Chad Wallace

March 14, 2026

Optics, Review

Aimwin PE330

Chad Wallace

March 14, 2026

Optics, Review

Aimwin PE330

Review

Enclosed micro red dots are not a new thing. However, Aimwin is a fairly new company in the optics market. One of their newest editions is the PE330 enclosed red dot. The PE330 red dot comes with an enhanced feature set and mounts directly to RMSc style footprints.

As mentioned, the Aimwin PE330 is an enclosed emitter style red dot optic. This gives the PE330 some advantages over open emitter style red dots. It protects the internals from dust, water, and any other debris. It also makes the lenses easier to clean. Living where I live, having an enclosed red dot is a big advantage because of the rain we get in Oregon. The water doesn’t get trapped inside the lens like on an open emitter style. So if you need to wipe the water off, it is just a simple wipe, not a scrub and soak.

The exterior of the Aimwin PE330 is 6061 aluminum. 6061 style aluminum seems fine for this type of optic. The hard anodized aluminum exterior helps to make the PE330 pretty durable. The PE330 also is water resistant, nothing is water proof. Aimwin specs it out as IPX7, which is submerged at 1 meter for a 30 minute time frame. This is pretty standard on these styles of red dots. It didn’t leak on me, but I also didn’t swim with it on.

When dealing with micro red dots, the mounting footprint is super important. The Aimwin PE330 uses an industry standard RMSc footprint. This footprint is what a lot of micro compact pistols use for direct mounting to the slide. Oddly enough, the RMSc footprint is also used on some 1911 and 2011 full size pistols. Having that industry standard footprint really makes the PE330 standout for mounting on various styles of pistols. Included with the optic is a bunch of various size mounting screws. So finding the correct screw for your mounting surface is super easy. I always like it when companies put in those extra mounting screws, that way I don’t have to hunt some down in my screw bin.

When it comes to powering the PE330, Aimwin uses a CR1620 battery. This is a slightly thinner battery than the CR1632, which is used in a lot of RMSc footprint red dots. Aimwin states a 20,000 hour battery life. So even though it isn’t as long as others, it is still plenty. Aimwin also designed the PE330 with a side load battery. So when you do change that battery, it is super easy to do and will not affect your zero. Something I haven’t seen with other red dots is that Aimwin includes extra battery tray screws. I will probably lose the extra screws before I actually need to replace one, but they are there just in case.

The PE330 isn’t just a red dot, it is a multi-reticle system. It includes a 3 MOA dot and a 40 MOA circle. You can combine these into a dot only, circle dot, or just a circle. To do this all you have to do is hold down the brightness up button for a few seconds. For brightness adjustment, there is a soft touch pad on the left side of the optic with + and - labels. The PE330 has 11 brightness levels. The lowest 2 are night vision compatible, while the other 9 are daylight bright. To adjust the position of the reticle, the PE330 uses a small standard screwdriver. It also has actual clicks for adjustment, not just the turn and guess style. Each click is 1.5 MOA.

Aimwin has their auto on feature called “AIM Awake”. As one can guess, this is Aimwin’s shake awake feature. After a few minutes of not being moved, the PE330 will go into a standby mode. When movement is detected, the dot automatically turns back on at the same brightness level it was adjusted to. This feature gives more battery life to the optic. In today's red dot market, every optic should have this if it uses a battery. I am glad Aimwin includes the Aim Awake feature.

For the review, I mounted the Aimwin PE330 on a Tisas 1911 Double Stack. The window size of 23 x 16 mm worked well on this pistol. It is not the largest window, but it was very useful. I also noticed that the dot is very clear. Some of that is probably due to the glass used on the optic. I was pleasantly surprised at how clear the glass was. I couldn’t notice any color change or tint to it. Because the PE330 is a little wider than smaller RMSc red dots, it does hang over the sides of the slide. It is definitely noticeable, but does not hurt anything at all. That is a price you have to pay for a larger’ish size micro red dot on a thin 1911 slide. I don’t really care for the 1.5 MOA adjustment range. Yes it works, but I would like a finer adjustment, maybe something like a 1 MOA adjustment. With that said, I didn’t have any problems sighting in the pistol. I also haven’t had any problems with the sight itself, even with a ton of rounds being shot for the Tisas review itself.

