Posted: 3/15/2006 6:39:41 PM EDT
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How much should a reasonable gunsmith charge for assembling a 1911 frame and slide kit (including any fitting)? Here's why I ask: I'd like to build a rimfire 1911 out of a Caspian frame, Brownells parts kit, and Advantage Arms .22lr upper. The components of the pistol are within my budget, but how much should I expect to pay to have a smith put everything together in working order? Your thoughts please? |
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I charge $30 an hour and with quality parts such as Caspian and Advantage Arms I wouldn't expect any more than two to three hours of labor to properly fit and assemble everything. I would also test fire the gun to ensure proper function (and because that's how I get to try out hundreds of different configurations, hehe...) If you had already done a 4473 on the frame when you got it, then the assembly is just gunsmithing work and I could even mail the complete gun directly back to you. |
Who trained you to be a 1911 gunsmith? |
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Trained myself. Years of fiddling with them, working on this, working on that, with my own personal guns and ruining a couple of them beyond recognition when I first started. My shop isn't well known for 1911 work, and that's fine, we are getting a good reputation for AK kit building and the 1911 market is flooded with excellent gunsmiths already. But what Plaskon needs is a simple assembly, fitting, and test firing of a dedicated .22lr 1911. There's no reason for him to send the gun to Yost Bonitz or one of those guys and have to wait 6 months and pay hundreds of dollars. Here's my shop: www.mcarms.com Here's a recent batch of AK kit builds for people. This is where we make our bread and butter. www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=4&f=64&t=83808 www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=4&f=64&t=83854 www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=4&f=64&t=82800 So as you can see, the 1911 work is just a small part of what we do. Next up I'm going to fit a Wilson beavertail to an AMT Hardballer. The Hardballer's grip safety engagement is longer than a standard 1911's (argh, I hate non-spec 1911s sometimes) so I'm going to have to weld an extension onto the Wilson and then grind it to shape. Oh well, I love a challenge. |
Many of the finest craftsmen (gunsmiths, carpenters, machinist, etc.) were self taught. Absolutely nothing to be ashamed of when you show pride in your work. |