SIG Drops 1911-XSERIES: Classic Guns with Modern Features

SIG Sauer has been in the 1911 business for a good while now. It’s a deep and murky gun niche, but as you can imagine, there are strong feelings about SIG 1911s in the hardcore 1911 community. Putting those folks aside, the gunmaker has produced some solid variants of John Browning’s crowning achievement in firearms design. Its newest effort in that arena is the SIG 1911-XSERIES, which was released rather quietly last week.

Currently, the new pistol line consists of three full-sized handguns with steel frames, all chambered in .45 ACP – all 1911 fanboy boxes are checked so far. What makes these guns modern is the sight options.

The two initial releases will sport 5-inch barrels with “direct-mount optic capability.” XRAY3 Day/Night sights come installed on the 1911-XSERIES guns, and the 1911-XFULL ROMEO-X comes with, you guessed it, a SIG ROMEO-X compact red dot installed. Those will be available later this year and a 4.25-inch barrel carry version of the 1911-XSERIES will ship in Spring 2024.

The guns also have an adjustable, flat-blade trigger to take advantage of that crisp, single-action 1911 trigger break. They also come with G10 grips from LOK Grips. Rounding out the modern features are an accessory rail on the frame and an undercut trigger guard for a higher grip.

The guns are not fancy looking — they’re blacked out, and they look like they mean business. (One model will come with a Coyote PVD finish.) These are working 1911s, not showpieces or flashy range toys, and they have the features people want in a modern handgun — except for all the 1911-y things, like an 8-round magazine and the grip safety. The 1911-XSERIES does feature ambidextrous thumb safeties, so there’s that, plus a removable metal magwell.

Is there room in the market for yet another 1911 line? Who knows. But companies keep making them, so people must be buying them. We also don’t know how much these are going to go for, but knowing SIG, they’re not going to be cheap (see the new MCX Regulator).