Double-stack 1911 pistols in 9mm have been gaining momentum within the handgun market and this new mannequin from Navy Armament Company hopes to capitalize on that. One issue that beforehand stored 2011-style pistols from being broadly in style is worth. Just a few years in the past, there weren’t many choices for a potential shooter that didn’t value greater than $2,000, and manufacturing fashions have been restricted. As extra have grow to be obtainable, different gun makers — particularly Turkish corporations like TISAS and MAC — have made their very own entries into the market. These pistols are far more attainable than premium manufacturers like Staccato, and doubtlessly supply comparable however more-affordable weapons. The onerous reality is that you simply typically get what you pay for with weapons. That being stated, there are reasonably priced weapons that do show to be an incredible worth and might bridge the hole between bargain-basement pistols and premium ones. I’ve seen a combined bag of Turk pistols so far as high quality goes, however I hoped that after operating (destiny prepared) a thousand rounds by way of the MAC 9 DS 9mm, it could show to be a great worth.
MAC 9 DS 9mm Specs
- Caliber: 9mm
- Capability: 17+1
- Journal Materials: Metal
- Dimensions: 6 inches (H) x 8 inches (L) x 1.325 inches (W)
- Weight: 2 kilos, 5 ounces (weighed with empty journal, no optic)
- Body: Solid 4140 Carbon Metal, Cerakote Black end
- Slide: Solid 4140 Carbon Metal, black QPQ Tenifer end
- Barrel: 4.25-inch, 4140 cast Carbon Metal, bull profile
- Sights: Inexperienced fiber optic entrance, black u-notch rear (drift adjustable)
- Optic prepared: Sure, consists of RMR optic plate
- Set off: Single-action, flat shoe, 3 kilos 4 ounces (measured)
- Security: Ambidextrous thumb security and grip security
- Value: $1,035
Key Options
- Solid carbon metal body, slide, and barrel
- 2011-style polymer grip module with aluminum magwell
- Ambidextrous thumb security
- Good sights
- Optic-ready
- Suitable with 2011 magazines
Assessment Highlights
- Easy however good finishes
- Good slide match and safeties aren’t sloppy
- Good set off
- Rougher really feel than a Staccato 2011
- Recoil spring is just too heavy
- Nice accuracy
- Value: $1000
Gangbusters for Finances Double Stack 1911 9mm pistols
In 2022, Springfield shook up the double-stack 1911 market with their Prodigy — a pistol that included many design options of premium 2011 pistols just like the Staccato P, however costing practically $1,000 much less. The Prodigy introduced a whole lot of curiosity to the world of 2011 pistols however extra importantly, gave us an entry-level mannequin that was inside monetary attain of extra shooters. Naturally, extra have adopted, and this 12 months we see a number of fashions from Turkish gun makers which can be much more reasonably priced. One which instantly caught my eye — even earlier than I observed their Benelli M4 clone — was the MAC 9 DS 1911 Double Stack 9mm.
The MAC 9 DS 9mm is priced at $1,000 bucks and, apart from trying like a poor-man’s Staccato P, the pistol easy and never overdone. My largest gripe about some price range import weapons is that they’re attempting to be one thing they’re not — often on the expense of high quality. I’d fairly see easy, well-executed options. The Taylor’s & Company Tactical 1911 in 10mm I reviewed final 12 months is a good instance of that.
I first take a look at fired the MAC 9 DS at SHOT present, and it appeared to have a great set off and functioned effectively. It confirmed sufficient promise for me to offer it a extra thorough analysis. I’m at all times rooting for the underdog gun, hoping to seek out pistols that out-perform their price ticket. I don’t anticipate them to equal premium pistols however, within the case of a 2011-style pistol with a good set off and options — the thought of a top quality price range possibility is interesting.
The MAC 9 DS: Options Of A 2011-Model Pistol
Should you’re new to the 1911 double-stack 9mm model of pistol, there are just a few defining traits which can be useful to find out about when inspecting pistols on this class. As a result of they trademarked the time period, the one true 2011 pistols are Staccatos. Staccato 2011, previously STI, has specialised in double-stack 1911 pistols for a few years and, extra just lately, consolidated their lineup. There’s a spectrum of costs and high quality ranges for double-stack 1911 9mms, however for a full-sized pistol just like the MAC 9 DS, the Staccato P is the high-water mark.
