Machined to perfection, Palmetto State Armory's 1911 line is an incredible piece for a great price.
If you asked a gun enthusiast for their favorite pistol models, more times than not, you will hear the 1911 get mentioned in some capacity. It's a wildly popular handgun, and for good reason; they are ultra cool guns with a rich history in the U.S. military.
Palmetto State Armory, which we'll refer to as PSA from here on out, is most well known for their 100% USA-made AR-15, AR-10, and AK-47 rifles. Most folks don't know about their 1911 series though, and that needs to change.
I am going to go over the PSA Stainless Premium 1911 specifically, because that is the 1911 that I went with when it came down to making a choice. It's a piece of pistol eye candy that has an incredibly crisp, clean, and classy look with great functionality.
Pistol lovers beware, if you want to save money, continue reading at risk.
Among my growing gun collection, this 1911 seems to be a fan favorite anytime I have company over. Machined to perfection, PSA is very proud of this awesome little gun. The pistol is not your basic 1911; rather, it comes loaded with some great features that you will usually only find on much higher-priced 1911 models. Here is the kicker: It isn't high priced though!
It starts at $799.99, and for what this gun entails, it is a great deal. Before I get into the gun itself, there's something you should know about Palmetto State. They often run deals that offer prices unheard of in the gun market, and they'll almost always do it with free shipping. If you watch their webpage and deals closely, you can catch their 1911 series at an outstanding price of $599.99 at times. Sign up for their email list or check in often to catch it at the right time.
As for my Stainless Premium 1911, I will get into the nuts and bolts, and show you some visuals of just how magnificent this pistol looks.
This PSA model is constructed with a stainless steel frame that is beautifully polished on both sides, and then topped with a forged 4140 steel slide, which is hard-chromed for durability.
Since the day I picked up this American-made pistol from my local FFL, I have been falling more and more in love with it.
After holding and working with the pistol, you can really feel the sturdiness and quality of both the frame and slide. Stiff and strong, your hands sense durability that will last through heavy use.
The slide employs serrated designs both at the front and rear, giving it that neat look that I spoke of earlier. It's a quality choice, and it's clear before you even take it to the range.
PSA's 1911 line comes with a skeletonized ultralight long pad trigger by Wilson Combat. The trigger wears a unique three hole design to add extra flare to this already interesting pistol. The trigger itself produces an ultra crisp trigger pull. That sort of thing is widely known with Wilson pistols, and the trigger is a great complement. With an adjustable travel screw for precision adjustments, this match trigger is as great of an added feature as you can find.
The three dot sights that are included on the 1911 are very visible and provide a nice targeting mechanism.
The back end of the PSA 1911 is loaded with a serrated combat hammer for intensified grip while cocking. There's a beaver tail grip safety that fits well within the hand and extended thumb safety as well. Below is a video that showcases some of those features.
Even though it's seemingly simple, one of my favorite parts of the Stainless Steel 1911 is the Burgundy grip panels on the pistol. From a visual perspective, the red tone has great appeal on the stainless silver frame and slide.
They really give it an old fashion classic pistol feel that I think makes for a stunning gun and great look. In all honesty, that played a large part in the reason I chose it over the other models available.
For a production gun, the crispness of the trigger and overall detail of the pistol make it feel as if it was a custom made and hand fitted piece. That's astonishing, especially considering the price tag.
I have had no issues after running rounds through the handgun, and have experienced nothing but flawless function from the product. Here are a few more of the specs:
- Barrel Length: 5"
- Barrel Steel: Stainless Steel
- Barrel Finish: Polished
- Caliber:. 45 ACP
- Capacity: 7+1
- Frame material: Stainless Steel
- Frame Finish: Natural, polished side, matte edge
- Slide Material: 4140 Forged Steel
- Slide Finish: Hard chrome, polished sides
- Overall Length: 8.75"
- Overall Width: 1.25"
- Overall Height: 5.5"
- Weight as configured: 39.2 oz. unloaded
- Magazine Type: Single Stack
- Magazine Finish: Stainless Steel
PSA offers complete 1911 pistols like I have showcased here or if you want to do your own personalized 1911, they have a great selection variety of barrels, grips, magazine releases, handgun parts, and more.
If you have been in the market for a 1911, give this one and other Palmetto State Armory 1911s in carbon steel a serious look. They're high quality products available at an incredible price point, and after seeing these photos, you'll agree the Palmetto State Stainless Premium 1911 is a no brainer.
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