Do you feel the overall quality of Handguns is going down?

[cratz2]

Well, my thoughts on it are this: I've bought several excellent guns in the past two years and not one single lemon. Of course, I'm usually pretty picky when selecting which ones to actually take home. I think that most of the major brands are making better sub-$1,000 guns now than 5 years ago. Springfield and Colt's are prime examples of this.

Now on the high end, I really don't see any reason a $2,500 1911 should have to go back to the manufacturer. You get a Wilson Stealth for $3,000, there is zero reasons that it should have to go back. You aren't paying for mass produced junk, it's completely hand fitted and it should be fitted by guys knowing what they're doing. But I think it's just that they plan on most guys only buying one gun so they aren't really expecting repeat customers. But word of mouth advertising means a lot on guns over $1,000. My personal experience is that 5 years ago, you were hard pressed to find folks knocking their $2,000 1911s and $3,000 1911s whereas now there is no shortage of guys that will tell you that they had to send their guns back once or twice. It could be dismissed as internet guys that talk crap about guns they don't even own but I know two guys that have had to send Wilson pistols back to get them to run 100% with quality ball ammo on the approved list.

 

[Majic]

Overall I point to the advancements in manufactoring techiques have drove the quality down. Todays parts are built to such tight tolerances that the the gun are just assembled and not fitted as they once were. As an example take any makers utility gun over their match models. The match model have superior parts, but they are more hand fitted that results in the better product. Then take the utility model and have it reworked by a good smith and it also becomes a much better product. The cost factor of hiring gunsmiths as opposed to parts assemblers would drive the price up. Like any other business, they are there to make a profit. They can hire smiths and make fewer units, or buy new CNC machines, hire parts assemblers and turn out more units for a cheaper price. The bottom line is that the share holders want rapid growth dividends or they will invest in another market.

 

[telewinz]

Being a steel and wood man myself I think quality guns are being made much more cheaply with polymer frames and therefore are less durable and have a shortened life expectancy. I just wish the drastic cost savings were passed on the the consumer instead of the stock holders.