Black Talon has shipped

[varoadking]

My black Talon shipped today - about a week early. I'll pick it up tomorrow and let y'all know what I think of it after I give it a workout on Saturday.

Wish me the best...I hoping for a good one...

(see below)

[Gunslingers]

Looking forward to a full report, and of course, don't forget the pictures :D

[SDlocal]

King,

When did you order it? How long did it take...hopefully mine is being built right behind it...ordered mine Feb 23rd.

[John]

And it shouldn't be long, until Craig informs me that mine is ready too. Yuppie!!!!!

[varoadking]

King,

When did you order it? How long did it take...hopefully mine is being built right behind it...ordered mine Feb 23rd.

I ordered February 8th...it was delivered today - March 17th.

It's very nice - though I'm not the least bit sure it's $2,300 nice. Nonetheless, I am glad to have it...

The workmanship does appear to be first rate, the checkering and fitment are terrific. The slide and frame work as though joined by ball bearings. The action has a slight bit of stacking, but is light and crisp thereafter. I really like the slide stop.

It came with an ambi-cut set of wood grips - I have a single safety. Sent them a message asking if all they made were ambi-cut grips.

The finish does seem somewhat delicate, though...we'll have to wait and see on that I guess. Nothing left to prove but the shooting...

The 15 yard bench rest test target they sent was virtually a Mickey Mouse pattern - a head and two ears connected just above POA. If it shoots that well consistantly, it is likely a keeper...

Range update and hopefully some pictures this weekend...

[henryiv]

Glad you like the workmanship. I look forward to the range report.
It sounds like they get them built pretty fast to order. I got mine very fast by just having my dealer call Nighthawk to see what they had ready. I asked my dealer (a nighthawk prefered dealer if that matters) to get me an all black Talon with ambi on a tuesday. Nighthawk had an all black talon finishing its build that day without the ambi. Nighthawk coated and fit the ambi. and had the gun at my dealer by the following monday. So my wait was short to say the least.

[Bosko]

We all wish you the very best with your new pistol. I have ordered a Predator III with a Black Diamond finish. I know it will take some time and I am glad it will. I emailed Craig and asked him not to hurry. Needless to say, I look forward to photos and range reports of all those "who have gone where no man has gone before". I will be privileged to contribute when I can "join the club".

[tnicolos]

Wow, I ordered my Talon IV on February 2nd and it is due to be shipped late next week if all goes well. I wonder if the Black Diamond finish is what added the extra time, although I honestly did not expect it for another two to three weeks. Craig quoted eight weeks so hearing it is coming early is a nice surprise.

When I ordered my Predator last year they said eight weeks and it took closer to twelve before it was ready to ship so I was prepared to have the Talon take as long. :p

Tom

[varoadking]

Took the naked black Talon to the range today. Here's my impressions, generally regarding performance and my level of satisfaction:

I put over 600 rounds of Winchester White Box and 28 rounds of Speer Gold dots through the Talon today.

As some others have noted, mine groups somewhat to the left of POA - maybe an inch or so at 10-15 yards using Winchester White Box 230 grain FMJ. Using Speer 230 grain JHP Gold Dots loads, they seemed to move back to the right and to POA. All shooting was done offhand. I'll have to check this out again. The front sight is set slightly to the right, so I may send it back for adjustment, but not until I put another 1,000 or so rounds down range to be certain.

It took several hundred rounds before it would group tightly. Initially it was a 4"-5" group high and to the left.

I suspected the finish was a bit fragile and it would seem to be so. The finish is already gone at the corner of the ejection port.

I tried more than two dozen magazines - 7 different types. I had 4 instances of the slide not locking back on the last round - two each in the same two Springfield Armory 7 round magazines. The other 10 Springfield 7 round magazines, and all of the others, performed without a hitch. These two magazines have since been pitched. I had one failure to feed. I was not paying enoough attention at that point, and it was likely one of the two Springfield magazines that failed to lock back.

The wood grips are cut for an ambi-safety and I have a single safety. The wood is pretty plain - not a high quality walnut for sure. Also, there was no black inlay surrounding the Talon for some reason, so the grips look pretty sorry - these are going back for replacement.

There's one microscopic blem in the finish on the silde - likely a tiny piece of dirt they sprayed over. I'm not gonna lose any sleep over this.

The action is terrific - both the trigger and the slide/frame movement.

I had a lot of spectators at the range - they really dug the looks of the piece, and the performance later in the session.

I handled a Les Baer Thunder Ranch at the gun store on the way home - had to pick up some more Gold Dots. For the $550.00 difference, I''m not sure which way I would go today.

The Talon is resting in the NHC holster tonight, breaking it in. I think I'll keep it. Only 15 more weeks until my Yo-Bo 1* gets here. We'll see how I feel about the Talon come mid-July...

[John]

:fp:

[henryiv]

Thanks for the report. May I ask what other brands of Mags you used? There have been complaints on the "other" 1911 board of ACT mags cracking near the feed lips under hard usage, so I want to know what worked you you before I buy any other brand mags. I tried a MEC-GAR in mine and it would not feed the problem prone Independence ammo. I did not try it with good ammo. I am glad to hear you are geting a Yo Bo as well. I think you will end up liking both. The finish on my Talon is worn at the contact points of slide to frame, but I have not found it to the Fragile. Certainly less fragile to the hk bluing on P7s :)

Edit for spelling

[varoadking]

I tried more than two dozen magazines - 7 different types (ACT, Mitchell, Springfield Armory, Dan Wesson, Wilson Combat, Chip McCormick, and several of an unknown brand).