Re: Les Bear,Wilson,Ed brown,etc
All of the top makers build pretty good guns in the semi-custom and custom world. They have subtle differences, and they all have problems, none of them turns out 100% guns all the time.
Baer's are super tight, and generally super accurate, but take more break in. Nighthawk is still pretty new but they tend to be mid tight and mid accurate. Wilson seems to go a little looser on their standard builds, they run a higher grip than most, and I don't think they use match barrels on their non-supergrade stuff. That said lets face it even the worst wilson test target at 15 yards is under 3/4" I doubt there's anyone that can shoot groups that well consistently and I know a couple grand masters.
There is a lot of good info about going full custom a lot of times you don't have to spend that much more to a get a full custom gun with many wilsons/baer/brown/etc. guns pushing $3000 with options these days. The waits are longer, in some cases much much longer, you may or may not get more options, but like anything it can be worth it.
That said people need to get over the misconception that tighter is better in slide fit on 1911's, along with how hard it is to get the bushing out of the slide. It does little or nothing for accuracy and only serves to create reliability problems when they get dirty. With quality parts and a good build the #1 reason a 1911 stops running is crap got in the slide rails, and there isn't enough give to tolerate it. You can have a rattling loose slide and if it has a good barrel, good bushing, and the barrel/slide lock lugs are fit right and the bushing is fit right, it will still shoot better than 99.99% can shoot and it will run longer and in worse conditions than the super tight guns will.
It's the same reason we don't use the crazy tight tolerance bolts/actions that benchrest shooters do on our tactical rifles, because the first time they got a little dirt in them they'd quit running. There has to be a compromise between how tight the gun is and how reliable it's going to be. Sadly most 1911 buyers have forgotten this and it's forced companies to try and build tighter and tighter guns that are in most cases less reliable.
In the end you buy what you like, take it to the range put 500 rounds of FMJ through it, clean and lube it, put 250 rounds of your carry ammo through it, if it does that without a problem, clean and lube it and strap it on your hip. If it has any failures, try new mags and repeat, if it still doesn't work, send it back or to a smith have it worked on and repeat the process. Spending more up front usually means spending less later, it's not always the case though.
