My first brand new 1911A1 was Taurus PT1911 base black model in .45. It had many of the features of far better 1911s. I had no problems with it and it ran well with all ammo from Wolf RN to Speer Gold Dot HP and any other hollow points I fed it. I fired this pistol to where it got so hot that when water was spritzed on it sizzled!
After 7000 rounds it shot lose, ragged & rattled and the finish was worn thru in many areas. For the money it served me well.
I bought another new PT1911, this time in stainless steel and in 9mm Luger. I didn't like it. Barrel hood was lose and it had some razor sharp edges that would cut you.
So I wonder how do they produce their 1911s? Does a gunsmith ever touch these guns, does anyone inspect them? Or do they train entry level employees to perform a lone specific task and hope it comes out 'good'nuff?

Then I bumped it up a notch, more like several notches and in Jan. 2012 I bought a brand new Springfield Armory Range Officer 1911A1 .45 auto. Again I bought it for the features I wanted like the buried BoMar type adjustable rear sight then I installed a Dawson optic fiber front sight. Trigger pull is 4.5 lbs. as measured with a Wheeler spring type pull scale. Barrel/bushing and slide to frame fit is tight.
After 7000 rounds fit, accuracy and reliablity has not deteriorated but 7000 rounds is not a lot of rounds. The R.O. is a great value and for only $775 brand new!
I liked the R.O. enuff to buy another S/A 1911, a stainless steel, Loaded Target in 9mm Luger. With it polished flats and crossed cannon cocobolo grips its a handsome pistol. It is just as accurate and reliable as the R.O. but could cost a little more than the R.O.
That's two Springfields, both  excellent and consistent in their production.
If they make their off the shelf non-custom shop 1911 pistols on a production line meeting production quotas then they're doin a helluva good job.
-How does Springfield Armory, Geneseo, IL. actually produce their 1911s?

How does Nighthawk manufacture their 1911s?
Les Baer?
Wilson Combat?

Thanks For Your Time
VonBark

While I don't know exactly what each of these companies production lines look like it's going to be one of two things.

While parts quality (MiM vs machined parts, etc) makes a difference - the main difference is the high end custom shops turning out amazing work have guys with years and years.....and more years of building/fitting 1911's who truly understand what every part does and how it interacts with other parts, etc. Run of the mill 1911's like Girsan for example and similar are thrown together with MiM parts that are determined to be "in spec" and probably assembled assembly line style. That's the reason why your friends $500 1911 will have thousands of trouble free rounds through it, a fairly nice fit, etc meanwhile your $500 1911 looks like a caveman built it (slop/play, etc) and you've had nothing but problems with it from the first mag through it.

From just looking at my well used Springfields I see rub marks where the thumb safety rubs and scuffs the finish of the frame, same with the slide stop. My Nighthawk does not have those scuffs and has more rounds thru it. The more I handle the NH the more I realize someone spent a lot of time on it.
The trigger pull on the Springfield is good but is varies with each pull on the trigger pull scale. The NH is the same every single time. I didn't think that was even possible!

OP
VonBark

IIRC: They don't. They import guns that are made by Imbel in Brazil.

And you would be incorrect.

No.  He would be correct.  

Partially right, partially wrong.

 




 

HOPE THIS HELPS
http://3gn.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=5&f=34&t=151965