Anyone looking for a reasonably priced, enclosed, micro red dot should go take a look at the Aimwin PE330. It uses that industry standard RMSc footprint for mounting and has a side load battery. The red dot is very clear on whatever reticle option you choose, may it be a dot or a circle. Plus it is priced right for anyone. From beginners just getting into the red dot market, or experts just needing another dot, the Aimwin PE330 might be the one you're looking for.

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Enclosed RMSc footprint red dot with multi reticles

Target Market:

Those wanting an enclosed red dot for their pistols

Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product:

Weight: 1.16 ounces
Dimensions: 1.61 × 1.2 × 0.98 in (40.8x30.6x25mm)
Dot Size: 3 MOA - 40 MOA
Adjustment per Click: 1.5 MOA
Windage & Elevation Travel Range: ±40 MOA, (total range 80 MOA)
Battery: CR1620
Battery Life: Medium brightness level - 20000h
Brightness Settings: 9 Daylight Levels, 2 Night Vision Levels
Window Size: 23 x 16mm(0.91" x 0.63")
Housing Material: A6061-T6
Hard-anodized
Operating Temperature: -30°C~60°C（-22°F to 140°F）
Water Resistance: IPX7
Footprint: RMS-C
Aim Awake auto on/off
Side load battery

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

None

What others are saying?:

5 out of 5 stars on Amazon

Great deal

I’ve tried a fair number of pistol red dots over the years, and I picked up the PE330 mainly to see how it would hold up as an enclosed optic. After putting some rounds through it, it’s been solid and predictable, which is really what I want from a handgun optic.

The enclosed emitter definitely helps when conditions aren’t perfect. Dust and debris haven’t been an issue, and the sight picture stays usable without needing constant attention. The glass looks good overall, with no distracting distortion, and once it’s zeroed, parallax hasn’t been noticeable in real shooting.

The reticle setup makes sense. The larger circle helps you find the dot faster, especially when drawing or moving between targets, while the center dot still gives you enough precision for slower, more deliberate shots. Under recoil, the dot is easy to track and comes back into view naturally, which makes follow-up shots smoother.

Battery life hasn’t been a concern thanks to the motion-activated wake feature, and I haven’t run into any random shutoffs. Mounting it on an RMSc-cut slide was quick and straightforward, and it stayed tight and held zero through multiple range sessions.

All things considered, the PE330 is an easy optic to live with. It does what it’s supposed to do, feels intuitive behind the gun, and works well for regular range use or for shooters getting comfortable with enclosed pistol optics.

Link to other reviews:

Chris from the 740 on YouTube

Price point:

MSRP = $229.95

Retail = $169.95

I need it now! Availability:

Aimwin Optics or Amazon

Our Rating:

Pros:

Window size
Aim Awake
Side load battery
Enclosed
Reticle options

Cons:

Battery Type
Battery life

Score: 8.00 Great

Favorite Link: Aimwin PE320 Review

Chad Wallace

February 28, 2026

Optics, Review

Primary Arms SLx 4.5-27x56

Chad Wallace

February 28, 2026

Optics, Review

Primary Arms

SLx 4.5-27x56 FFP Review

Inexpensive, high quality long range optics are starting to become more prevalent in today's market. Primary Arms Optics recently released their SLx 4.5-27x56 first focal plane scope. This thing is a beast, in a good way. It is available with two different ACSS reticles: the Athena BPR MIL Reticle and the Deka G2 Reticle. I received the Deka reticle, which was the one I would have chosen anyways.

The SLx line of optics from Primary Arms is what I call their “value” line. What that means for the customer is that you get a ton of features for a reasonable price. For instance on this SLx 4.5-27x56 you get an illuminated first focal plane reticle, 34mm tube, finger adjustable turrets, fast focus eye piece, a throw lever, and a zero stop. This line also has some good glass. Because the 4.5-27 is in the SLx line, you do get a scope that might weigh a little more than Primary Arms’ GLx or PLx line, but I expect that in a value line product.

Primary Arms Optics SLX 4.5-27x56 is loaded with options. I mentioned a few before, but let us get into them more. The 34 mm tube and 56 mm objective lens help to allow more light through the lenses. At lower power, this is not really a problem, but as the magnification increases, light going through the scope to your eye can diminish. So you get a brighter picture than say a 30mm scope with a 50mm objective lens. Another advantage of the 34mm tube is that it allows more elevation and windage adjustments. In the SLx’s case, it allows for 32 MIL’s of adjustment at 100 meters, or about 115 inches.

