Why a Custom 1911 Pistol Is Better
A pristine custom, well-functioning custom 1911 requires extensive, time-consuming work. You will need a Foredom tool with a wide array of attachments, a bench-top vice, lapping compound, a radius cutting jig, various punches and drift tools, calipers, a case of beer for frustration and lots of time on your hands.
Factory 1911s are made from parts that are produced to set tolerances, allowing for hand-fitting. A 1911 pistolsmith at Lone Star Gunsmithing in Princeton Texas will be able to fit andpolish thoseparts to create a true work of art.
Fit and Finish
For many people, the main reason they buy a custom 1911 is to get a gun that looks and shoots better than a factory model. It’s hard to do this if the parts used by a smith are second rate.
For example, the better 1911 makers use only steel-lined barrels. Their magazines are also made from metal injection molding. This means that the parts are often oversized by a few tenths of an inch. This allows them to fit and operate with minimal effort.
But a good pistolsmith will file down the parts until they are dimensionally perfect and will fit the slide and frame. They will also checker (or golf ball or Conamyds, if you prefer) the frame and make sure that it is properly centered. Then, when they finish the job, the barrel will lock up tightly with a little pressure on the sear lever. This is a sign that the pistolsmith has done his job well.
Functionality
There is a lot that can be done to customize a 1911 pistol beyond simply changing the grips or sights. For example, some gunsmiths use the technique of hand-fitting parts to ensure proper assembly and function.
Most of the time this involves re-machining and lapping certain key parts, like the trigger, safety levers and hammer. These are oversized by a few thousandths of an inch, and the gunsmith files away excess until they fit properly and work as designed.
A good gunsmith understands that functionality is a vitally important part of their work. A competition gun that stops working in a match costs points; one that stops in a gunfight could cost lives.
For example, the fit between the feed ramp on the frame and barrel is critical. It must be perfectly aligned and fitted, or the 1911 may fail to cycle hollow-point ammo. This is an area where many factory guns have problems, but it can be corrected with the help of a skilled gunsmith.
Durability
Whether you want your pistol to be a workhorse or a collector, its durability is important. A good gunsmith will ensure the parts used in your build are strong and made to last. They will also ensure that the gun functions correctly and reliably. This is an area where many companies fall short; instead of treating the actual problem (incorrect timing), they treat the symptom, (the slide doesn’t lock back).
Gunsmiths will hand-fit the frame and slide rails. This means the gunsmith will enlarge the frame rails until they fit the slide, then cut and file the slide until it fits the frame rails perfectly.
Additionally, gunsmiths will fit and polish the frame rails, slide rails, and any other parts that require it. This will make them smooth and help prevent snags during operation. This is a time-consuming process, and a quality job will take a skilled gunsmith to do well.
Aesthetics
Many people who do not understand custom 1911 pistol work may wonder why they would pay to have a gun “worked on” when a Glock, Smith and Wesson or other factory firearm costs less. The answer is that a custom pistol from Wilson Combat, Les Baer or STI is like no other firearm on the market. A high quality custom 1911 is a graceful combination of flats and curves. Many of the surfaces are machined to tolerances measured in ten-thousandths of an inch. This type of precision fitting is very expensive to do.
This is also why 1911s tend to be heavier than polymer-frame pistols and their single-stack magazines limit capacity. However, the trade-off is reliability that has not changed since John Browning’s original design. For this reason, 1911s have become the weapon of choice for military and law enforcement personnel. Their reputation for reliability has earned them the respect of shooters around the world.
