This is awesome! Would love to meet some Bay Area hobbyist gunsmiths! 1911 / 2011

[Johnny5]

I'm currently new to building 1911 / 2011 platform and would love to meet some hobbyist gunsmiths who are familiar with this platform for some suggestions and advice. Located in Brentwood Eastbay.

 

[1911whore]

I am in the Sacramento area but would love to help if I were in the Bay

 

[Johnny5]

I am in the Sacramento area but would love to help if I were in the Bay

I have no problem traveling!

 

[yatzooa]

@Johnny5 hows the 2011 journey coming along? I'm getting familiar with the platform myself.

I just bought a SA prodigy as a project 2011 so I could really start getting familiar with the platform.

I plan on swapping out the grips, adding an EGW ignition kit and maybe a trigger and some tuning. I figured its better to learn on a prodigy than something like an atlas or staccato

 

[9mmContagion]

I'm currently new to building 1911 / 2011 platform and would love to meet some hobbyist gunsmiths who are familiar with this platform for some suggestions and advice. Located in Brentwood Eastbay.

I’m not local, but have been tinkering on 1911s for nearly 10 years now. I used to be a machinist so filing, milling, lathe work, finishing, etc. was all natural to me. I built several 1911s, one from bare slide and 80% frame which I serialized and registered back when that was a thing. After building a few of my own, I realized I’d like some the finer things in life from true gunsmiths and have moved on to full house customs and 2011s.

What are you trying to accomplish? What experience do you have in tolerances? Do you own a nice, non marring vise? Nice files? Have general knowledge of fitting and lapping?

There are a lot of moving components associated with 1911/2011s. Especially when you get into the thumb safety, sear, disco, trigger, etc.
Nothing that is properly fit will be drop in on this platform. Even a physical trigger is not drop in.


Greatest piece of advice I can give is start slow. Get a good set of calipers and mics. A nice flat working area (piece of granite or even a nice smooth piece of tile).

I gained a lot of knowledge watching MosinVirus videos on YouTube. He used to be a great wealth of knowledge over on CalGuns, but haven’t seen him around in a while.

Be prepared to spend some money! And probably screw some stuff up! Good luck!

 

[9mmContagion]

@Johnny5 hows the 2011 journey coming along? I'm getting familiar with the platform myself.

I just bought a SA prodigy as a project 2011 so I could really start getting familiar with the platform.

I plan on swapping out the grips, adding an EGW ignition kit and maybe a trigger and some tuning. I figured its better to learn on a prodigy than something like an atlas or staccato

Man, even a Prodigy is a good chunk of money to practice on! Lol I cut my teeth on a Springfield GI model over 10 years ago. Bought it for $500 and replaced just about every component besides barrel, slide, and frame. It’s a lot of work and time. I regret selling that piece, but I moved on from .45 ACP into God’s caliber 9mm 1911/2011s. One day I’ll find that original gun again and get it back.

 

[9mmContagion]

I am in the Sacramento area but would love to help if I were in the Bay

This guy is a great wealth of knowledge as well! He had a good reputation in this category over at CGN. Glad to see you over here!

 

[mindwreck]

are you building it from scratch or just putting in some bolt ons? i may have built a few in my time. they require some specialized tools and patience to fit everything together. Some parts are made with the mating surface oversized to be fitted. fitting barrel hood. fitting of the grip safety/trigger bow if your going that route. barrel and barrel link length and VIS timing. and barrel lug clearances. extractor tuning. staking the plunger tube. getting the ejector right. etc.

building a 2011 from scratch you have ramped barrel then you have another thing to think about.

 

[bruce381]

gods caliber is 45cp the original design Jesus shoots a 9mm LOL