The S100 is one of Cabot Guns‘ base models. I mean, sure, that’s akin to saying the California is Ferrari’s current base model, but everything’s relative. At the NRA show I popped into the Cabot booth to check out the meteorite pistols, but they weren’t on display yet. Instead, I found what I believe they’re calling “The Instant Classic,” seen here . . .
Just because the S100 is a specific model doesn’t mean you have to get it a specific way. Cabot makes ’em to order, just like most of the really premium 1911 ‘smiths do. The configuration here is an almost 100% nitrided gun, done in a deep gray sort of gunmetal color. What makes it “The Instant Classic,” though, is the look of light, usage-induced finish wear built right into it.
I realize this is easy to sneer at for a variety of reasons, and I’ve historically detested the idea of pre-worn/distressed jeans and such, but I like this gun. The “wear” is subtle, but definitely there on edges and raised surfaces, and it works for me. It’s also there to stay, as the nitride finish is unlikely to show any actual wear, even if this gun were to be carried every day for years. I dig the color, tone, subtle highlights of the “wear,” and even the grip choice.
That said, the three-star trigger isn’t my cup of tea. If I were shopping for a gun to pass down to the kids, grandkids, or beyond, I’d just have to request a plain ol’ trigger, probably a straight one, nitrided and “broken in” like the rest of the pistol.
The front- and backstrap texturing looks and feels great.
The slide has a wide flat top with serrations to reduce glare.
Cabot’s appeal is obvious, but the guns haven’t spoken to me strongly enough to consider saving up the cash. The Instant Classic is getting there, though, with its relative simplicity, classic lines, and “broken-in” finish imperfections…even if they’re intentional.
I’ll stick with my Dan Wesson Valkyrie……3240 rounds in just under two months and not a single issue with 7, 8, and 10 round magazines, all checkmate.
Sorry to inform you…it’s a “Dan Wesson” in name only, it’s actually a CZ, which is fine, but just don’t to caught up in the name…
So the Viper is now a Fiat?
And my $350 Rock has 2200 rounds with no issues. (Other than when you switch to G10 grips, you need to put blue loctite on the screws, oops)
As for customer service, I had a bad grip bushing from the factory and Armscor paid for the shipping both ways
what in tarnation are a bunch of commie pinkos doing makin’ guns with a respected American name stamped on ’em? gettin’ to where ya’ cain’t tell who’s who, or what is a goin’ on in the wide, wide, world of sports, anymore.
The Czech Republic has been a democracy since 1989
“The Czech Republic has been a democracy since 1989”
yeah, but not the slovakia part. besides, the apple don’t fall too far from the tree, do it?
It was a democracy from 1918 until 1939, when Hitler invaded it, using the Sudetenland as an excuse, because it was one of the largest heavy arms manufacturers in Europe. It became a Communist country solely due to the fact that FDR gave it to the Russians at Malta. And its first democracy revolution (The Prague Spring) was crushed by Russian tanks in 1968.
‘preciate the information.
an apple don’t roll into the next county when it falls of the tree. commieism taints everthing, forever. jes doan wont to be helpin’ anybody in eastern europe. watch ’em turn on us in a heartbeat when the ruskies bump up against their borders.
So, George, how long do you have to be enslaved against your will before you’re contaminated and might as well be one of the enslavers?
You are truly full of shit here.
“how long do you have to be enslaved against your will before you’re contaminated and might as well be one of the enslavers?”
i admit i doan really understand your note. ahm jes sayin there is no way i kin ever trust a commie, or former commie. on topa that, i see no point in paying US dollars to any company the ultimately benefits a company in the former USSR or its satellites. ruskies are on the move again, and it is jes a matter of time afore the checkos go back to the hive. we have enuff american gun manufacturers that start and end as american companies to fill our need for guns. buy american.
Sam I am and George, It means you’re both being asses–and I am putting it as diplomatically as I can stand to. Because you’re both insulting a people who were forced by an occupying army to adopt communism. I have no doubt that some few of them were collaborators, but the vast majority of them did not support the system as you’d understand if you had any grasp of history at all. Look up 1968, and note how fast communism crumbled there when it was no longer being imposed by threat of invasion from the Soviet Union.
