1911

Springfield Armory EMP 1911 Review

May 29, 2019 By Josh Leave a Comment

Springfield Armory EMP 1911 Review

I’ve owned the pictured Springfield Armory EMP 4 since they first came out a few years ago. The model has gone through a few different changes since then, including a contoured grip to help the concealed carrier hide his or her gun better.

I have to be honest, this is one of my favorite guns in my collection, and with good reason. The sad part, is that my wife took it over as hers, because she shoots it so flawlessly.

The skeletonized trigger on this Springfield Armory 1911 is exactly what you’d expect in a modern day iteration of John Moses Browning’s crown handgun achievement. It features a light, crisp pull that moves straight back. No bells, no whistles and exactly what you’d expect.

A trigger like this is precisely why my wife loves this gun. You see, I fell into the bad advice trap early on that said, buy your wife a DAO (double action only) revolver. They’re easier to shoot because they’re just point and pull. Horrible advice.

The main reason why people give such shoddy advice, is because “women can’t manipulate a slide” on a semi-auto handgun, or so I’m told. I soon found out, once I got home with my wife’s shiny new 38 special revolver, that if she can’t manipulate a slide, chances are good that she can’t accurately pull the trigger on a DAO revolver, either.

So, we went to the gun range and tried out a ton of different guns for her. Her favorite, to my dismay, is my 9mm 1911. She shoots it very well, and I’m confident that she can use it to defend herself and our children should she ever need to.

I’m just happy she found a gun she liked, and I guess she’s not the only one. This handgun won the Women’s Innovation Product of the Year award from the NRA. Though I do want to say that it’s not just for ladies, as I know plenty of dudes who carry one of these, as well.

We’ve put a combined 5,000 rounds through this semi-auto 1911 pistol with only a few malfunctions that were due to some horrible green lubricant that solidified at the range, on one cold, Pennsylvania day. Leading up to that day and since then, we’ve had no issues.

This is the epitome of a reliable defensive handgun–regardless of what the 1911 haters out there have to say about this platform.

It’s not picky on ammunition flavors and will eat just about anything. My complaints on this 4″ barrel 1911 are limited, but we’ll get to that in a moment.

If you’ve ever handled a 1911 before, the ergonomics are what you’re familiar with, with the exception of an ambidextrous safety mechanism–which is a feature that more guns are coming from the factory with these days.

However, as an added benefit, this is a beautiful pistol.

The black, satin finish on the aluminum frame, stainless steel slide, and Cocobolo grips help the pistol stand out from all others that may be in the vicinity. It’s a looker, and it handles well.

1911 grip — Up close on the Cocoblo Grips and front strap texture.

This 31 ounce pistol chambered in 9mm really helps mitigate any felt recoil, so the more sensitive shooters out there will be able to better tolerate shooting for extended periods of time.

Even better, this Springfield Armory 1911 ships with three 10 round magazines giving you the option to carry 31 rounds after you bring it home. Please note that these are the options for the 9mm version, but there is also a .40S&W model that I haven’t shot much. My opinions are solely based on this 9mm version.

The barrel on this 1911 is what I’d call a match grade bull barrel. It has a 1:16 twist rate to spin that 9mm bullet and get it on target. Here’s an up close picture of the muzzle:

Any Springfield Armory 1911 review would be incomplete without telling you the things I dislike about this pistol. I’ve never seen a gun that was perfect, and this one is no different.

My biggest drawback to this pistol is the fact that I need a tool to take it apart. It’s a small tool that I’ve lost a while ago. On the plus side, a paper clip does work just fine and is usually what I use when it’s time to pull it apart to clean / lubricate.

The sights are great. Something that I enjoy, but many 1911 folks don’t, is a fiber optic front. They make for faster target acquisition for me. And, if my memory serves me correctly, which it might not be, the EMP 4 comes with a red one installed, but also comes with an extra yellow one if you prefer.

I do love my Springfield Armory 9mm 1911. It’s accurate, reliable, easy to carry with good holster options, and is pretty. As an added bonus, recoil is very minimal for you sensitive shooters. What more could you ask for with an MSRP of $1,177, likely found under $1,000 in the store?

Check out our in depth pistol caliber ballistics chart, next.

