I recently purchased a new pistol at a very reasonable price. The gun is a Sig Sauer® Model 1911. This particular model came in what Sig calls a TACPAC. It includes a fitted hard case, holster with a fitted magazine holder, 2 extra magazines, and a speed loader. All in all, a very nice and complete package.
The all-steel pistol weighs about 42 ounces with an empty magazine installed, has 3 dot Novak Lo-Mount style sights that are windage adjustable, 28 line/inch checkering on the front and back straps, and a memory bump on the grip safety. Sorry lefties, the manual safety is not ambidextrous. Chambered in .45 ACP, the non-railed gun is a classic styled 1911 that is 8.7 inches long, 5 ½ inches high, and 1.4 inches wide. The magazines hold 8 rounds each and have a bumper pad on the bottom. The gun is equipped with Ergo XT® grips that are made of hard rubber and have a textured surface. Sig describes the pistol as the “1911 Nitron” which refers to the all-black coating that covers all the stainless steel surfaces excluding the trigger and skeletonized hammer. The trigger is a Colt series 80 type, solid and of the long design.
I’ve fired about 300 rounds through the gun and the results have been quite satisfying. First, let’s look at the trigger. Like most series 80 triggers, it is a bit on the heavy side; Sig’s website describes the pull at 5 pounds, my RCBS trigger gauge put mine at 5 ½ pounds with incredible consistency. I tested it about a dozen times and came up with the same pull each time. I’m hoping that with more use it will lighten up some. There is a bit of take-up, then a quite clean and crisp break. The trigger is also adjustable for over-travel. I have not done any bench rest shooting yet, but I have found the gun shoots to point-of-aim when I do my part. My off-hand 15 yard groups are quite good with all the ammunition I have used. The ammunition I used consisted of two factory 230 grain FMJ round nose loads, one 185 grain Berry round nose reload, and one 185 grain Hornady XTP hollow point reload. With the exception of one reloaded round, there have been no malfunctions. There was a problem with the case on the one malfunction, not the gun; this pistol really works.
The holster that comes with the pistol is a type 2 retention device. I had some trouble drawing the gun with the Sig designed holster; it is a bit different than the Blackhawk Serpa that I use with my M&P 45. I plan to use this gun in USPSA single stack competitions, so I have gone to a type 1 retention open top holster. My draws immediately became much better.
The chromed Sig mags work perfectly, as do the other mags I have in inventory. Although the mag well is not beveled, I found reloading easy to complete if I indexed the mag properly. The standard 1911 controls are positive and work as they were designed to. The safety engages and disengages positively with a flick of the thumb. My arthritic thumb loves the speed loader. Finally, fit and finish on this gun is excellent.
A couple of things I might change on the gun would be the addition of a fiber optic front sight (my old eyes would really like that), maybe a beveled mag well, and possibly some trigger tuning. I like the grips, but I might change them for checkered wood ones. All in all, the Sig Sauer® TACPAC 1911 is a solid package that only needs ammo to give its owner lots of shooting fun. And at less than $ 800.00 street price, it is a gigantic bargain.
Be safe and good shooting.
Colonel Smoothbore
www.guncoach.net