The ACSS DEKA G2 reticle is nice. The Deka is a MIL reticle that has a bunch of features, including ranging. First, it is a crosshair style reticle, no “Christmas tree” style here. I really like this style of reticle because it doesn’t clutter up the viewing space, allowing one to see their target more clearly. The inner part of the reticle has tiny marks every 0.1 MIL. Slightly larger ones at 0.5 MIL’s, and bracketed “T” marks every MIL. Then every 2 MIL mark has a number out to 10 MIL’s. So 2,4,6,8, and 10 are marked with those numbers. This applies to both windage and elevation. This marked portion of the reticle is the illuminated section, including the center 0.1 MIL aiming dot. The center dot gives you a really accurate aiming point. If you want to only see the illuminated part of the reticle, you are limited to about 15x magnification. At the full 27x, you see about 14 MIL’s of the reticle, 7 on each side of the aiming dot. After the 10 MIL mark, you get a solid line with 20, 30, and 40 MIL marks. This outer portion is not illuminated. The top portion of the reticle has some ranging lines, which are also illuminated. These are used to determine the approximate range of a 5 foot 7 inch tall, and/or a 19 inch wide target. The ranging marks start at 300 meters and go out to 1000 meters. I have one minor complaint about the reticle, I would like the stadia line, that has the marks on it, to be smaller than 0.1 MIL. Maybe something like 0.05 MILs. Mainly because this line just holds the markings, which are 0.1 MIL wide. Other than that, I really do like the configuration of the ACSS DEKA reticle.

Since the reticle just was explained, now maybe we should adjust it to our rifle. The turrets on the SLx 4.5-27 are fairly large and nicely textured. This makes them easy to adjust with or without gloves. The clicks are quite good for being in the SLx line. They are positive with very little “mush” to them. These turrets also adjust the optic in 0.1 MIL increments. The windage turret is capped, but it can be set to a zero after sighting in the rifle. This windage turret also has right and left markings on it. So once you set the zero, if you need the bullet to go left 1 MIL’s, you just turn it to “1L”, or “1R” if needing to move the impact to the right. The elevation turret is one place the SLx really shines. It is a large target style with an adjustable zero stop. Having that zero stop makes it super easy to adjust the optic back to its base zero. One revolution on the elevation knob is also 10 MIL’s of adjustment, making range adjustments easier to calculate. If you don’t like the target style elevation turret, Primary Arms also supplies a standard height turret. Both of these turrets have markings on them, neither one is capped. On the left side of the optic are the parallax and brightness knobs. Both have decent texturing. The parallax knob turns easily, even if it is harder to get clear at longer ranges. The brightness knob turns harder, but has positive detents for the 6 brightness settings. It also has “off” positions in between each numbered “on” position. Brightness is really good, but it is not daylight bright illumination. Unless it was a really dark day, I didn’t really use the illumination.

I was impressed with the SLx 4.5-27’s clarity. At lower power levels, up to about 20x, it is super clear and bright. Okay, it is pretty bright all through the magnification range. When you get up to about 25x, the clarity seems to drop a tiny bit. It is still usable at 27x, you just notice it. I was still able to see, and hit targets at 1000 yards without any problems. Okay, seeing them yes, hitting them was more of a challenge. But that was not the optics fault. Part of the reason the clarity drops off at long range is due to the touchy parallax adjustment. It adjusts fine at 100-500 yards, but as the magnification and range increases, it is harder to adjust to get a clear picture. It can be adjusted for a clear picture, it just takes very small movements. Don’t let these complaints scare you off, the SLx 4.5-27 is still a very capable optic out to 1000 yards and beyond.

Stump is approximately 1100 yards, Optic is at maximum power (27x)

I ended up mounting the SLx 4.5-27x56 on my Bergara .308, which sits in an MDT chassis. The rifle already has a 20 MOA rail to mount an optic on. This gives me extra adjustment to use. Because of this, with the SLx 4.5-27, I get a full 20 MILs of “up” elevation adjustment. This lets me dial out to a range of about 1400 yards, which is about 200 more than I will ever shoot this rifle. I shot this optic out to 1100 yards. That is how I know that the parallax adjustment gets really touchy. It takes a bit to get a clear picture at that range, but it is doable. The turret adjustments are nice and make it easy to adjust to whatever range you are shooting at. The SLx 4.5-27 would make a great entry level PRS or long range scope. It did everything I needed it to and more.

