By Graham Baates
YouTube personality, Graham Baates, highlights the great value or Zenith Firearms Custom 1911 Tactical / Target Package.
USA – -(Ammoland.com)- Better known for their, “Z-Gun,” Roller-locking pistols made to H&K standards, Zenith Firearms has started a revolution in 1911 offerings.
They began with various models manufactured by Tisas. Upon initial review of a standard model it was my commentary that with a street price of around $500 they were hard to beat and would make for the basis of a great custom build.
Zenith listened and has recently released their custom line of 1911’s that are tuned in house.
Not just another imported pistol with factory custom features, these new Zenith guns are tuned in Virginia with features that run with the more famous custom shops. Internally the action is smoothed and tuned, feed ramp polished, and shock buffer installed. Color is truly a matter of personal choice. For GBGuns it had to be grey. See the barrage of photos for examples of features in comparison with their standard model:
Zenith Firearms Custom 1911 Tactical / Target Package
All of this is done while maintaining an MSRP of $899. Is it a Les Baer? No, but you could buy two of Zenith’s guns and still have money left over for ammo for the cost of a Les Baer Custom Carry model. Consider the Zenith Custom Carry as a Les Baer Custom Carry for the working man.
What intrigued me so much about the Zenith is the price. At $899 MSRP what will other 1911 makers offer to counter?
A warning is warranted however as the example we received had a trigger that broke crisply just under three pounds after minimal travel. A risk to the novice, but tons of fun for the experienced shooter looking to step into the world of tuned handguns. The warning of course is to bring plenty of ammo and practice good trigger control!
To see the Zenith Custom in action watch the video above:
About Graham Baates
“Graham Baates” is a pen name used by a 15-year active Army veteran who spent most of his time in the tactical side of the Intelligence community including tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. Post-Army Graham spent some time in the 3-Gun circuit before becoming a full-time NRA Certified defensive handgun instructor and now works as an industry writer while curating a YouTube channel and blog on the side. Visit Graham on Youtube .
The Ruger comes with the extended safety and mag release along with an extended beaver tail grip safety, Custom porting, it is STILL a SERIES 70 model (titanium firing pin with heavy duty firing pin spring instead of going with the series 80 that is disliked by most. Skeleton hammer and trigger. Adjustable trigger over travel. Real nice checkered rosewood grips. Three dot NOVAK sights… Comes with two mags, an 8 and 7 round with the standard 5″ pistol, two 7 rounders with the Commander.
ALL STANDARD !!!!! And it is 100% made and assembled HERE.
Gunbroker has 5″ Colt Competition Elite Government Model for $830 or so , depending on the auction source. I bought a 9mm in October to take to a MAG-30 class and MAG-IC . The gun was tight, crisp, properly finished. It came with factory Novak , an Ed Brown- type beaver tail and blue and white VZ grips. Trigger was crisp 4.5 pounds with a slight take up. I shot that pistol for 2600 rounds-gettingthe pistol so hot at times it burned my leg on re-holstering ( don’t shoot a gunskool with a Commander-length IWB holster and a 5″ barrel).… Read more »
I bought the Ruger SR1911, FANTASTIC pistol, VERY well made and very accurate ! You can get them in the $626 to $700.00 range. AND they are 100% AMERICAN made…
I too ,didn’t see anything in the article giving the impression of shaking up the industry as was claimed maybe it’s just me but I only buy American made anymore and have for years! If you have save up your pennies as I did! Also I have a 1911 that came with an extended magazine release and I find it more of a bother than a plus. I prefer a std one and will be changing over to a DDT one very soon!. Now an extended combat safety is a real plus to have imho. I find it works better… Read more »
Where to start – congrats to Zenith for goosing improvements to, and price-to-performance ratio of, affordable competition-ready handguns, especially the 1911’s that I happen to favor. A three-pound trigger and someone is complaining? Prior, it has always cost me extra money to get to 2.5-3 lbs. in a smooth trigger. I like the Tactical Target package and sticker price of $899 is not bad since we know it will be a bit less than that when cash hits the counter. A comment mentioned Rock Island. I have a couple of theirs, a Tactical .45 and a .22 TCM convertible. For… Read more »
I read the article. What threatens to change the 1911 industry?
For $899.00 I can buy two Glocks with a total of six magazines. I cannot remember the last time my 45 ACP 1911 was fired. It, like most everything else in the safe that is not made by Glock, just sits in the safe.
Nothing really earth-shattering new here. All of it has been done or produced before. Sounds more like writer’s hype.
Front serrations on the new G17’s & G19’s is more exciting.
There is NOTHING wrong in principle with a crisp <3 lb trigger – a novice who's dangerous with a 3 lb trigger will probably be dangerous with one twice that weight. The question is – how will it perform long term? Sometimes very light 1911 triggers don't hold up very well over the course of several thousand rounds.
Great, another pistol with the idiotic slanted rear sight that can’t be used to rack the slide. A target gun, not a carry gun.
Get two Glocks.