There is a gunsmith here that charges around that for his 1911 pistols and a rifle.

Do people drop all those dollars because they will eat any and all kids of ammo's? w/o failure.

he guarantee's accuracy with match grade ammo.

do they need much much more care ? like a custom car engine,
or a lot less care?

is there a percentage that just will anything with a name brand on it?

Like most things there's a point of diminishing returns. Is the buyer capable of using the product or service to the full extent? Does the buyer have a purpose for the product or service?

A rifle capable of shooting one hole is a waste on someone who can't shoot 3 MOA. On the other hand, a top shooter who can shoot under 0.5 MOA would be frustrated if all they had was a rifle that couldn't hold 3 MOA.

Same is true with cars. What's the point of buying a Koenigsegg, McLaren or Lamborghini if the owner never goes over 200mph? Oh wait, scratch that. We've now crossed over into the "I have too much money so I buy things because they're rare and expensive" crowd and there's the other answer to your question.

Depends on the gunsmith I guess. Are we talking a no-name local or someone with an established reputation?

Anyone can put the amount of labor hours and custom parts into a 1911 or AR so that $3k would be what you would have to sell it for retail. Whether it is worth that to the buyer is up to them.

For me, though I don't have a custom AR or 1911, if I were to get one, it would be from a well known shop or smith. For piece of mind that it is done right (based on their extensive track record in the industry) as well as for the firearm to be recognizable and hold value.

I'd pay $3300 for a Wilson, but not $3300 for a "John Doe" in my hometown.

You could buy a new STI 2011/1911 in the 2K range and have a perfect gun from the factory...A lot of competition guys use this brand or similar...

And you'd have money left over to get and AR.

My FIL has an STI Grandmaster and it has all the bells and whistles-but the guy can shoot - so he wasn't upset about the price....

I had the Colt Custom Shop pimp out both a full size and a commander for me. Acurrize, soften the edges, match barrel, hand fit, new sights upgrade all the internals etc and a refinish. I paid less than 1/3 of that for the work and parts and shipping on each. Short of a full blown race gun ill put either one up against any smith's combat/carry ready gun. I'd sell either one for 3,300 right now. 8 months to a year wait was the bitch.

Different strokes, man. A 300 dollar Taurus .45 makes the same size hole as a 5k custom .45 acp. So what? Whichever turns you on is cool.

When it comes to 1911's I believe there is a price point that gives you superior performance. Typically wilson, les baer, ed brown, and their are more. Usually 2-2.5 k.

Prices above that don't typically offer better performance but where the added cost comes from is customized finish, engraving, edge and polish work.

There are 1911's that cost so much that no one in their right mind would ever carry are even fondle let alone fire.

It all comes down to what you want. A weekend shooter for 400 or a family heirloom for a years salary. But imo the sweet spot is around 2k.

Not knowing the specifics but those prices for a quality custom 1911 or AR is not really out of line.
The proof is in the details.

For 1911s I think Dan Wesson is the point where you get the best bang for the buck, everything after that IMO you start to reach diminishing returns. Sure a Wilson combat is a "nicer" pistol but is it really $2000 nicer than a Dan Wesson? Same goes for your local guy. $3000 for an AR15 seems a bit pricey, I build exactly what I want and get there around $1500 or so and they run perfectly.

A lot of people laughed at my son when he bought a Bravo Company upper for his AR and paid almost $900 for the upper alone.

We went to Gunsite earlier this summer and my son had the best results at 200 yds with his AR with just a Red dot Aimpoint sight.

He put nine rounds out of 10 in the target in the size of the palm of your hand.

The head instructor who also teaches police snipers said he never saw anybody shoot that good with just an AR and red dot at that distance.

I guess sometimes accuracy cost a little extra.
If that is what turns you on and you can afford it, go for it. If not you can spend less and maybe get an accurate reliable shooter.

I paid about that for my Triangle Shooting Sports single-stack 1911 - and more than that for my SVI.

I had a Wilson, which was of far less quality than either of those.

It depends on who's building it and what they are doing it

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Aglifter,

3300 bucks will only get you an entry level Wilson these days.

Prices are going up all the time.

Bob

It is alleged that mere ownership can extend the length and girth of certain parts of the male anatomy.
Other than that, if that money is pocket change and you really want one then why not?

quote:

Originally posted by lunchbox:
For 1911s I think Dan Wesson is the point where you get the best bang for the buck, everything after that IMO you start to reach diminishing returns. Sure a Wilson combat is a "nicer" pistol but is it really $2000 nicer than a Dan Wesson? Same goes for your local guy. $3000 for an AR15 seems a bit pricey, I build exactly what I want and get there around $1500 or so and they run perfectly.

Agree. I have compared side by side a DW V-bob and an Ed Brown bobtail. I have guns by both. I love my Ed Brown Kobra Carry but you'd be hard pressed to find $1000 difference in those two guns .

no one has a wonderful story of how they purchased a Les Baer
and it fed 15 types and brands of ammo , and never failed,

or how they did measurements after 6500 rounds and there was no appreciable difference .

or nothing has ever had to be shipped back for repair?

Its about getting something made, exactly, how you want it, and decreasing times. As a practical matter, will $X spent on ammo or equipment result in improved scores more?

And, some of it is about not being frustrated by your equipment/joy of using a good tool.

I know a GLOCK will do just fine, outside of USPSA/Steel challenge (stock, they often do not have the accuracy) - but its annoying to practice with a pistol that cannot make the shots you can make.

For the record, I don't think I've had any failures on my single-stack, and I know I haven't, aside from a couple ammo ones, on my open gun.

(Well, and the safety failed due to fatigue.)

Part of it, is that a competition gun should be timed properly, so it will use a lighter recoil spring, and recoil smoother, and last much longer.

A good 2011, should make it to about 175K rounds, before it has real issues. Single-stacks in 45, just seem to keep going.

Sigs/Berettas/etc most guns are done at 40-50K (This is more of a Bruce Gray question), and I think most folks replace their glocks at 50K, just because they're so cheap.

I recently bought a custom Ruger revolver.

Because of this I plan on selling a Freedom Arms revolver.

The custom Ruger costs a good deal more than the Freedom Arms.

The Freedom Arms is much better made all around, and more powerful.

Even as wonderful as the Custom work is on the Ruger, it doesn't match the Freedom Arms.

With all that work, it's still just a Ruger.

So how does that make sense? Because there's more to than meets the eye. Intangibles.



FWIW I bought a Baer this spring. There's some things I'm impressed with, some things I'm not. It was the most I've ever spent on a 1911 and the most I'm likely to. I don't see the value or the "intangibles" in the high end brands. I know the time, work and trouble that goes into custom single actions, turning a .357 into a tight, oversized 5 shot 500 Linebaugh for example. I don't see that in assembling new CNC'd part into a pistol. At least for me anyway. There's an ass for every seat.

quote:

Originally posted by cas:
FWIW I bought a Baer this spring. There's some things I'm impressed with, some things I'm not. It was the most I've ever spent on a 1911 and the most I'm likely to. I don't see the value or the "intangibles" in the high end brands. I know the time, work and trouble that goes into custom single actions, turning a .357 into a tight, oversized 5 shot 500 Linebaugh for example. I don't see that in assembling new CNC'd part into a pistol. At least for me anyway. There's an ass for every seat.

Was your Baer blue or purple? Mine was purple. I had to pay extra to have it blued. As for Freedom Arms, fine gun but it chaps me that after paying all that money for one, an action job is extra.

I suppose it's blue. lol Though I'm colorblind.

Look
http://cabotgun.com/pricing-or...911-pistols/pricing/