Vickers Tactical Nighthawk pistol suspense date [Archive]

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Larry Vickers

11-01-07, 12:29

Gents

I wanted everyone here to know that I am suspending the Vickers Tactical Nighthawk Custom 1911 pistol as of March 1, 2008 - meaning orders for the pistol will no longer be accepted after that date

I never intended for the pistol to be made indefinately and I feel the price has gotten beyond what the market will bear - particularly for a pistol that is designed/speced by me but one that I do not personally work on - over $3000 for a pistol like that is asking too much

Just wanted everyone to know in case you want one - I am not sure what if anything I will be doing in the custom pistol arena after this - of course I will continue to offer a 1911 operators course as well as a 1911 builders course

Sincerely

Larry Vickers

www.vickerstactical.com

rob_s

11-01-07, 12:48

Interesting.

The cost is always what kept me away. I liked the feature set, I liked the vendor, but $3k was just too much for me personally for a defensive gun the way I use it.

I'd really like to see Nighthawk do something similar to the Rock River Arms Basic Carry in the $1500-$1800 range. Obviously some fitting/crowning type work would have to be left out but the pistol should still be able to be made reliable and functional.

Failure2Stop

11-01-07, 12:56

. . . I feel the price has gotten beyond what the market will bear - particularly for a pistol that is designed/speced by me but one that I do not personally work on - over $3000 for a pistol like that is asking too much
www.vickerstactical.com

You gotta respect that.

rubberneck

11-01-07, 13:01

Back when I first became enamored with custom 1911's I had one of your guns in my hand. The dealer that had it for consignement didn't take credit cards and by the time I had made it back from the bank with cold hard cash someone had looked at it earlier had come back and walked away with it. I have regretted missing out on that gun ever since.

Striker5

11-01-07, 13:08

Thanks Mr. Vickers for your candor and professionalism.

dubb-1

11-01-07, 13:18

Larry, once again, you have proven that integrity and professionalism are not dead. My respect for you grows...

Respectfully Submitted,

Damian Worthy

DKircher

11-01-07, 14:45

Larry, once again, you have proven that integrity and professionalism are not dead. My respect for you grows...

Respectfully Submitted,

Damian Worthy

Yeah, what he said.

Thanks LAV. :)

UPSguy

11-02-07, 03:20

Larry, once again, you have proven that integrity and professionalism are not dead. My respect for you grows...

Respectfully Submitted,

Damian WorthyVery well put and I agree 100%.

Thanks LAV

Mac679

11-02-07, 07:19

Larry,
Although I hate to see it go (mainly because I won't be back from this deployment when they go away), my compliments on your candor, integrity, and professionalism...

Mac

Matt Edwards

11-02-07, 10:53

Larry,

You're a class act...dude!

griff609

11-02-07, 18:58

Well I saved my pennies for a "long" time and bought mine just recently (hope this doesn't turn into an apple iPhone price drop...jk) and I absolutely love it.

I brought some friends with me to the range last weekend to do some plinking and have some fun. I let them run a few magazines through my Vickers Tactical after they were done playing with their rented extremely worn out Rugers. They came away with grins ear to ear :D and they then proceeded to go through the rest of my ammo supply :( but it was a great time!

It is expensive but will only be more expensive when it is discontinued. I enjoy shooting it very much and this is one firearms purchase that I do not regret.

Thank you Mr. Vickers

mactastic

11-02-07, 23:00

Having acknowledged that the price point is a bit out of hand himself does say alot of his character.

It would be nice to see Mr. Vickers back a pistol that is more attainable to shooters. Something in the area of $2,000 or so max.

Larry Vickers

11-02-07, 23:47

Thanx to all for the very nice compliments - the good news is once they are done then the value of the guns should be maintained as there will never be anymore from Nighthawk Custom

I put alot of my heart and soul into all of my Vickers Tactical products and the pistol was the one that I had concerns about - I felt we priced it at the upper end of the market when it was introduced and after the 2007 SHOT show price jump I started to really think hard about the future of this project

From the end user side having to fork over 3K plus for the gun knowing the guy who's name is on it never even touched it - that did not sit well with me and I finally decided to pull the plug - it was time

Thanx as always and if/when I decide to do anything else in the custom 1911 arena I will let everyone here know ASAP

Cheers

Larry Vickers

Don Robison

11-02-07, 23:56

Sir,
You are indeed a class act.
I've never witnessed someone voluntarily pulling a product because they thought it was the right thing to do and in their customers best interest.

militarymoron

11-03-07, 00:06

kudos, larry.

5POINT56

11-03-07, 00:37

Part of the reason why seeing "Vickers" on any product is worth an immediate 2nd look. Integrity.

Love to get my mits on a Vickers 1911...but you're right, 3k wasn't gonna happen.

Derek_Connor

11-03-07, 08:24

I'll also chime in, and being relatively a newcomer into the gun world I think this is the first time I have seen a gesture like this....thumbs up.

It is also ironic - at my local FFL who deals in High End 1911s they have a Vickers sitting in the 1911 display for sale, and I was *amazed* how much it was going for. It was definitely well priced, and I thought, "that is alot of gun for the money, that is the deal right there"

The manager informed me he just had marked it down since it wasn't moving at the MSRP it came with from NH Tactical....

SO, cliff notes, the stores at the bottom end have noticed the same thing going on...and have reacted accordingly

Hawkeye

11-03-07, 08:37

Derek... you stay away from that one. I want it.