If you are looking for that affordable, quality, long range optic, the Primary Arms SLx-4.5-27x56 would be a good choice. It has decent clarity and exceptional brightness. Once it is adjusted, it can easily see targets at 1000 yards and beyond. It also has 2 different reticle options, a Christmas tree style and the DEKA reviewed here, so you can get the style you want. If you are looking at getting into long range shooting, or just need a good high power magnified optic, go check out the SLx 4.5-27x56.

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Quality long range optic at value price

Target Market:

Those wanting a long range, clear optic that doesn’t beat you up on price. Also entry level long range shooters

Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product:

Battery Type: CR2032 3V Lithium Coin
Click Value: 0.1 Mil
Focal Plane: First Focal Plane
Illuminated: Partial Red Illumination
Magnification: 4.5X - 27X
Mount Compatibility: 34mm
Reticle: ACSS DEKA G2 Mil
Total Elevation Adjustment: 32 MIL
Turret Features: Tactical / Target Profile, Finger Adjustable
Lifetime Warranty
Reticle stop
Field Of View @ 100yds: Low: 26.69 ft. / High: 4.46 ft.
Length: 13.78 in
Eye Relief: 4 in
Weight: 32.6 oz.

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Athena BPR Mil Reticle

What others are saying?:

5 out 5 star from Texan at OpticsPlanet.com

Scope is super clear. A great value for the money. My second scope of this line.

Link to other reviews:

Nothing found as of publishing

Price point:

MSRP = $549.99

Retail = Same

I need it now! Availability:

Primary Arms, Optics Planet, or your local gun store

Our Rating:

Pros:

Reticle choice
Clear and bright glass
Target turrets
Illuminated reticle
Zero stop
Price

Cons:

Parallax adjustment is touchy
Heavy

Score: 8.00 Great

Favorite Link: Primary Arms GLx MD-21 Review

Rusty Odom

February 13, 2026

Review, Guns

Derya DY9 Island

Rusty Odom

February 13, 2026

Review, Guns

Derya DY9 Island

Review

Derya Arms established manufacturing operations in Jacksonville, Florida. While the company has its origins in Turkey, the DY9 models are now produced in the U.S. to support the American market, though some components or older versions are still made in the home country. The Jacksonville facility has been dedicated for manufacturing of the DY9 and DY9 Island.

Now that we have where the Derya is made, let’s talk about what it is. The DY9 is a Glock Gen 3 clone of the G19. Before we all say it’s just another clone, let’s take a look at some of its features.

It is a striker fired 9mm
Factory 10 or 15 round magazines
1.81 pounds
Barrel length 3.86”
Overall length 6.9”
Height 4.56”
Width 1.16”
Direct mount optic for RMR footprint
Truglo green sights

Now that the specs are out of the way, we see it is a Gen 3 Glock clone with a few features right off the bat that are better. This includes the optic mounting and better sights than a standard Glock. It has numerous deep cut outs on the sides of the slide that make gripping it very easy, with bare hands or gloves. It has straight horizontal lines with some angled lines on the grip that appear to be part of the Derya logo on the grip panels. The backstrap and the front strap are basically the same way. It makes for a good feel in the hand. The grip angle is not listed anywhere on the internet as I could find. From shooting it myself it seems to have a unique angle that is not a Glock. It does come with 3 backstraps and 2 magazines that are Glock type but with their baseplate on it. It all came in a nice soft side carry case stuffed into an ammo can. I thought this was a nice touch.

Let's talk about how it shot, it shot like a Glock. Well that would definitely be a lie. The grip angle and texture makes shooting it second nature. It has the undercut already on the trigger guard so no Glock knuckle. I mounted a Primary Arms RS-10R red dot on it. Mounting was easy with supplied hardware. After sighting it at around the 7 yard mark, I started shooting for accuracy after getting used to the trigger. It is like a normal striker fired trigger. The weight was around 5lbs. This is where it all fell in place. The recoil was not like a 9mm at all. It was a lot milder, it did not have the flip or muzzle rise of a normal firearm of the size. So what kind of witchcraft are they using?

