How many folks actually.........?

[AJ]

How many folks actually buy the tricked out handguns that I see in the magazines? I for one would not spend the prices that Wilson, Baer, Nighthawk and others charge for their guns.

My first Colt was a Combat Commander that I paid $175.00 NIB in a gunshop, back about 1974. In the late 80's I never paid more than $275 for on good used Colt and about $200 for a US GI M1911A1. The most I have ever spent for a .45 Auto is $1000 for a original Series 70 National Match Gold Cup with a Colt Conversion Unit, that was about 10 or so years ago.

That their prices seem to start at $2000 and go up to over $5000, flabbergasts me. Do folks really buy them?

I have seen one Les Baer M1911 on our range. The guy that owned it was real proud of it to say the least. I shot it and was not impressed. He shot my Gold Cup and left. The accuracy of the Gold Cup was better than his pistol.

So like I asked do folks really fork over the bucks for them?

 

[LVSteve]

I know of one who frequents this forum. The man has pockets way deeper than mine.

 

[Bald1]

That’s a hard NO for me. I don’t even like the S&W PC revolvers.

 

[mikerjf]

LOL, I bought an Astra instead of a 629. So, prolly not…

 

[ISCS Yoda]

Competition shooters with money, maybe?

 

[jimmyj]

Model 1911 platform--TISAS

 

[H Richard]

Back in the days when 1911's basically came GI stock, the amount of work it took to make it an accurate bullseye or competition gun was quite a bit. Done by a good gunsmith on an hourly rate would raise the price up there, plus the parts. It took altering the back frame to fit a beaver-tail grip safety, altering the feed ramp to feed SWC bullets, altering the ejection port to lower it and relieve it for reliable ejection, maybe fitting a commander ejector, tuning the ejector rod, stoning the sear and maybe taking up to .015 or more off a hammer hook.

Lots of work at maybe $60 per hr back then, (80's). If you went to an action pistol, IPSC, USPSA, IDPA, or Bullseye match you would find quite a lot of these level of altered 1911's on the firing line.

 

[weatherby]

I remember seeing 945's in magazines.
Yeah I bought one.
Another after that.

I'll buy/pay for what I think is quality up to a point.
I've bought Anschutz rifles generally used ones but a fitting example and have no regrets.

 

[Frailer]

I have no desire for a high-dollar 1911, but I try not to spend too much time concerning myself with what other people “waste” their money on.

I’m too busy spending (and often “wasting”) money on the things *I* like.

While I’m sure this doesn’t hold true for everyone, I feel certain most of us who are regular participants on firearms forums are guilty of owning more guns than we have any practical need for.

 

[Valmet]

Not I. While I’m sure they shoot well I find many of them visually unappealing, in addition to being too expensive.

 

[UNCLE PAULY]

I bought a Dan Wesson Specialist 45 acp for around $1200 about 10 years ago. No regrets, as I feel the gun was worth the price. Problem now is the ammunition has gotten expensive.

 

[otis24]

I’m a plain Jane kind of guy. I like utilitarian firearms. Nothing fancy that I have to baby or give special attention to. Same way with automobiles. Wouldn’t spend the extra money even if I had it to spend!

 

[OutAtTheEdge]

Everyone has their value-limit, I guess. I own a few very nice firearms that I thought were a bit of an extravagance at the time. And I have passed up opportunities for a few outstanding deals on extraordinary guns, because I just couldn't afford them at the time.

Would I spend thousands on a custom pistol? Right now? No. If I had it to spend without having to wonder if I could afford it? Absolutely.

 

[rwsmith]

I hardly look at magazines...

...with those kind of firearms. They ain't for me at all. I don't even wish I had money to buy guns like that. I would be looking at something more appealing to me. Milsurp rifle or classic revolver. A bolt or semi rifle for range duty. Maybe a variety of small carry pistol.

 

[colt_saa]

Tens of 1,000s, probably hundreds of 1,000s of people by these firearms on a annual basis, otherwise we would not see so many Companies offering them

Smith and Wesson sells many thousands of Performance Center firearms each and every year both revolvers and auto loaders. Going on for decades now

For decades SIG has been selling many thousands of the Master Shop pistols each and every year

Then there are the custom builders who can't keep up with the demand

Our shop, which has recently closed, has been producing handbuilt 1911s going back over 70 years now.

Not counting the time to machine the base parts, it takes a Master Gunsmith 60 to 80 man hours to properly fit and assemble a precision 1911 depending on the options chosen by the customer.

 

[SnidelyWhiplash]

I'm basically a minimalist...less is more. I only like those modifications that actually enhance a gun's reliability and utility. Many mods do not or actually decrease those aspects.

Mods I like? Tritium night sights...good grips that are not only functional but aesthetically so...but I do not like finger groove grips regardless of how well made they are. I was dragged kicking and screaming into red dot sights on a long gun...my eyes are not what they used to be and they are an enhancement.

 

[glenwolde]

You actually paid $1,143.14 for that Combat Commander. You have to adjust for inflation.

 

[MelvinWalker]

The never discussed problem

I often see folks on other forums that spend literal fortunes on tricked out 1911's and AR platform rifles...When they inevitably attempt to sell or trade the completely tricked out gun, they can't get half of what they paid to customize it....They then go on rants about not understanding why people would rather just buy a base Tisas 1911 or PSA AR?

The bottom line on these super custom guns are they are customized to the original buyer's liking and not what the new buyer necessarily likes.

 

[LittleAugieMo]

Wonder how many of these "tricked out" firearms are sold to departments/military and paid for by taxpayers?

 

[Faulkner]

Wonder how many of these "tricked out" firearms are sold to departments/military and paid for by taxpayers?

For an untold number of reasons I'd say not many.