Posted: 2/2/2004 4:04:33 PM EDT
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I was just going through my 2004 Gun Buyers guide and I was wondering if anybody knows why 1911 Semi autos are so expensive? That is especially the case with ones that are .40S&W and not .45ACP? I know there are some 1911 styles that are not to expensive like Auto Ordance M1911's but for some reason the .40S&W 1911's are almost always up the ass. Why is that I was just curious. "If you cannot take this as a normal assignment 007... Then 008 will replace you." 008 |
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Hi 008, On the question of .40 cal. prices, I'm just guessing here, but I would imagine it's because not very many of them are made. Economies of scale and all that. The reason that 1911 pistols are expensive as a "breed" is because the 1911 pistol was designed approx. one hundred years ago. It relies upon much machining and hand fitting in order to end up running right. Back when it was first designed, skilled labor was much less expensive than today. Today's pistols are designed from the ground up to take advantage of modern materials and manufacturing methods; plastics, CNC machinery, etc. However, quality handguns are still an expensive manufacturing proposition as a whole. You can typically buy a rifle of roughly equivalent quality for slightly less money than a pistol. |
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The whole pistol is machined, as opposed to HK USP's that have a machined barrel and slide and a polymer injection molded frame and stamped parts. The Machining in a 1911 is about 4times the work put into a Glock or HK. A decent (FORGED) 1911 will normally run 250,000+ rds while the HK with it's polymer frame rails will last 50,000rds. Glocks have steel rail inserts and will run for 200-300,000rds. Some times it works out that you can get something good for cheap (Glock) but as far as the 1911 goes, you have to pay for what you get, $400 1911's are not great 1911's, $700 Kimbers are nice, and $1300 Les Baers are just plain AWESOME performers. A good 1911 doesn't need handfitting, Kimbers aren't handfitted. I think if anything the barrel is hand fitted in the Les Baer. Very few companies produce them on good enough equipment to produce a good 1911 without a lot of hand fitting. Guns Like the Auto Ordanance (CAST) are built just good enough to work, not neccessarily with flawless reliability or accuracy in mind. I would guess that there are only a few companies that produce .40S&W 1911's: Kimber, STI, SVI, etc (when you get into the low demand guns normally they are only produced by the better names (semi-production-custom manufacturers) Why do good knives cost $150-$300 when I can get a made in China or Pakistan knife for $5? |