If you want to prioritize making it light weight, handy and easy to shoot, I'd go for a build like this:
- KE Arms KP-15 lower receiver ($70 on Brownells)
- Schmid Gun Nuts 2-stage AR lower parts kit ($132 on Primary Arms)
- PSA 16" Mid-length pencil 5.56 NATO 1:7 nitride 13.5" lightweight...
I have an M17 (the big brother). It's a good gun and I actually really like the safety. It isn't hard to activate (on or off) and it is positioned well on the gun.
I picked up a Tisas M1911 clone in .45acp a few years ago when they first started importing them. I think I paid about $350 for it. When comparing it to my WWII Remington GI M1911, it is really well done and the only differences are that some of the small parts have clearly been made modern...
They generally work pretty well. In my experience .380s tend to be generally more sensitive to ammo selection than guns chambered in 9x19mm or 45acp. Find a type of ammo that it shoots reliably and stock up on that.
Getting a single stack 1911 in 9x19mm is like getting an AR-15 chambered in 7.62x39mm. It will work somewhat reliably (maybe), but you might as well look an a whole other type of firearm to really get the benefits of the 9x19mm chambering. Get a Sig P226, CZ75, Beretta 92 or Hi-Power, all of...
Upper is not a gun, so no legal issues with shipping it using any carrier. Just package it well (and discretely) to prevent theft/tampering/damage and insure it.
I have a Flux Raider that I use with my M17 slide and FCG. It is really a PDW and is not in any way a replacement for a real SMG or SBR. It is hard to suppress and it is not very accurate because the sights are not connected to the slide or barrel. The ergonomics are somewhat weird and not...