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Howdy gang --

I've started a special project which requires some general input and I thought maybe this group of professionals could help me out. I've just completed building my first 1911 from a partially completed frame and US made parts kit. Cosmetically it is a mil-spec looking 1911. I prepared the rails in the slide and cut the frame ways to perfectly match the slide, giving it that NM slide to frame fit. Now comes the hard part...

I want this to be a "theme" gun. My father passed away last year and I want this to be a tribute to his service in WWII. He donated considerable funds to the WWII Memorial in D.C. but passed one month before it was officially dedicated. I want this pistol to pay tribute to the "greatest generation that ever lived." Knowing that we are loosing about 1,000 vets a year who served in that war, I want this one to be special.

I'm struggling with how much to customize this pistol without loosing the "mil-spec" look. Some of the "external" mods I've thought about are the usual upgrades: sights, grip safety, thumb safety, MSH, trigger, grips and serrations. I've ruled out the forward cocking serrations. I want to upgrade the sights but I don't want any "cheater dots." The Heinie Slant-Pro looks like a good chioce to me. That's about the only mod I want to do to the slide other than tastfully engraving something to commemorate our vets.

For the MSH, I'm not sure whether to go with the arched or flat style. I found a flat MSH on Brownells web site made by Guncrafters Industires with an integral lanyard loop which I like (the lanyard loop keeping with the GI design). I am also considering taking the one I already have and reshaping it with a semi-arched style. I also like the Wilson Combat beaver tail and Nowlin trigger kit (Pro hammer, sear, sear spring and disconnector) as well as the Wilson extended thumb safety. These are the most obvious mods that are as much functional as they are cosmetic. Do you think that this will be too "over the top" with regards to my theme?

One last mod I've been struggling with is the front strap. I really want to add checkering to the front strap but I just don't know if this would detract from the overall theme I'm trying to create -- function versus form delemma again. Like the slide serrations, I'm kind of leaning towards the "smooth-look." If anyone has a Quija board at home and wouldn't mind asking Mr. Browning his opinion on this I'd really appreciated it!

The trigger will be a solid V-design. Brownells sells one but they don't list the manufacturer. Any other sources? I was thinking about going with the medium LOP but I don't know how that compares with the mil-spec design. As for the grips, I was thinking about making my own. I have seen some with "U.S.A." engraved on them but I don't know who made them or if they're still available.

I have never owned or built a 1911 before so please excuse my lack of experience. Chuck Rogers knows me from a home gunsmithing site and I'm hoping he will vouch for me as to my skills behind a mill. I really want this one -- my first one -- to be worthy of the vets (and Dad) who served our great country. Any suggestions from this group of professional 'smiths would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks.

-- ale

p.s. Here are a couple pics of my progress so far. It's about the most plain, white canvass 1911 you've ever seen, but in her father's partial eye she has all the potential of becoming a princess





Here's a link to a short write-up of my build as well as a lapping tool I made (copied) for the slide fitting process.

I'm actually having Ted Yost build me a retro-styled 1911 for the 10th Anniversary of my graduation from West Point, so I've been doing alot of thinking along similar lines (i.e. traditional vs. modern).

From your description, when the gun is done it will look alot like a current custom gun, which is fine, but doesn't fit the WWII theme at all. Here are my suggestions:

Consider fixed sights that fit the rear dovetail & have a similar profile to the old sights. Yost-Bonitz Retro sights and Kings Hardballer sights would fit the bill, and still give you a much better sight picture than the tiny GI sights. Then just add a front sight of the right height to match it.

Keep the spur hammer, just have it bobbed & high cut to prevent bite, and de-horn the grip safety a little more aggressively for more comfort.

Extended thumb safeties are pretty unobtrusive, just go for one of the smaller "tactical" ones that don't look like gas pedals, and it shouldn't hurt the look too much.

Flat vs. arched MSH is a matter of personal taste; just handle both and choose the one you like. I started with arched, and came around to flat, but some people do the exact opposite. Ted Yost does a neat lanyard loop MSH conversion that I think looks better than most.

There are alot of good solid aluminum triggers out there now that are functionally equal to the ones with holes drilled in them, so I'd go with one of those.

