Vinny,
I wouldn’t worry too much about internal vs external extractor. In theory the external extractor should be more reliable and more durable, however in practice the differences are negligible to non-existent. The internal extractor is true 1911 spec and like everything else on the gun has pretty much been developed to perfection. Both will do the job. The biggest advantage to internal is parts are available from multiple suppliers, however will need to be properly fit and tuned. External is easier to replace but you’ll be dependent on company spares. Purists detest external extractors but they’re a fickle bunch and not worth worrying about.
For the money the DW is hard to beat as an all-around package. It’s built true to spec so the aftermarket is wide open, materials are all high quality, and the build tolerances are tight. Add one of the best finishes going and it’s a very nice package. My only gripes with most of their guns are the sights, but that is very personal and discipline dependent. I’ve had experience with the Valor and it gave up very little to my Ed Brown Executive performance-wise. Small touches, like edge bevelling, were better on the Brown but most of the differences were just preference: sights, checkering density, trigger weights and reach. I love how clean most DW’s are aesthetically.
The S&W PC-1911 is also a very nice gun, though a bit too stylized for my liking with the slide cuts. The triggers on the PC guns are great, as are the sights, and they are as accurate as anything else out there if you get a good one. One issue with the S&W is they have made many changes to the original spec, so aftermarket support is much more limited. They also use MIM small parts if you care about such things. I’ve posted my views on that before so won’t beat a dead horse here; suffice to say people who “hate” MIM rarely have engineering degrees and spend too much time online. The last issue I’ll raise is S&W quality control. Three shooters at my range shoot 5” PC1911’s and two of the three had to send their guns back for warranty. One gun was fixed (extractor defect) and the other was replaced outright (slide out of spec). Support they received was excellent and all three guns on the line are now dead-nuts accurate and reliable, but 33% initially correct concerns me. I’d want to very closely inspect before buying a S&W.
Both guns have the potential to be lifetime guns. Look for the features and style you want. Good luck.