It's an island barrel system. This is seen mainly on high end 2011’s or competition guns. It is a raised central section on the barrel that creates an island. Hence the name. The slide gets to move on more of the barrel’s surface. The barrel has ports in it that help with recoil and muzzle rise. It is meant to give faster recoil and faster cycling time, which improves accuracy.

I can’t tell you the exact percentage that it helped, but it was enough that it is noticeable. The slide runs smooth, the firearm sets nicely in the hand and it is a natural pointer. I do have two complaints about the pistol. One is that it is a bit wider than a Glock, so trying to find a holster to fit was not happening. I didn't want to take a heat gun to one of my good holsters just yet. I did find a paddle holster for it on Amazon. It is ok but I am not a paddle holster fan. The second is the mag well. It is stylish and the factory mags have an angled base pad on them to go with the angle of the well. Factory Glock mags and Magpul mags fit, but they will stick out some taking away from the lines of the pistol. Other than that I can not give it a bad review. If you are looking for an American made Glock Clone, that has all the bells and Whistles on it, then the Derya DY9 Island might be your gun. They do have the standard version that is not an island barrel system. You can buy it on the cheap and add the island system later on if you want.

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

An affordable American made 9 mm pistol that has its roots in Turkey, it blends Glock 19 style ergonomics with an island compensated barrel for flatter shooting and less recoil.

Parts compatibility from other clones

A standard 1913 pic rail.

Target Market:

Those looking for a reliable and budget friendly compensated firearm.

Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product:

Island Comp Barrel system
Caliber: 9MM
Sights: Truglo Green
Capacity: 10 or 15 rds
Grip Type: Polymer with changeable back straps
Weight: 1.81 lbs
Action Type: Striker Fired
Barrel Length: 3.86"
Finish: Black Melonite
Overall Length: 6.9"
Overall Width: 1.16"
MD Compliant: Yes
Overall Height: 4.56”
RMR direct mounting system
Smooth operation
Flat shooting

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Many different colors and finishes.

Link to other reviews:

Athlon Outdoors

Price point:

MSRP = $599

Retail = $499

I need it now! Availability:

BattleHawk Armory, Classic firearms, or your local gun store

Our Rating:

Pros:

Great shooting
Simple operation
Glock like

Cons:

Holsters are hard to find
Angle of the mag well

Score: 8.00 Great

Chad Wallace

February 1, 2026

Guns, Review

Tisas 1911 Duty B9R DS

Chad Wallace

February 1, 2026

Guns, Review

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

Chad Wallace

January 3, 2026

Review, Gear

Frytech Magnetic Buffer

Chad Wallace

January 3, 2026

Review, Gear

Pamax Tactical - Frytech

Magnetic Buffer Review

When it comes to AR parts, everyone makes something similar. That is what I thought until I heard of the magnetic recoil reducing buffer from Frytech. This is a mil-spec buffer tube that uses magnets to dampen recoil instead of the standard AR buffer weight. This system is currently available through Pamax Tactical.

I am almost always hesitant about products that claim to reduce recoil. At least if they aren’t a standard muzzle device. But since I had been watching Frytech experiment with these for some time, I thought I would give it a try. I understand the concept of using magnets, as do most 5th graders. When the magnetic fields oppose each other, the magnets push away from one another. This field is progressive, so the closer the magnets are pushed together, the more force they resist. This is used to dampen the recoil in the Frytech Pamax buffer. It also allows the buffer to work with various calibers and barrel lengths.

The Frytech buffer system includes a few parts. As it arrives, you get a mil-spec 6 position buffer tube, castle nut, and end plate. Inside the buffer tube is a short spring, more on that later, and the magnetic buffer weights. There is a cotter key installed though the front of the tube. It has a tag on it that says something like “remove before flight”, but really it says “Warning, Magnetic, Do Not Remove Pin.” So do not remove this pin until the Frytech buffer tube is installed on an AR type firearm. Then you can remove the pin. The pin keeps the spring and the magnets in the proper orientation. If the parts go flying, you can install the magnets wrong and then the buffer will not function correctly. So, install the buffer tube, then remove the pin, and then head out to the range.

