Custom .45 Longslide

[TF-FAST]

Hi, I'd like to get started on my first truly custom 1911. I want to build a longslide model, and was hoping to get some advice on slides and receivers especially, but also other important bits that might be different for a longslide than a standard government model. I hear that Caspian makes very good slides/receivers. Is there any problem with getting a slide from one maker and a receiver from another? Is there any reason to?

Thanks for the input, can't wait to get started!

[RickB]

I have a longslide built on a Caspian race ready frame and 6" slide. Since Caspian is able to do a lot of the fitting and cutting for you, I'd think going to them for both parts would be a good idea.
What's the purpose of the gun? Hunting? Competition? Oooh/Aaah?
My gun was built for USPSA competition, so the features are probably different than for a gun intended for some other purpose, or general purpose.
The only internal parts that you need to be concerned about are the guide rod/spring/plug assembly. Some set-ups use a long spring, while others use a special plug and a standard 5" spring. My gun has a heavily ventilated slide, so it can use a standard spring and plug.

[TF-FAST]

Rick -

Thanks for the info. I'm not really sure what the purpose of the gun will be at this point. I'm not competing right now, so it's mostly to learn and try to build a really cool gun that I can have some fun with at the range.

Can I ask how much of the work you did yourself, and what you had done professionally? (unless you are a pro!) Also, what did you use for a barrel?

Thanks again!

[RickB]

I won the gun in a prize drawing. Parts manufacturers - Caspian, McCormick, STI - donated the parts, and gunsmiths local to the match were supposed to donate the labor. "My" gunsmith decided he'd donated enough when the gun was about 50% finished, so I had a lot of work to do. I blended the ambi thumb safety and beavertail to the frame, fitted a new trigger, polished-out a lot of grinder marks, dehorned, and generally cleaned-up the exterior. I had a custom front sight made, to fit the non-standard dovetail, by EGW, then had Metalloy hard-chrome it. It originally had a KKM barrel, but after about 10,000 rounds, I started getting gas blowing back through the rear of the slide, and my local gunsmithing services provider determined the chamber was out of round, and the lower lugs were ugly, so I bought a new Storm Lake barrel. Few companies make non-ramped bull barrels, so I had EGW cut the ramp off. After much fitting/shooting/fitting/shooting, the gun is quite accurate and reliable.