Many of you know that I just completed the police academy. I graduated as the class honor grad, and was considering giving myself a pistol to commemorate the occasion. One thing I have considered is a “duty 1911.” When I began searching for the ideal gun I quickly realized the perfect duty 1911 is a mythical beast. Let’s take a look at the features of my perfect duty 1911. If you know where to find one, I’d love to hear about it!
The Perfect Duty 1911
Before you jump out of your seat, I don’t seriously intend to carry a 1911. This is more of a thought-experiment than anything else. The experiment is, if I could carry a 1911 on duty, what would the perfect duty 1911 look like? Many of the factors here can be added to the gun after purchase, though sometimes at considerable expense. And there is another problem with cobbling a gun together: getting it approved for duty use. Non-OEM modifications are harder to get approved than a factory gun, and my “perfect duty 1911” seems like it should be a pretty easy pistol to buy off-the-shelf.
This article begins with a few assumptions. The first of these is that the gun is otherwise high-quality; though there is probably a Turkish 1911 that meets these criterion, I probably wouldn’t stake my life on them. Second, I don’t automatically rule out a gun with MIM parts, but I don’t prefer them. And the price-point needs to be right. The Springfield Operator is probably a good value with MIM parts; the Springfield TRP probably isn’t.
Finally, I don’t have unlimited funds on a paramedic’s (or deputy’s) pay. With $10K to spend, you can get whatever you want, from whomever you want it from. A production gun in the $2,500-range that meets all these criteria certainly seems possible, but no one is currently making it. If I want the perfect duty 1911, I’m going to have to have a custom gun built, and that’s just not in the cards for me right now.
BLUF: the perfect duty 1911 is a steel-framed, Commander-length, 9mm with a light rail, front strap checkering, an optic-mounting system, front cocking serrations, ambi safety, and a magwell. It’s a pretty simple list. With that said, let’s get into it!
Feature 1: Chambered in 9mm
The classic chambering for the 1911 is .45 ACP. These days the reliability bugs of the shorter 9mm cartridge have been largely worked out, and far more 1911s chambered in 9mm are sold than .45 ACP. I don’t have problem with a .45 gun, but the bigger round does present some hurdles. The biggest hurdle is cost. Because it requires more raw materials and is less popular, .45 ammo is about twice the price of 9mm. This means half the practice, or twice the expense.
Next, 9mm is THE law enforcement cartridge, like it or not. A duty gun (even if just one that is imagined for duty use) should conform to my agency’s issued ammunition. While I may eventually talk them into letting me carry another gun, this would be a much bigger battle if it is also chambered in a different cartridge. And then there are some other benefits to 9mm: you get an extra round in each magazine, and you get less recoil. The recoil of a 9mm is fairly negligible. In a steel-frame gun (more on that in a moment) with a duty-sized WML, recoil would be nearly non-existent.
Feature 2: Commander Length
I have recently taken a shine to Commander-length (4.25-inch) 1911s with full-sized frames for two reasons. First, the 4 to 4 1/4-inch length seems to be the new preferred “full size” length, the Glock 45 (4 inches) and M&P 2.0 (4.25) being good examples of the phenomenon. I also imagine this is the barrel length around which future ammunition will be optimized.
Second and more importantly, the shorter four-and-a-quarter slide has traditionally been more reliable with the 9mm cartridge. The 9mm generates less recoil, so having less reciprocating slide mass is more amenable to reliable function (though many modern 5-inch, 9mm 1911s will run). The Commander length slide just gives a bit more margin for error, rather than living right on the edge of reliability. And maybe, if I’m being honest, there’s just something attractive about a Commander-sized 1911. Aesthetics are – at best – a tertiary consideration, but 1911s ain’t cheap, and for my money I also want a gun that looks good.
Feature 3: Steel, Light-Rail Frame
Finding a Commander 1911 chambered in 9mm isn’t all that difficult. Unfortunately, finding one with a steel frame is, especially if you want that steel frame to have a light rail. I prefer a steel frame for duty use. It’s a little heavier, but will stand up to anything you can throw at it. Being carried in a duty holster the gun is exposed to far more banging into stuff – door jambs, cars, maybe the pavement if you’re in a fight – and I like the strength of steel. And I intend to put a hundred thousand rounds or more through my next 1911. Aluminum guns are not fragile, but they are also not steel.
