Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Built 1911?

Has anyone here ever purchased a 1911 clone (like a Rock Island or some other Phillipino models) and just upgraded parts over time, such as Ed Brown or Wilson, as money allowed to accomplish a built pistol?

I know that if you were to weigh the total purchase price of all parts + original pistol vs. a well built quality piece probably doesn't pan out.

I guess the real question here is, since the initial purchase price of a Brown or Wilson pistol is too steep, would you be satisfied with completely upgraded internals on a Phillipino slide and frame?

Considering knowing that one of the Philipino frames (RIA, specifically) can withstand having the absolute dog-schit shot out of it, I'd not fret running one of those frames (again), with stock or upgraded internals.

Nice to know...

I am actually running a Century Arms but I don't suspect it is any less (or more) than what the Rock Islands are.

It was the first pistol I ever purchased. I know it is not a Smith or Colt but I just can't get rid of it which is why I am considering just uping the parts over time.

You "know" that one. Upgrade the parts as necessary/needed, and rock on.

The RIA's and similar are decent pistols all things considered, but I wouldn't use the slide and frame as a foundation. Generally the metal hardness is mil-spec, which is softer than commercial. Even Colt mil-spec is softer than commercial.

Unless you have a local gunsmith to build the pistol a little at time the shipping will absolutely kill you. My 2-cents is to buy a commercial pistol with the slide/frame cuts and parts you want and go from there. Spend gunsmith money on fitting the existing parts.

Buying inexpensive and upgrading is pretty common and rational practice, do it.

The first pistol I ever purchased (in '75, back when people flamed Rugers) isn't going to leave me until I die or don't have enough functioning brain cells to know about it so I understand your feelings for the Century.

Ummm, no.

One-piece-at-a-time is the worst and most expensive option reserved for the mostly broke. BTDT.

JOG,

Yeah, BTDT too. Depends on how much one has in the budget for firearms recreation and how much one must spend on things like the mortgage or sending the kids to college. Doing things a bit at a time and paying cash rather than flopping down a credit card and paying interest for 10 years seems like a more rational plan to me. YMMV.

Best to you.

Do a search for Arnel and Rock Island Armory. He works for the importer in Nv and apparently is a custom pistol smith that works on the RIA.

In looking at the options of such an upgrade, it really makes sense to buy a completed pistol if you are not a gunsmith. A $400 RIA GI quickly becomes an $800 pistol with a few accessories and milling of the slide for better sights.

I would advise you to contact a Master pistol smith for 1911's. Sometimes it is just easier to put a good pistol on a credit card and make payments...you can enjoy it for the rest of your life...it will outlast your recliner.

I did that with my Colt Gold Cup. Personally, if I ever had to replace my Colt I'd buy the best Wilson or comparable 1911 I could afford instead of trying to up grade.

I've owned a couple of Charles Daley 1911's which were, IIRC, the same thing as the RI's. Mine were both loaded up with features. Strange that the RI's are usually plain-jane types. With the Charles Daley, you still might have to profile and polish the feed ramp. Most of the other features were already there and worked.

From what I've heard, the RI is a quality piece. It is just usually encountered without frills. I'd keep the RI the way it is and save up for a Gold Cup type. I've got a Springfield Armory Loaded model and it is the way to go.

Go trade it in on the lowest priced Kimber you can find. I think they start at around $700.00 or so. Kimbers, all of them I have shot, are very good.

I have to side with JOG on this.

I have what started as your basic "GI" RIA. Thought at one time that I might do what you are considering. Started out with a few basic and minor changes. Grieder plain trigger with adjustable overtravel, fitted EGW firing-pin stop with small radius, fitted barrel bushing, spring change (to original spec), and later, bigger fixed sights.

Not much more money into it, and about the biggest bang for the buck in refinements, IMO, that you can get. After putting a lot of rounds through it, I decided to leave it as is. To make any further improvements would push rapidly past the point of diminishing returns, and really - the gun works great the way it is.

If I were to feel the need for something more dressed-up, I would simply buy one of the models that is already where I want it - or close enough to it. I would be money ahead.

BTW - RIA does make "enhanced" models for an attractive price. You may also want to take a look at the STI Spartan, which is a RIA frame & slide with STI small parts - at a very reasonable price.

FreeMe,

If I recall you made most (all?) of the mods yourself. That changes the logic completely, and I would also go the route of an RIA or similar pistol.

In that case the downside is selling the pistol at a huge loss. The original parts no longer fit the pistol and unless a recognizable gunsmith's name is attached to the work most buyers will be leery of paying extra. IME the 'custom' pistol will be worth less than the stock version.

Yep. And "myself" decided that anything that involved permanent modifications to the frame or slide would not be done by me. The "mods" (really just parts-swaps) I did were cheap and relatively easy. I could put the gun back to original configuration in an afternoon if I were to sell it - but it wouldn't be worth the effort.

Going beyond where I left off involves an investment in instruction and tools that only makes sense, IMO, if one plans to do it many times. Or if one is okay with the idea of blowing the bucks as a (needs-no-justification) "hobby" expense.

That seems like a helluva pistol for the money...


Travis

Ummm, Double no.

Forget the junk; buy a quality (not a custom) pistol configured as you want it right up front, unless you can do all the work on the mods yourself.

Even then, you'll still have an RIA, Auto-Ordanance, or whatever.

A well configured Colt, Kimber or Springfield may end up a bit more $$$ in the end, but more than worth the extra cost.........once you have it, you'll not regret it.

MM

War Eagle it depends upon the purpose of the handgun. If it's just for recreational plinking then go for it. If you plan to use it for personal defense, then definitely not. Some things in life can't be compromised. Automobile tires, aircraft maintenance and defensive weaponry come to mind. Would you buy the cheapest parachute that you could find and then replace the cords one at a time with upgrades as you could afford them? JMO

Get a kimber & if u want to upgrade it later u will have a good gun to build off of.