By Dan Kidder
Managing Editor
When John Moses Browning designed the Model 1911 in 1908, for the US Army, it was called the “greatest gun in the world.” Not much has been changed on that original design in 100 years, but some fine tuning and advances in craftsmanship have resulted in some beautiful weapons.
The SW1911TA comes with two 8-round magazine, a carrying case, Trijicon night sights, and "E" Series laminate wood grips.
Smith & Wesson has long been making 1911s, but this year’s model is even sexier than their previous attempts. The model SW1911TA takes that age-old design and ramps it up with a healthy dose of testosterone and steroids. Featuring a bead blasted stainless steel body and slide, the soft gray of this gun gives it the low maintenance of stainless with the matte finish of a tactical gun.
The gun comes standard with E series laminated wood grips with a fish scale motif. The same fish scaling is continued on the front and rear slide serrations, making it easy to cycle the slide from either the front or rear of the gun. The main recoil spring has been reworked and everything polished to make the slide action “butter smooth.” The redesigned overtravel adjustable match trigger has also received that extra polish making a scary good smooth trigger pull at right around 5.5 pounds.
The TA in the model number stands for Tactical Accessory and it includes a 1913 Picatinny rail on the front dust cover that will fit most standard tactical lights and lasers.
The 1911TA comes standard in a bead blasted finish, like the one we tested, or a Melonite finish in black. Contrasting beavertail and grip safeties help them stand out and also give a great overall look to the gun. A highly polished feed ramp and deeply recessed chambering on the barrel ensures the gun will feed a variety of .45 ACP rounds, including hollow points without malfunction. A redesigned ejection port and a heavy duty external extractor will allow the gun to fire a wide range of loads without jamming. A deeply recessed and chamfered muzzle crown improves accuracy.
The 5.5-inch barrel model is equipped with an oversized ambidextrous safety and front and rear Trijicon tritium night sights. It includes two 8-round magazines with a plastic floor plate. Both the front and rear straps are deeply checkered to ensure a positive gripping surface and the same checkering has been extended to the magazine release.
Overall, this is a great offering from Smith & Wesson and does credit to all that 1911 owners love about their guns.
Join the forum discussion on this post
Congrats to the second guy and condolences to the first. Looks like a real shooter.
thats a nice pistol would love to have
sweeet
Gorgeous gun! Have not shot one of these yet!
I was supposed to win this one…. dang it!
Already own Colt Commander, but would make a great addition to collection!
This is an awesome piece! I would LOVE to practice with this one!
I really would like to win this gun.
I would like to win this one!
Sure could use this!!!!
What a beautiful weapon!
This would sure go good with my new CCW permit in Wi.in November.
I had the pleasure of holding this model at my local Sportsman’s (a shout out to the awesome staff in Tucson!). I can’t gush enough about the work that went into this pistol. I subscribe to a newsletter by one of the nation’s foremost 1911 customizers, Hilton Yam, and has wonderful things to say about this pistol. I would love to win this pistol, as I have always desired this bit of Browning brilliance!
Great prize. I sure hope I can win. Awesome prizes Sportsmans News.
Would be a great prize to win. Thanks to SportsMansNews for sponsoring it.
Michael how do i enter?
Nice gun
AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hello Dan,
Glad to be part of the team here, THANK YOU for your service to our country!
I AM CONFUSED. I just registered and don’t know if that is all I do for a chance at the gun or do I actually have to post something. I am not an expert on the computer nor have I ever participated in a forum. ????????????????
All you have to do is register, but you get an additional chance for every 25 posts in the forums. There is a team of great guys and gals in the forums standing by to help you with any questions you might have about the outdoors. Go check it out.
This is a nice weapon, I’m retired AF and my husband is retired Army. My husband has several weapons but this one is a beauty and I would like this to start my collection. That would be great if I didn’t have to ask to borrow his for protection. He would be sooooo jealous. We both have our concealed weapons permits, but usually, I don’t have anything to conceal. lol!
need this bad–my s&w 1901 38 special military revolver blew up–1/2 of the cylinder gone–never did find the barrel
I didn’t know S&W made any 1911′s. Looks like they hit a home run with this one! Can’t wait to shoot one…. would like to see how it compares with other 1911s.
nice
Would be a great gun to own.
Beautiful gun
Nicest gun I’ve seen in any give away EVER. Sure would like to win it!!! J.P.
