a lot of tooling, jigs, and tools all of which will will allow me to build / rebuild 1911s going forward.

I also purchased the AGI 1911 videos and Kuhnhausens books To give me a good education on the processes and parts needed. Gene at AGI is a great teacher that I have known for decades. You don’t just need parts, you need the knowledge to put them together.

im building a 1911 Government in 10mm. It is cheaper to buy a fully assembled gun but I wanted to build a “custom” pistol with self chosen parts. Thus far I I am pleased with my results and the support Mike has offered.

 

1911parts.com is also known as Thunder Mountain Custom

 

Post # 6 says it all. You are also going to need to buy quite a few tools and learn how to use stones and files to build a 1911. Can you file and stone surfaces square and parallel to each other with out using jigs and guides? No? Then you will need to get them as well. Read the Kuhnhausen Shop Manual first. Now read it again.... NOW you're on your way down the hole Pilgrim.

 

Great advice!!

 

Ok, lots of good info here. Thanks all.
Kuhnhausen Vol 1 is my current nightstand book and will be studied for a while before the first parts/kit is ordered. I’ve got the AGI site bookmarked as well, love me some online courses.
Budget list:
Commander (Springfield Ronin) or Govt (Kimber LW) for concealed carry. (What got me in this mess)
More tools.
Probably a Tisas Tanker or similar as a sacrificial test platform.
AGI 1911 courses.
Full build from component parts.

 

Get a Brownells catalogue. They have everything you will need (and some you won’t) in the catalogue but seemingly always out of stock on line. I just went through the same process over the last two months. I have everything I need (and some I don’t) and now putting parts together. When done, I will have a truly custom Government 1911 in 10mm. Finished, sighted, and built by my for me. I have spent a lot of money, and will spend a lot of time, could have bought one for a lot less, but it will be a precious gun for me.

I sure hope it goes bang.

 

Read the entire Kuhnhausen book. Now read it again. Knowing this stuff will prevent you from buying parts you don't need and making other expensive mistakes.

 

During the 1980s and early 90s a lot of companies offered 1911 build kits. Most used cheap cast frames and slides from Federal Ordnance, Ranger, and Essex. Springfield Armory was probably the first company to offer a kit using decent components, and most of their parts were still drop-in. Unfortunately these days nobody wants to put together a "mil-spec" 1911 with relaxed clearances that you can build in an afternoon. As a result everything is oversized and requires fitting.

 

I built my first 1911 from a Fusion Firearms 'kit'. I thought it would be easier having the frame and slide already mated, turns out I was right. With my Kuhnhausen book in hand and this forum on the screen, I got it done. The frame and slide are super tight, since most of the pieces came from the same company, any 'mistakes' would probably be mine. It was a bit of a toss up between Fusion and buying the kit parts from Caspian. The gun has run flawlessly, (once I got the hang of building the correct reloads!),

 

Springfield mil-spec 1911s are perfect for project guns.

 

I think more is to learned from modding a production gun. More attention can be paid to the ‘why’ as the ‘how’ is done.

Buy a high performance engine parts kit…they make ‘em. Finished…engine runs well. But what were the ‘big’ effectors? Cam? Porting? Intake? Haiders?

Take your running engine…install an intake. Seat of the pants dyno test it. Same with Haiders. The THE cam. Uh huh…which one gave the most oomph?!

Mil Spec. Fit a beavertail. Nice. Undercut the trigger guard a smidge. Nicer. High cut the beavertail. Nicer still. Ride the thumb safety…hmmmm

 

Ok, with all the info here, and more from reading a bit in Kuhnhausen…I definitely think modifying a bog standard govt would be a better starting point for me. Learn to clean up a trigger and adding a beaver tail to an existing pistol does sound like a better learning curve than diving into a pile of parts I’ve no experience with.