Browning’s History

May 11, 2019 By GunnersDen Leave a Comment

John Moses Browning:

John was born in Ogden, Utah, and was an American firearms designer who developed many varieties of firearms, cartridges, and gun mechanisms, many of which are still in use around the world.

He is the most important figure in the development of modern automatic and semi-automatic firearms and is credited with 128 gun patents—his first was granted October 7, 1879.

He influenced nearly all categories of firearms design. He invented or made significant improvements to single-shot rifles, lever action rifles, and slide action firearms. His most significant contributions were in the area of autoloading firearms. In 1880, with the aid of his brothers, he established his arms factory. (J.M.Browning)

Browning Arms Timeline:

Nov. 26, 1926 JMB died of heart failure at Liege, Belgium.

Sept., 1927 J.M. & M.S. Browning Company was incorporated in Utah with the Browning Arms Company as a subsidiary. It offers a wide variety of firearms, including shotguns, rifles, pistols, and rimfire firearms.

The company was founded to market the sporting (non-military) designs of John Browning, one of the more prolific firearms inventors. Nearly all of John Browning’s designs have been manufactured by other companies, including Winchester, Colt, Remington, Fabrique Nationale de Herstal of Belgium, and Miroku.

They are best known for the Browning BPS shotgun, the A-Bolt rifle, X-Bolt rifle, the Auto-5 semi-automatic shotgun, the BAR semi-automatic rifle, and the Hi-Power 9mm pistol. Browning also manufactures a set of trap shotguns in the Cynergy series.

1951 J.M. & M.S. Browning Company liquidated, and Browning Arms Company became an importer with wholesale functions.

Jan. 1, 1955 A newly created Browning Industries accepted the import functions previously held by J.M. & M.S. Browning Company. Browning Arms Company became the parent company.

1958 Browning Arms of Canada created, 70% Browning owned, 30% FN owned.

1964 Corporate Headquarters relocated to Route 1, Morgan, Utah.

1965 They began negotiations with Miroku Firearms in Japan.

1968 St. Louis sales operation relocated to Morgan, Utah. Warehouse/parts and service moved to Arnold, Missouri.

1977 90% of Browning Arms Company outstanding stock was purchased by FN and Miroku.

Miroku Corporation is a Japanese manufacturer located in Nangoku, Japan. A large part of their business is manufacturing firearms, including shotguns produced for Browning Arms Company. In the UK and European markets those products are sold under both the Miroku and Browning brand names.

Miroku produces arms for Browning, but are much cheaper to manufacture with Japanese labor, but generally accepted as rugged and reliable firearms.

2001: In partnership with Winchester Ammunition, they develop the new 300 Winchester Short Magnum (WSM) cartridge.

2002: The Winchester 300 WSM cartridge becomes a family with the addition of the 270 WSM and 7mm WSM.

2003: Browning and Winchester take the short magnum concept to the next level with the introduction of the 223 and 243 super short magnum. This not only includes these new calibers, but a new class of bolt-action rifle – the super-short action.

2004: The 25 WSSM short-action caliber, (.257 bullet diameter), perhaps the ultimate whitetail deer cartridge.

2005: The 325 WSM cartridge, designed to rival the 300 Win. Mag. and the powerful 338 Win. Mag., is new in three bullet weights. It offers serious power with greater velocity in a lighter rifle.

John Moses Browning’s seminal achievement is the M1911 series handgun. We have a few 1911 reviews on our website from various manufacturers, please feel free to read them.

Dan Wesson Guardian

Rock Island 22 TCM

Zenith Tisas

Detonics Combat Master

Collector’s Corner: Detonics Combat Master, The Original Compact 1911

April 29, 2019 By Joe Roberts Leave a Comment

In the history of firearms, there are names that are instantly recognizable to most people, whether they are movie fans, historians, or full on gun-nuts like yours truly. The Colt Peacemaker, ’73 Winchester, Smith and Wesson Model 29, and the 1911 or Old Slabsides.

The 1911 or Colt, Government Model is well known to many people, even if they don’t know the proper name for it, they instantly know it when they see it, as it has starred in as many movies and TV shows as Clint Eastwood, Bruce Willis, and Arnold Schwarzenegger combined.

It was the trusty companion of TV and Movie detectives from Humphrey Bogart to Thomas Magnum, and has been wielded by many movie stars in some of their best roles (in my opinion), Sam Elliot in “We Were Soldiers” and Tom Hanks in “Saving Private Ryan.”

