Sig 1911 Carry Nitron Review
In YA1911R (“Yet Another 1911 Review”), I take a look at the SIG SAUER 1911CA-45-BSS. If “1911CA-45-BSS” is not catchy enough for you, SIG also calls the pistol the 1911 Carry.
Hmmm…I think I like 1911 Carry better.
This SIG 1911 Carry comes with a Nitron finish, night sights and other features that make this pistol pretty as well as functional. In addition to the range, I may have to find a barbecue at which to test this gun.Specifications
Ok, the nitty-gritty:
The SIG SAUER 1911 Carry Nitron is a Commander-sized pistol chambered for the .45 ACP. For concealed carry, I like a “nearly full sized” gun like a 1911 Commander or Glock 19. Yes, I have (and will) carry larger and smaller handguns as the circumstances dictate, but these medium-sized guns work best for me.
This 1911 has a 4.25” barrel and overall length of 7.7”. The slide and frame are stainless steel pushing the weight of the gun with an empty magazine to a hair under 39 ounces.
It may be the size of many modern polymer guns, but it definitely feels more substantial. Good for felt recoil reduction and pistol whipping.
The SIG 1911 Carry does not, I repeat, does not have a full length guide rod. That may or may not matter to you. I think the original GI setup works perfectly fine, but I can’t imagine how bored I would have to be to enter into an argument for or against the full length guide rods. I’ll leave all that for the Navy SEALs, Delta Force operators and other experts who seem to spend so much time on the gun forums.
This pistol has a flat mainspring housing.
Compared to a classic 1911A1, the ejection port is much larger.
As with many of the modern 1911 handguns, the SIG Carry is well fitted and finished to a high level of detail as compared to a similarly priced gun from 30 years ago. The SIG Carry retails for $1070, but street prices are much lower, frequently coming in below $900.
Initial Impressions
The SIG 1911 arrived in a quality plastic storage case. Included with the pistol were two eight-round magazines. Also included in the box was the various paperwork including a well-written instruction manual.
The grips on the 1911 are made from beautiful rosewood that are checkered where the majority of the hand comes in contact with them. Above the checkering and along the very edges, the wood is highly polished. The center of the grips features the SIG SAUER logo.
This pistol features checkering on the front strap (25 lpi) and on the mainspring housing (20 lip). This checkering provides a good grip on the gun, but is not so aggressive as to be uncomfortable to hold.
The hammer is skeletonized, and it has a matte stainless steel finish.
The aluminum trigger is solid, not skeletonized. While others prefer a skeletonized trigger, I don’t much care for them.
The thumb safety was large enough to easily use, but was not so outrageously large as to interfere with concealed carry. The thumb safety worked flawlessly, positively snapping up and down. Repeated testing showed the thumb safety perform its job flawlessly.
The grip safety also performed with 100% reliability. The gun would not fire unless the grip safety was depressed. There were no problems with depressing the grip safety any time the gun was properly held.
The top of the slide stop in the face of the magazine release were both textured providing a coarse surface which insured reliable function.
Disassembly of the SIG was straightforward and should be familiar to anyone who is handled a 1911.
The factory night sites are a three-dot Novak design. The rear sight is a low-profile, slicked design to assist with carrying the gun concealed. I found that the tritium was somewhat weak and not easily visible in twilight conditions. In very dark conditions, the tritium sights were much more visible.
All the metal parts were free of any tool marks and other imperfections. The Nitron finish on the slide and frame was excellent. This pistol both looked and felt good.
Range Time
Shooting the SIG 1911 at the range was a lot of fun. The pistol handled like a dream. With the exception of one load of ammunition it functioned flawlessly.
Like all 1911 pistols, this gun fit my hand well. The beavertail on the grip was long enough to prevent any type of slide bite on my hand. Others with very large hands may want a slightly longer beavertail.
The day I was at the range it was both hot and humid. However, the checkering on the pistol was more than adequate to provide positive purchase. Through an extended afternoon of shooting I found that my grip never slipped, yet the checkering never became uncomfortable.
