So fellow PAFOA members. . help me build a 1911 race gun!

[BerksCountyDave]

So I've decided to have a completely from the ground up custom 1911 race gun built. I have myself in a situation where I have no real debt to speak of. . .and a credit card with a high limit and a good APR calling my name. I've always saved money and never really splurged on anything before. . . so I owe this to myself!

Anyway. . . . how should I go about having the gun built? Contact Wilon, STI, Baer, etc and have them build one . .. or buy parts and have a smith assemble it? If I go the buying parts route. . .where's a good place/manufacturer choice for slide/frame, internals, etc?

Here's my basic idea I have in my head:

Caliber: .45ACP
Barrel Length: 6" (Long slide) w/slide lightening (fancy name for holes in the slide)
Finish: Bright hard chrome

Other crap: Nice light trigger pull, red dot mount, large magwell, extended slide release and thumb safety, checkered front strap etc.

So. . .fire away. . how would you go about building this gun, either by which custom shop or with who's parts, and assembled by what smith? Have fun with it, I know I'm going to!

Thanks
Dave

[synergy]

Fusion Firearms does a lot of long slide stuff, IIRC.
EGW does good work and is local.

Wish I could help more, I'll hopefully be learning more from future replies!

I'm considering a race gun too...though I'm not sure I want a .45ACP...

[Lycanthrope]

Not many race guns in .45 ACP these days unless you're shooting pins.

You could just buy one from STI or have www.gansguns.com build you one.

"Race gun" means a lot of different things to different people. Do a search on "USPSA Open gun" for some fun blasters.

[BerksCountyDave]

I was mainly thinking .45 because I have a ton of reloading components for it. But I also load for 9mm. . . .so maybe that would be a good option . . .

[Jailkeeper]

If I were going to build a race 1911 it would be 9mm. FWIW.

[synergy]

If I were going to build a race 1911 it would be 9mm. FWIW.

I just got wood reading that.

Now we're talkin'!!!

[Lycanthrope]

I didn't get wood, but 9mm or .38 Super would be my choice.

[synergy]

I didn't get wood, but 9mm or .38 Super would be my choice.

That's probably because you already have one!

[NineseveN]

Start with STI (my bias is showing, even their stock guns are godly - http://www.pafoa.org/forum/pistols-4...15-review.html) and go from there.

9mm, .38 Super or .40, skip the 45 because, as Lycan said, not many .45 "Open" guns. Most of the guys I know that talk this kind of shop run .40's for a lot of reasons (power factor etc...), but any of those 3 will suit you fine. Lycan is the resident expert on competition IMHO, so listen carefully to his advice. If you're gonna reload, .38 Super or .40S&W seem to be the most popular...if not, 9mm is good advice.

So start with STI, pick a caliber that is not .45ACP and then either get it right from STI or have someone with STI-skills build it. Aside from Gans, Brazos gets a lot of mouth from the guys I talk to. www.talonarms.com has some good prices and great service on STI guns if you're just gonna get a base gun, shoot it for a while and then decide what you really want (that's my advice, for what it's worth). And when I say "base gun" from STI, when talking about their competition-styled guns, it's still gonna be more 'custom' than some of the guns coming out of some of the so-called 'custom shops'.

If you want to get really crazy, SVI is an option, I just think they're overpriced for what you get sometimes, I'd rather have something built form the ground up using all STI and after market parts.

[BullfrogKen]

. .. or buy parts and have a smith assemble it? If I go the buying parts route. . .where's a good place/manufacturer choice for slide/frame, internals, etc?

So. . .fire away. . how would you go about building this gun, either by which custom shop or with who's parts, and assembled by what smith? Have fun with it, I know I'm going to!

Thanks
Dave

I would advise against buying parts and giving the package to a smith to put together. Good gunsmiths have preferences. Those preferences are not formed from good marketing by the part suppliers. They are formed over years of experience using and installing those components for their customers. They know what works, from what might work with some help, and what's just crap wrapped around successful marketing.

Either get a complete package from a good large-scale custom shop, and rely upon the advice from them to pick the components based on your tastes. Or talk to a small custom smith, and rely upon his advice. In the end it'll be cheaper. They can get the parts at a better price than you. And the good shops won't use crap, even if you really, really want that POS part installed.


I don't know if he's still doing a lot of full-blown race gun work, but Jim Garthwaite located in central PA has been building great 1911s for about 35 years. I have a custom carry gun from him, and so do most of the knowledgeable shooters I spend my time with.

As far as caliber, consider choosing a 38 Super, with a spare 9mm barrel fit to it. Cheaper to shoot, so you'll be able to shoot it more. And there's a valid argument in building the gun around the smaller caliber for race-gun competition.