What to do????

[Puffy93]

Here's the deal, I need a pistol and would prefer a 1911 due to the large round and the parts availability.I will probably be going with a standard parts kit and my only real issue is the frame. I would like to keep the cost to a minimum. The way I see it I have three options:

- buy a finished frame ( I would prefer not to have to fill out all the paperwork)
- buy a 80% finished frame and finish it myself
- custom mill one with a set of blueprints I found online

I have a friend whose dad owns a fabrication shop so milling probably wouldn't be a problem.
Has anyone ever milled their own frame or finished an 80% frame?


Any help is appreciated.

[Ttwwaack]

From the prints that I saw in Kipplingers (?) two shop manuals, if you were in BFE Alaska was stocked up and snowed infor 4-5 months, I might contemplate making a xerox off of prints. For 5-650 bucks, get a caspian frame and slide or a Springer MILSPEC and go from there.

I'm sure your friends dad would give you a break but your still talking alot of time. I'm not schooled in the trade, but I easily see 20 MH plus in tooling, set up and machining not to mention hardening. Not a cost effective route when a caspian can be had for $250.00.

An 80% frame is questionable. Probably easy to finish but I would spend some time inspecting it making sure it was in spec prior to working on it. Then again, has it been hardend?

If it was easy to do, alot more smiths would be making their own custom frame. Wilson, Baer, Rock Island, Colt, Kimber and Springfield have mastered the mousetrap (Some more than others). Do you think you could compete with them for the money go for it but I think for a copy or two, it would be alot cheaper finacially and emtionally to just buy unless you are machining it yourself.

A friend w/ an FFL you could get you a frame and slide for 425/50 plus service fee(s) or the springer milspec (and have a working pistol) and go from there.