You are placing a higher quality on a cheaper gun basing it on other's are simply over-priced.
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There have been a lot of american-made duds.
I think it was guns and ammo magazine, fall 2009, or fall 2010 issue, they come out with a recommended rifle list, which just happened to be just before hunting season.
Every rifle they listed cost over $1,000. The article listed stuff like Sakos, Weatherby,,, just top of the line stuff. Not a single Remington, Ruger or Winchester was listed. And why is that?
If the military uses Remington, then Remington should be good enough for a deer hunter.
The doctor my wife works for spent several years in Alaska. He was stationed there while in the Army, and after he got out of the Army he spent several years living in Alaska. What does he use for his Alaskan hunts? Remington model 700.
It seems to me there is a rather large gap between what the so called "experts" use, and what is practical for the everyday shooter.
I own a $1,200 rifle, its a DS Arms SA58 FN/FAL. I also own a $700 Remington model 700 mountain rifle.
There is no way I am going to spend $1,000 on a 1911.
For some company to have its parts manufactured by cheap labor, then charge a premium price to the customer is a rip-off, plain and simple.
You can say the sweet spot for 1911s starts at around $800, that is fine and dandy. But do not discredit lesser expensive pistols as low quality.