I found ammunition performance met expectations. That is to say, accuracy was very good and the velocity of most bullets tended to be in the mid-800 FPS range.
One load, the Mag Tech Guardian Gold 185 grain JHP averaged 1047 FPS-the fastest of the bunch. The slowest load measured was the Hornady Custom 200 grain XTP JHP, which measured an average of only 761 FPS.
As stated previously, all loads functioned flawlessly in the SIG SAUER with the Fiocchi being the sole exception. The Fiocchi load refused to work reliably in this 1911.
Approximately 50% of the Fiocchi rounds caused a stoppage. Interestingly, the Fiocchi load appeared to use the same XTP hollow point as was used in the Hornady Custom load, which did not cause a single hiccup.
The trigger on the SIG 1911 Carry was very crisp and consistent. Ten trigger pulls with a Lyman gauge showed an average weight of 4 pounds, 13.1 ounces.
Conclusion
This SIG 1911 was a flawless performer, and it looks great. The pistol, as to be expected with a 1911, feels great in the hand.
I would not hesitate in carrying this pistol for self-defense. I have every confidence that it will perform if I need it in the “Gravest Extreme.”
The only change I would care to make on the pistol is swapping out the sights. Many, if not most, people will be perfectly happy with the factory night sights. I would prefer to have a tritium-fiber optic combination sights like the TFO from TruGlo.
Two thumbs up on this SIG SAUER pistol.
for me there is no such firearm whether it is a 1911, glock , hk or whatsoever that is reliable out of the box. well, this is only my personal opinion and i dont want to hurt feelings of other people.. i have been a competitive shooter since 1984 and i haven/t experience yet a firearm which has all the “must be” features” which we individually hoped to have.
My first time on here and my stomach still hurts from laughing at all the inane comments. Almost all auto loading pistols jam at one time or another. I carry a Sig full size for duty, no problems. However, they do require a break-in period I believe. A friend who is a police Capt. carries a Glock and that also jams from time to time.
If it is mechainical in nature…at some time it will fail. Although we have our favorites, one .45 handgun is not totally superior to another. To believe that is simply a uneducated and baseless comment.
I have S&W, Para, Sig and Colt handguns and they are all good handguns.
I don’t own a Glock, but I also don’t feel the need to bash them just because I don’t have one. Shot em, cleaned em, just don’t own one. Are they the end all and be all? How does one pronounce tomatoe? HNY!
i Love 1911s but do your home work befor buying one if not you may be dissapointed because no matter what is said they do jam alot unless u use fmj.And do not buy a colt unless u dont shoot it. Glocks are more reliable than 1911s as mutch as it hurts to say.
I’m sure a lot of good quality 1911s function just fine with hollow points. Otherwise, why else would they come so highly recommended for home defense and personal protection purposes? Besides, wouldn’t polishing the ramp and other internals help prevent issues?
Wow… such hate for 1911s.
1911 haters must be liberals because they can’t stand an alternative viewpoint. And because while no one asked them to click on this story and rant about their pet hate, they need to scream it out loud anyway.
The author wrote a great review, about a gun…. Why spoil it with your comments?
Love Guns, Not Hate.
I’m pretty liberal (pro-choice, pro-gay marriage, tax the rich more, etc. I’m even an agnostic! WHOA!) and I happen to love the 1911. Hell, I celebrated it’s Centennial with a range day and all my liberal buddies with their 1911′s.
Don’t ruin a good gun view with your political spin. If someone doesn’t like the 1911 platform, then it’s their loss. If they don’t like guns, then maybe they’ve just bought into a culture of fear. Fear that isn’t helped at all by being called out with bi-partisan musings.
And to everyone that says they wish they could afford a 1911, save up until you can. Get a good one. Yes, it’s a lot of money, but it’s an investment. This is a gun that could potentially outlive its owner. A great gun to pass on to the kids, grand kids, so on and so forth.
Excellent! Plenty of useful detail and super photos. Thanks
I have a new stainless carry on layaway at the exceptional price of $770.74 OTD well below the leo price I was expecting.
