Nighthawk Custom NHC Classic

Nighthawk Custom was founded in 2004 in Berryville, Arkansas, and it builds its pistols under a One Gun, One Gunsmith approach. One gunsmith is responsible for each gun and marks it with a personal stamp when it's finished. The NHC Classic shows that approach at its most traditional.

It's built around timeless, handcrafted elegance. It's a Government-size 1911 in stainless steel with polished flats, wearing cocobolo grips that are half smooth and half checkered with the Nighthawk logo. It looks like a classic 1911 should.

This is the base configuration. It's chambered in .45 ACP or 9mm at no extra cost, with .38 Super and 10mm available for a small upcharge. The 5-inch match-grade barrel is hand-fitted and crowned flush, and the slide has a flat top with arrow-pattern serrations.

The sights are simple and quick: a Heinie black ledge rear and a solid gold bead front. The trigger is a medium solid aluminum shoe with a 3.5 to 3.75 pound pull. There's a single-side safety, with an ambidextrous upgrade available.

It measures 8.65 inches long, 5.4 inches tall and 1.40 inches wide, and it weighs 36.9 ounces empty. Capacity is eight rounds, and two 8-round magazines are included.

If you want a hand-fitted 1911 that looks right at home in a collection but still shoots like a working gun, the NHC Classic is a fine example. It's the kind of pistol that looks as good in a display case as it does on the range, and it's built to be used.