Some people have been known to buy them to use as a base for a custom handgun, either by their own hand or sending it to a gunsmith. I have seen pictures of some beautiful custom 1911s that began life as a stainless Ruger.
A friend of mine bought one, his first 1911. He asked me about mags, so I showed him one of my Tripp Research mags with the steel skirted polymer follower. He bought a couple and instantly became a magazine snob! He now owns more of them that I do.
