I wasn’t familiar with JEM Enterprises prior to bumping into them at SHOT, and there’s good reason for that. JEM sells primarily to 1911 “manufacturers,” who white label JEM’s parts as their own. Yeah, they’re fitting and putting the finishing touches on frames and other parts actually manufactured by companies like JEM . . .
JEM’s main business is selling forged frames. They’ll apply for an ATF variance to put their customer’s name and serial number sequences on the frames — assuming the customer is an FFL-07 — whether they need one unit or thousands. Slide rails are slightly oversized so the customer can fit them as precisely and as snugly as they desire. The rest of the frame is finished to a finer degree than most “blanks,” and requires little more than just surface prep for whatever treatment or finish will be applied.
They have plenty of options to choose from, but they’re also a custom house. JEM’s customers can specify all sorts of changes and modifications that JEM can incorporate into the product. Custom engraving, of course, is one of those options. One off-the-shelf offering is the “checkering” seen above, which is actually the sharpest, grippiest firearm surface I have ever felt. Seriously, gloves only on that one. Plaid looks more comfortable…
JEM also sells a large quantity of mainspring housings, grip safeties, and magazine wells. Yes, they sell these for white labeling as well.
Another service they offer is almost-fit slide and frame combos. They slide back and forth, but it’s snug. The flats are flat. This leaves whatever company is going to stamp its name on the finished gun with little work to do and the option of just how tight they want that fit to be on the end product.
JEM is also building complete pistols on a very limited basis — like a couple a month, in their spare time when not filling parts orders for OEM customers, which will remain JEM’s focus. They’re designed to be match-grade, highly tuned and fitted pistols that are ready to run. Indeed, lockup was tight and I couldn’t feel any wiggle room whatsoever in the barrel-bushing-slide fit, the barrel hood area, or between slide and frame. However, they unlocked from battery without a fuss.
As they’re only about 40 minutes north of Austin, we’re planning on sending JWT and/or RF up there for a visit. Hopefully they can borrow a complete pistol for review.
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