I mean who can forget a wounded Tom Hanks taking on a Nazi Panzer in the final battle scene with his trusty M1911A1?

The Government Model has been in continuous production for well over 100 years and shows no signs of slowing down.

It is made by numerous builders and companies in varying configurations and sizes, the most basic being the 5-inch Government Model, the 4 ¼ inch Commander Model, and the 3 ½ inch Officer’s Model. Companies like Springfield and Kimber have shaved these down a bit with their 4 inch and 3-inch barreled models as well.

In today’s world with so many people taking their own personal defense seriously and applying for concealed carry permits the compact sized 1911s are in high demand and several manufacturers have stepped up to the plate, so there is no shortage of compact 1911s to choose from.

detonics military combat mc2 — Detonics Military Combat MC2

50 years ago, that was not the case.

In the late 1960s and 1970s if you wanted to carry a small, powerful handgun for concealment, then you carried a small revolver, say a S&W model 36 in .38 Special. If you wanted big bore then a Charter Arms Bulldog in .44 Special.

As for semi-automatics, it was small caliber pocket pistols or something like a Walther PPK in .32 ACP or .380 ACP.

Of course, there were custom gunsmiths that would cut down full sized revolvers to make them more concealed carry friendly and even a couple of smiths that would chop a full sized 1911 down, but they were all custom jobs that were built to order and priced accordingly.

If you wanted to carry something in .45 ACP then you were either carrying a Government Model, a Commander, or you were going to pay someone like the late master, Armand Swenson to cut down a full sized 1911 to something more concealable.

Detonics Combat Master MK V. Lack of Pat. Pending mark dates this pistol to post 1982 production since the patent was granted in 1982.

In the early 1970s a young explosives engineer named Pat Yates, in the employ of the Explosives Company of America (EXCOA), saw some articles about some of the pistols that Armand Swenson was building and wanted one for himself.

He also figured that since he was an engineer with some welding skills that he could do it for himself. This crazy plan was the beginning of the original production compact 1911, that all others owe their existence to: The Detonics Combat Master.

He started by dusting off some old drawings he had done as an engineering student at the University of Florida in the mid-sixties and chopping one of 3 surplus Government 1911s he had purchased for the sum of $210 at a local gun shop.

After the first attempt failed to reliably feed, he went back to the drawing board, then took the hacksaw and welder to the second 1911.

Detonics MC2 field-stripped. Early models had duplex recoil springs, later a third spring was added for additional recoil buffering.

He tried various different barrel locking/unlocking design ideas until he realized that he was not much smarter than John Moses Browning. Once he came to the realization that the swivel barrel link was the way to go, he started on the recoil buffering system.

Several attempts and trips to the range to test his creation, he finally settled on a working model that would reliably feed, fire, and eject his favorite loads.

The barrel is etched with a serial number matching the pistol.

In 1976 EXCOA was downsizing and some of the former employees had started another company called Detonics Inc. to sell more specialized explosives. One of them, a guy named Sid Woodcock had watched Pat while he made his compact 1911 and thought it would be attractive to a larger market.

He convinced Pat Yates to sell the rights to produce the handgun and after some patent submissions, the Detonics Combat Master was born.

The Detonics Combat Master was the first handgun to come from the factory with features only found on custom guns like a beveled magazine well to facilitate magazine changes and a fully scalloped ejection port to ensure proper ejection of fired cases.

The Combat Master also featured many firsts that would eventually become the industry standard for compact 1911s such as the coned, bushing-less barrel and a captured multi-spring recoil system.

The Combat Master was equipped with a plug to replace the grip safety due to the fact that it was designed to be carried with the hammer down on a loaded chamber and a stiffer firing pin spring to prevent negligent discharge if the pistol was dropped.

MK V field-stripped. Note the captured triplex recoil springs. Captured springs, reverse plug, and full length guide rod were some of the innovations of Detonics.

To say the Detonics Combat Master was ground-breaking is an understatement, unfortunately it was also about 30 years ahead of its time. In the late 1970s, not many people were carrying concealed weapons outside of the law enforcement community and while the Detonics Combat Master was a popular pistol with the people that used them, they never sold enough to be profitable.

Detonics was in business from 1975 to 1987 making Combat Masters in Seattle and Bellevue Washington under the names Detonics and New Detonics Inc.