The added weight of steel also helps further dampen recoil, making a steel-framed 1911 in 9mm very soft-shooting. And of course a light rail is a necessity these days, especially on a duty gun. You have to be able to identify a target, and sometimes some artificial illumination is necessary to do that. Light rails are ubiquitous on plastic pistols and it is certainly a step backwards to pay for a 1911 that won’t accept a Surefire X300 or Streamlight TLR-1. The light itself also puts a couple more ounces of weight out toward the muzzle.
Feature 4: Checkered Front Strap
I demand a checkered front strap on a 1911. Though it is extremely easy to replace grip panels on a 1911, increasing or decreasing their abrasiveness for grip or comfort in the holster, respectively, the front strap represents much of the gripping surface of the 1911 pistol. Much of the grasp is from front to rear, on the front strap and mainspring housing. The perfect duty 1911 should absolutely have a checkered front strap.
This seems like a commonsense feature, and one that wouldn’t make even a budget gun cost-prohibitive. Unfortunately it missing on a lot of pistols, and the cost of installing checkering (which also requires refinishing) would increase the cost of a budget 1911 like the Springfield Operator by 50% or more. Not only that but the hassle of shipping a gun off to be checkered, FFL transfer fees, and associated hassles are discouraging to me.
One alternative to checkering is grip tape. Grip tape is essentially adhesive-backed sandpaper, and while it works, it is temporary. Over time (and heat, and moisture, and pressure) it will slide around and eventually come off. And it seems silly to have to put a $5 sticker on a $1,000+ pistol. Another alternative is the wrap-around Pachmayr grips that came on my issued MEU(SOC) .45. They certainly work, but unfortunately there are grips I like better, and I don’t like having my grip panels married to the front strap treatment.
Feature 5: Optic System
It’s 2025. Pistol-mounted optics aren’t the way of the future, they are the way of NOW. I am now an optic shooter, my vision no longer being capable of what it was with irons just a couple of years ago. Pistol-mounted optics have drastically improved in reliability and durability, have boosted qualification scores, and greatly improved long-distance accuracy. I’m all in.
Many 1911 makers offer some sort of optic mounting system. The best of these is the IOS (Interchangeable Optic System) from Nighthawk Custom. This system allows interchangeable plates to be slid onto the slide. Plates can be purchased for various optics, and they return to zero (review coming soon). Presumably, new plates will be manufactured as new optics are developed, and the IOS sits low enough that a cowitness is possible with standard front sights. In my opinion the Nighthawk IOS is far and away the best optic mounting system for 1911s. The AOS (Agency Optic System) also seems pretty decent.
Some makers cut only for one optic footprint. Alchemy Custom and Ed Brown both cut slides for optics, but only for the RMR. This is something, but damn, I hate to spend $4,000 to $5,000 on a pistol and lock myself into a single optic. The RMR is the gold standard right now, but will it still be in ten years? Twenty? Twenty five? It’s pretty unlikely. Systems like the IOS and AOS don’t guarantee compatibility with future sighting systems, but they give a much better chance of it.
Feature 6: Front Cocking Serrations
This one is so far down on the list because it is optional-ish. I have always been a forward cocking serration fan because I am a press-checker. It’s a habit, probably not necessary, but I do it often and it makes me feel good. With the proliferation of optics, forward cocking serrations have more and more utility, however. To avoid smudging the glass, many people manipulate the gun from the front of the slide. This is also low on the list because it is fairly easy (though not inexpensive) to add later.
I don’t care if they are coarse or fine serrations, don’t care if they are angled or straight up and down. I don’t even mind if they aren’t serrations at all, but a Hi-Power-esque relief to allow purchase. The perfect duty 1911 should have some provision for operating the slide from the front, though.
Feature 7: Ambi Safety
In my opinion this is another fairly uncontroversial feature. Though some don’t like them on a carry gun, I consider an ambidextrous 1911 safety to be non-negotiable on the perfect duty 1911. The gun MUST be able to be used with either hand. Some will cite the possibility of the exposed, right-side safety being disengaged through carrying things, bumping into stuff, or by natural arm movement when carried in a concealment holster. I have carried a 1911 daily for almost seven years and have yet to experience this, but I suppose it is possible.
In a duty holster this is precluded from happening. The Safariland ALS/SLS protects the pistol’s safety, preventing it from being disengaged, meaning there really is no downside to having an ambidextrous safety, but there is a big benefit. I placed this one low on the list not because it is unimportant, but rather because it can be added after the fact. Adding one does incur some cost. Safeties may be drop-in, but even then some gunsmith fitting may be required.
