Rob Schauland: Building the Ultimate Hand-Fit 1911

Guns & Ammo Buzz host Keith Wood sits down with renowned 1911 gunsmith Rob Schauland of Schauland Performance to trace his career from growing up near Springfield Armory to building some of today's most meticulously hand-fit custom pistols.

Schauland discusses his early years at Springfield Armory, learning the craft at Les Baer Custom, founding Alchemy Custom Weaponry, his years working with Cabot Guns and ACW, and eventually launching Schauland Performance.

The conversation dives deep into the art and business of custom 1911 building, including hand-fitting barrels and bushings, parts sourcing, polishing and finishing, DLC and chromium nitride coatings, traditional versus modern manufacturing methods, and why craftsmanship and problem-solving still matter.

Rob also introduces the Schauland Performance 1994, a retro-inspired double-stack pistol influenced by the early days of the 2011 platform, and explains why he believes the firearms market may be ready for a return to cleaner, more traditional designs.

Plus, Rob talks about building a business around his name, training gunsmiths, balancing craftsmanship with production, playing guitar in bands while working at Springfield Armory, and why personally inspecting every pistol remains important to him.