Although it has been several years since I was behind the counter at a LGS on a regular basis, it does seem to me that the quality of Colts is better today than it was in the mid-1990s. In that period, after one of Colt's many financial crisis, the quality was pretty questionable. I can remember opening boxes of new Colts on several occasions only to find that the front sight had fallen off! And there were other problems as well, but yes, at that time -- mid 1990s -- things were not too good at Colt. Today, based on the few I've seen, yes, quality if much better. However..... if you're really considering putting a grand or more into a 1911, and you really want a high quality pistol, you might want to save up a little more money and get a Cabot 1911. Yes, I realize that you might not have heard of them, but all the competitive shooters have and once you've held a Cabot 1911, all the others pale in comparison! The difference in quality between a Cabot 1911 and Colt 1911, is like the difference between a Colt and a Charles Daly. Once you buy a Cabot, the only thing you will regret is not buying another one. Keep us posted on what you decide.