Now that we are at the range, I will give you my first impressions. The first time I had the Frytech magnetic buffer out at the range, I took 3 different upper receivers along with a standard lower to compare it to the Frytech one. So shoot 10 rounds, install the same upper on Frytech buffered lower, shoot 10 more, etc. You could definitely tell the difference. It was more noticeable when going from the Frytech buffer and then back to a normal one. I then tried the other 2 uppers I had at the range. Same scenario and the same outcome, less felt recoil. Two of these were 5.56 and one was a 300 blackout.

The Frytech buffer ran without any flaws until I tried a piston upper with it. The next time at the range I took my VKTR 10.5 inch piston upper and the Frytech magnetic buffer. The Frytech buffer did not like this, it would short stroke sometimes. Since the VKTR piston upper is finely tuned to run with VKTR’s setup, this did not surprise me. I only note it because it is the only upper that did not work well. I fully believe that if the VKTR were adjustable, or had an adjustable gas system, I could have made it work with the Frytech buffer. So if you are installing the Frytech buffer on a finely tuned firearm, you may have to make some gas system adjustments. But after that, you will get the benefits of those magnets in the Frytech system.

Since I wanted some real data on the Frytech buffer, I found my Mantis X10 and used it. When it comes to stuff like the Frytech buffer and claims of reduced recoil, I needed some actual data. So again, off to the range with an upper, two lowers, and the Mantis. I was able to get the data I was looking for. As you can see in the photos, all 4 of the metrics were reduced. Some by a pretty good margin. I now have data to show you, the reader, that the Frytech magnetic buffer is the real deal.

Because of all the testing, I ran the Frytech magnetic buffer with a bunch of different uppers. I definitely could tell that “magnetic” difference. I like this thing. I did notice a small, non-important hitch with it though. When cycling the bolt manually and slowly, the bolt wouldn’t always close on a new round. So I finally got to use that forward assist thingy to push the first round into battery. If you let the bolt release like you are supposed to, this doesn’t happen. Just thought I would remind people to let the bolt slam down instead of easy. This is also the reason the Frytech system has a short flat wound recoil spring in it. It is to help drive the bolt that little extra distance into battery. So did I mention the buffer uses magnets? Because of this, it likes to pick up allen wrenches off of my desk. They stick to the buffer tube. This could be a benefit, as you won’t lose the wrench for adjusting your optic. I know these things are minor, but I figured they needed mentioning. Speaking of annoyances, that buffer spring twang you sometimes get in a normal AR system is essentially non-existent in the Frytech system. Imagine that, magnetic waves are quieter than springs. Hmmmm, it is almost like they don’t make contact with anything. As I mentioned earlier, the Frytech magnetic buffer works. I really like the reduced recoil impulse, and it is softer feeling because of the way the magnets progressively slow the recoil down. The tube is also not some cheap imported tube, it is of nice quality and has the Frytech/Pamax logo etched onto it.

If you are looking for something to reduce felt recoil and have a softer shooting firearm, the Frytech Magnetic Buffer might be it. It definitely does what it says it will, it reduces recoil, as the data shows. Is it for everyone? No, but maybe it should be. It is especially good for people that are recoil adverse or those wanting to get the best performance out of their firearm. Head over to Pamax Tactical and check out the Frytech Magnetic Buffer System. I’m sure there are more magnetic things to come from these guys.

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Recoil reducing buffer system

Target Market:

Those wanting a smoother cycling AR with less felt recoil

Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product:

6-Position 7075-T6 Aluminum CNC-Milled Buffer Tube
Integrated Frytech Magnetic Technology — Built into the tube for seamless operation
Fits all mil-spec AR15 & AR-9 lowers
Tuned for 5.56/.223 & 9mm Calibers
Compatible with FRT Triggers
Compatible with Super Safety (may require modification to detent spring.)
Works with all mil-spec stock systems
Compatible with buffer retainers
Replaces buffer tube, buffer, and spring
Uses standard or included castle nut & end plate
Maintains normal AR15 receiver takedown
Zero Lubrication Required
Springless Magnetic Stack

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

.308 caliber

What others are saying?:

5 out of 5 stars at Pamax Tactical

Smooth

Amazing. I was skeptical of there being much difference. I was one of the first to order one since I know Fry's been working really hard on this. I am really impressed by how smooth and light the recoil impulse is . I highly recommend giving it a shot if you have the resources to put into it .