In 1987 Detonics was sold to a consortium of investors and moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where it was spearheaded by Robbie Barrkman, of ROBAR finishes where it was renamed the New Detonics Corporation. It only lasted for a few years until the spring of 1992 when all assets were sold at auction.

The authors favorite EDC. The Detonics MC2 is easily concealed even wearing shorts and a T-shirt.

From 2004 – 2007 Detonics USA operated out of Pendergrass Georgia with the late author Jerry Ahern at the helm. In 2007, Detonics was sold yet again to Bruce Siddle and Dr. Stave Stahl, where the Combat Master once again was the flagship model.

In addition to the Combat Master, Detonics Defense Technologies partnering with STI entered their STX into the US Army Modular Handgun trials in 2015.

Unfortunately, as of this writing Detonics seems to be completely dormant yet again, but the firearm that started it all, the Combat Master is still relatively easy to find in the used market on sites like Armslist and Gunbroker.

Detonics MC2 in a well worn Galco Combat Master holster.

The Detonics Combat Master is only slightly larger than a Walther PPK/S, with dimensions as follows;

Length: 6 ¾ inches

Height: 4 5/8 inches

Weight: 34 ounces

Barrel Length: 3 ½ inches

Capacity: 6 + 1 with factory magazine, with the ability to use Officer and full-size magazines.

I am lucky enough to have 2 Combat Masters in my collection, a stainless MK V and a Military Combat MC2.

Detonics Combat Master MK V

The Detonics Combat Master MK V is a Seattle gun and has a brushed stainless-steel finish with Pachmayr wrap-around grips that were produced specially for this model with its short-gripped frame.

It is in nearly “Like New in Box” condition with no signs of ever being fired, but it unfortunately has a faint “take-down” mark where a previous owner was not terribly careful when reassembling it. It has the original box, factory literature, and sheepskin lined soft case that looks like has never seen the outside of a safe.

Needless to say, I have never shot this gun since it is in such fine condition.

Detonics Military Combat MC2

The MC2 is a Bellevue gun with New Detonics roll marks and it has a dull no-glare stainless finish that I am told was created by blasting the frame and slide with steel beads. It has been used but shows little signs of wear other than the “take-down” mark and slight holster wear around the edges.

The MC2 is one of my favorite pistols and it is one of my regular carry pistols. It wears a set of handsome wood stocks emblazoned with the “Detonics USA” insignia which tells me they came from one of the later iterations of Detonics (the Pendergrass GA company) and are not original to this gun as the MC2 went out of production in 1984, a full 20 years before Detonics USA came into existence.

Both guns are well built with an outstanding fit and finish, and upon close inspection it is easy to tell that these were meant for concealed carry with a lot of thought and effort going into the assembly of them. All sharp edges have been broken so that there are no sharp corners to snag on an over garment during the draw and presentation.

detonics muzzle — Close-up of the MK V. Note the subtle breaking of the corners, another feature of Detonics pistols.

One of the features that makes these guns easily identifiable is the placement of the rear sight, almost a full inch forward on the slide from where a traditional 1911 rear sight would be, right behind the ejection port. This was done to facilitate the ramping of the rear of the slide from behind the rear sight all the way back to the hammer and it also has a shortened hammer spur that juts upward.

This was done to make cocking the piece easier during the draw stroke, the operator would simply lay the thumb of his/her support hand over the slide behind the rear sight and slide it backward during the draw stroke cocking the hammer and readying the gun for action. While this may sound a bit clumsy, with practice I can tell you that it is nearly as quick as thumbing the safety off during the draw stroke.

The Detonics MC2 from the rear. Note the ramping from the rear sight to the hammer, to facilitate cocking the hammer during the draw and presentation.

You would think that the shorter sight radius would have a noticeable effect on the accuracy of the Combat Master but it doesn’t. While the Combat Master will never take home the gold at Camp Perry it does have outstanding practical accuracy. I have no problems keeping all of my shots in the vital areas of a silhouette target out at 15 yards and that is what this pistol was designed for. Practical accuracy under high stress combat situations.

The recoil is stout, but no more so than other compact 1911s in .45 ACP and it is actually pretty easy to get off accurate pairs to the torso area at 7 and 15 yards. I have put over 1000 rounds through my MC2 since I have owned it and have no FTFs or FTEs with ball and hollow-point ammo, most likely due to the generous factory throating job that I have seen on all Combat Masters that I have had the opportunity to shoot.

