Adding to controversy on cheap 45s

[L. Boscoe]

I have the intention of taking a Tisas and using it as the frame for my 22 Marvel conversion, including a trigger job.
I got the $329 pistol today, the only 45 I have that is priced less than $1300, and it is most certainly worth the
price. tight as you could ask, not Les Baer tight, but plenty tight all around, with a decent trigger, much better than
a $900 CZ I had a few years ago.
It is difficult for me to understand how they price these so
cheap, even with low wages in Turkey. I don't plan to shoot the 45 more than 20 or 30 rounds, and then it goes to permanent duty with the Marvel conversion.

[FrankenMauser]

Tisas specialty and long term goals revolve around high volume of a single product that can be used for multiple models.
The variations in their models are primarily only in finish and small parts that can be purchased in bulk from a third party (or manufactured cheaply and easily, in bulk).

You may have noticed that they don't offer a blued model, at all. Cerakote, phosphate*, polished chrome, raw stainless. That's it. (*They didn't want to do this, but found it to be necessary for the nostalgic crowd.)
They take the same approach to frames, slides, main spring housings, etc. Focused base product, primarily modified by small parts and Cerakote colors for different models.


They have other markets that they want to enter, and other firearms that they want to make. But they have to be able to sell high volume, and still don't want to offer anything with a blued finish.
Volume, volume, volume, with limited variation across the product line, and avoidance of time sinks like bluing.

[jar]

Plus a very large percentage of their business is as an OEM parts supplier to other companies. The SA 35s are Tisas frames and I believe slides if not the whole pistol.

They count on high precision CNC production of high quality products.

And to misquote rather than mis-attribute; don't be surprised if your round count plan goes out the window after the first round fired.

[RickB]

The variations in their models are primarily only in finish and small parts that can be purchased in bulk from a third party (or manufactured cheaply and easily, in bulk).

Like Kimber . . .

[jmstr]

I did this with a RIA GI 1911. I was tired of swapping .22 conversion kit onto frames.

I knew that the GI 1911 would need frame cutting for a beavertail, but that doing so would give me a tight fit without the normal RIA air gap in the frame/beavertail/web-of-hand area. 'normal', as I see this on the frames cut for beavertails- too much is gone in that area, leaving a gap.

I then detail stripped the entire pistol, including removing the plunger tube and ejector.

I kept the frame, but sold everything else, and made enough that I was only out of pocket about $125 for the frame.

Then I sourced all EGW parts, and built my lower up for my Nelson conversion.


For people in free states, I did this as I cannot have a 'frame' shipped into the state of California for purchase, but I could get a RIA and modify it.

Here is my finished product:



I don't know of the TISAS products, and can't get them here anyway.

HOWEVER, If I could, I'd do this with a Tisas BHP and my BHP 22 conversion kit too!

[MarkCO]

I was not aware of a controversy.

Smart to take a budget gun for a project.

[FrankenMauser]

Like Kimber

Except you're talking about a completely different layer of the stratified market.

[44 AMP]

The SA 35s are Tisas frames and I believe slides if not the whole pistol.

NO, they aren't.

Springfield buys the raw forgings for frames and slides from Tisas. ALL the machining and manufacture is done by Springfield in the US.

[Jim Watson]

OK, who completes it better, Tisas or SA?

[darkgael]

my one bad experience with SA had to do with a 1911 slide.
I had just bought a SS 1911 used. it was in good condition. I ahot it for a couple of weeks. No problem. Standard 230 grain ball.
Then...I was shooting some timed fire. 1/2,3....The last shot did not feel right. recoil was off. When I looked at the gun, the first two inches of the slide was missing, spring gone, rod hanging.....and there was the missing piece of slide about ten yards down range. Break was so clean, it was almost surgical. I packed it all up and sent it to SA. They replaced the slide. bad heat treatment, they said. I wondered about that. this thread has started me wondering again.
the gun has been OK since and now wears a Nelson .22 convertible.

[zeke]

Originally Posted by darkgael

my one bad experience with SA had to do with a 1911 slide.
I had just bought a SS 1911 used. it was in good condition. I ahot it for a couple of weeks. No problem. Standard 230 grain ball.
Then...I was shooting some timed fire. 1/2,3....The last shot did not feel right. recoil was off. When I looked at the gun, the first two inches of the slide was missing, spring gone, rod hanging.....and there was the missing piece of slide about ten yards down range. Break was so clean, it was almost surgical. I packed it all up and sent it to SA. They replaced the slide. bad heat treatment, they said. I wondered about that. this thread has started me wondering again.
the gun has been OK since and now wears a Nelson .22 convertible.

When SA jumped on the 3 in 1911 bandwagon, bought one (micro compact) to use as practice to alloy framed version. It had a similar slide failure, front 1/2 in around the recoil spring plug went down range. Coincidently, SA went to a 3.5 in 1911, with beefed up slide.

[Paul105]

Gotta love the Marvel conversions.
.
Marvel Unit 2 "the Practical model"
.

.
The Nelson Custom (designed by Bob Marvel & like the Marvel Unit 1)
.

.
As long as the trigger is good, the lower should be fine too.
.
The older I get, the more I shoot 22s - these two get a lot of action and are a delight to shoot.
.
Paul

[Aguila Blanca]

I have a Kimber .22 conversion and two Ciener .22 conversions for 1911s. I agree, they are very enjoyable to shoot.