I think checkering or frontstrap serrations wouldn't take you out of the proper "look" (which is admittedly pretty subjective anyway). Yes, a pure GI gun wouldn't have them, but they don't bounce you out of the period, either, like a set of Heinie sights would.

You won't want a two-tone WWII-theme gun, I don't think. Is that frame stainless?

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Sean Smith
"Hey don't worry, I can handle it. I took something. I can see things no one else can see. Why are you dressed like that?" -Jack Burton, Big Trouble in Little China

The V-series trigger offered by Brownells is made by Grieder. I have compared them side-by-side with a Videki, calipers in hand, and I can't tell the difference. They are now my standard trigger. I agree with Sean on the hammer. You may want to cut it back a bit. Personally, I like the GI thumb safety. I just installed one on a new Colt. The King sights Sean refered to look like this:



Since these were installed, Ted introduced his Retro sight. Those are the ones that I installed on my new Colt and they will shortly replace the King's sight on the above pistol.

I also add a vote for Ted's lanyard ring option. Very classy.

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Wayne Miller

Steve Bailey of Yost is doing something similiar for me. I had a WWI GI all Colt that had no collector value having been reblued sometime long ago. In deciding what to do with it when talking to Steve I decided to keep it all original in looks, wanted it to be a sleeper and to look like the GI Colt it is but perform up to todays standards so the only external visible modification will be some Yost retro sights with the gold line on the front. Internally of course it will be a completely different gun. I haven't yet figured out the hammer but I have some time before it hits Steve's bench I think, bad guys are keeping him busy for now.

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I won't be wronged. I won't be insulted. I won't be laid a-hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them. - John Bernard Books

Sean --

Congratulations on your upcoming centennial anniversary. I can't think of a better way to commemorate this event than with a Yost-built 1911.

Thanks to everyone for sharing your ideas as well. I needed someone to help focus my attention back on the "theme" rather than getting carried away with all the aftermarket bells and whistles. I'm sure there will be plenty of other opportunities for building a custom "tactical" 1911.

You guys have already sold me on the Yost-Bonitz retro sights. I'm also going to use the factory hammer and GS with the mods you've suggested. I don't know that Ted sells the MSH with the lanyard loop separately so I may just try fabricating one myself.

I've also chosen a name for this build: The General. Depending on how well it turns out, I'll give it 3-stars or 4-stars (I don't think I'm capable of creating a 5-star General on my first try ). The frame I started with is cast in either 4130 or 4140 steel and will be blued at the end of the project. The two-tone look is only because it's still in the white. I thought about parkerizing it but I think the bluing will add a little more class to the finished product (the Command staff does have its privileges, you know!). I posted a link to my build under the last photo in my first post above in case you missed it.

One thing I forgot to mention is replacing the barrel and bushing. All I have in there now is the one that came with the U.S. made parts kit. I think most gunsmiths use Kart precision barrels. Brownells sells an “easy fit” Kart barrel kit which I’m considering as a replacement. Any suggestions or recommendations for the barrel and bushing would again be appreciated.

Many thanks.

-- ale

ale,

Take a look at this article for possible inspirations:

http://www.signaturegrade.com/sg/feature2.html

Looks like it will be a really great gun! And when you said we lose 1000 WWII vets a year, that is incorrect...it's 1000 per day! Those guys literally saved the world and anything we can do to honor them is a good thing! I am constantly in awe of my dad and uncles who fought and served in that war...

Wayne Dobbs

For a barrel, you might consider a Storm Lake Machine drop in match grade barrel from Brownells. Or, if you can find one, a GI National Match barrel and bushing. The bushings are easy to find...look on Ebay. The barrels are a bit more scarce.

If the Storm Lake barrel looks like it might work, drop me a PM. I have one that I am not using.

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Wayne Miller

I've had good luck with Bar-Sto and Schuemann barrels in my guns. The Schuemann AET was the most accurate, but not by alot, and most expensive. Lots of people love Kart barrels, however. The Bar-Sto just seems like a "classic" barrel to use in a custom gun in my mind, for whatever (completely subjective) reason.

It's hard to go wrong with barrels, though. I don't think I've heard anything bad about ANY of the major match barrel makers.

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Sean Smith
"Hey don't worry, I can handle it. I took something. I can see things no one else can see. Why are you dressed like that?" -Jack Burton, Big Trouble in Little China

How about something like this?