Unfortunately, many factors doomed the Combat Master to an early demise; poor marketing strategy, failures of early guns, and a very hefty price tag (MSRP was $689 in 1985 for MK V and a new Colt Govt. Model was around $389) were some of the multitude of reasons the original company went under.

Detonics has been brought back time and again by new owners but never to the prominence of the original company. Who knows though, in this day where concealed carry is driving manufacturers to make firearms smaller and more concealable, the time might just be right for another comeback.

38 Super Dan Wesson Guardian 1911 Review

March 21, 2018 By Joe Roberts 3 Comments

Dan Wesson History:

Dan Wesson is a company founded by Daniel B. Wesson II, the great-grandson of one of the founders of Smith and Wesson. In 1963 when Smith & Wesson was purchased by the Bangor-Punta Manufacturing Concern, Dan Wesson left the company with the intent of manufacturing high quality revolvers.

In 1968 Dan Wesson was incorporated. The company is best known for large frame revolvers in .22 Long Rifle, .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum with interchangeable barrels that are used mostly for hunting and IMSA metallic silhouette competition. After Wesson’s death in 1978 the company experienced many financial issues and a couple of bankruptcies until they were purchased by CZ-USA in 2005. Somewhere along the line the company added a series of high quality M1911A1 type pistols in various calibers.

.38 Super +P –

The .38 Super +P is based on its parent cartridge the .38 ACP, which was originally loaded with a 130 grain projectile loaded to 1260 FPS. In its original loading it proved too powerful for the Colt model 1900 that was built to fire it. It was eventually de-tuned to a max loading of 130gr propelled at 1150 FPS. In 1929 the .38 Super was introduced as a chambering for the 1911 pistol.

It was basically the 38 ACP loaded back to its original loading and shared the same loaded dimensions as the parent cartridge. It was designated the .38 Super to discourage use in the earlier Model 1900 pistols.

Unfortunately, two things took place that almost relegated the .38 Super to the dustbin of firearms history.

Colt decided to headspace the cartridge on its rim rather than on the mouth of the case like the .45 ACP. This caused the .38 Super to have dismal accuracy, Colt did eventually correct the head-spacing issue around 1989. About 60 years too late for my taste.
The introduction of the .357 Magnum in 1934 meant that law enforcement officers of the day could have superior ballistics and still keep the revolvers they had been trained with. In fact, it was only due to South American firearms restrictions and competitors in IPSC looking for a leg up on the competition that have kept the .38 Super alive to this day.

First Impression –

The Dan Wesson Guardian is an alloy frame, Commander sized 1911 with a bobbed mainspring housing that is advertised as a pistol built for concealed carry. It comes in a lockable hard case that is molded for the pistol, 2 magazines, bushing wrench, lock and owner’s manual. My first thought upon removing the Guardian was “this thing is all business.”

Dimensions/Description –

Overall Length – 8 inches

Overall Height – 5.5 inches

Width – 1.45 inches

Barrel Length – 4.25 inches

Unloaded Weight – 28.5 ounces

Trigger Pull – 4 lb.

Capacity – 9+1

First off, I am not a huge fan of matte finishes. I understand the utility of them and even though I would have preferred traditional bluing (that is not an option due to the lightweight alloy frame), the finish on the Guardian is first rate. The Dan Wesson website refers to it as the “Duty Finish” and it works well at absorbing light like a black hole.

The grips are an attractive reddish wood with stippling on the front edge that, when combined with the 25LPI checkering on the front strap, provides plenty of traction should you have to handle it with wet mitts.

The sights are Trijicon, snag free with Tritium inserts in case you have to engage during low light situations. All of the sharp edges have been broken so that there are no edges or corners to snag on cover garments. The smoothing up is very subtle not at all like the “carry melt” treatment of other manufacturers, it’s more something you feel rather than see and sometimes less is more.

The barrel is match grade stainless, is cut flush with the bushing and is of the Wilson-Nowlin ramped variety, which I prefer when a pistol has an alloy frame. As a side note: I had a Federal Ordinance Ranger Lightweight that fed ball ammo all day, but when loaded with hollow points it would hang up on every shot due to the copper jacket gouging into the frame. I carried that pistol for years with FMJ because I didn’t trust it to operate with anything else. The fully ramped barrel solves that issue.

