These Critical Components Come with Most 1911 Build Kits

These Critical Components Come with Most 1911 Build Kits

Mar 9th 2021

Spending time at the range is great; so is competition. Every shooter experiences the rush and thrill of shrinking groups that show that training has paid off. When you’ve hand loaded ammo or added special attachments to your pistol and then tuned them, that feeling of pride is even greater. You know what’s even greater than that? When you create your own platform from scratch using a kit like a 1911 build kit.

Owners of M1911s are proud as it is; they own pieces of history that fail to fade despite the onslaught of the years. Even a factory model is an item of pride in the eyes of its owner. Yet if you’re wondering, there’s just no comparison to completing your own build using a kit. It brings you closer to the platform and personalizes the process.

It’s also not quite as hard as you think. Don’t get us wrong; there’s a reason so many gun owners are intimidated by the plethora of tiny parts and esoteric bits that constitute the insides of their guns. However, with the right resources and parts, you can make your own, and there’s nothing like your own handiwork.

Most of the complete 1911 build kits available here at Sarco, Inc., contain the following parts as well as others. For reference, the 1911 .45 Cal Builders Kit has been parsed for the purposes of this exposition.

●Barrel, barrel link, and bushing: Naturally, your pistol needs a barrel, but a build kit will also come with a link and bushing to complete the assembly. Making the 1911 from a kit will also make it easier for you to swap this out with a match grade barrel, should you so choose.

●Slide - with sights mounted!: The slide is the quintessential component of the mechanism that enables the platform to reload a new cartridge after ejecting the spent one. This kit comes with sights mounted to the slide, ready to go.

●Extractor: Unappreciated until it fails, the extractor is responsible for clearing the chamber of spent brass after the hammer drops. Without it, a semi-automatic pistol or a repeating arm isn’t much use.

●Firing pin, pin stop, pin spring: The firing pin is actuated by the firing pin spring and controlled by the pin stop. Each of these components works together to keep the action in working order. They’re also parts that can fail and are good to keep on hand.

●Recoil spring, plug and guide: The recoil spring aids in the reset of the slide; it also helps to absorb some of the felt recoil.

●Slide stop: The slide stop enables you to readily see when the chamber and magazine are empty after all brass has been spent. Not vital to operation, but highly useful.

●Trigger: The 1911 trigger is one of the most beloved in the world of handguns. It only travels straight backward, without movement in other directions; this is better for predictability and precision.

●Magazine: This build kit comes with a mag, too - look out for any others that don’t.

The only thing missing from this 1911 build kit is the frame, which component is actually usually not included with kits. The reason for this is because the frame is the part that is stamped with a serial number and thus federally regulated as a firearm. With a fitting frame for a .45 1911, you can complete your own pistol - and there’s no pride of ownership like that of something you created with your own hands.

By the way, in addition to pride of ownership, here are a few additional benefits of creating your own 1911 from a build kit:

●Be more confident with repairs and adjustments: Building a 1911 from a kit will give you a very fine working knowledge of the interplay of the parts inside your pistol. It’ll also break down some of the learning curve for making adjustments to performance.

●Be able to diagnose issues more reliably: In addition, making your own 1911pistol from a build kit will make it easier for you to diagnose when parts fail or start to wear down. Broken firing pins and extractors will also be easier for you to repair.

●Keep spare parts on hand to make repairs to your other 1911s (if you have any): By the way, it’s also a good idea to keep a build kit or a parts kit on hand for the value of the spare parts they have. Whenever you need to reach for a replacement, it’ll be right there.

Looking for gun build kits and parts kits for other models besides a 1911? We have plenty of them right here, including parts and build kits for popular models like the M1903 and America’s rifle, the AR15. Take a look through our collection and give us a call at 610-250-3960 if you have any questions!