Building a pistol

[Gilesmela]

My fiancée have talked a lot lately about building our own pistol, what manufacturer parts would be best, and if it’s even possible.

We talked about buying piece by piece and if it would be legal because there was a question whether or not manufacturers sell a firing mechanism with a serial number.

What are some thoughts on this?
And if it’s even possible?

I have some family members that have built their own AR-15s from the ground up and I’m wondering if the same can be done with a handgun.

[6518John]

I know people who have built their own 1911’s from kits. There are a number of companies that sell kits. I am not familiar with the legalities, I am sure the companies that sell the kits would advise you. I think it would be a huge amount of fun, and excellent learning project, for both of you. Nothing better to start a partnership than learning to work together.

Again, welcome. There are some GREAT people here.


1911 Build kit - 1776 Supply Co.

[CB3]

The frame is the base of a handgun. A finished frame ready for parts is required to have a serial number registered with BATF. To buy it you must fill out paperwork as if you are buying a complete gun.

However, you can buy a handgun frame that is up to 80% finished and it does not require a serial number or federal transfer to buy it. You will have to finish the last 20% (or more) of the frame manufacturing yourself. Usually an 80% kit will contain not only the instructions you need, but also the tools.

Once the frame is fully manufactured, you can source parts like the barrel, slide, fire control parts, springs, etc., either in a kit or order specialized higher end parts from various aftermarket manufacturers. It is not terribly difficult, and it should be very rewarding.

If your frame of your finished gun does not have a serial number, I believe you are not allowed to transfer it or sell it to a third party. It is for your personal use only. Check the legalities on this issue. It’s the same for rifles or shotguns you build for yourself.

For a first timer, buying an 80% lower Glock frame might be the best way to go. It is affordable, lots of help available, tons of parts, and options as to how you build it. The biggest challenge is deciding what you want and how to get there.

Once it is built, you will understand completely how all the related parts function and may be able to swap out parts and try different options. This doesn’t mean you will have become a gunsmith, but it is not beyond the capabilities of a fairly handy and tool possessing individual.

Keep us posted on what you do. Good luck.

[ContinentalOp]

I think it's certainly do-able, at least with the 1911 or Glock, as one can purchase frames and slides in addition to small parts. I'm not sure about other handguns. I've played around with the idea of building a 1911 like that, using a Caspian Arms frame and slide, but it's never been a high priority for me. I'm not a particularly handy person, but I have detail-stripped a 1911 using its own parts before, so I think I could probably do it with the right tools.

As CB3 said, the frame is the only part that requires purchasing through an FFL, unless it's a private purchase (if allowed where you are) or if you're going the 80% route, also mentioned by CB3.

Just keep in mind that between parts and tools, you'll likely spend more than a production gun would've cost. You could probably save costs, and some trouble, if you have a firm idea of what you want to build and plan it out ahead of time. Of course, with projects like these, saving money isn't exactly one of the goals.

One additional thought...It might be worth it to have a gunsmith check out your finished project to make sure everything is safe and sound before test firing.

[stansdds]

It can certainly be done, either starting with a receiver with a serial number and ready for parts installation and fitting (easiest way to build) or from an 80% receiver, which will require some milling. I can say that if you do not already have the skills and necessary equipment, it can be very expensive to build, costing more than purchasing a complete firearm.

[SMSgt]

Don't quote me on this and it's been a while since I read the article, but I believe it is legal to sell, transfer, gift a firearm your make yourself.

The catch in the law is whether you manufacture the firearm for personal use or if the intent is to sell it, which requires licensing and serial numbers. I do not think it is illegal to build a gun for yourself and then later give it to your son or make a one-time sale down the road.

Others with more intimate knowledge of this peculiar aspect of building un-serialized firearms can certain chime in. And as always, state laws may vary on this.

[fredj338]

You can do it but I do not see the point. There are 80% frames for Glock fans & done right, the guns work great, but you still need to put a ser# on it, especially if you are going to carry it. I would do it as an exercise, but you save little $$ & you probably cant make one as good as the factory does.

[reddog81]

I built my own 1911. The frame had to be shipped to an FFL and everything else was shipped to my house. The frame, barrel, and slide all cost $100 to $150 each. The parts kit for the trigger/hammer/sear was around $100 also. The sights were around $50 and the Remington slide I bought was an early version so it didn't have the standard dovetail sights so I had to pay a gunsmith to do the correct dovetail sight. The sight cut was the only service I paid a gunsmith for. I read and reread many parts of the Kuhnhausen 1911 manual before even fitting a single part.

