I wanted a place to discuss my handguns and firearms in general. Everyone seemingly has lots to say about guns, so I promise you this won't be a rant blog.
So, I haven’t yet committed to yet another gun purchase, but I was bored last week and was perusing the EAA website and saw that they’re finally listing their Girsan Witness 2311 3.4″ (subcompact) on their product page. It’s sort of hidden, as you specifically have to manipulate their product menu to display it.
So, it’s using the same grip as their larger 2311s, which is interesting. It has that mullet look, which is similar to the Bul Armory SAS II UL. The MSRP of $999 is quite high, though, but all of the Girsan 2311s are at that price.
I’m interested, yeah. I was interested last year when they had it listed, but they pulled it off of their website for some reason and it’s only now showing up again.
Now, it has to get good reviews, too. The larger Girsan 2311s aren’t doing so hot since they were released, as they were either rushed to the market or they are just built like shit…the reviews of those aren’t really good.
LFA is supposedly releasing an Officer-sized 2011 too (as an Apollo). Now, those have been getting good reviews, although they have MIM (they’re working to make those guns MIM-free). I also remember TheHumbleMarksman showing, in a review, the failure of a slide release that was supposedly MIM-free, which is NOT good. I’d eventually like to see how well their 3.5″ gun does.
I asked the Tisas representative on the 1911Forum.com website if Tisas was planning to release ANY Officer-sized guns and they said, “No”. Later on, when folks were discussing it, someone said that they spoke to another Tisas rep and he/she said that it was being worked on! Now, if they can do one as a 2011, that would be awesome!
I’m sure there will be more news on this and when I see it, I’ll post an update!
I’ve been to the range twice with the Tisas Carry DS9.
I’ll share some information about the first range visit. I also suspected some of the things we discussed in my last post would be apparent during the first range visit.
The trigger had issues. The gun initially had a thick walled trigger. While the trigger itself wasn’t heavy, it wasn’t light either, so that’s a wash. The trigger wall was stiff, but I shot maybe 130 rounds from the gun, so the wall softened a bit. As well, the trigger is now lighter by 1 lb.
Between the trigger’s issues and the sights, I was having issues hitting where I aimed. I shot low (90 degrees low) with every shot — not low left, but directly low. I’m not sure how to use the U-notch sights, but I’m thinking they’re off by a bit, at least.
The gun didn’t hiccup at all during the first range visit. I shot a mix of ammo, some being HP, some being SD HP, and some being FMJ. The gun is flat-shooting, too.
When I got home from the first range visit, I sat while watching TV and kept racking the gun and pulling the trigger to get that thick wall to wear-in as quickly as possible.
When I went to the range next (two days later), I shot 187 rounds. Quite a bit of ammo was shot, some HP, some SD ammo, and a lot of range ammo. I had one fail to feed one one HP (I think it was Winchester range JHP). I put it back in the magazine and it feed and shot successfully.
The gun also shot a lot better, probably due to the trigger breaking in. Also, I man-handled the gun, as the first range visit, I was sloppy with gun control (recoil management and probably trigger control). My grouping were MUCH better this range visit.
I now have 317 rounds through the gun. The gun has yet to be cleaned, which says a lot, because I’ve looked in the gun and it’s pretty filthy. The rails were overly lubricated, which may have helped. I may clean it tomorrow, as I’m not intentionally trying to induce filth-related failures.
I also published a video. I’ll be producing a longer duration video soon. The short duration one below lacks some information (I had to make it fit into a 15 minute timeframe).
For some reason, I had a difficult time obtaining this gun.
First, I should’ve bought it from a different seller. The place I purchased it has a spotty customer service reputation and many folks that have purchase things from them have had bad experiences.
Second, the gun took a day to ship, as the seller created the pickup slip after the mail had been picked up for that day, so the package waited another day before USPS picked it up. USPS picked it up on Tuesday.
It was delivered to the my choice of gun store on Thursday, at 1:30 PM. The gun store sat on it until Friday (WTF). They texted me Friday morning (a bit after 10 AM) saying that the gun was ready and that I could come pick it up.
I went to pick it up at 11:30 AM. It took me 15 minutes to get there and then 15 minutes to complete the background check paperwork (I had to redo one form and redid another form two times). I gave the cashier my state ID and concealed carry license.
Now, normally, there’s maybe a 5-10 minute wait for me and then they tell me that the I passed the background check. I ended up waiting 40 minutes. I wanted to leave and thought that they’d call me when it was approved, but I didn’t want to do the paperwork over again (if I couldn’t come back until the next day) and didn’t want to be on the way home just for them to call me back in (or call me after I’ve arrived back at home). They called me just before I walked out.
