but try to figure out what makes some 1911 guns cost so much more.
thanks for the advice guys
To borrow an analogy, it is a comparison between a $50,000 Corvette and a $400,000 Ferrari. Craftsmanship in fabricating the individual components and craftsmanship in assembly and final finishing.
S&W 1911s will perform well functionally; and the value/price relationship is excellent.
To get closer to a detailed answer to your question, small parts in 1911s can be fabricated in one of three basic ways:
--MIM (lowest cost)
--Casting
--Machined from bar stock (highest cost, by far)
This alone (not to mention variations in craftsmanship/materials within each category) makes a BIG difference in cost/price.
Then, to have a 1911 custom-assembled, without regard to the hours required, by one of the very best 1911 pistolsmiths in the world will automatically added at least $1,000 to $2,000 to the "base price". The difference in fit and finish IS noticeable. But whether this difference translates into better practical shooting results is debatable (i.e., that Corvette can go around a track pretty fast, and at a much lower cost than the Ferrari).
For each of my 1911s (lowest cost is about $1,200; highest cost is about $6,500), I received fair value/quality for what I paid. I'm "keeping" each of them. And I'll give a "double thumbs-up" to both S&W and Wilson (my two manufacturers).
Hope this helps a little.