NEW PRODUCTION from Detonics (Illinois factory)

[melensdad]

New gun arrived today. I can only give an initial opinion from examining the gun at the gun shop. This gun is a factory built "frankengun" as it uses components from both the new Illinois factory and the former Georgia factory.

1- FUSION GRIP PANELS are good looking but the wood inlay is not perfectly fitted. The guys in the gun shop loved the look of the grips. If you like smooth grips they will make you happy. If you want grippy grips these are not going to be your choice. For looks I like them, but I wish the wood inlay was done a bit better.

2- FRAME looks like it has a longer than normal dust cover? Not sure, I'll have to compare it to some of my other CMs.

3- FRAME has a distinctive grey finish, its a nice non-reflective finish, if the frame is stainless steel then its coated with some sort of spray or bake on finish. So I'm not sure what the frame is made of.

4- MAINSPRING HOUSING is interesting it has some sort of delta cuts into it, not lines, not checkering, but a modern delta/triangle design.

5- SLIDE is a matt black finish, its a different type of finish than is applied to the frame. Its also got some sharp angles/lines that are well done and look very nice, but if you are hoping for a "melted" or "smoothed" slide this is not going to make you happy.

6- SLIDE does not have the traditional Seattle scalloped rear with the forward set rear sight.

7- SLIDE has odd shaped front and rear serrations for racking the slide and doing chamber checks. By odd I'm not saying they are ugly, they are not, its just that they are different than I've ever seen on any other 1911. Perhaps I should have said 'distinctive' instead of odd. You'll either like them or you won't. I do.

8- SIGHTS are good. Front is milled into a dovetail in the front of the slide rather than being part of the slide so its like the AZ and GA guns in that respect. Rear sight is dovetailed all the way to the rear of the slide.

9- HAMMER looks good, its a triangle shape, and it is skeletonized. I have to think that might dig into your body during carry if you don't have a bit of holster leather to protect your side its going to be an issue.

10- THUMB SAFETY is very nicely shaped, its a modestly extended thumb safety, not so big that it will be a problem but big enough to easily engage/disengage.

11- TRIGGER has a very sweet pull, light, little creep, little over travel. I'm looking forward to actually shooting this gun.

12- MAGAZINE includes the finger extension. Only 1 magazine is included.

13- FIT & FINISH. Overall I'd say its pretty nice. I didn't see any glaring
errors in my initial examination.

14- ACCESSORIES: As noted, only 1 magazine was included. A gunsock, shooting glasses, ear plugs, padlock, large photo-filled instruction manual and a padded DETONICS range bag were all included.

OVERALL I'd say I'm happy to have gotten this gun. I'd still like to see (and buy) one of the guns they show on their website that has the front sight integrated into the barrel . . . but that is for another day. For now, if you want a more modern CombatMaster that still maintains some of the traditional features but also has a longer sight plane and an modern look to it, then you may like this gun.

 

[cornfused]

That looks pretty good actually!

 

[paperboy]

That is really cool...Nice job!!!

 

[Ricnzak]

Thats like xmas for you getting "new" Detonics. Let us know if you fire it.

 

[melensdad]

I like; if you keep posting these pics I may some day slip one of these in with the Colts?

Guns like this are why I got rid of my Colts and why I have several dozen of these!

 

[gunman41mag]

looks different from any other detonics i've ever seen, but detonics are know to be great shooters

 

[melensdad]

Here is an Arizona factory Detonics for comparison, it is the closest in design to this new variant.

 

[PINski1015]

That's awesome. Any idea when it was made?

 

[buford t justice]

Do they still have a model in 451?

 

[melensdad]

That's awesome. Any idea when it was made?

The Illinois gun is current production. Its available now. Anyone can buy one (while they last); they are very limited in production.

The Arizona gun is from the late 80's or very early 90's.

Do they still have a model in 451?

No. The 451 Magnums have not been produced for many years.

 

[LPPOsecurity]

How did you order it? And what is the going price on one of those bad boys?

 

[melensdad]

$800 + FFL transfer fees.

