Master gunsmiths in Rock Island Armory’s Medallion Shop deliver perfectly harmonized, match-class 1911 pistols that are ready for competition. The Pro Match Ultra HC has all the features of a custom pistol without the price. This includes an extended beavertail grip safety, a fiber-optic front sight, an adjustable rear sight, a one-piece guide rod, checkered gripstraps, G10 grip panels, an adjustable trigger stop, a flared magazine well and a full-length dust cover to reduce muzzle flip from the fast-moving .40 S&W rounds. Plus, the wide-body frame holds a double-stack magazine for a 17+1 capacity.
CALIBER: .40 S&W
BARREL: 5 inches
OA LENGTH: 8.75 inches
WEIGHT: 46.4 ounces (empty)
GRIP: G10
SIGHTS: Fiber-optic front, adjustable rear
ACTION: SA
Finish: Parkerized
Capacity: 17+1
MSRP: $1,077
The Thunder 9 Pro XT name places this pistol squarely in Bersa’s lineage: It has the familiar controls of the double-stack Thunder guns and is essentially a long-slide, extended version of the Pro—hence the “XT” in its name—featuring an extra half-inch of barrel and slide. Its competition-grade LPA rear sight is micro-adjustable for elevation and windage, and features horizontal texturing on the rear plane to eliminate glare. The front sight features a bright red fiber-optic rod with a steel housing to protect it from being slammed into barricades or scraped by synthetic holsters.
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 5 inches
OA Length: 8.27 inches
Weight: 34 ounces (empty)
Grip: Polymer
Sights : Fiber-optic front, adjustable rear
Action: DA/SA
Finish: Matte black, silver
Capacity: 17+1
MSRP: $923
The SP-01 Shadow Target II takes the reliable and proven CZ 75 Pre-B-style platform and tricks it out with a custom trigger job. The company’s new short-reset trigger offers a 3- to 4-pound pull in single action (SA) and 7.5 to 8.5 pounds in double action (DA). This platform is renowned for its accuracy thanks to its stainless steel guide rod, match-grade barrel and slide/frame interface, as the slide rides on rails within the frame. This pistol uses a railed dust cover that makes it easy to add accessories.
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 4.61 inches
OA Length: 8.15 inches
WEIGHT: 38.4 ounces (empty)
GRIP: Aluminum
SIGHTS: Fiber-optic front, adjustable rear
ACTION: DA/SA
FINISH: Matte black
CAPACITY: 18+1
MSRP: $1,638
The X-Calibur was purpose-built for speed and accuracy in action shooting mathces by using a unique rotary locking barrel system. The barrel rotates during recoil rather than tilting upward like most other pistols. The rotary system offers more straight-line recoil so a shooter can better manage it and get back on target faster. Going further, all of the X-Calibur’s controls are oversized for fast and easy manipulations. The gun also has a fluted, match-grade bull barrel, a lightened slide with relief cuts and a crisp DA/SA trigger system.
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 4.9 inches
OA Length: 8.6 inches
WEIGHT: 31.2 ounces (empty)
GRIP: Polymer
SIGHTS: Fiber-optic front, adjustable rear
ACTION: DA/SA
FINISH: Matte black
Capacity: 15+1
MSRP: $999
The XDM 5.25 from Springfield Armory is bred for competition. Not only do the longer barrel and sight radius and fiber-optic front sight endear it to better accuracy, but its striker-fired system offers a crisp trigger that nearly mimics a single-action trigger pull. The accuracy of the XDM 5.25 is further enhanced with a one-piece, full-length guide rod.
CALIBER: 9mm
Barrel: 5.25 inches
OA Length: 8.2 inches
WEIGHT: 29 ounces (empty)
GRIPS: Polymer
SIGHTS: Fiber-optic front, adjustable rear
ACTION: Striker-fired
FINISH: Matte black
CAPACITY: 19+1
MSRP: $640
Witness Xtreme pistols, available from EAA Corp., are hand-tuned by master gunsmiths in Tanfoglio’s Custom Shop and feature a trigger job, a coned barrel with poly- gonal rifling for better accuracy and longevity, a lightened slide and a full-length dust cover for better balance. These pistols are shipped with two recoil springs for different loads, a steel front sight and three magazines with aluminum basepads. In fact, six-time IPSC world champion Eric Grauffel uses a Witness Limited Custom Xtreme pistol.
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 4.75 inches
OA Length: 9 inches
WEIGHT: 44.8 ounces (empty)
GRIP: Aluminum
SIGHTS: Fiber-optic front, adjustable rear
ACTION: SA
FINISH: Matte black
CAPACITY: 17+1
MSRP: $2,429
This 9mm 1911 from Taurus use a hammer-forged, ordnance-grade steel frame, slide and barrel for enhanced rigidity. Taurus’ talented gunsmiths hand-fit and assemble each one into an aggressive, rock-solid pistol that is ready to go right out of the box. It uses a solid metal spring guide and a hand-fitted bushing for enhanced accuracy. Jessie Duff is on the Taurus pro team, and she’s won world and national championship titles, including the Bianchi Cup and the Steel Challenge World Championship, using a Taurus 1911 in 9mm.
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 5 inches
OA Length: 7.87 inches
WEIGHT: 38.8 ounces (empty)
GRIP: Polymer
SIGHTS: Novak front, fixed rear
ACTION: SA
FINISH: Stainless
CAPACITY: 9+1
MSRP: $825
Need a pistol for 3-Gun Heavy Metal Limited matches? Then the 1911 Black Rock from Taylor’s & Company Firearms is what you’re looking for. It features a combat hammer, a skeletonized trigger, an ambidextrous safety and an extended beavertail. This is a workhorse of a pistol that will keep running and gunning when you need it most. This .45 ACP combines a classic matte finish and checkered walnut grips with a fiber-optic front sight and a heavier frame that includes a Picatinny rail for accessories.
Caliber: .45 ACP
Barrel: 5 inches
OA Length: 8.75 inches
WEIGHT: 52 ounces (empty)
GRIP: Wood
SIGHTS: Fixed front, adjustable rear
ACTION: SA
FINISH: Black Rock
CAPACITY: 8+1
MSRP: $699
SPS’s polymer-framed 1911s are made in Spain and designed for full-on competition. The new Pantera 9mm series comes ready to rock out of the box with a fully adjustable BoMar-type rear sight and a dovetailed front sight with a fiber-optic insert. More features include an enhanced beavertail grip safety; a ramped, match-grade bull barrel; and a full-length guide rod. Pro shooter Heather Miller won second High Lady in the open division at the Rocky Mountain 3-Gun World Shoot in August 2015 using the SPS Pantera 9mm.
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 5 inches
OA Length: 8.71 inches
WEIGHT: 36.7 ounces (empty)
GRIPS: Polymer SIGHTS: Fiber-optic front, adjustable rear
ACTION: SA
FINISH: Black, chrome
CAPACITY: 21+1
MSRP: $1,499
Here are a few lesser-known competition guns by Rock Island Armory, Bersa, Springfield Armory, Taurus and more that have won matches in the hands of accomplished shooters.
