Tisas 1911 Double Stack (2011)

Review

In the world of double stack 1911 style pistols, or 2011’s as some people call them, there are a ton to choose from. Their prices range anywhere from about $500 up to the $5000'nds. Tisas started making their 1911 double stacks a few years ago. These are value priced, 9mm 2011 style pistols that punch above their price range. Tisas has both a carry and full size version. Since I am not carrying a 2011 style pistol, I opted for the Tisas 1911 Duty B9R Double Stack, which is their full size 5” version.

The first thing you notice, when you pull the Tisas 1911 DS out of the box, is all the upgrades it has. To start with, the B9R uses a standard style 2011 polymer grip frame with a rail. This means that it is compatible with most aftermarket grip frames available for 2011 style pistols, including metal frames. This frame has a built-in magazine well and some texture around the grip, as do most of these style frames. Being a 1911 style pistol, there is also a high ride, extended beavertail grip safety with a memory bump. Then there is the slightly extended, ambidextrous, thumb safety. This safety has fine lines on it for better grip. The hammer is a commander-ish style. Then there is an extended magazine release. But somehow, the mag release is not checkered or lined, which I did not care for. All of that is followed by a bull barrel and one piece guide rod. The B9R is also cut for a RMSc footprint optic. So as you can see, this pistol has a ton of upgrades already on it.

Now that we have the base features out of the way, I will get into them a little deeper starting with the slide. The slide on the Tisas B9R resembles any 1911 slide. It has a curved top reminiscent of old school 1911’s. But that is where it stops. Everything else is new school. Tisas put front and rear, angled, cocking serrations on it. These serrations are really nice and grippy so you will have no problems racking the slide. The muzzle end is cut slightly narrower, mainly for looks, because I can’t see any other reason for it. Sitting on top of the slide is a nice set of iron sights. The front is fiber optic and the rear is blackout serrated. The sight picture is nice. Then Tisas cuts the slide for an RMSc style optic. This cut is deep, so much so that the factory iron sights will co-witness with the optic of your choice.

The Tisas’ 2011 style frame is nice. Yes, it has a few minor setbacks, but not everything can be perfect in a $800 2011 ish pistol. The only real setback I found is the smoothness of the grip. The texture Tisas uses is a little lacking. I’m not carrying the B9R next to my skin, so give me some more texture. Even the front and rear checkering needs to be deeper. Tisas does offer a “Coarse” grip module, which I may be checking out. The only other disappointment in the B9R’s frame is the non textured magazine release. Please add some texture. The grip also has a small magazine well built into it. It works well enough, but if you are using the B9R for competition, you may want to add a larger one. Everything else on the grip is great. The Tisas has a rail for lights. Both safeties, the grip and the ambidextrous thumb safety, are nice. The grip safety has a memory bump to help always depress it. The thumb safety has a nice texture and size to it. The B9R also has a squared trigger guard similar to most 2011 style frames.

Since the Tisas B9R is a 1911 style pistol, we have to talk about the trigger. Tisas uses a flat style trigger on the B9R. It appears to be around “medium” length which works well for this pistol. The trigger broke around 5.5 pounds when I first received the B9R. It has a little take up, maybe 0.100 inch maximum. Then it breaks clean with a little bit of over-travel. It is definitely everything a typical 1911 trigger is. After some use, the trigger breaks about 5 pounds now. The trigger is non-adjustable. For a base model 2011 style pistol, the trigger is better than I expected.

The Tisas Duty B9R DS uses industry standard magazines. Any 2011 pattern magazine will work. Anything from the cheaper $25 magazines, up to the elite $100 ones, they all work. The B9R comes with 2 high quality, flush fit, 17 round magazines. I have used a bunch of different magazines, including some 26 round ones. All have run flawlessly in the B9R.