Or would you rather call the French Nazis because they were occupied?
my history teacher said the 1968 hungarian revolt ended just like the 1956 one. the people did not rise up and throw off their dictators. in our country, the people threw off the king, and never really tried to restore a monarchy, right? the only math i kin do here is subtract the rebels from the rest of the folks and say the rebels did not have fertile ground fer fightin’. an by the way, them checkos did not throw off the commies in 1991. the checkos jes benefited from the ruskie retreat. wait ‘n see what happens when the ruskies put a little fear into the checkos.
as for frencies being nazis, well they had a government loyal to germany called vichy. the people didn’t rise up and throw off the nazis, did they? ifn ya just let something go by, it isnt’ very important to ya, and you agree with it by not puttin a stop to it.
an’ folks wunder why american think they are so special.
I could go into a lot of detail analyzing all the logical fail in your post, George–starting with the fact that 1968 was Czechoslovakia, not Hungary, and ending with the fact that by your logic, French are Nazis…
But I won’t. Anyone else coming along to read this will realize you’re being an ass. You’ve made my point for me far better than I could.
yeah, i sorta did misplace prague. thanks for the correction.
an’ yes. ifn ya doan do nuthin to stop the round-up of citizens being murdered for bein’ jews, hispanics, catholics, hindu, whatever, then you are no different. then you are a nazi. it wuz real interestin how many anti-nazis showed up when the nazis were run out of france. and we ain’t even talkin’ ’bout the franchie navy in ww2 (take a peek at how the franchies fought the allies: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Navy). we studied all that in high school. them franchies didn’t fight the allies because the franchies didn’t want to side with the nazis.
so, you have yore opinion, an’ ah have mine. not gonna trust any now or then commies, period.
Sam/George, Czechoslovakia became a democracy in 1989 as a whole. Slovakia split couple of years later in 1993 and it is a democracy. Member of EU and NATO too.
As another point try imagine the difference between American revolutionary war and Prague Spring. Americans fought England which, while being largest military might in contemporary world, was on the other side of Atlantic Ocean and used wooden sailships. Also note all other trouble the Great Britain had at that time all over the world and home. And last but not least see the international help America received – from French for example.
Compare it to Czechoslovakia, country of 15 millions, attacked by not only USSR, but at the same time by their Warsaw pact “bedfellows” Poland, East Germany, Hungaria and Bulgaria. Just a jump over borders from four sides on airplanes. One day nothing happened and next morning there are 200,000 occupying troops with 2,000 tanks. And whole West did sweet FA to help. Takes a lot of fighting spirit not to see suicidal odds. Apples and oranges.
Oh – your shift key appears to be broken.
yur providin’ interestin’ information, but jes you wait til them ruskies knock on the checko front door. the checkos will roll over ‘n be commies again fastr ‘n you kin’ say euro.
i type lower case ona count of i only got one good hand, and all that caps lock stuff is jes too darn hard to do.
While Dan Wesson is owned by CZ, but the guns are made in Norwich, NY. They have their own customer support and policies and make a great 1911.
Yeah, separate engineers & customer service (& more), separate manufacturing, QC, assembly, etc, separate location. It’s CZ-USA that owns DW, not CZ in Czech Republic, and I don’t believe they share much beyond budgets (especially marketing).
I am trying to make a purchase decision for self-defense. I only know about guns from blogs and manufacturer web pages. However, I have learned from you guys that if you use your gun, it may be taken as evidence and maybe never returned. I also learned it doesn’t make sense to own expensive guns because you might forfeit them due to defending yourself. So I don’t know what to make of a line of guns that start at $3000. Seems a bit pricey for a range queen (did I get that right?).
“I also learned it doesn’t make sense to own expensive guns because you might forfeit them due to defending yourself.”
No, it’s about not *carrying for self-defense* expensive guns.
Own and enjoy beautiful firearms. Carry a reliable affordable one…
“Own and enjoy beautiful firearms. Carry a reliable affordable one…”
That, I can understand. Anyone know, if you are arrested for a defensive shooting, whether the cops can confiscate all your guns?
Probably depends on the jurisdiction. Free states, probably not. Slave states, yes.
Tom
Cops “can” do whatever they say they can do, until a court intercedes. They mayclaim they need to take guns for “safe keeping,” as happened to a collector in California whose house was broken into, even though the thieves failed to get into his strong room (the police actually broke down the door themselves). But unless they have a warrant, or there is other criminal activity afoot (i.e. drug raid) all they can seize is the one you used, as “evidence” of a possible crime. (Personally, I think that is BS–if you say “he broke down my door and I shot him,” then the gun is pretty much irrelevant, legally speaking. Just because a gun is used does not automatically make it “contraband,” but I doubt you will find a cop who will agree with me on that.)
Cops “can” do whatever they say they can do
I’ve read in many places that cops are more likely to be bullies than you see played on TV. Guess that is what made me cautious, and asking about taking everything. Still, if I buy something, it will be only one, so I guess I don’t need to be concerned. Buying the second will take some thinking.
Safe queen, range toy. (I knew a couple of range queens when I lived in the SF bay area. Nice people. Good shots. But I digress.)
I understand what you’re getting at. You make a valid point, and one I’ve thought of also.
I guess I think of it like this. At the end of the day the gun is either a tool, or a toy for grownups. Like cars. If you’re in desperate straits, a Ferrari will get you to the corner 7-11 for a 2am roll of TP, just as a Cabot can be used to end a home invasion. In either case there’s a risk involved; but better to have the tool than not.
That said, a Cabot is not what I’d choose for a first gun, because it might represent a very expensive way to find you don’t like the 1911 platform.
If you want a relatively affordable but still fairly unique and sharp-looking gun for your first, there are many optipns, but I’d say check out EAA’s Tanfoglio Witness Stock I and II.
That is, assuming you mean one for the home. I don’t every-day-carry so I can’t begin to make a knowledgeable recommendation there.
A good way to proceed is to take an NRA basic pistol course, where they should have some available for you to try; then go to a range that rents guns and try a bunch of brands and calibers. A hundred bucks or so spent this way can save you lots more later on.
When you do this, take notes. After trying the Wunderbang 3000 for a few magazines, make note of what you liked and didn’t like. Otherwise at the end of the day, you might not have as clear a recollection as what you liked, disliked, and why.
Probably good advice. Thanks.
“That said, a Cabot is not what I’d choose for a first gun, because it might represent a very expensive way to find you don’t like the 1911 platform.”
Thanks for the tip. But, isn’t the 1911 the only true “pistol”, just like the John Wayne six-gun is the only true western handgun?
No, real cowboys carried Schofield’s. Much better gun. Wild Bill Cody carried black powder 1861 Navy’s even though cartridges were everywhere by then. And Browning’s Hi-Power has been carried by more militaries than any other handgun. 1911s are fun.
I’d like to see someone come out with an update that has a link less barrel, simplified modular fire control system, captive spring, and all the other little improvements that have come out in the last 115 years.
Silver plated 1851s with ivory grips. At the time of his death he was carrying a Smith & Wesson No. 2 Army revolver in .32 rimfire
At the time of his death he was carrying a Smith & Wesson No. 2 Army revolver in .32 rimfire
John Wayne is still alive. It was Marion Morrison who died (probably still believing he was John Wayne; I miss the Duke).
Not going there.. 🙂
Seriously, everyone has different hands, as well as different arm lengths and shoulder widths, so one pistol won’t work best for everyone.
Let me shoot you with a Glock and you can tell me if it’s a “true pistol”. Seriously dude?
I think if you ask people, especially people from other nations, what they think about when they think or talk about guns, their mind’s eye is picturing a 1911 and, or, a cowboy six-shooter. Just a note, but when I think of American guns, GLOCKs never come to mind. Or Berrettas.
Your words, “….isn’t the 1911 the only true “pistol”.
Nothing about foreign Countries or American guns. My mistake if I misunderstood.
I was trying to be clever, tounge-in-cheek. Seems to be quite difficult to be humorous in writing.
Actually, now that I think about it, the true “pistol” would probably be a Beretta semi automatic since the term originates from the Italians. But I digress.
Everyone in the States have a wonderful Memorial day as we honor our fallen heroes.
Agree on Witness Stocks. I have Stock 1. Classy and nice shooter. And being clones of venerable CZ 75 they are reliable if a little hefty for carry.
Use the fully reliable gun that you shoot best. Whatever one that happens to be that you can afford.
I pretty much reject the idea of not carrying something expensive due to it possibly getting tied up as evidence…
1) there’s no guarantee that will happen, either temporarily or permanently
2) even George Zimmerman got his gun back
3) if I’m on trial for a shooting, I have significantly larger concerns than my pistol being held in evidence and how long it’ll take to be returned to me
4) if I lose that trial, I don’t care about that pistol anymore anyway and am probably now a prohibited party anyway
5) if the gun saved my life, it was worth whatever I paid for it to get the best possible one for me. This should not be read as a suggestion to get an expensive gun, just a suggestion to get the right gun. But also not to choose a $250 one even if a $600 one works better for you just because of the fear of it being taken should you use it. Conversely, don’t choose a $600 one just because it’s “nicer” if the $250 one works better for you.
My $0.02…
Bingo!
“Use the fully reliable gun that you shoot best. Whatever one that happens to be that you can afford.”
Thank you for the advice. This may be even more complex than I thought, but better to be informed.
Just buy a Glock 19, shoot it a lot and then figure out what you really want to get. If you want to go cheep, get a Police trade in Glock 22 Trying a lot of guns without experience is not nearly that useful.
ROFLMFAO…
Hay I hate Glocks and recommend them to all my “non gun guy” friends who just want a defensive firearm. Just like I hate polymer guns but carry a CW9 and CW380 (I have a K9 for range, but the weight sucks for carry)
Good to know.
Thank you.
If you’re only going to have one gun then get the one you’ll carry and practice with. I have 3 basic EDC’s, and several others that I would trust my life to, but rarely carry. I also have a couple I would NOT trust my life to, but enjoy having them and shooting them. These I NEVER carry.
“I also have a couple I would NOT trust my life to, but enjoy having them and shooting them.”
Well…. now you are driving me to where I really wanted to go (even though self-defense is the priority). I always wanted a nice looking German Luger. Just have not seen one that looks functional for less than $1000. I shot one a long time ago, and it was the thing that made me one day want to have my own gun.
Maybe I just better hide in the weeds a little longer until I can get my mind right.
If a more expensive gun makes you more effective in defending yourself then it doesn’t matter if you lost your $3000 gun for a few months while your case was being investigated if you are alive. Better be alive and without your best gun for a few months then dead and wishing you had a better gun. Also if your shooting is easily justified you may not lose the gun at all but even Zimmerman eventually got his gun back so just pick a gun you are comfortable with, is reliable, and you can shoot fast and accurately with not a gun based on price.
Also too much for a range Queen? no way, the more expensive guns are just all around higher quality and more enjoyable shooting making an expensive gun for a range queen make perfect sense.
“the more expensive guns are just all around higher quality and more enjoyable shooting making an expensive gun for a range queen make perfect sense.”
Oh, this is just great ! Spending too much money can be a good thing. With all the helpful (and I mean it) comments this afternoon, I am in analysis paralysis. Maybe I should start with that $234 pawn shop Bersa I handled. If I don’t like it, I can pawn it right back.
“Maybe I should start with that $234 pawn shop Bersa I handled. If I don’t like it, I can pawn it right back.”
Having worked in the Gun & Pawn business, a pawnshop will pay you likely around $75 for that Bersa.
You will be better off selling to someone else yourself. Personally, I would just hang on to it as a spare gun.
Besides, someone you care very much about may one day need a gun *fast*.
The Bersa would be a good choice for that…
“Personally, I would just hang on to it as a spare gun.”
Good to know a pawn shop would pay $75. The one I looked at was going for $234. Liked the idea of 15 rounds. It is a .380 caliber. Dealer tried to show me how to take it apart. I failed at that. Guess, overall, the Bersa would be more sensible than that $1000 German Luger I want.
Does everyone have this much trouble figuring out what to buy? Going to a range next week that rents guns. Going to try .45, .40, 10mm and 9mm, I think. Bet they will try to sell me all of them.
There is likely a correlation between the price of a gun and it’s reliability but the R^2 sure isn’t equal to one. Or even close to it.
Cabot knows how to work metal.
Undeniably.
What concerns me in the infamous TTAG review is that Cabot may not fully ‘Grok’ the art of gunmaking. The art of guns that go *bang* when asked. (And not, when not asked)
In trying to impress with super-close clearances (and likely very tight tolerances) they created a gun intolerant of environmental grit, grime, and other imperfections.
The killer for me was that a $6,000 gun couldn’t run on various brands of common manufactured ammunition. Worse, it had to sent back *twice* to get it to run at all.
With this particular new model, I hope they loosened up the clearances a bit so that it can eat and digest SAAMI-spec ammunition with boring regularity. The Kalashnikov is proof a little ‘sloppy’ can make a reliable firearm.
