[Cold War Veteran - Submarines]

I'm embarking on a 1911 build project this year. This is my first build from scratch but not my first gunsmith experience (made a Marlin .357 lever action smooth as silk and put a DBM into a .308 tactical stock).

My starting point is a stainless steel frame and components. I have all the parts and tools (jigs, stones, files, emery cloth, etc).

I am struggling with the final color scheme and would like to solicit some alternative views (ALT right?).

What do you think:

And this is my first attempt at posting images so bear with me.

[RC one]

I’m pretty fond of a satin nickel frame and slide myself. A satin nickel frame with the black fingered grips you have in the bottom picture and the black slide from the second picture might be an interesting balance of contrast. it’s a 1911 so it will be gorgeous regardless of the color of course.

[heterosupremacist]

My suggestion ~ I refer to this as a "Trump Model .45ACP

[Dalberg-Acton]

I like the 2nd.

[Chode]

always been partial to the old fashioned green parkerizing myself, but that's just me

[Ouderkirk]

My favorite it to have the hammer and trigger 18k gold plated

[Tijeras_Slim]

[M1903A1]

Something that looks like rust blue.

[Dave911]

Black on black, crimson trace grips.

[Cold War Veteran - Submarines]

I am leaning towards the black on black with the grip in pic 4. I can’t parkerize as my frame is stainless not aluminum. The brown frame with black slide intrigues me. The satin nickel is also out as I don’t want to send it out for finishing after hand fitting all the parts. This is my first build so I need to keep it simple so using duracoat colors or clear is where my head is right now.

[W.]

The Commander I put together matches your first image. My Government Model got a Gold Cup slide whose sweet blue was matched by the Auto-Ordnance frame. The GM also got a Colt Conversion Unit for .22 days. Not cheap, but many nice compliments.

[P8riot]

I actually have the first 1911 in your post The S&W 1911 ScE. Only mine has the Gunsite logo engraved on it. I bought it from the guy that did the review accompanied by this photo (of my gun). I would go with that one. I get all kinds of compliments on it.

[Cobra64]

Dan Wesson Valor with custom made furniture:

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[Disambiguator]

You could go conservative on the metal finishing and “dress up” with some G10 grips.

https://www.hogueinc.com/grips/1911/gov/g10/standard

https://vzgrips.com/pistol-grips/1911

[Lurker]

We are mighty fond of our Kimbers.

L

[norton]

What do I think?

I think there is some beautiful hardware in this discussion - I also think that both Sam Colt and John Browning would be vastly amused by that discussion something being addressed to possible color schemes for their offspring.

[caver]

If it’s not blued steel and walnut, then something is wrong.

[Sirius Lee]

I’m going to alert the admin moderator that you’re posting pics of beaver-tail.

[Billthedrill]

Go Green.

[CodeToad]

Not as fancy as some, but he Kimber Raptor has a unique flair of it sown.

[Cold War Veteran - Submarines]

I could put my build on steroids: