It’s been a long time coming, but earlier this spring I took delivery of a very special piece from Joe Chambers. This may end up challenging Merton for the longest post on addicts 😉, but a custom built by Joe is kind of a rare beast, so there’s a bit of a story to share followed by a few thoughts and lots of pics.
It is now September. I wanted to wait until I had at least 5000 rounds thru it before a post about it. I wanted to get to know the gun well. It’s currently sitting at about 5500 rounds, 3000 - 4000 draws from leather and kydex, and countless dry-fires.
If you just want to skip to the end…short version is this gun has not disappointed and was worth the wait. I believe it could be one of the finest double stacks ever made. Time will tell.
For the long version, we have to go back to 2013 and when I joined this site. It was a different place, and very few of the members from back then still post today. I’m still a huge fan of the platform so I have stuck around, but I tend to read the threads and just keep most thoughts to myself. Anyway, Joe Chambers used to contribute to addicts and post the 1911’s he built on a pretty regular basis. I didn’t know much about 1911’s back then (still don’t 😂 ), but the moment I saw one he posted I knew I wanted one built by him. I remember calling his number that summer. He answered while he was walking around a Scheels. We talked a bit and asked a few questions back and forth, and at the end of the conversation he said yes, he would build me a custom 1911.
Not long after, I visited his old farm/shop in Nebraska and met him and his apprentice at the time, Jake.
We hung out for the greater part of a day. We ate lunch in town (pretty sure we caught a little air in Jake’s car on the gravel, but my memory could be a bit blurry), toured his shop, and we also spent some time at the range he was using. I got to handle several builds he was working on at the time. The look and feel of them was unlike any I had experienced previously. It had not registered in my mind, before that day, that a 1911 could look and feel so freakin’ good. I remember thinking…so this is what a custom 1911 feels like. I was pretty blown away. I was hooked that day and it solidified my choice to get a Chambers built 1911.
I knew I’d have to be patient and wait many years, but didn’t realize how patient and how many years. In the end, I sincerely believe the long wait turned out to be a blessing in disguise. My original order was for a single stack WMG with iron sights. In the years since 2013, I have gained experience and my preferences have changed A LOT. Fast forward to about 2023 and I no longer wanted or had a significant use for the 1911 I originally ordered. I had a different type of gun in mind that would suit me better. If there’s one thing I’ve learned here and in the classifieds or in the custom world, is if you’re going to use it seriously, buy or order exactly what you want. If you don’t, before long you won’t like it or will end up selling it and losing money and time. If you’re a collector, then I suppose that doesn’t matter and might as well keep packing that safe.
When it came time to finalize the build around 2023, I asked if we could switch to a double stack with an optic…yes, no problem
In 2024 I bought an XC to try the comp thing out. I shot it quite a bit and saw value in it. I then asked if he could add a comp…yes, no problem
It was then his idea, though I think I could hear some regret in his voice that day, about doing a switch barrel 38 Super and 9mm Comp gun. I’d be stupid not to, so that was the final major change.
Delivery day came this May. In its original and pristine condition, my goodness, did it look spectacular. Like jaw dropping good. The thing is, I believe a gun, especially one like this, is built to be used. I don’t think Joe works so hard and takes the math so seriously with slide/frame fit, barrel fit, comp fit, everything fit…for hours on end…for it not to be used. I also believe a gun like this gets even more beautiful with age and the natural wear you put on it with your hands and holsters.
The day it showed up, I had a simple plan…head down to the range and take some glamour pics while it was still “new”, then put it to use. I wanted to bring it into the world by running it hard. No easing into it. The very first mag from the gun was 3 bill drills, followed by a bunch of other shooting until the ammo bag was dry. It was a great day.
The CC has been manipulated a lot since May. I am happy to say the high polish is holding up much better than I thought it would! I went back and forth on having high polish blue, as I knew how I was going to use it, but that’s the first thing that drew me to his guns on addicts back in 2013, so it’s on there as it should be. A custom from Joe should have his unmistakeable mirror polish and bluing.
As most know, his guns are tight…like super tight…yet insanely smooth. Last weekend a friend brought his new Nighthawk over to shoot, and at one point, he heard me racking the slide. He said something like “Man, that doesn’t just feel different, but it sounds different.”. He’s not wrong. I’ve had several customs, and none of them have felt quite like a Chambers. I’ve heard it roughly explained before that he builds them to the specs he does, because the gun will perform better, and remain at or near that standard much longer than one built to different specs. The gun isn’t beating itself or wearing itself down as quickly. I won’t go all in depth about it, but it makes sense to me.
This 2019 covers all of my needs and wants at this point for me. I would be just fine if this was my only handgun.
I can carry it with most attire. It can shoot fast and flat with remarkable precision. It is reliable. Its capacity is high. It feels very natural in my hands. It can shoot loads, like they say, from “mild to wild.” I’ve been slowly working on some pretty stout 38 Super loads that my wife took notice of from up at the house. From the report, she thought I was shooting a different gun altogether. 😆
While I’m not a bullseye shooter or practice a lot of slow fire shooting, it will shoot a 100 B8 from 25 yds for me about any time I try. Going back to 50 yards it still gave me a score in the 90’s with all hits in the B8 black. When I miss, it’s 100% my fault. Yesterday, I finally put it in a ransom rest. Now, my ransom set-up can probably be improved, but this thing still shot a sub 1.4” 10 round group at 50 yards after 5000 rounds thru the gun. Impressive in my eyes. I took a video of it and may share it later or start a new thread about ransoms.
The only downside of this was the wait. It went on a lot longer than I first expected. It was a bit disheartening at times. I’m just an average/normal guy that (if being honest with you all) felt like I had been passed over for other projects. Now, no idea if that was the case, or if he just wasn’t building many guns and was spending his time growing a business and a farm. In the business I’m in, it all revolves around deadlines….it’s really just 2 different worlds and it’s not an abnormal thing in the firearm business. No hard feelings on my end, it’s just how it was. Between then and now, I’ve had a lot of other great guns. I was never hurting for a firearm to shoot or carry, and had decided to just forget about it until I got the call someday. I’ve caught some flack from friends saying I was crazy to wait that long, but I really didn’t have much skin in the game other than being on the list. There are so many things in life that are more important than getting a 1911 built for you. Like I said before, I think the wait was a blessing in the long run. This was probably my only chance for a build from Joe, so it was better to get it right as I grew in the platform than to have a safe queen as my priorities changed. I now have a gun that I can cherish, train with, and carry for a long time. There’s nothing I’d change on it, and the wait was worth it.
Here are some “new” pics followed by some “now” pics. I can never get how dark and rich the bluing is in pictures. The cool thing with it though, is how the reflections (or lack thereof) can totally change the look of the gun.
When I get to 10,000 rounds, I hope to do an update and take some internal pics.
Pics when it arrived…
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Current pics…
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Ransom rest 9-12-25
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Addicts Challenge Coin
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It is now September. I wanted to wait until I had at least 5000 rounds thru it before a post about it. I wanted to get to know the gun well. It’s currently sitting at about 5500 rounds, 3000 - 4000 draws from leather and kydex, and countless dry-fires.
If you just want to skip to the end…short version is this gun has not disappointed and was worth the wait. I believe it could be one of the finest double stacks ever made. Time will tell.
For the long version, we have to go back to 2013 and when I joined this site. It was a different place, and very few of the members from back then still post today. I’m still a huge fan of the platform so I have stuck around, but I tend to read the threads and just keep most thoughts to myself. Anyway, Joe Chambers used to contribute to addicts and post the 1911’s he built on a pretty regular basis. I didn’t know much about 1911’s back then (still don’t 😂 ), but the moment I saw one he posted I knew I wanted one built by him. I remember calling his number that summer. He answered while he was walking around a Scheels. We talked a bit and asked a few questions back and forth, and at the end of the conversation he said yes, he would build me a custom 1911.
Not long after, I visited his old farm/shop in Nebraska and met him and his apprentice at the time, Jake.
We hung out for the greater part of a day. We ate lunch in town (pretty sure we caught a little air in Jake’s car on the gravel, but my memory could be a bit blurry), toured his shop, and we also spent some time at the range he was using. I got to handle several builds he was working on at the time. The look and feel of them was unlike any I had experienced previously. It had not registered in my mind, before that day, that a 1911 could look and feel so freakin’ good. I remember thinking…so this is what a custom 1911 feels like. I was pretty blown away. I was hooked that day and it solidified my choice to get a Chambers built 1911.
I knew I’d have to be patient and wait many years, but didn’t realize how patient and how many years. In the end, I sincerely believe the long wait turned out to be a blessing in disguise. My original order was for a single stack WMG with iron sights. In the years since 2013, I have gained experience and my preferences have changed A LOT. Fast forward to about 2023 and I no longer wanted or had a significant use for the 1911 I originally ordered. I had a different type of gun in mind that would suit me better. If there’s one thing I’ve learned here and in the classifieds or in the custom world, is if you’re going to use it seriously, buy or order exactly what you want. If you don’t, before long you won’t like it or will end up selling it and losing money and time. If you’re a collector, then I suppose that doesn’t matter and might as well keep packing that safe.
When it came time to finalize the build around 2023, I asked if we could switch to a double stack with an optic…yes, no problem
In 2024 I bought an XC to try the comp thing out. I shot it quite a bit and saw value in it. I then asked if he could add a comp…yes, no problem
It was then his idea, though I think I could hear some regret in his voice that day, about doing a switch barrel 38 Super and 9mm Comp gun. I’d be stupid not to, so that was the final major change.
Delivery day came this May. In its original and pristine condition, my goodness, did it look spectacular. Like jaw dropping good. The thing is, I believe a gun, especially one like this, is built to be used. I don’t think Joe works so hard and takes the math so seriously with slide/frame fit, barrel fit, comp fit, everything fit…for hours on end…for it not to be used. I also believe a gun like this gets even more beautiful with age and the natural wear you put on it with your hands and holsters.
The day it showed up, I had a simple plan…head down to the range and take some glamour pics while it was still “new”, then put it to use. I wanted to bring it into the world by running it hard. No easing into it. The very first mag from the gun was 3 bill drills, followed by a bunch of other shooting until the ammo bag was dry. It was a great day.
The CC has been manipulated a lot since May. I am happy to say the high polish is holding up much better than I thought it would! I went back and forth on having high polish blue, as I knew how I was going to use it, but that’s the first thing that drew me to his guns on addicts back in 2013, so it’s on there as it should be. A custom from Joe should have his unmistakeable mirror polish and bluing.
As most know, his guns are tight…like super tight…yet insanely smooth. Last weekend a friend brought his new Nighthawk over to shoot, and at one point, he heard me racking the slide. He said something like “Man, that doesn’t just feel different, but it sounds different.”. He’s not wrong. I’ve had several customs, and none of them have felt quite like a Chambers. I’ve heard it roughly explained before that he builds them to the specs he does, because the gun will perform better, and remain at or near that standard much longer than one built to different specs. The gun isn’t beating itself or wearing itself down as quickly. I won’t go all in depth about it, but it makes sense to me.
This 2019 covers all of my needs and wants at this point for me. I would be just fine if this was my only handgun.
I can carry it with most attire. It can shoot fast and flat with remarkable precision. It is reliable. Its capacity is high. It feels very natural in my hands. It can shoot loads, like they say, from “mild to wild.” I’ve been slowly working on some pretty stout 38 Super loads that my wife took notice of from up at the house. From the report, she thought I was shooting a different gun altogether. 😆
While I’m not a bullseye shooter or practice a lot of slow fire shooting, it will shoot a 100 B8 from 25 yds for me about any time I try. Going back to 50 yards it still gave me a score in the 90’s with all hits in the B8 black. When I miss, it’s 100% my fault. Yesterday, I finally put it in a ransom rest. Now, my ransom set-up can probably be improved, but this thing still shot a sub 1.4” 10 round group at 50 yards after 5000 rounds thru the gun. Impressive in my eyes. I took a video of it and may share it later or start a new thread about ransoms.
The only downside of this was the wait. It went on a lot longer than I first expected. It was a bit disheartening at times. I’m just an average/normal guy that (if being honest with you all) felt like I had been passed over for other projects. Now, no idea if that was the case, or if he just wasn’t building many guns and was spending his time growing a business and a farm. In the business I’m in, it all revolves around deadlines….it’s really just 2 different worlds and it’s not an abnormal thing in the firearm business. No hard feelings on my end, it’s just how it was. Between then and now, I’ve had a lot of other great guns. I was never hurting for a firearm to shoot or carry, and had decided to just forget about it until I got the call someday. I’ve caught some flack from friends saying I was crazy to wait that long, but I really didn’t have much skin in the game other than being on the list. There are so many things in life that are more important than getting a 1911 built for you. Like I said before, I think the wait was a blessing in the long run. This was probably my only chance for a build from Joe, so it was better to get it right as I grew in the platform than to have a safe queen as my priorities changed. I now have a gun that I can cherish, train with, and carry for a long time. There’s nothing I’d change on it, and the wait was worth it.
Here are some “new” pics followed by some “now” pics. I can never get how dark and rich the bluing is in pictures. The cool thing with it though, is how the reflections (or lack thereof) can totally change the look of the gun.
When I get to 10,000 rounds, I hope to do an update and take some internal pics.
Pics when it arrived…
Current pics…
Ransom rest 9-12-25
Addicts Challenge Coin