Detonics USA Handguns (Pistols) detonics combat master 1911 sub-com - TheGunSource

 

[Nightwalker65]

Very nice...distinctive,unique look.....like you I like the hammer...not sure about the stubby grip safety,but I'll reserve judgement until the reviews come out/I can get my hands on one

 

[melensdad]

...not sure about the stubby grip safety,but I'll reserve judgement until ...

They have been using that same "stubby grip safety" since the mid-1970's with great success and acclaim. The whole concept of the beavertail is over-rated and, much like the tail of a peacock, mostly for show. If you grip the gun properly there is no problem.

But with all that said, with this delta hammer shape, I do think there will be some folks out there that get bit by that hammer that would not be bit by a more traditional hammer shape.

 

[Clay]

looks nice!!

and correct me if Im wrong but didn't the original detonics lack any kind of grip safety?

 

[DownByTheTracks]

That's pretty sweet! It has a certain "Back to the Future" look to it.

 

[melensdad]

BTW, it should be noted, not only is the trigger nice and light, it is adjustable by set screw, to eliminate over-travel. That is not a feature that was on the original Seattle factory guns.

. . . but didn't the original detonics lack any kind of grip safety?

Yes. As does this one and every other one that I own. The thumb safety is really the only safety installed on the CombatMaster model pistols.

At some point they did put in a tapered and stronger firing pin spring to improve 'drop' safety from an inertia fire. Not sure that was actually needed, it takes a big drop directly on the muzzle to get a 1911's light firing pin to have enough inertia to hit a primer hard enough during a drop.

That's pretty sweet! It has a certain "Back to the Future" look to it.

They actually have more innovative stuff in prototype now. And octagon barrel with the front sight attached to the barrel and a slot cut in the top of the slide to mate up with, and lock together, the barrel and the slide looks interesting. I'll be buying that gun if they produce it and release it for sale!

 

[Clay]

oh yeah, well tell that to the guy on the Detonics mailing list lol

 

[melensdad]

The gun does indeed have a CombatMaster frame. Not an altered StreetMaster frame which was suspected.

The frame is apparently stainless steel but it definitely appears to be painted a dull/non-reflective grey. Its evenly painted and the overall appearance of the frame is very good. The pictures make it look like the casting marks/seams may be visible, but in fact that is a trick of the camera as there are no visible casking marks or machining marks on the exterior of the frame. The finish on the frame makes it appear to be heavily bead blasted under the finish but it is actually smooth to the touch.

The slide is similarly finished but in a dull/non-reflective black. The slide's finish seems to be smoother than the frame finish.

The black finish on the slide release, thumb safety, hammer, backstrap and mock-grip safety all match each other but are slightly reflective. They match the finish on the grips. It makes for sort of a 3-tone overall finish to the gun with non-reflective grey frame, non-reflective black slide and mildly reflective small parts.

Slide to frame finish is very good. Everything lines up perfectly. While it doesn't appear to in the photos, the front of the dust cover does, in fact, line up with the little curved cut in the bottom of the slide.

The trigger is adjustable for over-travel and feels good (so far).

The magazine release seems like it is under heavier than normal spring tension.

While the gun has nothing innovative in its design that hasn't been done before but its a nicely made gun. Nicer perhaps that my initial impressions may have conveyed.

My initial impression of the grips have not changed. They are attractive and everyone who sees them comments positively on them. But on careful examination the reality is the fit of the wood inlay could be somewhat better. Its not bad, it just could be better. Again, these are basically smooth grips, if you want a grippy grip these are not going to appeal to you, at least beyond the appearance phase.

INTERNALLY the gun uses a triple recoil spring in a traditional Detonics captured assembly. There are no visible milling marks on the inside of the frame or the inside of the slide. The barrel is NOT serial numbered to match the slide, there is one semi-circular milling mark on the bottom of the slide but its very light. Overall I'd really have to compliment them on the quality of this gun. Its possible the paint on the frame is hiding some flaw, but its doing a good job of hiding the flaws if they exist.

 

[BBQ GURU]

That's a sweet looking 1911!