If I go with a custom build who is the best and can make one if equal quality or better? What are the wait times on a custom build also?
I think there's a sticky thread on this at the top of this subforum. As you may imagine there are a lot of competing opinions on who is the "best", but with some research I'm sure you'll come up with a top-ten or so list of names that keep coming up. For years guys like Ted Yost would be near the top of that list.
Guns By Ted Yost But that doesn't mean Bill Wilson doesn't build a mean gun or that people don't pay $5,200 for one of his Supergrade guns; they do.
It sounds like you've got deep pockets and aren't afraid to wait a while so I would do a shitload of research and start seeing if any of the more famous guys do a style you like better than others. Mind you, some differences can be subtle and if you haven't owned a crapload of 1911s you may not be sure, exactly what you want. But you do have some particulars and there are plenty of people who will build your gun. But the benefit of having someone famous make it rather than the local, and locally well regarded, but not famous, smith, is that you have a better chance of getting some of your money out of it if it is a famous maker.
If Wilson or Nighthawk will make it the way you want it right from the source it may be a cheap and easy way to do it with little wait. If you send a Colt to a famous custom converter you may have a wait. Less famous probably equals less wait, as well as cheaper out the door. What can your patience and wallet bear?
I also have a few Springfield Professionals from Springfield's custom shop. I would also rather have them than my Ed Browns so I wouldn't put that shop out of the running either.
What I disagree with -- and others will disagree with me -- is paying $2,500 to $3,000 for a semi-custom Wilson/Brown/Baer/Nighthawk and then send it off for the mods you want. Which will likely require refinishing unless they'll make it that way from scratch -- and for a price I'm sure many of them would. I would rather start with a $900-$1,100 Colt Series 70 and send it off to have those mods, along with sights, checkering etc. to my specifications.
If you can't get one just the way you want it and have to buy one and have it modified, if you don't go the Colt route I would get a Dan Wesson and have it worked up to the way you want it. And in no way am I digging on Nighthawk. I'll probably own one soon enough. But not because I think they're a value, but because I live in California my choices of Dan Wesson's are limited. It is great to be able to afford many different guns so you don't have to make up your mind.
Hope this helps and by all means follow up and let us know what you ended up doing. Too many people start these threads, get people to spend their time responding, and then you never hear from the OP again.
That route would let you have a Wilson or NH.
