I have a respectable stable of 1911s and none are made in the Philippines or South America. That is not because they may not be decent guns, but because I want better quality and I am willing to pay for it.
I have seen and fired guns from those countries that were accurate and reliable. I've also seen and fired ones that were utter pieces of crap. That means nothing. My favorite 1911 is a Kimber, but it just HAPPENS TO BE a Kimber. It is the best I've owned in terms of accuracy and reliability. OTOH, I've shot a friend's Kimber that was so bad I recommended he send it back to the factory (the ultimate throwing up my hands at a 1911 for me).
Not including Para high caps, because they are not true 1911s, I only own one non-U.S. made 1911 and it is a Norinco. It is an amazingly good gun.
That said, at one time I did some research on the 1911 forum. Filipino and South American 1911s had the highest percentage of issue posts of any 1911s. Doesn't prove a thing because 1911s that sell for under $500 are going to sell more guns than 1911s that sell for more than $500.
I've been shooting IDPA since 1998 and have been an RO since 2001. That experience has put me in a position to make some judgment calls. Springfields fail about seven or eight more times as often as all other makes combined. No. 2 in firing line failures is Glock. No. 3 is all makes of 1911 combined. No. 4 is Filipino guns of all types.
This, too, does not mean much. Springers outnumber all other makes at matches. Glocks are the second most popular gun. 1911s are the most popular model. Filipino guns are most popular among new shooters and shooters on a budget.
Catastrophic failures (IOW, take your broken gun and go home; You're done for the day) are more significant. Springers still hold the edge, but a third to half the guns at a match tend to be Springers so judgment is questionable. But, Filipino guns run a relatively close second, followed by 1911s of all makes. However, even S&W revolvers have been subject to catastrophic failures so...
I have never sent a high-end 1911 home for a catastrophic failure. I have booted many Filipinos, Tauruses, Springers, hybrids and even one Kimber home. I've never sent an Ed Brown, a Wilson, a Caspian or even a Fusion, home.
Failures that require the gun to be broken down or tools to return to service are another category, but most of them come down to poor reloads.
Many people are very happy with their Filipino and South American guns. I have no argument with them. Some are actually very accurate and reliable. However, what is posted on the Internet is unreliable. Show us one great group on the Net and we have no way of knowing if it is one of 100 groups or the first one shot. Or, at what range or from a rest or even a Ransom rest. We have to take the word of someone who will never, ever have to prove it is the truth.
I doubt the word of anyone who says they use factory ammo and posts great groups. Factory ammo sucks (a whole 'nother subject). I will say this, I don't know anyone I consider a good shot who shoots factory ammo routinely.
As to Filipino guns (and South American guns), they are decent budget guns. You have a reasonable chance of getting one that is accurate and reliable and will hold up to a lifetime of use. I consider "a reasonable chance" as something approaching 50 percent.
I could care less what you buy or choose to shoot. It ain't my gun.
I will say this - my wife won't let me buy a gun made in South America or the Philippines. (We do have one SA gun; a Rossi .22 that is on hold and getting ready to be the "first gun" of a second generation of my offspring.) I recently asked her about ordering a high end 1911 and she said "Can we afford it? Get it." She won't risk getting a piece of junk from the Philippines for $500, but she'll OK $3,000 for something she is sure will meet our standards in a heartbeat.
I will relate the essence of a, well, a fight, we had. I wanted to buy an RI with all the bells and whistles. She asked me if I would trust it with my life fresh out of the box. My answer was no. She asked if I would trust a Wilson fresh out of the box, I told her after I'd fired a few 100 rounds. She asked how many rounds it would take for me to trust my kid's life to the RI. I thought a while and said "At least 1,000."
She told me to save up and buy another Wilson. She's right.
A good woman is hard to find. A smart good woman is rare. About as rare as a good Filipino gun...
JMHO