2011-Model Body and Grip Module
By and enormous, these pistols function like a daily 1911 and use many 1911 components. Essentially the most notable distinction is their body. Pistols just like the MAC 9 DS have a metal (some others use aluminum) body {that a} polymer grip module attaches to. The normal 1911 and early double-stack 9mm variations just like the Para Ordnance pistols have a body that features the grip of the gun, and grip scales are connected to it. That’s not the case with 2011-style pistols. Your entire grip is a polymer module that features the set off guard and attaches to a shorter body slightly below the slide.
The body on some 2011s and similarly-styled pistols use a single-slot accent rail, however the MAC 9 DS has a 4-slot Picatinny-style rail in entrance of the set off guard.
Bushingless Bull Barrels
These aren’t fully distinctive to double-stack 9mm 1911s just like the MAC 9 DS, however most of those pistols make use of a heavy bull barrel and no conventional barrel bushing that you simply’d see on a 1911. The recoil spring rides on a full-length information rod and is retained by a spring plug that matches into the mud cowl of the slide from the rear — not the entrance like a traditional 1911.
Double-Stack, Bottlenecked Magazines
The magazines of full-size double-stack 1911 9mm pistols are largely comparable, and lots of of them are interchangeable, or the pistols are designed to work with Staccato mags within the first place. Customary magazines maintain 17 rounds, have a skinny baseplate, and bottleneck right down to a single-stack profile on the high. The MAC 9 DS comes with three TISAS magazines that labored nice within the MAC 9 DS. The MAC 9 DS labored simply as effectively with Staccato magazines, and my Staccato ran nice with the TISAS mags. The TISAS journal baseplates aren’t as good, however I can’t complain about their performance.
How Does the MAC 9 DS 1911 Double Stack 9mm Measure Up?
The query requested about any price range 2011-style pistol is how does it stack as much as a Staccato? Although comprehensible, I believe that it’s solely honest to ask when contemplating its worth too. It will be unreasonable to anticipate a $1,000 pistol to equal a $2,500 pistol. Nevertheless, contemplating the Staccato P as an ordinary reference level is useful to know what the MAC 9 DS is and what it isn’t.
Match and End
The MAC 9 DS makes use of totally different finishes for its frames, slides, and barrels, nevertheless it appears to be easy and well-executed. In comparison with the Springfield prodigy, I believe it was a clever option to go together with the QPQ-type end on the slide — fairly than full Cerakote. The QPQ end isn’t on the degree of, however is much like a DLC end in perform and look. I wasn’t an enormous fan of the Cerakote on the prodigy, as it’s extra susceptible to chipping and is thicker than a DLC, Tenifer, or Melonite QPQ end. There’s no two-tone powder-coat BS, which I like.
There’s some side-to-side play within the slide to border relationship, however general it’s fairly tight, even after 1,000 rounds. The protection levers aren’t as butter-smooth because the Staccato P, however they aren’t too stiff, and after testing they nonetheless haven’t any sloppiness or wobble. Operation remains to be crisp and simple. All of the controls have held up very well and I haven’t observed any extreme or unusual put on.
Sights and Optics
Just like pistols just like the Staccato P, the MAC 9 DS comes with a inexperienced fiber-optic entrance sight that’s dovetailed into the slide. On the rear, it’s received a black serrated U-shaped rear notch facet that’s held in place by a set screw and is adjustable for windage. The rear sight is mounted on a metal optic-cut cowl plate that may be simply eliminated and changed with the included RMR-pattern optic plate. The optic plate additionally has a rear sight that may be co-witnessed with some RMR sights, I set mine up with the enclosed-emitter Trijicon RCR red dot.
Barrel and Recoil System
The MAC 9 DS 1911 Double Stack 9mm has a bull-profile barrel that, like comparable pistols, tapers as much as full diameter for a decent match with the entrance of the slide. It’s received the usual 1911 pivoting barrel hyperlink by way of which the slide cease lever/takedown pin goes.
The MAC 9 has a easy, primitive model of full-length information rod and recoil spring that’s captured by the spring plug. Many double-stack 1911s used to make use of this model of information rod, the place to take away it, the rear of the information rod is pushed ahead, compressing the spring till a small gap within the information rod turns into seen out the entrance of the slide. The person then sticks a small 90-degree-bent paper clip or skinny wire within the gap and releases the information rod, and the piece of wire stops the spring plug — retaining the spring compressed. The Springfield Prodigy has a information rod like this, and although it’s not as good or simple because the Dawson Precision information rod that the Staccato makes use of, it’s efficient.
