I was looking through MidwayUSA and they sell frames, barrels, slides, etc... for building a 1911 from scratch. Is it hard to do? Do most brands of parts mix and match like AR's?

There is some fitting that has to be done in critical areas, such as barrel lug, frame to slide, hammer sear, grip safety. As far as just puting the parts together it is really very simple, there are some videos on youtube that are excellent. But those are guns that are alreadly "fitted". Unless you are a gunsmith or have some experience I would leave the fitting to the professionals. I have a 70series Colt Government Model and with just a few simple tools I can take it completly apart in just a few minutes.

With drop in parts, you may have something that goes bang on occasion. Do this. Get a scematic and make a list of the cost of all the raw parts, and add it together. You'll be surprised. Save some misery and get a STI.

I would like to get an STI, but they are illegal here in California. Thats why I think I could get around the law my building one. But, it sounds like they are not just put together and shoot like AR's, I was hoping they were. Oh well, I find a way to get one someday.

how the hell is that?? Illegal? arent there a bunch of IPSC guys out there? Holy crap. If its legal to build one, but not buy one then I'd do it. Find a good gunsmith to get it to function right, screw the cost. thats the difference in having it and not having it I guess.

As Tuco says, many of the parts are made with a little "extra" material in critical places, and this requires some fittingby you to make things work together. Some gunsmithing tools are required, such as Swiss needle files, Arkansas Stome files, emery cloth, crocus cloth, steel & brass punches, and brass gunsmithing hammers or small ball-peen hammers.

The hands down best 45 auto on the market right now is the Taurus PT-1911 at around $580 and comes out of the box smooth as glass and with every custom option imaginable. Ambi safeties, ported and polished, Heine adjustable front and rear sights, skelaton trigger and hammer and the list goes on. Everyone who buys it is stunned by the quality and performance...including me.

But yes. You can build a .45 from scratch with parts and little hassle. I've known several who did and the results were actually fairly good guns. Problem is I don't know how much you would save and whatever it won't be near the gun a PT-1911 is out of the box where all you have to do is wipe the oil away and go the the range.

I would say the Tarus is maybe the best "value" but not the best. You have to consider Wilson, Ed Brown and other high end builders when you talk about the best. I agree for the money they are a good deal.

I won't argue with your statement, Tuco. My best bud has two Wilson 45s and they are fine guns. I'm not yet convinced if they will outshoot my Taurus as we haven't been able to go head to head yet. But I can tell you he paid an extra $1000 for his guns. That's a pretty serious jump for something of questionable increase IMHO.

Frankly, I can't believe Taurus is selling these guns at this price and I wonder if the day isn't coming when they will price them up dramatically once they have established their market niche. Stranger things have happened.

I seen a couple of blued Taurus' at Gander the other day and they were over $700, but the 2 Gander Mountains in my area are way overpriced on all of their guns. And they do have a lot of nice stuff on them for the money.