I found the Tisas 1911 DS to be quite accurate. Okay, I didn’t put it in a rest at 25 yards, but I can consistently hit the headbox of a USPSA target at that range. At 7 yards I can get a 1”, 10 shot, round ragged hole. This accuracy has to be from the fact that Tisas uses a bushingless bull barrel in the B9R. They also use a 1 piece guide rod. Of course, the guide rod does make disassembly of the B9R a little more complicated, but nothing terrible. I was pleasantly surprised at how accurate the Tisas was out of the box.

Here are some of my thoughts on the Tisas B9R. It is great for the price point it is at. I got great accuracy from the factory bull barrel. It uses standard 2011 pattern magazines, which all worked flawlessly. I have had zero malfunctions in the 956 rounds I have shot through it. That was using about 7 different brands and weights of 9mm ammunition. Are there things that bother me? Yes. The iron sight cuts use 2 different styles. The rear is a Glock style dovetail, but the front is a Tisas dovetail. So good luck getting aftermarket iron sights that work together. But since I expect that most people will put an optic on it, and it is cut for a Holosun K / RMSc footprint, this doesn’t matter too much. I did like the iron sight picture, it gave me light on both sides of the post as opposed to other sight pictures that basically give you no light on the sides of the post. I ended up mounting an Aimwin PE330 red dot on it. Originally I had one of the Primary Arms Classic series on it, but the PE330 came in and has a larger window. Speaking of optics, I was informed, by a friend, that if you use one of the super large window optics like the Gideon Judge XL, you will need a small riser plate so that the optics window doesn’t hit the top of the slide. SDS Arms has this spacer, but it is not listed on their website. I was impressed with how well the B9R felt while shooting it. It is not as smooth as a $2500 2011. But, after about the first 200 rounds, the slide smoothed up nicely and still has a fairly tight slide to frame fit. Probably my most favorite aspect of the Tisas B9R is that it has aftermarket parts compatibility with most 2011 style pistols. So if you want to upgrade the trigger, or that non-textured mag release, you can.

The Tisas B9R has proved itself to be a fantastic pistol. With all its extras and the way it performs, you can’t go wrong. If you are looking at getting into the double stack 1911 game, I don’t think you can go wrong with the Tisas Duty B9R DS. It performed fantastic for me, with great accuracy and function, all at a great price. Definitely go look at the Tisas firearms and see what you think. They used to be imported by SDS Arms and Tisas’ are made in Turkey, but don’t let that scare you away from a great pistol.

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Value priced 2011 style firearm that uses machined parts, 2011 style magazines, has a bull barrel, and is optics ready

Target Market:

Those wanting a 1911 double stack that doesn’t cost a fortune, but still has tons of features

Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product:

Forged Steel Frame & Slide
Polymer grip
70 Series + Colt/STI® 2011 Compatible
Target‑Crowned Bull Barrel
Skeletonized Hammer & Trigger
Optic‑Ready Co‑Witness Sights
Caliber: 9MM
Frame/Receiver - Slide Finish: Cerakote
Sights: Fixed - Black Rear - White Dot Front
Optics Ready/Cut: Holosun K - RMSc
Capacity (2 Included Mags): 17 + 1
Barrel Length: 5"
Barrel Finish: QPQ Tenifer
OAL: 8.6"
Height: 5.7"
Width: 1.5"
Weight: 32.5 oz unloaded
Safety: Ambidextrous thumb & grip safeties

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Carry Version

What others are saying?:

5 out of 5 Stars at Battle Hawk Armory

Benjamin A.

Fantastic Budget "2011" So far this has been a great purchase for the price. Currently at 750 rounds 100% flawless

Link to other reviews:

The Truth About Guns

Price point:

MSRP = $879.88

Retail = $650 - $750

I need it now! Availability:

Battle Hawk Armory, Guns.com, Primary Arms, or your local dealer

Our Rating:

Pros:

Price
Uses 2011 parts and magazines
Shoots fantastic
Optics ready
Bull barrel
Light rail
Decent trigger
Ambi safety

Cons:

Grip needs more texture
Smooth magazine release
Hard to disassemble

Score: 8.50 Great

Favorite Link: AimWin PE320 Review

When it comes to aftermarket AR triggers, there are numerous options. One of the categories some of these fall under are “Duty Grade” or “Enhanced Duty Grade”. I tend to lump everything in these categories into the “Enhanced Duty Grade” except the standard mil-spec trigger. That leads me to Triggertech coming out with their version of a Duty Trigger. Triggertech was kind enough to send me an AR Duty Trigger at the same time they sent the AR Diamond trigger.