WTF. It was a little bit busy, but I know damned well that I don’t have any dirt in my background. I’ve used this location two other times, and didn’t have to wait that long during those times. It was busy but it wasn’t 40 min delay busy. Either NICS had issues with their systems or maybe NICS itself was having a super busy day.
It was fucking odd waiting that long. I was running out of things to look at in the store. I almost asked what took so long, but I was so flustered, I knew I was going to pop off, so I just shut the hell up so that I could leave as quickly as possible. Also, their damned FFL transfer fee went up (it’s now $45…that’s kinda high around here). I was unaware until it was time to pay. Again, I just wanted to leave, so I didn’t say anything.
This place is an odd gun store. I’ve never liked using them for firearms transfers but they were close to home and my choices were limited (or so I thought). I asked some folks on Reddit about this place and apparently, they’re the d-bags of the local gun stores (I’m not sure what defines d-bag here). I’ve never had issues or conflicts with the staff there, but I swear, there’s something “off” about the place.
So, I will never visit that store again. There are other stores I can use to buy things. For firearms transfers, I found out from a Reddit user that my range (I’m a member) charges $15 for transfers, for members. I could’ve used them the past 3 firearms I purchased!! What’s cool is that I could have a gun transferred there (or buy one there) and then immediately go shoot it!
So, after I got in my car, I THEN checked the firearm. Yeah, they didn’t let me check it before I did the FFL paperwork, which is bad – the reason most GOOD places let you check the gun before you do the paperwork is because the paperwork seals the deal and if the gun is broken or is missing parts (like a magazine), you can decline the transfer because there’s something wrong with the product you bought. Of the three guns I had transferred there, they only let me check one of those three and that one check was after the paperwork was completed and after I’d paid for the transfer.
I checked to see if the gun was present and that I had the two mags that came with the gun. Then I closed the box and drove home.
I got home and looked at the gun. This gun is nicer than folks will expect. A lot of guys keep insisting that, since the gun is a budget (very budget priced) 2011-patterned 1911, there has to be something wrong with it, like shoddy workmanship of the gun, tolerance issues, etc.
The gun is a $900 gun (MSRP) that I bought for $700 (street price). It feels like (at very least) a $900 gun.
Fitment is good, not great, but again, it’s a $900 1911/2011. It’s also not bull-barreled, so fitment isn’t going to be as tight as a bull-barreled gun would (generally, bull barrel guns have better slide to frame fitment).
Finish is good – the slide is QPQ and the frame is Cerakoted.
It came with two mags. Most of the latest budget 2011s have been coming with one mag. Two mags are certainly better than one. The mags are Checkmate mags, which are Staccato-patterned. They are good mags (at least $65-70 each).
The sights are good and are dovetailed. I believe the front is Novak-styled (not actual Novak patterned, though). Tisas has been pinning the front sight up until recently. The rear is Glock-patterned, which is great and means there are MANY replacement options. As well, if you decide to use an optic, you don’t lose the rear sight when the optics cut plate is removed. The rears will cowitness 1/3rd! As they are, the sights offer a great sight picture. The rear offers a semi-wide rounded U-notch and the front sight is a contrast white dot.
The optics cut is patterned for RMSc, which means I can continue to run a Holosun. The optic mounts directly to the cut (no adapter plate is needed).
The gun has a titanium firing pin, which is great.
The grip is nice. It is easily nicer than the grip on my SAS II UL. What’s nicer? It has front strap checkering, even on the polymer grip module. The side texturing feels like it will be sufficient for shooting, while also not being overly aggressive in texture. I saw someone say they thought it felt cheap. That same guy owns a SAS II UL – THAT gun’s grip feels cheap and it’s a $1600 2011!
The trigger’s shoe is alloy, and folks keep thinking it’s polymer. I took a knife to it and couldn’t mark it, while I could mark the polymer grip with that same knife. The trigger is also not all that light (but not heavy either). I assessed the trigger twice – an average of 5 trigger pulls netted a first average of 4 lb 13 oz. The second group of pulls averaged out to 5 lb 1 oz. 5 lbs isn’t heavy but it isn’t light, either. The perfect weight for me would be high 3s and low 4s. The trigger wall is pretty firm, though.
I field stripped it (I also removed the firing pin), and checked each part. There are some tool marks, but it doesn’t have super ugly marks like the LFA Apollo 11 or the EAA Girsan Witness 2311 guns. This gun is MIM-less. There is not a single MIM part in this gun. My Tisas Duty single stacked 1911 that I bought 2 years ago has some MIM – you can clearly see the cast lines and stamps on those parts.
The plan is to take it to the range tomorrow (or more like, today, as it is 2:30 AM right now).
I may even carry this gun, as it doesn’t feel big to me and fits in all of my 1911 holsers (those that accept railed 1911s, at least). I can conceal the grip well, too.
So far, there isn’t much to not like about the gun. In fact, I currently have no dislikes.