I did instantly notice that my MAC 9 DS has a a lot stiffer recoil spring than my Staccato P. I started vary testing with a bunch of my 124-grain FMJ handloads which can be pretty delicate, however have cycled each pistol I’ve put them by way of. The MAC 9 DS wouldn’t cycle them, and my Staccato P would. I swapped recoil springs between the MAC 9 DS and my Staccato P, after which the Staccato wouldn’t run the ammo. Regular manufacturing facility ammo cycled the MAC 9 DS with out problem. The one manufacturing facility ammo I had any malfunctions with was the Magazine Tech steel-case ammo. They weren’t common, however just a few instances, the instances slipped the extractor, sticking within the chamber.
Ergonomics, Dealing with, and Controls
The MAC 9 DS appears to be like much like a Staccato P, however the weapons really feel fairly totally different. You’re not getting one thing for nothing, and the MAC 9 DS has tangibly much less refined ergonomics and controls. Although properly executed, the slide cocking serrations are shallower, and the place the Staccato appears to soften into my hand, the MAC 9 DS feels just a little sharp and unwelcoming compared. I believe it’s fairly good for its worth vary, however there’s a definitive distinction. I may shoot quickly and precisely, nevertheless it was a sharper, harsher really feel than the Staccato gives.
Controls like the security, slide cease, journal catch button, and particulars just like the sharpness of the set off guard and refinement of the magwell are all only a bit rougher than higher-end pistols. That stated, the general degree of perform and efficiency is sweet — particularly in comparison with most pistols within the striker-fired class.
My pattern MAC 9 DS has a extremely good set off, with about the identical quantity of takeup as my Staccato P, and breaks persistently at 3 kilos, 4 ounces. The reset is considerably weaker, with not a lot spring pressure driving it and a softer, much less noticeable click on than the Staccato has. Nonetheless, I had no drawback capturing shortly and breaking clear photographs — particularly in fast strings of fireside at 25 yards or when capturing teams for accuracy. All-in-all, I believe this gun provides the shooter nice efficiency for the value.
Accuracy
I examined the MAC 9 DS Double Stack 1911 9mm for accuracy following our customary protocol — I recorded 21 5-shot teams from 15 yards from a standing place, using a bagged tripod for support. I additionally recorded 6 5-shot teams at 25 yards with among the most correct ammo.
The general common of 5-shot teams fired at 15 yards was 1.484 inches, with the next averages from every sort of ammo:
- Staccato 2011 125-grain Match: 1.242 inches
- Federal 124-grain Punch JHP: 1.298 inches
- Hornady 135-grain Important Obligation: 1.473 inches
- Nosler 115-grain ASP JHP: 1.564 inches
- Black Hills 125-grain Honeybadger: 1.956 inches
Six whole teams from 25 yards with the Staccato Match ammo averaged a powerful 2.117 inches.
This pistol was fairly correct, not lagging far behind costlier match pistols I’ve examined just like the Dan Wesson DWX, Walther PDP Steel Frame Match, and the Staccato P.
What does the MAC 9 DS 1911 Double Stack 9mm Do Effectively?
I believe that the MAC 9 DS is a well-executed pistol inside its worth vary. It’s not overdone. It’s correct, with a great set off, good magazines, good optic-compatibility, and different options and efficiency that make it an incredible worth for the value.
The place Might The MAC 9 DS 1911 Double Stack 9mm Be Higher?
I believe that some refinement of the controls is an apparent space for enchancment, however keep in mind, this isn’t a $2,500 pistol. I believe an attainable expectation can be for a bit softer really feel, particularly across the set off guard.
Takeaways From Placing 1,000 Rounds By means of the MAC 9 DS
I believe that inside cheap expectations for a $1,000 2011-style pistol, this can be a gem. I might be completely pleased with what I received for that worth, and I’m objectively impressed with this gun. It’s actually correct, and I believe would make a really perfect entry-level gun for somebody who’s thinking about double-stack 1911 9mm pistols, however isn’t able to shell out for a Staccato or one thing costlier. There’s no free lunch, however this can be a platform that might serve an entry-level shooter effectively, with the choice for available upgrades and aftermarket components. A talented shooter with entry-level tools, who practices rather a lot, will at all times out-shoot a mediocre shooter that buys the perfect tools. Certainly one of these pistols and some thousand rounds of ammo would put any devoted action-pistol pupil effectively on their manner.
