Building a commander, sources for budget friendly, yet quality parts

[camoman]

I’m about to start my commander build, and while I do love Wilson Combat, Nighthawk, ED Brown.. I don’t like to spend that much money. Is there a cheaper alternative, that is acceptable?
Thanks

[gaijin]

EGW.
George has been in the 1911 parts game a long time.
EGW produces top tier parts.

[Steve_in_Allentown]

JEM frame and slide. EGW bits and pieces. Dawson sights. Challis grip screw bushings and O-rings. It'll cost you more than a new Rock Island (https://www.armscor.com/firearms/ria/gi-series/gi-standard-ms-45-acp1/) or Tisas (https://www.sdsimports.com/sdsimports-1911A1-Tanker-45ACP-p/1911a1t45.htm) Commander.

[seagiant]

Hi,
Been there, tried that!

You are not going to build a quality 1911, "cheap"!

About the only thing you can save on, is Labor, if you can do the work yourself.

https://www.m14forum.com/threads/any-1911-pistol-builders-here.471606/

[camoman]

Hi,
Been there, tried that!

You are not going to build a quality 1911, "cheap"!

About the only thing you can save on, is Labor, if you can do the work yourself.

https://www.m14forum.com/threads/any-1911-pistol-builders-here.471606/

I’ve already come to that conclusion. I’ve already spent a lot, for not a whole bunch of parts.
That compiled with 2 other current builds going on (G17, and a .308) I’m gonna be broke till after Christmas!

[Art Blackstock]

EGW, Fusion, or Hooper Gun Works, have been my best Vendors. Though Cylinder and Slide are Good too

https://www.egwguns.com/
https://fusionfirearms.com/
https://www.hoopergunworks.com/
https://cylinder-slide.com/

[jsbhike]

No idea if many/any still do it, but shops may still sell take off parts that could be of interest. Get the impression some are doing that on E-bay too, just be sure to know what you are looking at so you get real and not Bubba or Chinesium.

[camoman]

Well, this is what I have so far.

https://i.postimg.cc/H8yn6wLQ/581-E7765-37-A8-4-C1-F-904-B-07-F695662342.jpg (https://postimg.cc/H8yn6wLQ)

https://i.postimg.cc/1fD46r2S/23124-FD0-1-D4-C-4-A00-A084-DF9513-EF5830.jpg (https://postimg.cc/1fD46r2S)

https://i.postimg.cc/hhkff5CM/33-EB79-F5-69-B3-48-C1-B8-A5-F779-A7-E926-F0.jpg (https://postimg.cc/hhkff5CM)

I went with a RemSport carbon slide, and a
Stealth arms lower. EGW hard sear, Klonimus Machined commander hammer, Klonimus disconnector, Klonimus trigger bar, Klonimus safety selector, Klonimus extended ejector, Wilson Combat main spring housing, Wilson Combat commander spring kit, Ed Brown pin kit
Everything I have is all fit, Coated with Brownells OD green Alumahyde, and refit again.
I’m only missing grip bushings, grips, firing pin, extractor, and barrel.

Does anyone know where I can get a good, non stainless barrel?
I don’t want anything stainless on this side arm.

[gaijin]

Kart barrels are Carbon, not Stainless.

[seagiant]

Hi,
Looks great!

You are better with that Alumahyde...

Than I am!

Klonimus, seems to have a relationship with Magnum Research and BUL, in Israel...

Which, is a good thing!!!

[camoman]

Hi,
Looks great!


You are better with that Alumahyde...

Than I am!

Klonimus, seems to have a relationship with Magnum Research and BUL, in Israel...

Which, is a good thing!!!

Thanks.

The secret to Alumahyde, is using a heat gun with application. Get your parts nice and hot, spray, heat, spray, then bake parts for 3 hours at 195 degrees.
Alumahyde is awesome! And hard as a rock.

[camoman]

Kart barrels are Carbon, not Stainless.

Thanks for the lead.

[The_War_Wagon]

Tagged... because my Kimber TLE/RL II needs a new bbl. Wanna see what the brain trust recommends!

[gaijin]

I didn’t see what caliber you’ll be building, assume .45 ACP or 9mm.
.45 ACP is the simplest to put together.

If building a 9mm I’d strongly advise using a ramped barrel. There are 2 types of ramped barrels; Wilson/Nowlin and Clark/Para. Your frame will need one of these cuts for the barrel ramp.
KKM produces good barrels, BarSto was good when Irv Stone was still alive, but quality went south after his death. It may have improved in the last few years.
The KKM barrels I’ve worked with came short chambered.

The Kart “gunsmith fit” barrels came short chambered, at least a couple years ago.
Their “EZ Fit” barrels, while in no way “drop in”, were capable of being fit by anyone with minimal to moderate assembling skills.
The EZ Fit barrels, if properly installed, are capable of very good precision/accuracy.

[camoman]

I didn’t see what caliber you’ll be building, assume .45 ACP or 9mm.
.45 ACP is the simplest to put together.

If building a 9mm I’d strongly advise using a ramped barrel. There are 2 types of ramped barrels; Wilson/Nowlin and Clark/Para. Your frame will need one of these cuts for the barrel ramp.
KKM produces good barrels, BarSto was good when Irv Stone was still alive, but quality went south after his death. It may have improved in the last few years.
The KKM barrels I’ve worked with came short chambered.

The Kart “gunsmith fit” barrels came short chambered, at least a couple years ago.
Their “EZ Fit” barrels, while in no way “drop in”, were capable of being fit by anyone with minimal to moderate assembling skills.
The EZ Fit barrels, if properly installed, are capable of very good precision/accuracy.

It’s a .45

[seagiant]

Hi,
Well, the Kart Barrel is almost Legendary.

I used a Remsport SS, that admittedly fit their slide as if it was hand fit on the hood.

They are excellent barrels, and used to come up on sale, at their site, before the madness.

[Steve_in_Allentown]

I use Kart barrels for all my builds mainly because they're carbon steel, not stainless steel. I don't care for stainless steel in 1911s. The nice thing about Kart, back before the covid craze, is they offered a very nice discount for military and LEO. If you sent them a copy of your DD214, you got the discount. I don't know if they're still offering that given the current situation. A phone call to them would answer that question.