Awesome gun – thanks for chance to win it.
Incredible looking piece
My husband wants us to have a gun and I would love to win this for our household
looks great!
S&W guns are among the best – would luv this one!
Thank you so much for this sweepstakes and the really great prize. Awesome!
Love to add that one to my gun safe
This gun looks amazing. Since selling my HK a few years ago, I’ve needed to get another, but my son has proven to cost a lot more then anticipated!
This is just what I’ve wanted.
Love the looks of this handgun!
Don’t know much about the 1911 but I’m sure it can do the “job” if and when necessary
awesome piece to add to my collection
Great article, Dan. The 1911 is a classic!
Great looking gun. Hope to win it!
somebody’s going to be very lucky!
one great gun
S & W got it right with this 1911TA; a sharp looking shooter.
It will definitely turn heads at our Kaysville range.
I may “have to” trade in my Springfield .45 for this one.
Just getting into guns, but have always loved the 1911 style. Plan to get one, hopefully I win this one and can have an awesome start to my collection.
it’ll be a nice upgrade from H&K 9mm!
Another fine S&W product
this is a great gun
would love to win this gun would be an awesome christmas present for my husband!
it’d be great to win
I never had a chance to own one. I’d really like to win. Thank you
i have read an item on this pistol and they loved it.
I would love to win this gun. It look like a beautiful gun for a girl and so gorgeous and sleek. I want it!!! rj7777
great gun
The 1911′s have ben around for MANY years. With the new technology we have now, they are only getting better. I have been looking at one of these as well as others. Would really be nice to win, then I could buy another to go with it.
Just left SMW stocking up on hunting items that were stolen from my truck on Christmas morning, in the Church’s parking lot. Anyway, picked up the Sportsman’s News and would love to win this.
1911s rock and this looks like a great one! I’ve always wanted one like this. Good luck everyone!!
Great gun for conceal carry
It would be cool to win it!
What an awesome birthday present to myself this would make!
I’d love to win this gun!
A friend of mine has this gun and it is great
I would love to win this gun to add to my collection
this would be a great gun ton have for home protection, with all the crazys running around now
This will be a nice addition to the family.
Looks and sounds like a great gun.
awesome gun, assured knock down power.
Nice.
I’ve always wanted a 1911. Beautiful pistol.
Like to have a new one, mine is a pieces parts put together from friends outcasts when they upgraded theirs. It shoots a lot better than some of the ones they have.
Sweet gun, would love to own a 1911
If the quality of the new one is like the old 22 auto, it is superior!!!
Be nice to win indeed!
They say there is a gun made just for a person. the 1911 was made for me!!!
Still a great gun after all of these years.
Thanks for the giveaway.
Very Nice!
Great looking gun. Hope to win it!
Cant wait to show it off at the range.
The natural progression of JMB’s original design
Coolsville !
GREAT!!!!!
Ooh, pretty gun. I think it would look just grand on my belt.
Pistol looks good, i like the trijicom sights, i wonder if it will be offered with a shorter barrel
Great Gun! Would like to own one. Hint, Hint!!!
This would look great in my hand!
If I win that gun, I’ll tell ALL my friends and family to join the site.
Nice pistol
hi ,iam new, found the bear hunt giveaway ,but cant findout how to enter the monthly gun giveaway , please point methe right way
In the contests drop down menu is a register to win menu. Click on that. It is directly above the Bear Hunt Giveaway item.
awesome
lovely gun
this 1911 would make John browning prowd.
I’d love to win this gun!
great gun,with this one, who needs any other pistol!!!
Not allowed to carry but I wouldn’t mind having this in my home.
nice luv to have it
hail to the USA
This handgun reminds me of one that my uncle had. I really liked it. I hope that I win it in his memory.
I have always wanted a 1911.
Righteous weapon.
Very nice!!
This would be an awesome gun to have, winning one would make it all that more great! I love the 1911 style gun and thing this S&W would be an awesome addition to mu guns I own.
GREAT GUN
Love the 1911′s…very cool.
This is an awesome gun! Sure hope I win it. Especially in light of California’s gun laws!
This gun reminds me of the Springfield 1911 that was made for the F.B.I. a few years ago. It’d sure be awesome to win it! I’ve had a lot of medical expenses recently so could never afford one. Hope I win it!
i think this is got to be the one if you are going to have a gun.