Impressions needed on Sig Saur C3 1911 in .45 ACP

[Dog Wonder]

Shooters,

I am considering the Sig Saur C3 1911 in .45 ACP for home defense and plinking at the range. I have the following questions about this pistol:

1) How is its accuracy?

2) Its reliability? I'm looking for a pistol I can count on if I'm ever called upon to protect my family.

3) Its recoil? Is it a sweet shooter, or does it have some kick?

For anyone who has personally shot and owned this pistol, I ask the following:

How long have you had it?

How well did it function for you?

Were there any malfunctions, falures to feed, etc?

Thank you for any insight you can give me about this pistol.

Praise the Lord and pass the Ammunition!

 

[TygerAR]

Lol!!! I think a lot of 1911 guys will agree with me... But Sig making a 1911 is like BMW making a pick-up truck. There is a reason why they don't. "It's like Japaneses Jazz". They understand the technical but they don't understand the soul. They understand "tight" tolerances, but they don't understand the correct tolerances in the correct places. Both countries are great, any country that makes good beer, and good food, I've always enjoyed. I was not born in the US but I do understand that there are a few things as American as a 1911. The three things that no other country can copy is Jazz, BBQ and 1911, tho many have tried.

I have shot my friends Sig 1911. It's a fine pistol, it's a 1911, it's German. But he also owns a Sig AR, a HK pistol and HK SL8. He also owns 2 Audi's and has owned 2 BMW's before that. I see a theme. Sig makes two great pistols (And I do own both in elite), the P226 and the P229(both in .40). Either will make a good home protect firearm and is everything anyone needs in a pistol.

Now to answer your question, which some will argue:

1) accuracy from a 1911 is mainly because of the barrel bushing. So most 1911's will be above average on accuracy.

2) Reliability... That is a little harder. 1911 was designed to shoot ball ammo and they will cycle ball ammo fine. The one flaw in the design of all 1911's is that the feed ramp is on the receiver and not the barrel (like all modern firearm I've seen). Sig(and lots others) uses the standard 1911 design, so hollow points will be a issue. Which makes home pro an issue.

3) Yes recoil is sweet. but that is because .45ACP is a sweet round. A Sig 1911 will have less recoil then a Sig P226 in .40.

My two cent:

1911's have good reaction times because trigger travel is soooo short and soooo light. But fast reaction times may not be good in home pro situations where you may mistake your son sneaking in the house for a robber.

If you must own a Sig, the Sig P229 is good enough for the Navy. It should be good enough for your family

1911 is American. That means Colt, Springfield, and Kimber. Wilson, Les, or Dan Wesson if you want to break the bank. The Kimber TLE is used by LA SWAT.

Do not buy a 1911 with a rail!!

But that said. I never tell a man how to spend his money, and I have no business telling a man how to protect his family.

 

[Micro]

If your friend owns a German-made Sig 1911, he has a one-of-a-kind. Sig 1911s are made in the US.

To the OP, Sig makes an outstanding 1911. I own a stainless carry model. My friend owns the C3. I have just over a thousand rounds through mine. I've put a few magazines through his. Mine has been utterly reliable with several brands of FMJ and HP ammo. He says his has, too. Mine is very accurate. And it has an incredible factory trigger - about 4.5 - 5lbs, and is very crisp.

You will do very well with the Sig C3, or any other Sig 1911, for that matter. As stated, Sig makes an outstanding 1911.

 

[G19G36]

Yup....Sig 1911s are made in the USA. I just purchased a new Sig 1911 Nightmare and have almost 700 rounds through it already. Not a single failure with mostly the cheapest ammo I can find.

All sorts of upgrades already came on the pistol (adjustable trigger reset, night sights, bobtail grip safety, rounded backstrap, ejection cutout, 8-round mags, plus more). Don't see a thing wrong or anything I would have done differently. Sig did a real good job with this pistol. But, to each their own.

Here's a pic of the pistol, and its first 20' distance target.

 

[firecrackerktm]

we just a nightmare too! it is a fabulous gun to shoot although we don't have as many rounds through it.

I have a 229 also and in 12 years it has not had a single problem, so I'd be comfortable with almost any sig. Friends with 239s and 220s report the same.

 

[CharlieDeltaJuliet]

You mean one of these? It is a GREAT 1911 by any standards. I have owned mine for 6 months. I love and have never had a single issue from it. It has a between 250-350 rounds down the pipe. I love 1911's and own quite a few. This is one of my favorite.

 

[plateshooter]

I have had my C3 for about a year now. Great trigger, great accuracy, and good looking as well. It shoots as well as the best 1911s that I have owned over the years. I can find no faults with mine and am very satisfied with my purchase.

 

[el Godfather]

TygerAR
Good post but I do not entirely agree with you espcially on things that are purely American and best in or made in America.

Jazz---ok i give you that.
BBQ--- No. I have had better around the world.
1911--- Yes for sure.

Instead of BBQ, i would say hamburger.


On Defense:
Sig Sauer 1911 are fine guns however not the best in accuracy department. Their tolerance is not tight.

 

[Jed Carter]

I have a SIG RCS 1911, also a CCO sized 1911, like the C3, it is my daily carry weapon. CCO sized 1911s are not very common, but just about perfect for a CCW. While the RCS does have a bit more felt recoil than a Government sized 1911 it is very managable as well as accurate and reliable. I can shoot it so well that I use it in USPSA Steel Challenge matches from time to time. If I were you I would not sit the fence too long, as these tend to be hard to find in my parts. I have seen perhaps 6 of these in local shops and less than 4 of the RCS models.

 

[railroader]

On Defense:
Sig Sauer 1911 are fine guns however not the best in accuracy department. Their tolerance is not tight.

Maybe other sig 1911s are different but my xo almost feels too tight. I can grip the gun and shake and nothing rattles. The slide to frame fit is way tighter than my kimber. I shot it the other day from a rest at 15 yards and it was doing groups of about an inch. I must have got a good one.

 

[baelkhntr]

I do not have a C3 but I do own a Sig GSR, one of the first ones made and it is an extremely accurate gun. I also have an Insight M-6 light/laser that is on it at night for a bedroom gun so I am glad that it has a rail( one of the reasons I bought it). It carries very well in a Milt Sparks Vera Max. The C3 with the shorter barrel will have a shorter sight radius and will be harder to achieve the same accuracy as a 5" gun. But it will be a good gun for self-defense if you take time to find out which ammo it likes best and practice to stay comfortable with your ability.

 

[THE DRILL INSTRUCTOR]

I have a Sig 1911 Tacops, and while I can't speak about the C3 specifically I will say that mine is the best 1911 I own; I also have a Colt and a Para-Ordnance.

My Sig shoots better than I can, one ragged hole at 15 yards. I can do the same with my cousin's Kimber, so I know it's comparable to that. I have about 1500 rounds through mine, no failure so far. I haven't done a true 'torture test', but I let it go over 500 rounds without a cleaning and it continued to function flawlessly. The only changes I've made to mine are to swap out for an arched mainspring housing and standard grip screws instead of hex.

In my personal opinion Sig offers the best production grade 1911 on the market right now. No MIM parts, tons of upgrades right from the factory, and plenty of variety to choose from. My only wish is that they'd offer their entire line with a classic 1911 slide profile and come out with some 10mm's.

 

[NG VI]

If you must own a Sig, the Sig P229 is good enough for the Navy. It should be good enough for your family

Ahhhh... Coast Guard?