@SpudGun: Glocks? More reliable than most 1911s? By what standard are you comparing Glocks with 1911s? Last I checked, 1911s were considered one of the most reliable handgun designs around. I know not all 1911s are created equal, but they’re generally VERY good guns. No offense to the Glock fans out there, but I hate Glocks, along with any other polymer-framed handguns. Seriously, I’m not trying to start a fight here, but Glocks are virtually garbage, if you ask me. If you like them, I respect that, especially if it saves your life, or someone else’s. I’ll stick with steel or aluminum frames, myself.
@Andy from CT
Manufacturers are making money off of 1911s because of internet people like YOU who have seen to many movies and buy into all the BS about how Delta operators and spec-ops guys prefer the 1911 over all other handguns.
Sorry but I would rather spend my hard earned money on a more practical weapon like a Glock, FNH or H&K. Reliablility, mag capacity, weight, durability, value and of course accuracy are qualities I look for when it comes to weapons.
And anyone who uses wolf ammo is amusing to me. Unless its being fired out of a surplus plinker like an AK or some other just for fun gun.
Try putting that wolf ammo through a 1911! Lol!
@Andy from CT
Even though I don’t like Glocks (ugly uncomfortable bricks), I know they’re a smidgeon more reliable then most 1911s.
As for people wanting to put Wolf ammo through their beloved and expensive firearms, then that is a totally different argument altogether.
I don’t hate 1911s, I just don’t think they’re the be all and end all of the handgun world.
Andy..point one..your wifes friend’s glock has an issue..return to factory..they should and MOST commonly eat anything. unlike 1911′s which owners seem to “know” and accept that thier choice of pistols are sensitive to ammunition…which is fine….1911 owners are very profeciant at clearing jams…unlike glock owners that when a miss fire happens they look at thier pistols and mutter “WTF..is that a jam?…now what am i to do…is their a 1911 shooter around..he will know what to do” = ) JK..
Now you are correct that most NON 1911 shooters get a bit of kick out of these kind of reviews..because 1911′s seem to be judged on a sliding scale..what i mean is “if” glock sold the manafacturing rights to 30 diferent companys and every one of them for the “most” part had issues with amunition…they would ALL be concidered junk! But its ok for a BRAND NEW weapon that is basicly a 100yr old design to have teething issues as long as it’s a 1911.
1911…are great …i will own one someday (Springfield full rail)…when i have the extra cash and i want a “weapon” thats fun to shoot at the range…like my Swiss K31 straight pull rifle…which is a GREAT rifle…but not in the same class as my MAK90 as a defensive tool.
@nicks87
1911′s are so tired? I didn’t realize the dozens of manufacturers that make 1911′s are in the business of losing money to these boring pistols.
@spudgun A good friend’s wife has a G30 that for some inexplicable reason hates Wolf. Loves, loves, LOVES everything else. But I guess you’re saying her Glock shouldn’t get two thumbs up either if it were reviewed.
In summation, 1911 haters are amusing.
Commenting on pistol whipping, another useful feature of the 1911 is that it can be used as an improvised hammer, for tent pegs and such.
I’ve only recently noticed that the external extractor Sig 1911′s also have …something… in the normal internal extractor position at the rear of the slide. That’s visible in the photo currently showing above. What is it?
@SpudGun
I agree 100%
1911s are just.. so… tired.
1911?
wow…
another 1911?
Snooze…
100 years old?
Yeah, what hasnt been said about the 1911?
Thank you for the ‘Continue Reading’ link. The reviews tend to be very long, and not everyone wants to read every review. Some people even get a little touchy about 1911 reviews. Hence, it’s nice to be able to easily scroll past an uninteresting review on the main page.
“I feel like “continue reading after the jump” is the new “and now a word from our sponsors” for the internets” Except that there aren’t any extra ads after the jump.
The Sig seems nice, but I’m put off by a few features like the full-size, steel frame. It could save about half a pound with an aluminum frame. Regarding the guide rod: reliability is highly debated between the different guide rod systems, but the GI system is definitely more convenient to take down.
I have the Stainless Carry 1911 and love it. Individual officer pricing direct from Sig was $856.00.