TTAG, I hope you request a review opportunity for this new model. I *want* to have a Cabot pistol impress me with the kind of gun I know they *should* be capable of making.
My .02 and worth roughly half that amount (or less, sadly)…
Anything made by human hands can get screwed up and have issues and it does not matter if it is $10 item or a $100K item.
What matters is how are you treated when there is an issue.
The story that was told in that review is repeated with other gun brands and you can find them on various 1911 specific forums. Cabot listened and made the necessary fix. End result, it worked.
I have one Les Bear, a Baer 1911 Bullseye Wadcutter Pistol With Baer Optical Scope Mount required several tried to get right. Now it shoots 1″ @ 50yrs. They gave me no grief, and after the second issue they called me to apologize and said they would keep it a while to address the issues. When it finally came back it came back with to additional magazines. It has been flawless since.
Stuff happens — it is an issue if it is chronic and CS sucks. See Remington for example
When there is that much profit margin in an item the costumer service better be good. My friend has had very good customer service for his Mercedes GLK, but man, that thing was in the shop a LOT more than my Subaru Forester. Honestly in a snow storm, I would not trade my Subaru for the GLK
There is no Cabot 1911 I’d buy.
Maybe I’ll buy a Taurus PT1911, just to stick it to “the man.”
I would rather have a fleet of that abortion Taurus calls a 1911 than 1 Cabot.
Oh and btw my ATI 1911 (flawless through 2000+ rds with Wilson Combat mags) looks just like that after carrying it for 6 months in my Crossbreed Supertuck. Better even.
I’m not sure I get the point of putting a super-durable finish on a gun, then creating faux wear. Why not just blue it and get your wear marks honestly? Cabot seems to be primarily in the business of showing off their metalworking/finishing skills, and just happen to have chosen guns as the medium for that. But they could have just as easily gone with knives, or axes, or paperweight tchotkes. I could be wrong, but I don’t get the sense that the “gun” part is as important to them as the “look what we did!” part is.
Also, that weird stippling or whatever it is where the slide serrations should be just doesn’t look right on a 1911. It might look okay on some chunky gun from the ’80s, but on a 1911, it looks out of place.
” I could be wrong, but I don’t get the sense that the “gun” part is as important to them as the “look what we did!” part is.”
Exactly. They have the science down cold, they lack a bit in the art of gunmaking (and I don’t mean the beautiful fancy finishing). Have they had a master gunmaker look at what they are doing?
Actually yes they have. On the 1911 forum one of the very highly respected smiths, Rob from Alchemy Custom Weaponry (used to work for Les Baer) has been saying he has been doing consulting work for them, maybe for about a year now but not positive how long. He’s been helping them improve things on the guns and said a while ago they weren’t quite the best yet but were very open to his comments and dedicated to making them better.
Here is an post from him from February.
” These concerns are all being addressed. Machining your own frames and slides in a brand new facility on new CNC machinery is a complicated process. As I said, your issues are very small in the scope of things i.e. easily resolved. The overtravel issue may or may not be solved. The barrel issue is something that has been in the works for maybe 6 months or so. The S class show guns were already done before they were even aware that it was an issue. Let’s be honest, not everyone looks at the same details gunsmiths look at. I’m sure if you would have mentioned the barrel to Mike or Rob they would have explained what was going on in resolving that issue. Making their own barrels will be a huge move in the right direction.
Cabot is very receptive to criticism. If you would have seen the evaluation of the National Standard that I sent them when I was first contacted, you would have really said…”they’re gonna hate you”. I really thought that they would be angry and want me dead. Instead they took my criticism like men and made the changes. They truly want to put out the best product possible. Their attitude toward improvement is rare in this business. I have worked with 4 different firearms companies other than Cabot and they are far and away more interested in quality of both materials, and manufacturing methods.”
It seems like they maybe should have hired a great gunsmith from the start but now they have one on board consulting and it sounds like they are making improvements and with their customer service I am sure they would fix anything thats not quite right. They should continue to improve and while today I would probably spend the money on a different custom/semi-custom 1911 but wouldn’t be against a Cabot. In another year or two they might be right up there with the best of them or even better and I would definitely strongly consider purchasing one then.
“It seems like they maybe should have hired a great gunsmith from the start”
and from what you posted above it sounds like they still don’t. Nothing against consultants, but they need a master on-staff for the prices they charge.