The controls are right where you would expect to find them on a 1911 and I especially appreciated the wide flat shelf on the slide release. As a southpaw I activate the slide release with my trigger finger and the flat shelf of the slide release aids in reloads by giving my trigger finger more purchase and leverage when sending the slide back into battery after a magazine change.

Unfortunately, the controls are where I found my first issue with the Guardian.

In the 21st century most manufacturers have come to grips with the fact that not every shooter is right-handed. Apparently, Dan Wesson never got the memo. Now if this was a $400 Armscor 1911 I would expect it to be pretty basic, but with an MSRP over $1600 I sort of expect an ambidextrous thumb safety to be an option at the very least if not standard.

Even some right-handed shooters I know that carry 1911’s insist on one, in case they ever have to engage with their weak hand. However, a quick perusal of Dan Wesson’s website shows no option for ordering the Guardian with an ambidextrous safety.

At the Range –

My wife and I went out for a date at one of our favorite places … the local indoor range. Since the pistol was purchased with her in mind I wanted to get her to assist me in breaking this bad boy in.

Now, over the years I have bought her a couple of 1911 variants, and while she has been appreciative of the gifts, the appreciation vaporized once she shot them.

There have been issues from the pistol ejecting brass directly into her forehead to uncomfortable recoil. So, this time I wanted to make sure she liked it before I stuffed it in her Christmas stocking. So, we loaded up around 300 rounds of various .38 Super ammunition that I had on hand and trucked it down to the range. I wanted to see if this thing would function as well as it looked.

I was not disappointed. We burned through 3 boxes of 130gr FMJ and shot groups with 4 different hollow point defensive loads without a single failure. No failure to feed, no failure to fire. Man, can this thing shoot.

My wife was thoroughly impressed, as was I. The Guardian performed so good I almost forgot about the missing safety and was considering giving my wife a diamond ring for Christmas so I could keep the pistol.

Now, since .38 Super is considered a niche caliber there is not a lot of selection when it comes to ammunition. We shot FMJ from Magtech, Armscor and Fiocchi. The hollow point loads were from Buffalo Bore, Sig Sauer, Double Tap and Winchester. All of our shooting was done from an unsupported standing position. The .38 Super is known as an accurate, flat shooting round and Dan Wesson is known for accurate handguns. They both delivered.

My wife stayed in her comfort zone of 7-10 yards while I moved it out from 15-25 yards and the Dan Wesson Guardian shot point of aim/point of impact the whole way. The only time the Guardian failed to deliver was when we failed to do our job of applying the fundamentals.

My wife only managed to drop 15 of 100 out of the black and even her misses would have been torso hits if we had been shooting silhouettes. I managed to keep all of mine within the 7 ring which is better than I ever did during 12 years of pistol qualification in the Marine Corps with the M9.

Next, we tried out some defensive carry ammo I brought along to see if the Guardian would prefer one manufacturer over another. These groups were fired at 8yds for her and 15yds for me. Again, the Guardian did its job as long as we did ours. The groups were fired from an unsupported offhand and since you only get 1 chance to make a first impression in fights as well as in life, the groups displayed were; for better or worse, fired with that in mind.

First up was Buffalo Bore 124gr JHP, muzzle velocity 1350 fps/muzzle energy 502 ft.lbs. The Buffalo Bore gave the tightest groups of all the defensive ammo we tested. The recoil was comparable to 9mm 115gr FMJ. Buffalo Bores use of low flash powder makes it a good choice for carry in situations where low light is a factor.

Next up was Double Tap 147gr Controlled Expansion JHP, muzzle velocity 1225 fps/muzzle energy 490 ft.lbs. The Double Tap ammo also gave us tight groups, with the exception of the flier. The recoil of the 147gr Double Tap was the stoutest of all the ammunition we tested (which is to be expected due to the heavier projectile moving out of the bore), but is still comparable to a similar loading in 9mm.

Practical accuracy is still impressive as even the dropped rounds would have still been hits to the vital organ areas

Next was Sig Sauer Elite 125gr V-Crown JHP, muzzle velocity 1230 fps/muzzle energy 420 ft.lbs. I am not exactly sure what happened here, but the groups spread a bit. While the felt recoil wasn’t as substantial as the Double Tap, the muzzle flip was the most significant of any of the ammunition we tested.

