Guys,
I am proud to unveil a new project the folks at Nighthawk Custom is working on for us. We at 10-8 Consulting were searching for someone to produce what we felt to be the best, high end pistol ready for a duty holster right of the box. We wanted features that we felt were necessary for a duty pistol, such as the ability to accept a weaponlight, yet did not seriously compromise its ability to be carried off duty in a concealment holster.
Rob Haught suggested that Hilton Yam and I approach Nighthawk Custom. What we found were a group of extremely talented and dedicated gunsmiths that turned out an outstanding product. After carefully examining their work and wringing out a test gun, we were impressed. But what really brought us over the top was their enthusiasm and willingness to work with us to achieve our vision of a top quality duty pistol that worked as well as it looked.
Here is the final result:
•5” traditional dust cover 1911
•Front and rear cocking serrations on slide
•25 lpi checkered front strap
•Extended mag catch, cleared to prevent trapping magazines
•Forged slide stop with flat ledge for positive manipulation
•GI spec short guide rod and plug
•10-8 Performance rear sight
•Novak dovetail front sight, serrated ramp, .125” wide, tritium dot insert with no outline
•Dawson Precision Light Speed rail, permanently mounted to dust cover
•Long solid trigger with fixed overtravel stop, rear mounted, designed by Hilton Yam and Larry Vickers
•Lanyard loop mainspring housing
•Strong side only safety
•VZ Diamondback grips with 10-8 logo, green/black linen micarta
•Flat head grip screws
•Black Permakote finish
The match barrel, slide and frame are meticulously fit together resulting in a comfortably snug lockup, and silky smooth action.
Retail price is tentatively set for $2495 for the pistol with the Dawson light adapter for the X200 (light not included). All you’ll need to do is mount the included adapter onto your own X200 with a Universal latch and you’re good to go. Pricing is being determined for the pistol without the adapter, since some users may already have Dawson rail guns and the accompanying lights. If you are wrong handed, an ambi safety should be available as an added cost option. And because someone will inevitably ask, no other options are available on this pistol – it’s available in any color as long as it’s matte black, and the Dawson rail is part of the deal.
For those of you living in California, your options are a bit restricted. Nighthawk will be offering an upgrade option to their Talon pistols only where you can get the 10-8 sight and trigger together. The Dawson Light Speed rail will not be available on any Nighthawk Custom 1911 other than the 10-8.
Thanks go out to Mark Stone, Craig Gholson, Ron Phillips, and Kevin Hillhouse from Nighthawk. These guys went out of their way to make sure that the pistol is exactly how we wanted it, and are extremely motivated and responsive.
This pistol will be featured in the upcoming Nighthawk catalog and revised website. If you are interested in adding one of these to your collection, call them up at 877/268-4867 to preorder.
10-8 Consulting has no financial interest in sales of this pistol. We simply wanted to see someone produce what we felt to be the best duty pistol available, given a certain price point. Nighthawk did not disappoint.
Would love to have your thoughts on this project.
The VZ Diamondback pattern grip panels are cut from green and black linen Micarta and etched with the 10-8 logo. These grips provide more traction than traditional checkered wood panels, but are not too aggressive for concealed or plainclothes wear. The combination of 25lpi front checkering, 20lpi MSH, and the Diamondbacks make for rock solid traction on the gun. Special thanks to John VanZyck of VZ Grips for all his help and hustling to get these grips completed in time for this project's unveiling.
Here's the pistol with the outstanding Surefire X200B attached via the Dawson light adapter kit. The X200 will use the Universal latch for proper fit with the Light Speed Rail. The adapter consists of a horseshoe shaped aluminum bracket which screws into the top of the X200 (4 or 6 screw versions are available). A rubber tipped set screw on the front of the mount tightens the adapter against the front of the Light Speed Rail and provides a solid fit.
The light also features the new Surefire DG-18 tape switch, which with minor reshaping works well with the Dawson setup. Momentary and constant on options are at the operator's fingertips.
Thanks to Paul Payne of Dawson Precision and George Syrengelas at Surefire for their help with this part of the project.
The pistol features a flat 20lpi checkered mainspring housing with a recessed lanyard loop. Nothing protrudes from the bottom of the pistol, making this loop extremely unobtrusive and unlikely to bruise your hand during speed reloads. This unit works very well with the Gemtech TRL lanyard that is preferred by the 10-8 crew.
Here's a view of Hilton's 10-8 Performance rear sight. For some discussion regarding this sight, check out this thread on 10-8 Forums:
http://www.10-8forums.com/ubbthreads/sho...p;vc=1&nt=2
More information will be forthcoming on this sight in the next week or so. Look for a feature article by Pat Rogers in the new SWAT magazine, shipping this week to a mailbox near you.
The sight pictured is a preproduction prototype. Production is in the works, and will actually be the primary delay for this project. We expect to see production sights in about a month or so. Stay tuned here for the relevant updates when they are available.
Nighthawk pistols are nicely dehorned, as shown here on the barrel bushing.
Below is a picture of the magazine well beveling. It has the standard Nighthawk bevel where it is scooped into the mainspring housing. This relief dramatically improves reload speed and efficiency, as this area is a critical index of the reload. If you run into a corner here, your reload is snagged.