If Tisas does an Officer sized 2011, I’m going to buy it…there’s no question. If they follow the same recipe that they used with the Carry, a smaller 2011 is going to be an instant hit.
I’m currently working on capturing video footage for the gun that I will eventually share on YouTube.
It is almost 1 o’clock AM and I was viewing availability of the new Tisas double stack 1911s. I was watching to see if I could find low priced variants, and also was waiting to see reviews of them – there are not all that many, currently. I did not intend to purchase until I noticed that the prices were creeping upward. As well, most places that had them earily in the week had sold out. I decided to buy now.
I bought a black Carry model. I’d been studying the Duty variant but none of those have been available…I can get one of those later, if need be. I was also looking at the MAC DS varaint, but didn’t feel like spending $900 on a 1911 (even though that price is below MSRP).
Note that the Tisas will be MIM-less (all but the recoil spring plug). Also, the gun comes with 2 mags. As well, the gun is optics-ready and the cover plate does not have the rear sight attached (which is great).
I’m excited about this gun, as it will be my second legit 2011. I saw some Prodigys that were marked way down from MSRP, but those were still $1100. I also looked at Apollo 11. This gun also undercuts the LFA Apollo 11 by a fair margin ($300) and comes with an extra mag, as well as having no MIM.
I’m happy with my single stacked Tisas and know they’re reliable, so I decided to give their 2011 a try.
This time, I bought from TheGunDock.com, mainly due to their lower pricing.
As with every gun purchase, I’ll document my journey with this gun.
UPDATE (2/10/2024): I waited two days for the gun to ship, but my FFL hasn’t yet sent it’s FFL information to the place I purchased the gun. They sent it to me by mistake. The gun store requires the FFL to send the info, not the person buying the gun. Until my FFL can follow the process, shipping won’t occur. I asked them to resend the info again, but it was late in the afternoon and I don’t think they saw my email. I may get the gun by the end of next week, IF my FFL clears up their mistake either tomorrow or Monday.
So, I was checking Reddit today and saw a post that Tisas had listed a double-stacked 1911 on their website product list. Within an hour, there were like 5-6 other posts (in the r/1911 subreddit).
I decided to check the product page and was shocked. I thought they’d produced a Para-patterned 1911, but they actually produced THREE (3) 2011-patterned 1911s. They producted a 5″ variant, a 4.25″ variant, and a 5″ variant of their Night Stalker SF.
Not only that, but typical recent budget 2011s offer optics cuts that remove the rear sights. The Tisas variants will allow the rear sights to stay in place when using an optic. They’re also using 1/3rd co-witness of the rear sight through the mounted optic.
What’s the difference between Para- and 2011-patterned handguns? Para-patterned guns have the grips a permanent part of the frame. The frame and grip are one piece. 2011-patterened handguns have modular polymer grips that are separate from the frame. Many folks confuse Para-patterned double-stacked 1911s as 2011s, when there’s a distinctive difference.
Anyways, here are two videos: one of the 5″ Duty DS and the other of the 4.25″ Carry DS.
UPDATE (2/8/2024): I’ve removed the YouTube videos from this post, as the publisher marked them as private. It’s a bit annoying, because the publisher was Tisas.
I’ve started my Christmas 2023 vacation this week. Several things are on my agenda as far as firearms are concerned.
I’ve to send my SAS II UL back to Bul Armory for them to fix an issue that I couldn’t resolve. The problem is that I can fire the gun without disengaging the grip safety. I did replace the trigger shoe with a flat shoe. That replacement required me to remove the over-travel screw, but I adjusted it properly. At least, I think I did. I’ve done the same to my other 1911s and none of the other guns are experiencing the issue. I don’t typically test to see if my 1911s will fire with the grip safety disengaged, so I don’t know why I tried it this time. BA sent me a shipping label so that I can send it back to them. I’ve boxed up the gun and will ship it out tomorrow. I’ve removed the optic and reinstalled the rear irons. I also included an empty mag (they asked for it to be sent with the gun). I’ve no idea how long they’ll have the gun and customer support is hit/miss as far as being good is concerned.
I haven’t shot my Tisas Duty in a while. Someone asked in r/1911 about extended reviews of the gun. I stated that no one has been posting about the gun, other than after one range visit of shooting. So, tomorrow, I plan to visit the range with the Tisas. I went to Cabelas and found some somewhat cheap ammo. I bought three boxes of 50 rounds each. The whole reason I stopped shooting it was because 45ACP was expensive at the time. I’ll bring an extra box from home (I’ve a box of Herters JHP too). I’ve some Underwood +P too, but that’s expensive, and after a while, it actually hurts to shoot it. The jarring is pretty ruthless, at 1200 FPS. The plan is to try to shoot all 200 rounds. I’ve to remember to bring all the different mags I have.