This may have contributed to a case of flinches, which is my excuse for being bested by my wife …lol. Still; even with loose groups and vertical stringing the Guardian put 3 rounds center mass, which would be enough to ruin anyone’s day.

Last up was the Winchester 125gr Silver Tip JHP, muzzle velocity 1240 fps/muzzle energy 427 ft.lbs. While technology in bullet design has improved significantly since its introduction, the classic Silver Tip is still a viable carry ammo. It has been ending criminal careers for over 40 years now. The recoil of the Winchester ammunition was the mildest of all the defensive ammo we shot, and the grouping speaks for itself.

Overall Impression –

Usually, my preference is for all steel guns, as the extra weight can be helpful in soaking up felt recoil. At 6ft 2in and 225 lbs., I don’t mind the extra ounces that I have to lug around to carry something that I am comfortable and confident in using if I am called upon. That said, the Guardian in .38 Super is hands down one of the more pleasant pistols I have ever shot.

It is also accurate and reliable, and I have no reservations about my wife carrying it as her primary defensive arm. Usually higher end 1911s are made to tighter tolerances and require significant break-in time before they are reliable enough for people to bet their lives on them. The Dan Wesson Guardian apparently does not, as at the time of this writing it has over 300 rounds downrange with zero failures.

Conclusion –

For a company founded to produce quality double action revolvers, Dan Wesson has definitely hit one out of the park with the Guardian 1911. An attractive, reliable and accurate 1911 pistol that has power comparable to a .45 ACP with the recoil and capacity of 9mm, the Guardian in .38 Super is an outstanding example of the quality that is leaving the Dan Wesson factory these days. Now if I could just get them to start using ambi-safeties.

Do you own any of Dan Wesson’s firearms? If so, let us know which one in the comments below.

Gun Review: Zenith Firearms Tisas 1911 In .45 ACP

June 26, 2017 By Josh 2 Comments

In a moment, we’re going to talk in depth about the Zenith Firearms Tisas 1911 in .45 ACP. But first, let’s pay homage to the guns that brought all of this about:

The M1911:

One of my favorites, and to me one of the best pistols ever made, is the 1911 platform. Yes, yes, I know … they’re big, heavy, low-capacity, etc. All good arguments in a world nearly (but not completely) dominated by striker-fired, polymer-framed pistols. Oh, and then we can talk about its age, right? How can a pistol design that’s over 100 years old possibly be sufficient for self-defense?

Again, all good points. Then again, let’s not forget that the M1911 saw service and fought in every major war since its inception until it was retired. Even then, it was not replaced because it didn’t work. The old GI issued guns were tired, and the military wanted a cheaper solution.

The 1911 still works.

It works well-enough that many people still carry one for self-defense on a daily basis. I, personally, also carry a concealed 1911 from time to time. They fit great in my hand, the controls are well within reach, they’re reliable and accurate, and they also look much better than a lot of other guns out there.

Zenith Firearms Tisas 1911:

First and foremost, let’s get this out of the way. Zenith Firearms, to my knowledge, does not manufacture any firearms. They simply import them from overseas companies like Tisas, the maker of this budget 1911. They also have a custom shop, where you can get some work done. But, they are primarily an importer of Turkish firearms.

This Zenith 1911 from Tisas is the all-stainless version with an accessory rail. It retails for $599.99, and I can say that, after I pulled the pistol from the box and opened the red case, I was impressed by its look. While it took me a minute to get used to the rail, this 1911 is sexy. I flipped it around in my hands a few times, and found something that, while not the biggest deal, was certainly puzzling.

One of the grips was brownish in color, while the other was a sort of reddish color. Or, one was light, and one was dark … however you want to look at it. Either way, having two different colors of grips isn’t a tremendous problem, and definitely not a deal breaker. After all, replacing grips is an easy enough task. I tried to show the difference in a photo, but it didn’t show up so I left it out to save space.

As I usually do, I function check firearms before I sign any paperwork, just to make sure everything is in working order. I pulled back the slide, checked the chamber, released the slide, played with the ambidextrous safety, pulled the trigger, and that’s where the first sign that this was a budget 1911 sank in.

The trigger needs work. There is a long take up and a much heavier pull than you’d expect to find on a modern-day 1911. Still not a deal breaker, however because that’s something you could train for, or adjust with a gunsmith.

