You buy one from Colt Custom Shop and it’ll be high end real quick.
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Well, remember, for every 'high-end' pistol out there, we have hundreds, if not more, middle of the road guns providing excellent service to a multitude of users. Some folks may talk about 'high-end' guns, but not everyone talks about 'high-end' guns. Diminishing returns is a real thing, although it kicks in at different points for each person. A regular Colt is indeed a middle of the road gun, but it's also a very good middle of the road gun, regardless of MIM (a poor dead horse that's been ground to dust!). As fnfalman said, a custom shop Colt gets you into a different ballpark, if you're into such things. But, there's that diminishing returns thing again. One has to make their own assessments! 
Exactly!!
Now, their Custom Shop can make some nice 1911's. But, we're talking about their standard production models like the Govt. Model, Commander, and whatever the name is of their 3" barrel model.You’re not paying $3000 for a standard production Colt either.Exactly!!
How can a gun that is priced about midrange be a high end gun?
All of my DW's are priced in the $2,000 range and all are high quality. My $2,200 stainless steel DW Specialist Commander 10mm has a super tight, super slick light weight match grade trigger that almost matches the match grade trigger on m NHC Recon Enforcer. The slide to frame movement is super tight, super slick, with no slack whatsoever. Compared to Colt Govt. models, Colt Commander, and Delta ELite models that I have owned in the past, none of my Colt 1911's can compare at all with my DW 1911's.
$3,850 for my NHC on the top and $2,200 for my DW Specialist Commander below and both are very close in quality. That sums it up for me.
I consider production Colt semi-autos to be basic, good quality, pistols. I carried a production Colt every working day for several years. Some O-Frame Colts will have better sights, different grips, and other features, but overall build quality is variable. I've owned, I don't even know how many, production Colts since the early '70s, and two of the Colt Custom Shop SCG pistols. My opinion is similar to that of Plantar5 and INV136. My SCGs were certainly good looking; one a two tone, one all blue, but beyond that, not much to write home about. The one place I could detect actual extra care was the nicely fitted grip safeties on both. The front corners of the mag wells though, would draw blood if one was not careful: obviously drop-in. Trigger quality, accuracy, fit of barrel/bushing/slide/frame was no different than the average production Colt one might see in the LGS.
Wouldn't want this to get around, but other than the nicely fitted SCG grip safeties, the fit of other components was not as good as on my production STIs, Kimbers and Dan Wessons.
Now before the "He's a Colt Hater" stuff starts, I've owned and carried more Colts than anything, and just recently bought another new Colt
Wouldn't want this to get around, but other than the nicely fitted SCG grip safeties, the fit of other components was not as good as on my production STIs, Kimbers and Dan Wessons.
Now before the "He's a Colt Hater" stuff starts, I've owned and carried more Colts than anything, and just recently bought another new Colt
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