Must get some of those nice wood grips- or make them- one day…
How about one in 38 Super and 10mm Auto?
MIM parts, meh.
Just wondering how its “flawless performer”? it failed multiple times with one type of ammunition….which to me says its ammo sensitive….
all so I’m not sure if you have the equipment but i would suggest having electronic measurement gauge next time…that way you can figure out whats going on when rounds wont feed…..too long? too wide?…???
…1911′s have a design flaw that ever one of them cant seem to over come….the feed ramp is too steep…iv read about extractors being an issue in some designs..but for defensive rounds that ramp is troublesome.
But i understand the love affair with them…they are pure joy in the hand…i just cant see how one can have “UTMOST” confidence in such a firearm to use in the “Gravest Extreme.” circumstances because for HALF the price you can get a firearm that will carry almost twice the capacity in 2thirds the weight….and will shoot ALL styles of ammunition in .45
Top rate review..if not bias towards 1911′s…5th paragraph could of been left out..realy if you don’t care what people think of what length guide rod it has…then don’t say anything…….but i really like when performance data is included in what ammunition is used….that takes time..and is done very profecionaly..as are ALL the photos.
Good review. The only thing I’d waver on is that magazine not being more flush. We are talking about a CC gun here. It’s already a full frame, which is what I prefer, but I’d be concerned about that little bit of extra length. I’d have to handle it to see for sure, but otherwise, it sure looks top notch.
Huh…I wonder why the Fiocchi didn’t work very well.
Fiocchi ammunition in my experience seems to be loaded too long for many handguns. I’ve had quite the trouble with their .380 ammo. I think that is probably why a round with the exact same bullet as one that fed fine doesn’t feed properly. The pistol most likely is not ammo sensitive as someone suggested.
If it failed to function with the Fiocchi rounds, how can you say it was “a flawless performer”? Given how finicky some 1911s are known to be, it seems like a “flawless” 1911 would function reliably with any commercial round.
Thank you again
Very nice review! Have you had the chance to review the Sig Scorpion? I would think it should be close in comparison other than the finish. Thank you for your thorough analysis of this fine piece of craftsmanship.
Not to nitpick, but if the 1911 commander and glock 19 are in the same category of ‘nearly full sized’, it bears pointing out that the glock 17 (the 19′s big brother) is also a decent amount smaller dimensionally than the commander.
Nica addition to the 1911 family. Im not to impressed with the rosewood grip. My favorite is still the para ordnance 1911
I enjoy the fact that your review delves into the pistol whipping applicability of the firearm.
Not liking the click to continue reading. One of my favorite things about this blog was I didn’t have to open things in new tabs…I feel like “continue reading after the jump” is the new “and now a word from our sponsors” for the internets
Overall, a great review. I LOVE the ballistics graphic. Also like that you averaged ten trigger pulls instead of the usual three. You might have included however, three other things: group size, whether the gun has a firing pin block safety system, and what the internals are made of. I honestly don’t want to start a debate about MIM, but in the specific case of these guns, it is important because when the first Sig 1911s came out, they were all steel and that was unique for the price range. I wonder, is that still the case?
‘but I can’t imagine how bored I would have to be to enter into an argument for or against the full length guide rods. I’ll leave all that for the Navy SEALs, Delta Force operators and other experts who seem to spend so much time on the gun forums.’ – This really made me chuckle. Kudos.
I’m not going to get into the pros and cons of the 1911 platform, but for a pistol that costs $900-$1000 to not function flawlessly with every type of ammo (except suspect handloads) is kind of unforgiveable.
Despite the Sig not being able to cycle a well known brand of ammo, the reviewer still gave the 1911 Carry ‘two thumbs up’, I wonder what warrants ‘two thumbs down’? – The pistol exploding presumably.
It is pretty though, and that’s all that really matters to 1911 fans. [/trollbait/]
If Sig would just produce this gun with a bobtail/rounded frame, I’d be sold!
Very nice firearm! If I could afford that, I’d own one!
Very nice looking gun.
@Richard awesome photos!