Tim
I am proud to unveil a new project the folks at Nighthawk Custom is working on for us. We at 10-8 Consulting were searching for someone to produce what we felt to be the best, high end pistol ready for a duty holster right of the box. We wanted features that we felt were necessary for a duty pistol, such as the ability to accept a weaponlight, yet did not seriously compromise its ability to be carried off duty in a concealment holster.
Rob Haught suggested that Hilton Yam and I approach Nighthawk Custom. What we found were a group of extremely talented and dedicated gunsmiths that turned out an outstanding product. After carefully examining their work and wringing out a test gun, we were impressed. But what really brought us over the top was their enthusiasm and willingness to work with us to achieve our vision of a top quality duty pistol that worked as well as it looked.
Here is the final result:
•5” traditional dust cover 1911
•Front and rear cocking serrations on slide
•25 lpi checkered front strap
•Extended mag catch, cleared to prevent trapping magazines
•Forged slide stop with flat ledge for positive manipulation
•GI spec short guide rod and plug
•10-8 Performance rear sight
•Novak dovetail front sight, serrated ramp, .125” wide, tritium dot insert with no outline
•Dawson Precision Light Speed rail, permanently mounted to dust cover
•Long solid trigger with fixed overtravel stop, rear mounted, designed by Hilton Yam and Larry Vickers
•Lanyard loop mainspring housing
•Strong side only safety
•VZ Diamondback grips with 10-8 logo, green/black linen micarta
•Flat head grip screws
•Black Permakote finish
The match barrel, slide and frame are meticulously fit together resulting in a comfortably snug lockup, and silky smooth action.
Retail price is tentatively set for $2495 for the pistol with the Dawson light adapter for the X200 (light not included). All you’ll need to do is mount the included adapter onto your own X200 with a Universal latch and you’re good to go. Pricing is being determined for the pistol without the adapter, since some users may already have Dawson rail guns and the accompanying lights. If you are wrong handed, an ambi safety should be available as an added cost option. And because someone will inevitably ask, no other options are available on this pistol – it’s available in any color as long as it’s matte black, and the Dawson rail is part of the deal.
For those of you living in California, your options are a bit restricted. Nighthawk will be offering an upgrade option to their Talon pistols only where you can get the 10-8 sight and trigger together. The Dawson Light Speed rail will not be available on any Nighthawk Custom 1911 other than the 10-8.
Thanks go out to Mark Stone, Craig Gholson, Ron Phillips, and Kevin Hillhouse from Nighthawk. These guys went out of their way to make sure that the pistol is exactly how we wanted it, and are extremely motivated and responsive.
This pistol will be featured in the upcoming Nighthawk catalog and revised website. If you are interested in adding one of these to your collection, call them up at 877/268-4867 to preorder.
10-8 Consulting has no financial interest in sales of this pistol. We simply wanted to see someone produce what we felt to be the best duty pistol available, given a certain price point. Nighthawk did not disappoint.
Would love to have your thoughts on this project.
The VZ Diamondback pattern grip panels are cut from green and black linen Micarta and etched with the 10-8 logo. These grips provide more traction than traditional checkered wood panels, but are not too aggressive for concealed or plainclothes wear. The combination of 25lpi front checkering, 20lpi MSH, and the Diamondbacks make for rock solid traction on the gun. Special thanks to John VanZyck of VZ Grips for all his help and hustling to get these grips completed in time for this project's unveiling.
Here's the pistol with the outstanding Surefire X200B attached via the Dawson light adapter kit. The X200 will use the Universal latch for proper fit with the Light Speed Rail. The adapter consists of a horseshoe shaped aluminum bracket which screws into the top of the X200 (4 or 6 screw versions are available). A rubber tipped set screw on the front of the mount tightens the adapter against the front of the Light Speed Rail and provides a solid fit.
The light also features the new Surefire DG-18 tape switch, which with minor reshaping works well with the Dawson setup. Momentary and constant on options are at the operator's fingertips.
Thanks to Paul Payne of Dawson Precision and George Syrengelas at Surefire for their help with this part of the project.
The pistol features a flat 20lpi checkered mainspring housing with a recessed lanyard loop. Nothing protrudes from the bottom of the pistol, making this loop extremely unobtrusive and unlikely to bruise your hand during speed reloads. This unit works very well with the Gemtech TRL lanyard that is preferred by the 10-8 crew.
Here's a view of Hilton's 10-8 Performance rear sight. For some discussion regarding this sight, check out this thread on 10-8 Forums:
http://www.10-8forums.com/ubbthreads/sho...p;vc=1&nt=2
More information will be forthcoming on this sight in the next week or so. Look for a feature article by Pat Rogers in the new SWAT magazine, shipping this week to a mailbox near you.
The sight pictured is a preproduction prototype. Production is in the works, and will actually be the primary delay for this project. We expect to see production sights in about a month or so. Stay tuned here for the relevant updates when they are available.
Nighthawk pistols are nicely dehorned, as shown here on the barrel bushing.
Below is a picture of the magazine well beveling. It has the standard Nighthawk bevel where it is scooped into the mainspring housing. This relief dramatically improves reload speed and efficiency, as this area is a critical index of the reload. If you run into a corner here, your reload is snagged.
Tim
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