GUN TESTS GRADE: A
$3,699
This was a recent ordering price direct from NighthawkCustom.com. The Falcon is a 5-inch-barrel Government Model-type 1911 without a frame rail. Among the Nighthawk’s features is a mainspring housing and magazine well custom built from tool steel and de-horned to prevent sharp edges. The forward portion of the slide has what Nighthawk calls High Power-type slide cuts. There are three ball-cut grooves in the top of the slide. The sights are Heinie Ledge types with the Straight Eight (stacked dots) tritium night-sight inserts, same as the Guncrafter. The grips are G10 and give the user plenty of adhesion and abrasion and are slightly thinner than some of the other grips tested. Most of the raters liked this design better than some of the thicker grips. The mainspring is checkered at 25 lines per inch (lpi), while the rear of the slide is checkered at 40 lpi to match the rear sight serrations. The barrel crown and smooth recoil spring plug present interesting architecture.
Action Type | Short recoil-operated locked breech, single action |
Overall Length | 8.6 in. |
Overall Height | 5.5 in. |
Max. Width | 1.25 in. |
Weight Unloaded | 38.8 oz. |
Weight Loaded | 43.8 oz. |
Slide Material | Forged Steel |
Slide Retraction Effort | 19.0 lbs. |
Receiver | Steel |
Finish | Black Nitride |
Front Strap Height | 2.6 in. |
Back Strap Height | 3.2 in. |
Barrel Length | 5.0 in. |
Grip Thickness Max. | 1.25 in. |
Grip Circumference | 5.2 in. |
Magazines | Two 8 round |
Rear Sight | Heinie Straight Eight Ledge |
Front Sight | Tritium Insert |
Sight Radius | 6.51 in. |
Trigger Pull Weight | 4.2 lbs. |
Trigger Span | 2.8 in. |
Safety | Slide lock safety/grip safety |
Warranty | None written |
Telephone | (870) 423-4867 |
Website | NighthawkCustom.com |
Made In | USA |
![](https://www.gun-tests.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Nighthawk-Custom-Falcon-45-ACP-shooting-300x202.jpg.optimal.jpg)
![](https://www.gun-tests.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Nighthawk-Custom-Falcon-45-ACP-muzzle-300x286.jpg.optimal.jpg)
During the firing test, the Nighthawk never failed to feed, chamber, fire, or eject. Operation was flawless. We really like the sight design the Nighthawk shares with the Guncrafter. The High Power cut in the slide allows racking the slide as you would with forward cocking serrations. Perhaps not as sure, and perhaps that is not the intent, but some of us do not like the looks of forward cocking serrations. The Nighthawk Falcon’s performance on the combat firing line was the best of any of the handguns. The Nighthawk simply rained bullets into a tight group. We fired from standing, firing quickly at close range, and also from a braced barricade at longer ranges. Per our estimation, the Nighthawk Falcon was the most accurate in combat terms in firing off hand. The Guncrafter Industries 45 and the Springfield Loaded Operator were very close in this contest, but the Nighthawk pulled away from them to a larger degree as the target got smaller and the range was further.
Our Team Said: In the Nighthawk we found an exceptional handgun, without compromise, and without fault. The Nighthawk is worth the money, even better if you find one at a lower price.
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45 ACP Range Data.xlsx
Fiocchi XTPHP 200-grain 45XTPB25 | Dan Wesson 1911 Heritage | Springfield Armory Loaded Operator | Nighthawk Falcon | Devil Dog 4.25 Standard | Guncrafter Commander |
Average Velocity | 970 fps | 954 fps | 951 fps | 899 fps | 922 fps |
Muzzle Energy | 418 ft.-lbs. | 404 ft.-lbs. | 402 ft.-lbs. | 359 ft.-lbs. | 377 ft.-lbs. |
Small Group | 1.8 in. | 2.0 in. | 1.5 in. | 2.2 in. | 1.4 in. |
Average Group | 2.4 in. | 2.5 in. | 2.0 in. | 2.7 in. | 1.8 in. |
Hornady Custom 230-grain XTP +P 9096 | Dan Wesson 1911 Heritage | Springfield Armory Loaded Operator | Nighthawk Falcon | Devil Dog 4.25 Standard | Guncrafter Commander |
Average Velocity | 919 fps | 907 fps | 903 fps | 867 fps | 880 fps |
Muzzle Energy | 431 ft.-lbs. | 420 ft.-lbs. | 416 ft.-lbs. | 384 ft.-lbs. | 395 ft.-lbs. |
Small Group | 2.0 in. | 2.2 in. | 1.7 in. | 2.4 in. | 1.6 in. |
Average Group | 2.4 in. | 2.6 in. | 2.1 in. | 3.0 in. | 2.0 in. |
Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel 230-grain GDHP 23975GD | Dan Wesson 1911 Heritage | Springfield Armory Loaded Operator | Nighthawk Falcon | Devil Dog 4.25 Standard | Guncrafter Commander |
Average Velocity | 855 fps | 839 fps | 828 fps | 810 fps | 780 fps |
Muzzle Energy | 373 ft.-lbs. | 359 ft lbs. | 350 ft.-lbs. | 335 ft.-lbs. | 311 ft.-lbs. |
Small Group | 1.9 in. | 1.8 in. | 1.6 in. | 2.6 in. | 1.7 in. |
Average Group | 2.4 in. | 2.4 in. | 2.1 in. | 3.3 in. | 2.0 in. |