So, the gun looks beat up when new, doesn’t shoot and costs $3000. Uh huh.
kinda like buyin’ brand new furnature made to look like 200 years old. never did really git that “old barn lumber” look.
Usually I just skip articles about the high priced stuff. I’ve got a G19 and a Saturn, and 400 sq ft studio. Dan Wesson (heir to the wesson oil fortune?), Cabot, Porsche, Lamborghini, Ungodly mansions with heliports and bathrooms bigger than my apartment are all for people with more dollars than sense. I can occasionally afford range time and am sure I appreciate more than the 1%. I have many memories and a certificate from George H W for being an ER Nurse.
Oscar Wilde famously opined that “Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing.” Worth considering.
“Don’t it always seem to go, you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.” Various music artists. But not me, I have very little, lots of scars, and I ‘m proud of every bit of it! Thanks RF.
Sure. I value practicality over appearance always. My m&p and glock aren’t Cabot or Wilson combat. I spend my time thinking of other things than aesthetics–it’s a difference in mindset is all. I value other things.
I’d rather buy a brand that actually builds guns that work.
I do like ivory grips. Can I say that?
Tell you what, I’ll agree with you about that. Pretty soon we’ll have a crowd. I have always wanted a set of real ivory grips for a black powder Colt or a 1911. Gorgeous stuff that gets better with age. Unfortunately, the people who still have stocks of old (legal) ivory know the value of what they have and price things accordingly.In other words, the grips cost as much as the gun.
Never really understood the fascination with the 1911. It’s a cool gun, but I’m not big on single stacks other than as range toys. I like the grip safety though.
A starting price of $3695 is a non starter with me for any handgun.
I built this for a smidgen over $3200 and that’s with the tax stamp and applicable sales taxes: https://www.anony.ws/image/JBeY
Yet people will readily buy a car for $30,000 that will lose 80% of its value in 7 years. Over the same period, the Cabot gun will keep its value. Huh.
Will it though? If they continue to be known for making pretty guns that don’t work, I can’t imagine they will hold onto their value too well. It would be different if it were some quirky original design. I understand why collectors love those. But why by an expensive preowned (notice I didn’t say “used”) clone that doesn’t work, when I can buy a brand new colt that will work for less money?
I’ve never really been a big fan of the 1911 as a carry gun, I’m not big on the single stacks though I do like the grip safety and I loves me a full size steel frame pistol.
The starting price of $3695 for a base pistol is a non-starter for me though.
I built this thing for a tad under $3300 and that includes the tax stamps and all applicable sales taxes: https://www.anony.ws/image/JBeO and I think it’s a far better value for a firearm over $3K.
Oh it looks OK. I’m in the “guns as tools” group. It just has to work. I’m getting a gubmint check and may go to a Glock-’cause they work. I think they are UGLY. And lasttoknow-I’m fairly new to adult shooting (5 years-but shot as a kid a LONG time ago)I’m well over 60. I’ve had my toy phase and just need a gun to go bangwhen I pull the trigger…YMMV.
I’ve read Sigs are good. Found a Bersa Thunder with 15 rounds at a pawn shop. Fit my hand real good, but that’s all I know at this point.
Too rich for me, but why not, if you have the money. Cant take it with you…
Ye gods, still with the stars in the trigger. That seems to be their trademark.
Cole’s remark above gives me some hope that some good will come out of the bloody nose they’ve been getting for producing unreliable (but attractive) crap.
Re the stars. It’s a machining brag:. See, we can make sharp interior plunge cut corners. And I think it looks like it belongs on a pimpmobile of a gun; but that’s just my aesthetics.
About any shop with an EDM will make a cut like that…
That star trigger… If that gun were my daughter I’d have to ask “You’re going out wearing THAT??”
Yet parents today will readily let their daughter leave the house wearing some hideous tattoos. LOL
Think of the stars on the trigger and the unique slide serrations as tattoos… an expression of art that visually differentiates the gun from all the other numerous 1911 clone manufacturers. The highest end of 1911 manufacturers need to differentiate themselves beyond just their manufacturing processes.
After this review of a Cabot 1911 all I can say is why would you want one?
http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2014/12/daniel-zimmerman/gun-review-cabot-guns-black-diamond/
Ok groups and failures, yes they fixed it but for the price they charge I would expect it to be perfect out the door the first time.