This is one of those cases where the "Law of Diminishing Returns" applies. As with so many other products, you reach a certain point in the quality to price ratio where the product becomes good enough that making further improvements in one way or another starts to involve much more time and work, and that all adds up in the price getting exponentially higher. The difference between a DW and an EB or Wilson, Nighthawk, Les Baer, etc is the degree of hand fitting to make sure all parts are mated to each other very precisely, and this gives a look and feel that a DW cannot quite match to someone who is picky about such things. This extra hand fitting is very labor- and time-intensive and that involves a lot of shop overhead that must be recouped in the price. Whether the price difference for that little bit of extra refinement is "worth it" is an individual subjective decision. For many people, it isn't and that's understandable. The higher end 1911s may not shoot any better or function any better... but if you are picky, you can clearly see they are a made a little better. Dan Wesson 1911s are very good, well made guns that are priced very fairly for what you get in return. No, they aren't quite as refined and as well fitted as a higher end custom 1911, but they are pretty close. They are as good as regular production 1911s get.
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