The 2011 Market Has Reached Parity. What Separates One Pistol From Another?

Editor’s Note

Double-stacked 1911s will be called 2011s for clarity and consistency. I understand that Staccato owns the trademark for 2011 and legally is the only company able to use the 2011 name. In this article, it makes more sense to classify all double-stacked 1911s as 2011s. Cover photo Watchtower Defense Instagram

A Saturated 2011 Market

Over the last decade, and especially the last few years, we have seen an explosion of 2011s being brought to market. From new companies and boutique builders to established manufacturers, it appears that everyone is attempting to build their own custom 2011 pistol that will take the market by storm.

During this time, the 2011 market has become increasingly saturated by the influx of manufacturers producing their own 2011 pistols. With this influx of manufacturers, it has become increasingly difficult to differentiate between pistols at a certain level, especially in the $3,000–$5,000-plus price range. Within this price range, consumers can find a well-built 2011 from a number of reputable manufacturers.

Diminishing Returns at the High End

At these price points, tolerances, fitment, and finishes are becoming so refined that the differences can be negligible when the pistols are placed in the hands of an average shooter. This raises an obvious question for the consumer: “What is the difference? When they all feel the same to me?”

An experienced shooter with thousands of rounds on multiple different brands may be able to identify differences between a pistol costing between $3,000 and over $5,000 that the average shooter cannot. Even experienced shooters will tell you that those differences can become increasingly minute as you move higher into the market, entering an arena of diminishing returns where each incremental improvement comes at a significantly higher cost for the consumer.

Does this mean those improvements cannot be justified by the manufacturer? Absolutely not. There are reasonable arguments for why additional craftsmanship, engineering, materials used, and labor can increase the price of a pistol. You can make a similar comparison between high-end luxury vehicles and supercars. There are different levels of engineering, craftsmanship, and build quality, and those differences can justify significant price increases.

However, at a certain point, you reach a place where the differences become increasingly negligible to the end user, and between builds. As such, parity within the market begins to emerge.

The Rise of Market Parity

The 2011 market has matured significantly over the last decade. During that time, more manufacturers have entered the space, manufacturing expertise has improved, and consumers have gained access to increasingly refined firearms. The result is a market that has reached a level of saturation where parity among reputable manufacturers is becoming increasingly apparent.

When I talk about parity, I am highlighting how build quality, manufacturing experience, and technical expertise have evolved to a point where, within the higher end of the market, a reputable manufacturer can be expected to deliver a high level of build quality and performance across the board.

What Sports Can Teach Us About the 2011 Market

We are now entering a situation similar to the parity that college and professional sports attempt to achieve: a league where every team has a viable path to winning a championship.

In reality, we know that does not mean every team will win. The difference comes down to the nuances of the organization: the front office, coaching staff, players, development, and talent. If those elements are aligned—the front office invests properly in the team’s needs, coaches perform their jobs effectively, and players execute and excel—the team’s chances of winning a championship increase.

The parity in this analogy in this outcome. An NFL team may be stacked and the Vegas sportsbook favorite to win the Super Bowl. During the season, that team could have injuries to key players on offense and defense, coaching that is unable to adapt to the loss of talent, and lose close games that the team should have won.

These circumstances can turn the odds-on favorite to win the Super Bowl into a team that misses the playoffs or has a record under .500. The parity is what makes the outcome difficult to determine before the season begins.

What Separates One 2011 From Another?

That is a direct reflection of the growing parity within the 2011 market. You now have numerous manufacturers competing for position within the $3,000–$5,000+ space. If the baseline expectation is that each manufacturer can produce a well-built pistol, the question becomes: What actually sets one manufacturer apart from another?

The answer increasingly comes down to the organization behind the pistol. Understanding the market at the C-suite level, the quality and consistency of the gunsmithing operation, the capabilities of the Cerakote team, quality assurance, customer service, and the ability to execute all of those elements consistently can make the difference.

The parity is in the baseline. The differentiator is in the execution. That is what separates the wheat from the chaff.

The Disconnect Between Industry and Consumer

Even with an understanding of this dynamic, it is still not clear to the average shooter in the community. Consumers are looking to the industry to articulate these differences and, more importantly, demonstrate how those differences translate when they actually hold the pistol in their hands and pull the trigger. That is where I believe the disconnect exists within the industry.

For a new manufacturer, this creates an even greater challenge. How do you convince a customer that your $3,000–$5,000 2011 is worth the money when you do not yet have an established reputation to rely on?

You have to explain the organization behind the product.

That means clearly laying out your business and manufacturing philosophy, explaining the intended mission of the product, demonstrating your approach to gunsmithing and quality control, and working to establish institutional trust with the customer. That trust cannot simply be claimed. It has to be built.

Why This Matters to Consumers

At Loadout Magazine, our goal is to give consumers the information and tools they need to make informed purchasing decisions. With the economy putting pressure on everyday individuals and disposable income becoming increasingly limited, consumers have to be more conscious about how they spend their money. That makes understanding the differences between products more important, not less.

The Survey

So, I am working on a survey. 

The survey will gather perspectives from consumers, experienced shooters, and people within the firearms industry to answer a fundamental question:

What defines a well-built 2011 in an increasingly saturated market?

The goal is to move beyond simply asking which pistol is “better” and instead identify the characteristics, manufacturing practices, experience, and qualities that actually distinguish one 2011 from another.

If the market has reached a point where many manufacturers can produce a high-quality pistol, then the next question is what separates them? That is what I want this survey to help us understand. By asking you, the consumer, and asking the subject matter experts the manufacturers…what elements create the noticeable differences between these firearms. It’s an interesting question we have to ask together because we have customer perception versus manufacturer perception  of the product, and those are two separate concepts.

Over the coming days and weeks Loadout Magazine will be asking consumers and industry professionals to help answer that question with the survey.