Dont know how I'll come up with the $$$.... but I want it. :D

Derek_Connor

11-03-07, 08:48

Derek... you stay away from that one. I want it.

Dont know how I'll come up with the $$$.... but I want it. :D

Ahhhaaa, touche.

I think I live closer to the GG, we'll see who gets there first :) THey open in 26 mins..

j/k, I just got word from Ray Harms that the 1911 ive been waiting on for 2 years is now to his hands and in line on his bench...so no more pistols for me..

R Moran

11-03-07, 10:03

So Larry, do you have a recommendation for a 1911?

And, don't say an M&P or HK:)

Bob

User Name

11-03-07, 10:06

[QUOTE=rob_s;90827]Interesting.

The cost is always what kept me away. I liked the feature set, I liked the vendor, but $3k was just too much for me personally for a defensive gun the way I use it.

Me too! Might hestitate to shoot someone for fear my Nighthawk would not be cleaned and cared for at the p.d.'s evidence locker.:)

Shihan

11-03-07, 12:55

You gotta respect that.

Wow you dont see things like this very often(ever).

Lumpy196

11-03-07, 22:18

I feel the price has gotten beyond what the market will bear - particularly for a pistol that is designed/speced by me but one that I do not personally work on - over $3000 for a pistol like that is asking too much

You sir, are a man of high integrity.

Heavy Metal

11-03-07, 22:30

Larry,

The best thing you can do is what you are doing and that is taking your hard-earned knowledge and disseminating it as far and wide as you can.

Dport

11-03-07, 22:54

From the end user side having to fork over 3K plus for the gun knowing the guy who's name is on it never even touched it - that did not sit well with me and I finally decided to pull the plug - it was time

How often do you see this these days? Most would let it ride, milking it for every last dime.

All I can say is wow.

abnartyguy

11-04-07, 16:56

Well i have to admit the 3k's was a little high, But i found one!!! And found one of Larry's original guns he built!

Maybe one day he'll start building his own guns again(hum???) later!
-Zef M.:cool:

SCULLY

11-04-07, 20:42

Phenomenal 1911, glad i got mine and went through the paperwork hassle to order the only one up here in Canada, looks like it just went up alot in value. :)

556

11-18-07, 02:21

hoveyh

11-18-07, 19:10

IrishDevil

11-18-07, 21:31

I understand that a lot of work and talent go into a custom 1911. But 8K?, that seems excessive, at least to me.

the1911fan

11-18-07, 22:33

I understand that a lot of work and talent go into a custom 1911. But 8K?, that seems excessive, at least to me.

Like a Bentley Or a $100 Cuban cigar....definately excessive

Trim2L

11-19-07, 02:02

Any of you with new Nighthawks not happy?

I don't own a Nighthawk but there seems to be a lot of complaints over the last year for such a small company.

bullitt5172

11-19-07, 08:20

Looks like $3K is a chump change rate now that Mark Morris charges $8K for a full blown custom build. I just read in G&A Combat Tactics that since many smiths now charge $3K MR Morris felt his work demanded a price increase. Did he just toss a dart at a board full of big numbers ? Even if I had a bucket full of $100 bills I am not sure I'd toss the extra $5K his way ... Wow ! Harold H.

I have to agree, not sure why he would think his guns demand that kind of money. Some people are really full of themselves. I blame those that pay him that much for a gun. I'll take a Yost/Rodgers/Vickers (if I could get one) over him.

BT2012

11-19-07, 17:00

Spending $8k are for wealthy people who put the 1911 in a display case, never shoot it, something to brag while smoking a cigar or drinking cognac. For law enforcement and military personnel, it is not practical or affordable to spend this amount of money.

DocMinster

11-25-07, 09:55

I don’t think the price is high. Especially since it has two excellent stamps of approval. NightHawk & Larry Vickers.

Top of the line fighting tools are not cheap and there will always be those willing to pay whatever for state of the art stuff.

I own a Nighthawk with a 4xx serial # and it has been superb.

Makes me wonder if price is the excuse and Larry is removing his stamp of approval for something he doesn’t want to make public. If that is the case, Larry is a class act and I would’nt expect him to respond.

Any of you with new Nighthawks not happy?

I have to agree with 556....

The fact that Mr. Vickers pulled out publicly reflects the fact that he is a class act. I am in the business field and if there was a problem between Nighthawk and Mr. Vickers we will never know. As we shouldn't… although it makes me wonder?? BUT.... again if there was a business disagreement it is not my business it is theirs and I am happy with Mr. Vickers explanation.

As for anyone questioning the quality of Nighthawk.... I own a 10mm Nighthawk and along with its Custom work from Nighthawk it hovers around 3K if not a tad more. I have owned Kimbers, Colt (Delta) Les Baer & Wilson... they do not compare to my Nighthawk I feel as though it is worth every penny... I cant even begin to fathom what an “8k Mike Morris 1911 “ would do OR have that my 3K Nighthawk doesn’t…Maybe it shoots 10 rings by itself??? :)

As for rarity... I suspect LIKE my 10mm NHC ... (1 of 10ish) the Vickers/NHC will NEVER be made again by NHC ...I would suspect it will hold its value never dropping.

PLCedeno

12-08-07, 12:42

I think i finally get the full picture why LAV is so often quoted. Its like Jeff Cooper whispered something private into his ears before he left us. I mean that with the upmost respect and have backed it up with my money.

dubb-1

12-11-07, 21:27

Utmost. ;)