Custom 1911 Gunsmithing: The Springfield Ronin Project (Part 1)

Interested in customizing your 1911, but curious about the process? Follow along as the author customizes his own 10mm 1911.

Author's Springfield Armory Ronin 10mm is hopefully a good base gun for a deep woods carry project.

Above is my new, well newish, Springfield Armory Ronin 1911 in 10mm. I purchased this pistol with the idea that it would be a woods carry gun, replacing my fantastic but well-worn Smith and Wesson model 58. The model 58 is a family heirloom I hope to hand down to my daughter, and time has come to retire it. Since I use 1911-style pistols for everything else, I decided to replace my wheelgun with a single-action semi-automatic. 

I considered going with an expensive complete custom build in 10mm or .460 Rowland, but I reckoned that the gun would ultimately be abused in its assigned role. And while I am no prude when it comes to carrying and running hard my custom 1911s, the Ronin is cheap enough to replace if damaged beyond repair, lost, or stolen. 

But the Ronin needs some work before I will consider it good enough to bet my life on in the field. With a forged slide, frame, and a match-grade barrel, the Ronin should make a great base gun for upgrades and customizations. 

So will it? Tune in next time to find out. 

Looking for a 1911 pistolsmith? Our list of the top gunsmiths is a good place to start. 

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