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In case of the custom 1911 from a known maker, how much does the base gun matters, when it comes to value? Desirability? For me , a custom pre series 70 colt or large letter series 70 is more attractive that a Springfield or 1991 with the same custom package. Is true for most?

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AP

I would have to agree, I have looked at the colt commander on the for sale section of this forum that Novak did, the stainless one. It is very well priced but I am not a fan of that series of colt, but I found pretty much the same package on a reproduction series 70 that is just more my taste. Weather it be for the style of lettering or roll marks, its just a style that I like better. So the base gun is important to me, but its just my opinion. To me you have to be happy with everything to spend that kind of money.

Yup.

I like to build my own. I either want a new, aftermarket slide that is unmarked, let's say Caspian or STI, or a Colt. If a Colt only a few will do for me due to rollmarks. No ugly ORM 1991 but the NRM 1991 has an attractive rollmark IMO. Delta Elite rollmarks are sharp, commercial Colts from the 50's & 60's.

So yeah, it matters to me. If I was building on an 80% frame or doing one just for something to shoot it wouldn't matter much. But I don't do that too often, anything worth doing is worth doing right.

On a Govt. model, I'll take a NRM Series 70 every time. I'm not a big fan of the big letter Series 70 guns, as they vary greatly in the depth of the lettering, never mind the size of it.

For Commanders, it would have to be an old one. However, the NRM ones do look nice - I just don't like Series 80 lockwork.

I agree wholehaeartedly. I have a Government I built on a Caspian frame with a Colt Competition slide which has the large Series 70 rollmark. I can live with it but it is not my first choice.

I've always been a big Colt fan, but ran across this NM numbered Springfield a while back. W/ great slide / frame and barrel fitment, & no "FI BRAZIL" stamped on the frame, I thought it would make a good base gun.

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Regards - GCF

"Sometimes you make eight - Sometimes you hit dirt"

FWIW, I am partial to the roll marks on the pre-70 series Government models and prefer them above all other Colts. Having said that, I have two original 70series small letter Government models in line for custom work right now and they are certainly a close second. I am not at all a fan of the BIG letter 70series guns. They look almost cartoonish to me. Kinda like the new $10 bill. Just my .02.

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"If anything is within the powers and province of man, believe that it is within your own compass also."

-Marcus Aurelius

The choice of base gun, for me, is highly dependent upon the end usage of the pistol. If the pistol is going to be a range-only pistol with a highly polished blued finish, I want to build one of the new Colt Series '70 pistols. If the theme is retro, I also would (and have) chosen the new Series '70. In general, I like to use the classic (or classic looking) Colts on pistols that look like the pistols of the past.

If the pistol is destined to be a hard use carry gun with traditional lines, I prefer to start with a stainless NRM 1991 Colt as I like the Series '80 safety, and the base pistol is less expensive than a corresponding Series '70. If the pistol is going to look much different than a traditional 1911 (say Bobtailed), I prefer to start with a Caspian frame and slide or a SA Mil-Spec. It is easier for me to specify major surgery on pistols that lack the rampant Colt mark.

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Scott

I actively search out the NM framed Springfields for base guns. I have three in the safe waiting for the funds for project completion. The frame to slide fit is head and shoulders above the average Brazillian gun and they usually come with decent one piece stainless barrels. Not match grade units but they appear to be the equal of a standard Colt barrel anyway.

Most of the time when I buy them the owners have no idea what they have vs. a regular Springfield. I have my eye on another one right now but at $450 for a used Milspec I may pass. The older ones usually have the rollmark behind the ejection port and sometimes have the square frame, not a big deal if you're going to do a high cut and checker/stipple anyway, easy enough to "fix" at that time. They are a sleeper choice in my opinion.

Josh: I have a Caspian/Colt Competion on the bench somehwere and I am wondering how you like that '70 Style Slide. I have a 1990 Caspian lower end and have the slide to frame fit done, adjustable Novak rear, Novak dove tail front installed already. The B-tail cut is 90% , too.
I always liked the aftermarket slides that Colt made through the years and have had great success with this combination.
This one ia waiting for the Kart Barrrel to be installed and then finished up for a carry gun.

Copy that "head & sholders" bit. Think you may be understating the quality of the barrels though.

The stainless Milspec shown above feeds & shoots (right out of the box) better then my Colt XSE LWT Commander did when new, & shoots as well as my Kart NM barreled Series 80 Gov't Model.

Pretty well impressed me. If I end up keeping it I will have a bit of work done, but re-barreling won't be on the list....

Not running down my Colts either, they are both 100% "go to" guns.

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Regards - GCF

"Sometimes you make eight - Sometimes you hit dirt"

I would go for the following if you going for a base gun from the bare minimum on up from low 400s to high 800s...Stan

Springfield GI
Springfield MilSpec
Colt ORM 1991 (if you don't mind the Series 80 FPS)
Colt NRM 1991 (SAA)
Colt NRM Series 70

Well, I convinced myself that I needed another base gun and bought the $450 Springfield. I got to thinking about it, $450 for a really good .45, even in basic form is a pretty good deal. I just prefer to "steal" mine when I can!

I seem to remember that Midway used to sell the one piece stainless barrels for about $100 but I haven't seen them there in awhile. I dunno if Springfield makes them available anymore. I have a Norinco that I rebarreled with one, two, three years ago and it is a good shooter.

Dave,

So far the Caspian frame/Colt Competition S70 slide has been nothing but a pleasure. The slide to frame fitting came out very well and nothing about the combination gave me any problems. I had originally built it with the MGW "drop in" sights as I did not have a milling machine. Since then I have purchased one (a milling machine) so I am going to put Heinie Low Mounts on it. Other than that I just need to get it prepped and blued. When it's done I'll post a pic or two.

Accuracy wise the Colt Competition slide, Kart barrel and Caspian frame have given me a few 20 yard, 5 shot, 3/4" groups. So I can't complain.

I like the NRM Series 70 Colt. However I also like the Yost-Bonitz 1* packages built on Springfield G.I.s