Sig Sauer Limited Edition 5.11 Tactical 1911 Model

5.11 Tactical has teamed up with Sig Sauer to build a limited edition pistol. Although no specific release date has been announced yet it is scheduled to be released soon. The pistol is a 1911 frame chambered in .45 ACP. The project has been in the works for a year – there was actually a very early prototype at SHOT in January and the 5.11 designers involved have been flying back and forth to liaise with Sig engineers all year. Although the weapon is not marked as such, it's probably no coincidence the pistol is being released this year; 2013 is 5.11 Tactical's 10th anniversary.

The Be Ready pistol (my term for it, not theirs) will have the 5.11 Tactical mantra Always Be Ready engraved on the slide and will ship in a custom Flat Dark Earth coating. It will feature a skeletonized hammer, enhanced beaver tail grip safety, fastback frame and main spring housing contour and a flat trigger. The grips are custom Hogue G-10 Piranha Magwells (which have an aggressive grip surface) and G-10 mainspring housing, and the sights are Viking Tactics Action Point Sights. The trigger is SAO, trigger pull estimated at 5 lbs.

“We didn't go all fancy with this,” says 5.11's Dave Rhoden, “because quite frankly we didn't want it to be a ‘safe queen'. We wanted to build a pistol that guys would carry, something they would go out and use, especially for daily concealed type carry. That's why, for instance, it has the fastback curved grip and no rail.”

I believe the initial run of Be Ready pistols, 511 in number, has been built and largely completed (see what they did there?). They are just standing by on the arrival of the night sights from Viking Tactics. Retail is estimated to be around $1700 –  I will advise further when more information becomes available (or if I can get Rhoden or 5.11 CEO Tom Davin cornered on the phone again).

That's all I have on this for now. Go forth and conquer.

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