Nighthawk AAC RECON .45 acp
Mods added:
Videcki Long Match Trigger Straight Face
Original Simmonich Gunner Grips
Torx grip screws
Put about 400 ends thru tube so far. Feeds everything w/ no issues whatsoever. Silvertip, Ball, Hydras, Talons, Wadcutter, semi-wadcutter etc. Pistol is Cerakoted & I think NH calls it Perma Kote.
I put in my fav trigger I because I have shot them for so many years & I'm acustomed to it. (ingrained into my muscle memory & prefer it) My times are faster, resets, DT's, Hammers etc. I still contend that the 1911 trigger reigns supreme.
I know of several guys w/ NH's. Some like em some don't. This is my first. I got the down low that they are GTG now from people in my circle I trust. I do think they have come a long way in their quality since I got a memo from a Frog bud of mine several years ago. I also think they have the TDP down to a science now. It's not a true custom in the sense or way of a Chuck Rogers et al. (by that I mean the way he pays close attention to detail of removing burrs, messaging, blending, radiuses, contours, melding, precision machining, that special smif VooDoo Mojo love that only Chuck does. I truly feel that man makes love to his pistol projects & I mean that in the highest compliment possible) by removing machine marks, burrs, polishing, blending, aberrations, anomalies etc. as have I have taken it completely apart on a bench & throughly inspected it. But understand that does not diminish it in any way. It's not a custom in that sense. A "production custom" is a better way to accurately describe imo, as I dislike semantic games. Thats just my opinion from an anal retentive dude who's been around 30+ years trying to master this platform. The grip was too small for my mitts. So that was easy to rectify. No MIM parts. Extractor was properly cut w/ correct angle (no toe jam or crimping) & tension. The trigger comes great as is w/ just a hint of creep. A little heavy for my tastes but I'm a different that the average Joe 1911 nut admittedly. I had the trigger pull lightened slightly, re-stoned, burrs, stirrups & hooks cleaned up, trigger shoe polished, frame trigger channels stoned & cleaned up. Sear & disconnecter were fine. Other than that & that is beyond normal limits of anal for any production pistol in all fairness. Mine was built by Joey Lehr who I understand is Tim Lehr's Nephew. He is one of NH's newer big talents from my sources I trust. The bench rest Test Target was better than I can shoot so that's good enough, nuff said.
I ran some rounds through it at a recent Sonny Puzikas class. But kept it low key & out of people's view. I knew I would Jack it up real good if I shot it all weekend, so I took it offline. I was recently training/RSO/helping out at that course that was one of those special classes that the energy just works and he downloaded a metric poopload of info that was great. Sonny was spot on about most everything he espoused from my perspectives & we compared operational experiences w/ some interesting conclusions. He & the Russian SF's have different approaches but interesting that many times we came to same conclusions. He's an Outside the Box thinker as I'm the same way. I'm a MArtist as he is & as Bruce Lee said so eloquently Use whats useful discard what is not. The jist of it was I had some new tools for toolbox.
I just did want to use the NH AAC Recon too much for that COI because it I would have jacked it up pretty good as we shot from some interesting & challenging unconventional shooting positions. More on that some other time.
The grip is super comfortable. Front strap, top of slide, backstrap have AAC's Can style Ball cuts. They are aesthetically pleasing as well as functionally ergonomic. The backstrap Ball cuts are not as deep on backstrap as I would like & could be deepened slightly but that is an pedantic comment & not really an issue. Frontstrap is high cut for excellent hand/sight/bore axis index. No fatigue in grip, just the right tactile feel. The grip/frontstrap does does feel different for me & perhaps a new favorite. Dunno, need more trigger time. By different I mean it has a different feel from checkering, golfball, chain link, tiger tooth, snakeskin, stippling patterns etc. I have had & shot with. The sights are Heinie serrated tritium straight 8's. The deep 90 degree cut on top back of sight is great for IAD's & makes it a cinch to execute. Sights are easy to pick up for assessment/scan & Target ID. Work great @ night w/ zero issues picking them up. Barrel is Storm Lake which has apparently picked up their game from what I''m hearing. I'm use to shooting BarSto, Shuemman, KART & Nowlin but the Storm Lake barrel is very accurate. Lockup is perfect (bank vault snug), rails are roller bearing smooth. Hammer reminds me of Wilson I have & like. Beavertail safety is comfortable & ergonomic w/ positive engagement etc. Has NM bushing, long flat plug that just has simple clean lines. Slide stop is slightly larger that stock w/ nice asthetics and ergonomics. Ext Mag release is simple, easy to index (even in dark) & positive. Magwell is minimal, blended better & improved more than other NH's I have seen. It is two piece but you would not know until you take it off frame. Looks & functions great. Mag changes are intuitively easy & drama free. Current slide & frame are forged steel & made for NH by PM Machine across/down the road. (not Remsport, Kimber, S&W, LB et al like some internet hyperbole report.) The NH AAC Recon has a "De Horn" carry bevel nothing too severe in the way of melding/contouring. All sharp edges have been addressed. The AAC functioned flawless cycling w/ a Ti Rant "S" w/ sub ammo. I'm using BladeTech Kydex AIWB rig that works super well in hot/cold/wet environments I carry & work in. Balance & recoil impulse are excellent. Overall I'm very satisfied w/ the AAC Recon. At the end of the day it's working great have a lot more rounds downrange & will advise if my opinion changes. I have seen so many different opinions & learned to research myself these days. They are pricey (I did not pay full list) but I use it professionally so justifying it becomes easy. I've pretty much owned the typical named brand 1911's at one time or another after 30 years of using this platform, SA, Colt, WC, STI, SVI, Rand & Customs etc. I have not owned Kimber, RRA, Fusion, Remington, Ruger so I can't attest to them & have no opinion. I shoot Glocks, HK 45C, S&W MP et al as well & still prefer 1911 trigger over the others. I regularly service my 1911's so I do have a better than average understanding of necessity of inspecting components for wear & serviceability.
HTH...
3 shots
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