Nighthawk Custom Thunder Ranch Combat Special 9mm 5″ 1911 Pistol
SOLD FOR: $3,781
LSB#: 240321BY009
Make: Nighthawk Custom
Model: Thunder Ranch Combat Special
Serial Number: TRN0299
Year of Manufacture: 2021
Caliber: 9mm Luger
Action Type: Single Action, Semi-Automatic, Removable Magazine Fed Pistol
Barrel Length: 5” Match Grade
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a Trijicon blade with an orange dot with a tritium lamp and is dovetailed into the slide. The rear sight is a Heinie square notch base with a serrated rear face and a vertical front face for slide racking. The rear sight is dovetailed into the slide and has two set screws. The tritium lamp glows faintly in low light level conditions.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two piece textured micarta panels. The texturing is aggressive. There are no chips or cracks. The grips rate in about Excellent overall condition.
Type of Finish: Smoked Nitride
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. In this writer’s opinion, this bore rates a 10 out of 10.
Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 99% of its metal finish. There are some light handling and storage marks. 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 manual, test target, QC checklist, green Nighthawk soft case, two 9-round Nighthawk mags.
Our Assessment: This is a Nighthawk Custom Thunder Ranch Combat Special 9mm Pistol. 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. Nighthawk has combined the most desired upgrades including front and backstrap checkering, angled slide serrations, extended beavertail grip safety, National Match barrel, skeletonized trigger, and skeletonized hammer with their legendary craftsmanship quality. Among the other upgrades include an ambi thumb safety, a blended magazine well, a fluted barrel hood and a Trijicon front sight. The devil is in the details after all, and many of the edges have been beveled including the ejection port, dust cover, and front and rear of the slide. The Thunder Ranch Combat Special is finished with a custom Smoked Nitride finish, giving it a beautiful yet worn classy look. This pistol is in Excellent condition and checks all the right boxes. Aside from just looking good, the build quality is exactly what we would expect from Nighthawk, the slide is snug and feels like it is sliding on glass. The trigger is a thing of beauty with a well defined wall, crisp break, and tactile reset. This is a top quality 9 mm that will make an excellent defensive pistol to which you can trust your life. This pistol looks to have hardly been used and is a beauty! If you’ve been looking to get a premium-quality 1911, you can’t do much better than this. Please see our photos and good luck!
As Always,
Keep Your Powder Dry and Bid High!
-Andrew G.