Since this is a duty trigger, I opted for the curved shoe version. As you may know from previous reviews, I like a curved trigger. Triggertech does make the Duty version with their signature straight shoe also. Triggertech’s curved shoe is pretty close to the same width as a mil-spec trigger. But it feels narrower due to the ribs on the face of it. Because of this, the face is more radiused than the mil-spec trigger. However, the curve on the shoe seems to be the same as a mil-spec trigger. I really like the physical feel of the Triggertech curved shoe.

This Duty trigger has a few options available. I already discussed the shoe options, so those are taken care of. First, the Triggertech Duty comes in either a fixed 3.5 lb pull weight, or a 5.5 lb version. I opted for the 3.5 lb version as I like lighter pull weights, even in a duty trigger. Both of those pull weight options are also available in a single stage or two stage version. I opted for the single stage, which is just that, one pull and break. The two stage will have some light take-up before you hit the wall of the trigger pull and break. It’s really personal preference as to which one you go with.

The Triggertech Duty trigger comes as a cartridge style, drop in unit. This makes installation a snap. Triggertech used a different material for the Duty’s housing. They are using a EZAC diecast zinc. Here’s what I found on EZAC: “EZAC is a hot-chamber zinc die casting alloy with superior creep resistance, high yield strength, and high hardness.” So basically the housing should last a long, long time. The parts inside, that really matter, are made from 440C stainless. The trigger shoe is also PVD coated black. Drop-in triggers are my choice for trigger installs and not all “Duty” triggers are this way.

Since this Duty trigger is made by Triggertech, it inherits some of the technology from its higher end siblings. This means that you get the benefit of having their roller bearing between the trigger and sear. Big deal you say? Yes it is, because it removes the friction portion of a trigger pull. Rollers always beat friction, at least in my world. This makes the trigger have essentially no take up. At least on the single stage version. If you want to know more about Triggertech’s technology, you can check out their How-It-Works page. I think the only tech it doesn’t have is the CLKR adjustment, but that’s because it’s a fixed pull weight.

I will say, the Triggertech Duty has one of the best “duty” trigger pulls I have felt. There is no take up, just a crisp 0.050” break, with some overtravel. Here is where the trigger gets weird. If you dry fire the trigger, it has about 0.025” of overtravel. But when you cycle the action, after pulling the trigger and holding it (also during live fire), the trigger moves rearward another 0.050”, for a total overtravel of around 0.075”. This gives the Triggertech Duty trigger a 0.125” reset, or an ⅛”. This isn’t bad for a duty trigger, but it does make the trigger a little slower to shoot. Not in a bad way, just different. The clean break definitely makes up for the reset. Speaking of reset, it's pretty good. Not as strong as a mil-spec trigger, but better than the Triggertech Diamond line, at least in reset feel.

I ended up sticking the Triggertech Duty trigger in my Kaiser Blackbird. It was a great addition to the lightweight build. The trigger shoots very well in it. Double taps are fairly easy and quick for a duty style trigger. Bill Drills (6 shots) are a little slower due to the reset not being as short as non-duty triggers, but still manageable. Overall, the Duty trigger is still a great trigger in this category of AR triggers.

As I mentioned, the Triggertech AR Duty trigger is one of the best I have felt. I don’t think you can go wrong choosing this trigger, especially when you find out the MSRP is only $130 bucks. So if you want a good inexpensive trigger, or if you need an actual “Duty” grade trigger, go check out Triggertech’s version of a Duty trigger.