While the SAS II UL is out for repair, I’m carrying the Alpha Foxtrot S15. I’d checked to see if the S15 would fit in my Tenicor holster (when I’d first bough the gun), but I’d never actually worn the holster with that gun. It EASILY carries. While I knew the grip was thin, it’s easy to hide – much easier than the SAS II UL’s grip. What I’m not used to is it’s heft. It’s heavier – not by a lot, but it’s noticeable.
As soon as the SAS II UL gets returned to me, I probably should ask Alpha Foxtrot to look at that gun, as the ramp frame insert sometimes moves. Once that has been fixed, I’m probably going to find a reputable place that’ll make the gun optics-ready.
I’ll update you all on the status of the Bul Armory once it is returned to me.
I’ve a 10mm 1911 on the way here. It’ll be my first full-sized 1911 and my first 10mm. I purchased a RIA Rock Ultra FS HC chambered in 10mm. I’d been looking at Glock 20s and 29s but didn’t want the shock of recoil to bug me. While the Glocks weigh around 2 lb empty, the RIA 10mm weighs around 2.5 lb and is all steel. I won’t be carrying this gun but I do want to experience 10mm without regret. As well, I had a difficult time finding a Glock 20 and 29 in stock.
What’s cool about this 10mm is that it is double-stacked (what some folks call the M1911A2; it’s not a true 2011, as the 2011 is modular in nature while the M1911A2 is not). It is a full-featured handgun. What’s not cool is that the handgun only comes with one magazine.
It’ll probably be 2 weeks before it ships to my FFL. The FFL will probably take another week to call me to pick it up. In 3 weeks time, expect a table top review.
I’m about to order another magazine and will begin looking for ammo. I hope to have both the mag and ammo will be here before the gun arrives.
This is what I ordered (from Hinterland Outfitters):
UPDATE (2/15/2021) – I just got notice that the firearm shipped on 2/12…headed to my FFL dealer now…may be a while though, since there’s severe weather in the mid-West right now.
UPDATE – this gun was NOT in stock like it appeared to be. After 3 days of waiting to see movement on the order, I contacted the store and asked if they actually had the gun in stock. They did not and said all their suppliers were having issues getting this particular handgun, so I told them to cancel the order, since it’s very apparent that there’s a stocking issue with this gun. Argentina is experiencing significant economic difficulties, from what I understand. This could be the cause of the nationwide backorder.
I bought another gun. This is a bit different. It’s a .380ACP handgun. It is small in stature. It is also small but double-stacked and will hold 15 rounds. It is a double action / single action gun and also has a decocker/safety. It is a non-U.S.-made gun.
What is it?
A Bersa Thunder Plus.
There are several variations of this particular model of gun:
Thunder Concealed Carry (small beavertail and unique frame grip)
There are also different caliber versions: .22 caliber and .380ACP
There are different paint and color schemes, as well as variants that have color-coded controls (nickel and gold, for example).
The gun looks somewhat similar to the Walther PPK, and shares the PPK’s barrel layout.
One thing that I’ll immediately remove once I have it is the magazine disconnect. I do NOT need that abomination. The gun also has an integrated lock (which I’ll never use). I do need to order an extra magazine, as the gun is delivered with one magazine only.
I had a choice between nickel or black. I actually wanted a Plus Combat (new for this year) but most places aren’t carrying them yet. In fact, when looking for the Plus, most places online were out of stock. And when I say most, I mean like 95% of the stores I checked. I don’t even know if the place I ordered from actually has them in stock…I order went through without verification (the other places I checked wouldn’t let you order if they were out of stock or back-ordered). I almost bought the nickel version, because I think it’s rarer, but it was $397…that’s a chunk of change for a Bersa Thunder, as the MSRP is like $420. I got the black version for $379 from Delta Three Outfitters, which is also where the nickel Plus is currently stocked.
Why this gun? Because it is cheaper than the Walther by a long shot, shoots just as well as the Walther, and carries double the ammo. It’s reliability is great and has a lifetime warranty for original owners (not so with used Thunders, which is why I went ahead and bought it new… plus, I couldn’t find new ones…I know for a fact a used one will be difficult to find locally). I like small-statured guns and wanted something I could shoot with my kids. Also, because of it’s fixed barrel, it is very accurate.
Depending on how much I like this handgun, I may eventually get one or two single-stacked version.
Some people can’t stand the .380 round, though. I’ve never shot it, but people have been killed with far less. Shot placement is key, as I always say. And with 15 rounds to get on target, I highly doubt someone will walk away without a scratch. Plus, if I really wanted power, I can always look for +P .380 ammo…or, as a last resort, carry with FMJ, which I hear is what a lot of people are doing since .380ACP doesn’t appear to penetrate as well as 9mm (it has a smaller charge unless the round is hot).