Feature 8: Magazine Well
The perfect duty 1911 needs a magazine well (aka magwell, mag chute, mag funnel, etc.). This item attaches to the bottom of the frame, often via the mainspring housing, to provide a larger opening for the insertion of a single-stack magazine. This can have the downside of adding some additional length to the gun, but is worth it in exchange for faster reloads, at least on a duty gun.
The size of the gun isn’t a huge factor for a duty 1911 as it is for a concealed carry 1911, so the added length is not a huge downside. The Chen Magwell Gen2 is a gunsmith-installed part that requires cutting off a portion of the bottom of the frame. The magwell is then welded in place, keeping the gun’s length the same, but adding a massive mag funnel (note: this is not the shooter installed magwell shown above). Of course, this is only available on custom guns, or as a very costly upgrade after purchasing the gun. It also incurs some inconvenience as future grips must be cut for the shorter grip length.
Possible Production Contenders
There are some guns out there that come really close to being the perfect duty 1911. Let’s take a look at a few of them.
Dan Wesson Specialist: Questionable QC aside, the Specialist seems like a great option. Steel framed, 9mm, optic-ready, ambi safety, checkered front strap, front cocking serrations, and a magwell answer a lot of my asks. Unfortunately, the Commander version is only available in .45 ACP and the 9mm is only available in a 5-inch model. What’s up with that, CZ-Colt group? The Dan Wesson TCP is available in the shorter length, but has a lightweight alloy frame, and I dislike its aesthetics.
Sig 1911-XCarry: This Commander-length 1911 almost has it all: commander-length, steel frame, light rail, checkered front strap, front cocking serrations, optic cut (though not an optic system), and an ambidextrous safety. The 1911-X series also features an external extractor – a big bonus in my opinion. It is missing a magwell, but I would be perfectly willing to install one myself. Even with an optic installed this gun still comes in closer to $1,500 than $2,000. Unfortunately, it is only available in .45 ACP. If available in 9mm, I’d snap one up in a heartbeat. Oh wait…it doesn’t fit most standard 1911 holsters. Come tf on, Sig.
Springfield Armory Operator: This gun is missing a lot of features but would be an excellent basis for building the perfect duty 1911. Unfortunately one big compromise has to be made: either get it in a 5-inch gun with a steel frame, or a Commander-length gun with an aluminum frame. Other than that it checks a lot of boxes and is the most affordable gun on this list at MSRP around $1,200. The TRP has some added features, but you have to make a similar compromise, and both of these guns rely heavily on MIM small parts.
Possible Custom Contenders
It seems like it would be easy – or at least possible – to get a custom 1911 with all these features. With a custom 1911 I am far less likely to accept compromises – I know what I want in a 1911. When paying north of $3,500, I expect to get it.
Alchemy Custom Weaponry/Ed Brown: The Alchemy Quantico Carry and Ed Brown Special Forces both come tantalizingly close! And both offer the Chen Magwell – the best magazine well on the market, period. You can get a myriad of options on either. Unfortunately there is one show-stopper with both of these pistols: the optic system. Both only offer an RMR cut. If these were $1,500 pistols, I would be OK with that. With both being over $4,000, I can’t commit to one optic for the rest of my life.
I am also loathe to buy one, then ship it somewhere else to have an optic system applied. I also contacted Alchemy to discuss a pistol build and felt like the rep I spoke to would rather be doing anything else than talking to me.
Nighthawk Custom GRP Recon: I reached out to Nighthawk to price out a GRP Recon. This pistol has literally all the features, including the IOS system (which I wish they would license – it truly is the best 1911 optic system out there. Thanks to Simon Golob for turning me on to it). Unfortunately, due to the popularity of their double-stack guns, 1911s are low-priority and lead times are 18-24 months. That’s a long-ass time to wait on a pistol. And they don’t offer the Stan Chen Magwell… Choices!
Wilson Combat: I own two guns from Wilson Combat, and admit their quality is excellent. Their customer service absolutely sucks, however. After misplacing the short-barreled shotgun after I sent it in for modification (a panic-inducing situation), I just don’t want to ever have to send a gun to them for repairs ever again.
Closing Thoughts
This is my perfect duty 1911: Commander-length, 9mm, steel frame, light rail pistol with front strap checkering, forward cocking serrations, an optic plate system, ambi safety, and a magazine well. These are all fairly modest asks, and all of these features are available on lots of pistols. Why aren’t they all available on one, single pistol? Maybe they are and I have just missed it! If you know of a 1911 that I should be looking at, feel free to let me know. In the meantime, I’ll just stick with a Glock 45!