On top of the parts mentioned above I had to buy, grip bushings, grip screws, grips, magazine release assembly, the slide plunger tube assembly and the tool to install that, slide release, barrel bushing, recoil spring, recoil spring cap, mainspring, mainspring housing and related components, firing pin, firing pin spring, extractor, ejector and probably a dozen other components I missed. After all was said and done I easily had $1,000 into the gun.

A coupe of parts - i.e thumb safety & barrel link, I ended up purchasing a second component because the first one didn't fit well. Thankfully the slide, frame and barrel fit was excellent on the first go around.

I've done a minimal amount of research on putting together a Glock. Once you've purchased the slide, the sights and all the components needed for a functioning slide you'll have spent more than a new gun costs.

All of this is certainly doable, but its like building your own car piece by piece. The sum of buying all the pieces individually is much greater than just going to the store and buying any $600 to $1,000 gun. If you do it, do it because you want the learning experience and don't even kid yourself trying to save money.

I imagine you are relatively mechanically inclined if you are even thinking about this. I have no problem tearing into my car and replacing the fuel pump, spark plugs, serpentine belt, window regulator, etc. If you have a general understanding of how stuff operates and will take the time to research what you are doing it isn't rocket science.

[locolobo56]

"Just keep in mind that between parts and tools, you'll likely spend more than a production gun would've cost. You could probably save costs, and some trouble, if you have a firm idea of what you want to build and plan it out ahead of time. Of course, with projects like these, saving money isn't exactly one of the goals."


I learned this the hard way when, a couple years ago, my son gave me an AR lower for Christmas and 2 weeks later, an upper for my birthday. Darned thing still cost me over $1000 and that's with using some take-off parts from others. I love it though.

[Pig Hunter]

Just remember it is really easy to take $1000 worth of parts and make a $500 gun. Good luck, get good info and measure twice to cut once.

[Wise_A]

Originally Posted by Gilesmela

My fiancée have talked a lot lately about building our own pistol, what manufacturer parts would be best, and if it’s even possible.

We talked about buying piece by piece and if it would be legal because there was a question whether or not manufacturers sell a firing mechanism with a serial number.

What are some thoughts on this?
And if it’s even possible?

I have some family members that have built their own AR-15s from the ground up and I’m wondering if the same can be done with a handgun.

Typically, the frame is the serial'd part--the "gun in the gun" so to speak, that has to be shipped to your local FFL (though there are a few exceptions). When you see what's called an "80% frame", it means it's a frame that requires you to drill some holes for pins. Because only 80% of the jobs are complete on it, it's not a "gun" and doesn't have a serial number. You buy it, have it shipped to your house, inscribe a serial number, and register it if required. How big a hassle this is depends a lot on your local laws.

Building a gun is rather a lot of fun. And when you're done, it's very fun answering questions like "where did you get that?". The following are some things I think:

*It's not a super-great idea for a firearms novice. I believe you should absolutely, 100% understand how every aspect of the gun's parts interact and function. This is important because you're mixing a bunch of parts that may or may not work so well together, and you have to understand what should be happening, as well as things that simply should not be.

*You are not going to save money. My match 1911-22 probably has $1100-$1200 in it. I could have duplicated it with a mid-range $700 donor pistol and the .22LR upper, and still had a .45ACP slide and barrel to either play with or sell. It was well worth it to me, however, because I wound up with exactly the gun I wanted, and not the one that was closest to what I wanted.

*A Glock-alike is where I would start if I haven't managed to discourage you yet. I would describe such a project as "assembling" a gun, rather than really building one, as there's no real fitting work to be done. I'd suck it up and buy a serialized complete frame, and go from there. When selecting a trigger kit to use, stick with one that uses an OEM Glock trigger bar. Apex makes a very nice flat-face trigger with a Glock Gen3 trigger bar, for instance. On the other hand, Zev makes a trigger kit that uses a non-OEM trigger bar, which has lead to some guns in the past that weren't drop-safe--or even "hard nudge"-safe.

*A 1911 is a "building" a gun. I have 35-40 hours invested in my 1911's frame (the upper is a .22LR Nelson conversion). Nearly every part will require some fitting work. I believe the only items I didn't have to fit on mine were the hammer, sear, and disconnecter, which I purchased as a matched set from a pistolsmith (KC Crawford's roll trigger kit). I still smoothed the inside of the frame where they sit. I even had to shorten the magazine catch spring.

*I spent several more months getting my pistol running 100%. It functioned, I believe, well enough for most folks, but chasing down that last 1-2 failures in 50-100 shots was a bear (too light a recoil spring wasn't closing the slide fully, but you couldn't see that after the failure-to-fire, as the hammer closed the slide at that point).

*I happily compete and win with my match gun. I would not carry a gun I made, for a whole host of reasons I won't even get into. Others would carry such a thing. I don't see the point when a factory gun is cheaper and just as, if not more reliable.