Gun kits from Sarco?

**elementfreak431** · November 16th, 2011, 01:54 PM

Has anyone ever heard of the kits from sarco?

http://e-sarcoinc.com/partskits.aspx

They look like they could be a fun little winter project. Has anyone had any experience building one of these from a kit? I already did an AR from a kit but that was from Del-Ton. How are the 45 kits?

**red dog** · November 16th, 2011, 03:03 PM

i built a fal from a kit using a imbel gear logo rec. it was a satisfying project that turned out to be very accurate for this type of rifle. keep in mind if your going to do a imported rifle there are requirements to be met on qty. of import parts you are allowed to use. have fun, imo it is a worthwhile endeavor. if your going to do one of the .45 kits let us know how it is progressing. i have often thought about trying one myself.

**T.Ward** · November 16th, 2011, 08:49 PM

Here is a walk-through of some guy's Sarco 1911 build. Basically the build took him almost exactly 1 year (there was a fair bit of down time waiting for replacement parts to be shipped), cost him a fair bit more than a new entry grade (RIA to low end Springfields, etc.) 1911, and required the pro bono help of a local amateur gunsmith/1911 tuner.

If you're mechanically inclined, patient, and have a fairly well stocked work bench, it could be a great project. If you are just looking for a cheap 1911 or a project in which the parts will just drop into place, sarco probably isn't your best option.

**tonyfac** · November 16th, 2011, 09:53 PM

since they moved the operation to easton, i am able to go on my lunch. at first, i was not impressed, now that they moved all the employees and all the parts here, i find myself going more and more. they do have a lot of nice kits there, and a great source for parts. best part for me, no shipping either. i wouldnot hesitate to buy from them.

**Flash** · November 16th, 2011, 10:55 PM

A couple of years ago, I found myself in possesion of a pair of Essex 1911A1 frames, so I ordered two Essex slides, and the parts kits from Sarco. So far, I have finished one, the other is waiting for this winter when my eyes come back to battery properly.

Of course, Jerry Kuhnhausen's book helped a lot. There is also a bunch of information on the interwebz
but caveat emptor!
Some of it is really crappy advice, but you might be able to separate the wheat from the chaff, witha bit of experience. I bought a few specialized tools, but I already had the stones and files around. It was an easy build, the parts are all of top quality, I wound up with a genuine Colt barrel from the kit, and everything went together as it should. The gun as finished, is clean, fits right, and needed no slide-to-frame tightening. I did little to no major alteration of parts, except for barrel hood and link fitting.

I completed this one as a strictly military 1911A1. It is better than anything I have ever bought in an arsenal box, with perhaps the exception of my Remington-Rand from 1943. The only thing I will change is the trigger - need to have a mid-length lightweight one with overtravel stop-screw, and then it will be at the peak of its development.

On the other one, I will mill for an adjustable rear sight but that is it. I like them "as issued", mostly.

I got no MIM parts, to my knowledge, in my kits. All parts are pretty close to mil-spec, except the barrels need fitting. (lugs, links, bushing). Speaking of bushings, I got collet bushings, but if I were creating a serious bullseye gun, I would have gone for the solid, I think. Yes, they are a pain to fit properly, and they can be easily ruined by an anxious hand, but rewarding when done right.

One word if you are thinking of doing one - - - - Just leave the Dremel in the basement, forget you even have one. It is so very easy to screw up a sear or a disconnector even without using one, so when you use it, you hasten the process, and the part is already unusable crap before you even recognize what has happened - take your time and enjoy the journey.

Think about what you want your completed gun to be long before you even order the parts. If you want a huge beavertail that fits a radiused frame, just buy the frame that way from the get-go. Easier, and looks better when finished, too.

Don't file or grind big steps. It is a painstaking and tedious process, fitting the small parts. And they have to be in the correct relationship.
Don't force anything. NO HAMMERS.
First time builder?? Get the Ejector, the plunger-tube, and the grip-screw bushings already on. Save those experiences for your second and subsequent builds. The tools to do those operations can cos a few $$$, too, better spent on walnut grips, good sights, etc.

But the result can be rewarding and extremely satisfying. Every true shooter should have one in his arsenal, preferrably one he has built for himself.

Flash

**Normlizer** · November 17th, 2011, 06:48 AM

I built a 1911 from Sarco parts. It wasn't bad got a ria frame and then one of the front seration slide kits with barrel. The only thing that didn't work was the grip safety. Everything else worked well. I did change up alot of parts and added a few also but your standard kit works fine if done right.

Flash is right on the money. If it weren't for Flash i probably could have never built mine.
Here are more pics of my build.