Nighthawk Custom Vickers Tactical Carry .45 ACP 5″ 1911 Pistol 2008 NO CA

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Sold for $3377.89

Make: Nighthawk Custom

Model: Vickers Tactical Carry

Serial Number: LV00243

Year of Manufacture: 2008 (Test Target)

Caliber: .45 ACP

Action Type: Single Action, Semi-Automatic, Removable Magazine Fed Pistol

Markings: The left side of the slide has a Nighthawk logo next to “NIGHTHAWK / CUSTOM”, the right side is marked “VICKERS / TACTICAL”. The barrel, visible through the ejection port, is marked “NIGHTHAWK / MATCH 45 ACP”. The right side of the frame is marked “NIGHTHAWK CUSTOM BERRYVILLE, AR. USA / LV00243”.

Barrel Length: 5” Match Grade

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a Trijicon serrated blade with a single tritium insert. The rear sight is a Novaks lo-mount base with a square notch and two Trijicon tritium inserts. Both sights are dovetailed into the slide and the rear sight has a set screw. The lamps have dimmed slightly but are still easily acquired in low-light environments. The top and the rear of the slide are serrated for glare reduction.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are black and gray G-10 panels with diagonal grooves and a thumb relief cut. The mainspring housing has a recessed lanyard mount. The grips have no major defects, just light handling wear. The texturing is aggressive. The grips rate in about Excellent overall condition.

Type of Finish: Black

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion but there is some stubborn fouling in the grooves.

Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 98% of its metal finish. There are a few little marks, most noticeable on the left side of the slide at the rear. There are a couple inconsistencies in the finish, most noticeable on the left side of the dust cover and top of the slide to the left of the chamber. There are a few light handling marks and faint operational wear. There is standard operational wear. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are clear. Overall, this handgun rates in about Excellent condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The frame to slide fit is snug. The trigger is crisp with a tactile reset. The pistol has a beavertail safety with an indexing bump, skeletonized hammer, serrated trigger, and extended thumb safety. We did not fire this handgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: Included is a green Nighthawk soft case, one Nighthawk 8-round magazine, two Wilson Combat 8-round magazines, manual, test target, Larry Vickers signed certificate of authenticity, and Larry Vickers signed letter of congratulations that details some of the pistol.

Our Assessment: Nighthawk Custom is among a small group of the best manufacturers of custom and semi-custom 1911s in the world including Wilson Combat, Ed Brown and Les Baer. This pistol is an excellent example of why they have earned this reputation. The Vickers Tactical was made in collaboration with Larry Vickers who had this to say on this remarkable piece of work “It includes many of the innovations and refinements that I have helped develop over the years within the custom 1911 industry. These include integral plunger tube, integral mag well, hard-use trigger I co-developed with Hilton Yam, and internal modifications to increase reliability and longevity. These are a by-product of the years spent in the U.S. Special Operations community shooting, building and training other operators to use 1911 pistols.

Many of these modifications I built into my custom pistols as a matter of course, but I no longer have the time to devote to building the labor intensive custom pistols I once did. After extensive research I reached an agreement with Nighthawk Custom to build a pistol to my specifications. I have total confidence in Nighthawk’s ability to build a pistol that is state of the art in a serious fighting 1911, meet the demand, and offer it to the market at a fair price. Notice that I did not say cheap: a pistol built like this one will never be ‘cheap’. Hand building a pistol to my specs is a labor intensive process, but one that results in an extremely reliable and long-lasting pistol. That process allows no shortcuts, but the end result is the best hard-use 1911 that money can buy.

With that being said, I want everyone to understand that a custom gun hand-fitted 1911 pistol requires a higher degree of end user sophistication. To quote my good friend Ken Hackathon, “if you treat your pistol like a lawn mower, a custom 1911 is not for you. However, if you are willing to give it the care and maintenance it deserves, it will provide you with excellent performance for many years”. As I have told countless people, the custom 1911 is an enthusiasts pistol; for someone who appreciates and enjoys shooting finely made handguns, it will allow them to perform at their very best. The Vickers Tactical does this in spades.”

This is 1911 is the product of two of the most respected names in the arena, Larry Vickers and Nighthawk Custom and now is a wonderful opportunity to get one in high condition. No matter if you want a 1911 for carry, competition, or are a collector who will only accept the best, this is the 1911 to bid on. Please see our photos and good luck!