Why are semi / custom 1911’s so expensive ?

[SDDAVE56]

Pull the grips and check the finish. Mine is a little thin on the right side.

I do, and things look good so far.

[splithoof]

I was / will look into that pistol also, it’s between the Mc Operator / TRP and Dan Wesson commander bobtail.
Appreciate the post 🙂

Any of those will do. Hopefully you are prepared in case the Jungle Drummers start shti in the valley. Interesting to watch your mayor open her sewer mouth and make things worse. Could be a long hot summer over there. Stay safe.

[acaligunner]

Any of those will do. Hopefully you are prepared in case the Jungle Drummers start shti in the valley. Interesting to watch your mayor open her sewer mouth and make things worse. Could be a long hot summer over there. Stay safe.

Thank you brother, yes I’ll be on notice just in case they come to the valley. So far everything on this side is Ok.
hope all is well 🙂.

[splithoof]

69483146094__0A3C05B2-D540-4FF3-88E1-B92D9B3A4D36.jpgHere’s one of those Dan Wessons after a cleaning.
It’s been through LAX so many times that I might as well engrave a picture of that revolving restaurant on all that clean space on the shiny slide. 🤣🤣

[splithoof]

I remember when Kimber was all the rage. Not custom enough or did the shine wear off?

Earlier Kimber 1911’s had a better reputation. Of our three, the only one I would consider taking anywhere is a lightweight “officers” sized model. It has proven 100% reliable using my preferred load, Federal HST.
The other two are more of a rarity, the Kimber SIS variant, in 4 & 5” versions. I scooped those up NIB from a retiring LAPD sergeant (friend) who had been assigned to that unit for some time. My interest was more of a political statement (mandate that I own at least one) because Maxine Waters wanted to get those banned, as she was (is) opposed to the very productive results the SIS unit achieved.

[Grendel Guy]

[QUOTE=splithoof;n54579655]

Earlier Kimber 1911’s had a better reputation.

Thanks Split. That's what I was thinking. It seems that once a reputation was established, the company in Yonkers was resting on it's laurels. I spoke with friends and that was the feeling. I don't have one so I can't speak from personal experience. I hope that's not the case any more.

[walmart_ar15]

[QUOTE=Grendel Guy;n54579687]

Earlier Kimber 1911’s had a better reputation.

Thanks Split. That's what I was thinking. It seems that once a reputation was established, the company in Yonkers was resting on it's laurels. I spoke with friends and that was the feeling. I don't have one so I can't speak from personal experience. I hope that's not the case any more.

Depending on how early. Kimber was not well thought of when it first came out. Heck even the Norinco had a better reputation than Kimber. But back then there were very few 1911 makers, Colt, Springfield, Norinco, Kimber was about it. Then Norinco was banned, so only "cheap" 1911 was Kimber. Eventually Kimber supposedly gotten better. Sounds like it is slipping again. Based on my friends' experiences with Kimber, I would never own one.

[acaligunner]

69483146094__0A3C05B2-D540-4FF3-88E1-B92D9B3A4D36.jpgHere’s one of those Dan Wessons after a cleaning.
It’s been through LAX so many times that I might as well engrave a picture of that revolving restaurant on all that clean space on the shiny slide. 🤣🤣

Nice !
I haven’t taken my Wilson down she’s still clean and lubed ~ I only removed the shok-buff when I first got her.
IMG_9405.jpg

[Thrashard340]

Why are semi and full customs expensive? Labor and parts. They are hand fitted/assembled and eliminate the usage of cast or molded parts.

[walmart_ar15]

Even till this day, there is still misconception about casting is not as good as forging. With modern casting technology, one would argue that casting is now superior to forging.

Casting actually provides a stronger overall metal structure. Forging is only strong along its forged metal grain structure. And because forging also align the grain structure, it will propagate a crack worse than a cast frame. Cast was deemed inferior in the past due to the old casting process can trap air bubbles into the metal structure making a smooth finish impossible. Casting can also be too hard and becomes brittle so would require post heat treat. Gun smiths also hate cast frame as it is harder thus difficult to work on and burns out their milling bits and tools. Modern day casting process solved the air bubble issue, and most cast parts will be post-heat treated to meet exact hardness requirement.

[Dan_Eastvale]

Run of the mill stock guns should function properly with no modifications...
Paying thousands just to get one that works as spec'd

[splithoof]

[QUOTE=Grendel Guy;n54579687]

“I hope that's not the case any more.”

Lately I have been running a pair of Tisas 1911’s. I personally would buy another before buying any Kimber product from the last decade. Other brands worth looking at are Remington, Savage, and Ruger. While not “semi-custom”, they represent solid quality for the money.

Prior in this thread a member posted that they were considering either a MCO, TRP, or Dan Wesson. All of those are decent values for the money. When it comes to semi-custom, the only Springfield Armory product regularly produced in that category is the Professional; it is a very nice 1911 example, and priced accordingly. However, for the $$ IMO one could acquire two TRP’s that shoot just about as well. After doing some experimenting with many 1911’s while using a Ransom machine rest, that’s what I’ve found.

[splithoof]

Run of the mill stock guns should function properly with no modifications...
Paying thousands just to get one that works as spec'd

Yes, exactly THIS.
For any 1911, IMO that means 100% function with quality 230 grain ball ammunition. Beyond that it’s a crap shoot. It’s nice when you get one that works well with other bullet profiles, and now that is mostly the case, but it is not absolute. The second major reliability issue I’ve found has to do with magazines. Some run better with one brand over others.

[walmart_ar15]

To shoot different profile bullets, the recommendation is to use the ramp barrel version of the 1911.

[acaligunner]

To shoot different profile bullets, the recommendation is to use the ramp barrel version of the 1911.

I thought that ramp barrels were more for the 9mm - 1911’s