A few weeks ago I purchased a Tisas Duty “enhanced” 1911. This is the version with a 5” barrel and standard G.I. type recoil system. Other features are:
• Forward cocking serrations
• Novak style 3-dot sights
• Ambidextrous thumb safety
• Beavertail grip safety with memory bump
• Black Cerakoth finish
• Series 70 action
This pistol cost me, including shipping, just under $500.00
I did consider at the time purchasing pretty much the same pistol in “Commander” configuration, but then I thought of all of the additional costs of holsters for the short version (All of my other 1911s are Government models.), so for economy reasons I stayed with the full size pistol. Besides, I’m already used to, and prefer, full sized service pistols for carry – my other carry pistols are a Hi-Power and a CZ 75B – and have no issues with concealibility, as I always carry IWB and the hardest part of the pistol to conceal then is not the barrel but is the grip.
So here are my thoughts and opinions, and the story of a couple of mods that I’ve carried out.
Out of the box pic:
Initial thoughts:
First thing I did when I got this pistol home was to detail strip it and clean it and lube it, and look at the small parts to see if perhaps I might plan on replacing any of the MIM parts that I was sure would be found inside the pistol. Note that the frame and slide are both forged, which is practically unheard of in a pistol at this price point. I examined all of the small parts looking for the tell-tale MIM indicators of mod separation lines, sprue marks, and traces of the circular pins that eject the part from the mold. I was unable to find ANY evidence that these were MIM parts! During the reassembly process I accidentally knocked the slide stop on to the porcelain tile floor and it rang like a bell – not the usual dull clack of a MIM part hitting the floor. If I didn’t know better (Do I really know better?) I would declare that all of the small parts are machined from forging or from bar stock.
I paid special attention to the fit of the slide stop to the barrel cam surfaces, and was surprised to find that the cam surfaces on the barrel lower lugs properly lock up with both barrel cam surfaces in contact with the slide stop pin as they should. With the barrel out of the pistol, if you insert the slide stop pin halfway through the link, and move it then to the locked position, there is no rocking of the link from side to side. This means that the barrel, when in battery, has been guided into the locked position by the barrel cam surfaces riding up the slide stop pin, not pushed into battery by the link, which should provide consistency in the lock up.
After reassembly, I checked for any play in the slide to frame fit, and in the barrel lock up. There is a little bit of play towards the front of the slide, but barely detectable. The barrel, both at the breech and at the muzzle/bushing fit, locks up tight with no detectable play. This bodes well for accuracy. As a matter of fact the only part that exhibits any real looseness is that the grip safety has just a little slight side to side play in the frame.
Trigger pull is maybe 5-1/2 pounds – I prefer 5 pounds on a carry piece. This may improve with break in.
Trigger:
While on the subject of the trigger, the standard trigger on this modes is a medium to long trigger with no overtravel adjustment screw. I don’t miss the overtravel adjustment feature, as since it’s not adjustable it can’t be mis-adjusted. I do, however, prefer a short trigger, as I like having more room in the trigger guard, and I think a short trigger better fits the movement of my trigger finger by keeping the trigger pull straight back. With a longer trigger my trigger finger tends to steer the muzzle to the left.
Anyway, I went to the SDS Imports web site, and from their Parts and Accessories page I ordered a short trgger as Tisas installs on their WWII G.I. pistol. It drops right in and exactly fills my needs.
Thumb Safety:
As I mentioned above, the standard safety on this model is a Swenson type ambi safety wherein the right side safety lever is retained by a tounge on the safety lever that fits under a relief cut in the right side grip.
I did have an issue with the thumb safety which was a bit on the serious side. The retention of the safety lever is both positions was rather weak. On the first day I that I carried the pistol I found, on two occasions, I found that the safety had switched from the “safe” position to the “fire” position. This had to be fixed right away. As I felt that most of the problem was due to a weak plunger tube spring I ordered a replacement plunger tube spring from Wolff Gunsprings. I noticed, when I compared the original spring to the Wolff spring, the original spring was a little shorter and it felt like it was a little weaker as well. I replaced the plunger tube spring, and the safety now snaps off and on very positively.
I have now carried the pistol in my old Dillon Gunleather Summer Special holster, which carries the pistol rather high and exposed, the safety has not switched itself out of “safe” even once. I’ll call this issue fixed.
Grips:
The grips that came in the pistol, which were checkered black plastic, did not feel very “grippy”. I decided to replace them with one of many wood checkered double-diamond grip sets that I have in my 1911 spare parts box. Unfortunately all of my checkered wood grips were without the Swenson safety relief cut. I then looked on the internet, and found that checkered wood grips with the old Swenson safety relief cut are pretty scarce, and a bit on the pricey side. I did find a set of Magpul MOE grips, which do come with the safety relief cut, so I bought a set. They also have a thumb relief in the left side grip, which is perfect for me as I use a low-thumb hold. (I never understood the popular vertical thumb hold, with the thumbs stuck up in the air like the ears on a donkey, as it seems to fly in defiance of 4-1/2 million years of evolution regarding the whole opposable thumb thing. I mean, is that how you hold a hammer or a screwdriver? Why do we think that’s appropriate for a handgun?)
Although I liked the shape and the thumb groove, I found them to be no more grippy than the originals. So what the heck! I got out my old Weller soldering iron and stippled them. Much better now. The secret is to not let the soldering iron plunger too deeply, as you will produce not just a stipple but a crater that would make the man in the moon proud. So just take it easy and only let the point of the soldering iron barely penetrate the surface, and you will get good results. There’s a couple of places where I got careless and got some pretty deep holes. But the Magpul grips are very inexpensive, so I may just buy another pair and have another go at it. I may even let my hair down and maybe buy a set of olive drab or coyote brown ones.
Self stippled grip on left, stock Magpul grip texture on right:
Finished stippled grips with "stippling tool":
Pistol with stippled grips:
OH YEAH! ACCURACY AND RELIABILITY:
I made one range trip so far, and shot about 50 or 60 assorted 230 grain FMJ through it with pretty good accuracy. and 100% reliability. I used my usual Checkmate G.I. 7-round mags with the dimpled follower and ‘ball” feed lips. I also tried some 185 grain Speer Gold Dot and Remington XTP rounds with some malfunctions. I tried using Checkmate hybrid feed ramp with those and had some failure to feeds. I then tried a few of the Remington rounds in the G.I. mags with good results. More experimentation will be required until I find the right combination of magazines and cartridges before I start to carry JHP.
Here is a pic I took of a full 7-round mag of Winchester White Box ball qt 7 yard, rapid fire, from a Weaver stance, unsupported. Not too bad for a nearsighted 69-year old with cataracts!
All in all I am very happy with the Tisas Duty. I think Tisas is punching way above their weight here with these latest pistols, and maybe the like of Springfield Armory and even Colt, from what I’ve seen with this particular pistol, better be looking over their shoulders.
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