Tisas Zig M1911 At The Range:

I had an up and down relationship with this pistol. As with some other guns, it required a grace period for break-in time and to figure out which type of ammunition it finds tastiest. It took a few hundred rounds of ammo to break in, and then after that point, the failures were few and far between.

In the beginning, I had multiple failures to feed on just about any brand of ammo I put in it from HPR’s hollow points down to the cheapest White Box Winchester I was able to find. It did not matter what I put in it, the PC1911 was problematic.

I do want to say here, however, that when many other 1911s require a break-in period, it’s because the tolerances are extremely tight and need to be loosened up a bit. That’s not the case with the Tisas 1911, because it seems loose enough.

It did get better with time so I’m not entirely sure what the issue was.

If you buy one of these pistols, I strongly urge you to put it through its paces before you decide whether you like it or not, because it will get better as it’s used more. My last day at the range with it, I put a 100 round box of American Eagle through it, and about 20 HPR hollow points (the same box giving me issues previously) with only 1 malfunction to report.

ammunition — That fat one on the end is an HPR hollow point.

I can say with near certainty that the malfunctions on this Tisas 1911 have seemingly stopped after the proper break-in time.

The PC1911’s Acuracy:

So, I found that this budget 1911 puts lead on paper in a consistent low/left fashion, which could be nothing more than me still getting used to the take up and, what I’m calling a false break in the trigger. Either way, the rear sight also looks to be adjusted pretty far to the left, as well, but I never touched it.

7 Yards, low-left, varying rates of fire. This was consistent the entire time I had it, and this 9″ plate shows 100+ shots of .45 ACP during my last range session.

One thing that I need to keep telling myself when I shoot this thing, is that it’s not meant to be the best 1911 pistol on the market. Perhaps it’s one of the best in its price range, but not the best of its kind. With that in mind, its accuracy is perfectly acceptable to me.

Included with the Tisas Zig M1911:

It’s often the little things that count, right? In the case of this Zenith Firearms Tisas 1911, you get a plastic case (with cutouts for the gun, mags, tools, and even little holes for your ammo), 3 eight-round magazines, some cleaning tools, and a cable lock. I can appreciate them sending 3 magazines with this gun, because they can get expensive.

gun case — The holes cut into the padding are for rounds of ammo.

Tisas 1911 Discrepancies:

I’m not sure where to insert these things, but these are little issues I had with workmanship. First, the set screw on the rear sight had worked itself out and was loose during my last range session. Even now as I sit here and type this with the handgun in front of me, I feel the rear sight, and there is some play in it. If I were to keep this gun, It would need some sight adjustments done.

The grips are two different colors, which is really nothing more than an annoyance. While it’s not like one is green and one is red, they are two different shades of brown. One is lighter in color, and the other is darker. Honestly, if I were to buy this pistol I’d end up changing the grips anyway, so this isn’t that huge of a deal.

Early on I experienced many failures to feed and a few ejection stoppages. I attribute this to being a thirsty, new 1911 and after time the stoppages all but ceased to exist in a 120 round period on my last range trip with only 1 malfunction to report at that time.

I would usually holster and carry one of my test pistols and report back how it acts as a concealed carry piece, but I didn’t quite feel it was up to the challenge early enough on, and my time is sadly over with it, now.

Finally, one of the grip screws worked itself loose on me while shooting. This is not that big of a deal, but one does expect screws to be tight on a new firearm.

Conclusion:

I can say that, while the Zenith Firearms Tisas 1911 isn’t necessarily the best 1911 pistol out there, if you’re in the market for a new one and don’t mind breaking one in (and tightening all the screws) without spending several hundred dollars more, this may be a good handgun for you.

After all, it does have some premium options, like front slide serrations and an accessory rail, which could be a plus for some. Do you own any of Zenith’s Firearms? If so, let me know in the comments below.

Stats:

Price – $599.99
Caliber – .45 ACP
OA Length – 7.64 inches
Barrel Length – 4 inches
Weight (Empty) – 2.13 pounds
Height – 5.3 inches
Operation – single action
Sights – dove tailed
Capacity – 8+1
Colors – stainless (matte finish)
Includes – a rugged plastic carry case, a factory cleaning kit, a keyed cable lock, three (3) magazines, and a 5-year warranty