A Nighthawk and a Colt

[Robinson]

I recently bought a Nighthawk GRP Commander, and it's a really nice pistol. I also have a Colt Combat Commander. They are both 45s so one can back up the other.

I took the Nighthawk to the range for the first time today. To my surprise, the slide was locking back prematurely with rounds still in the magazine about once per mag. I broke the gun down and examined the slide release. Sure enough, there was telltale coloration on the nose of the slide release where it interacts with the magazine follower. I used my trusty file and stone to remove a slight bit of material off that part of the slide release. Voila, problem gone.

The Nighthawk is a very nicely built and finished pistol, as you would expect. It is more refined and has a nicer trigger than my the Colt, which is a production line pistol -- typical Colt Series 80. Nothing wrong with it, but nothing too special. But the Colt has been shot a lot and has never malfunctioned once.

Now there are a couple ways I could look at this situation. I could be upset that a $3000+ pistol had a flaw that caused it to malfunction. Granted, it was an easy thing to fix and only took me a minute -- but still, one could take the position that it shouldn't have left the factory with such a flaw. Or, I could take it in stride as a dedicated 1911 user realizing these things happen -- some of the parts require hand fitting and this one got passed them. Assuming the Nighthawk performs reliably from here on I am more inclined to take the second position.

Anyway, it was a fun day of shooting and fiddling with a new gun and I was able to diagnose and fix the one problem I had. If it had been a feeding problem or something with the extractor it could have been much more frustrating.

Oh, and the Colt? Next time it goes to the range I expect it to continue its consistent dependability along with its so-so Series 80 trigger. I wish all Series 80 guns had as nice a trigger as the one on my Special Combat Government -- but then it was tuned by the CCS.

[SecondsCount]

A $3K gun should run from the factory but Nighthwawk has a good reputation for getting it right the first time, just maybe not this time. Colt has kept many a gunsmith in business making their stuff reliable.

[P30]

Now there are a couple ways I could look at this situation. [...] Anyway, it was a fun day of shooting and fiddling with a new gun and I was able to diagnose and fix the one problem I had. If it had been a feeding problem or something with the extractor it could have been much more frustrating.

I think, this is good way to look at the situation. At the end, you and the Nighthawk came out of the situation as an even stronger pair. Cool that you could fix the problem by yourself. Even better: The fix was minimal invasive.

PS:
My "Excalibur", an HK MR308, also had a little problem at the beginning. I had to send it back to HK and they fixed it. Rifle works very well since then. I used quotes because maybe there is no Excalibur in reality, but I'm not sure.

[TC215]

I had a Wilson Combat .45 LW Commander with the same issue. It’s frustrating when you spend that kind of money.

[LockedBreech]

My Series 80 Colt ran out of the box with its own magazines and the Wilson ETMs I bought. We're around 3,000 rounds now and I only cleaned and lubed it at the 1500 mark and 3000 mark. I always feel lucky that my first and only 1911 ended up being a good one.

[SwampDweller]

If I bought a $3k 1911 that wasn't 100% reliable out of the box I think my head would explode. You're handling it a lot better than I would, good on you.

[TheNewbie]

If I bought a $3k 1911 that wasn't 100% reliable out of the box I think my head would explode. You're handling it a lot better than I would, good on you.

I was upset over my $165 used P32 Kel Tec having an issue.


Robinson’s outlook is to be admired and makes for a happier person, but I don’t know that I could manage to have it.

[Stephanie B]

If I bought a $3k 1911 that wasn't 100% reliable out of the box I think my head would explode. You're handling it a lot better than I would, good on you.

Oh, yeah. I’d have been demanding a RMA shipping label and that they fix the gun for me.

[willie]

The techs assembling $3000 pistols may have been frying burgers or delivering pizza at their last job. The dude with the famous name is not sitting at the bench. This approach will work if the boss spends time and effort hiring, training, and inspecting. I have observed that unfitted slide stops and improperly tensioned extractors cause most 1911 out of the box malfunctions, and I have seen many. When I was young, many general gunsmiths could repair 1911's and all the main revolver brands. For 1911's there were very many fewer after market parts vendors. You had Colt factory, GI surplus, and maybe a few items sold by James Clark, Armand Swenson, or King Gun Works. My point is that are more shit products on the market now, and the concept of a spec part is a myth. I'm a 1911 fanboy and have been a happy one because I view these pistols as clunkers and realize that converting them from sow's ears to silk purses can make them less reliable depending on whose doing the work. So give me a Government Model with its generous tolerances. Making it run correctly is not difficult.

[Robinson]

Oh, yeah. I’d have been demanding a RMA shipping label and that they fix the gun for me.

Oh, I totally get where you guys (and gal) are coming from. I don't necessarily excuse Nighthawk for letting a gun that's not 100% slip out the door. If I had not been able to fairly quickly and easily diagnose and fix the problem I would have been frustrated -- especially at the hassle of having to send it back for a repair. But as soon as I saw that little line of copper color I knew the problem was the rounds contacting the slide release. So it was easier to just fix it and rock on than to stress out about it.

None of that changes the fact that it should have been right to begin with. But with that little inconvenience out of the way it is a terrific pistol that shoots great.

I am sure the Colt gave the Nighthawk all kinds of shit about it in the safe that night. "I've never had premature slide lock. No malfunctions for this guy. Who's the man now?!"