Nighthawk Customs Talon

The Nighthawk Custom Talon is a full size 1911 built at the company's shop in Berryville, Arkansas. One gunsmith carries each pistol from a forged frame and slide all the way to a finished gun, an approach Nighthawk calls One Gun, One Gunsmith. It shows in the fit of this example. The slide to frame contact is tight, the edges are dehorned for comfortable carry, and the top of the slide carries full length serrations that run back to match the rear iron sight.

This pistol wears a black nitride finish over the frame and slide, paired with cocobolo grips cut in a double diamond pattern and stamped with the Nighthawk hawk medallion. The sights are Heinie Slant Pro Straight Eight units with tritium inserts front and rear, a setup that helps with quick acquisition in low light as much as it does on the range. Look closely at the muzzle and you will see the reverse crowned barrel sits flush with the bushing, a small touch that keeps the profile clean.

Nighthawk builds the Talon on a Government frame with a 5 inch barrel, and the maker offers it in either .45 ACP or 9mm depending on how a customer orders it. The trigger is a lightweight aluminum tri cavity design, tuned at the factory for a light, crisp pull, and the front strap carries fine checkering that helps keep a shooting grip secure under recoil.

People who like the 1911 platform tend to gravitate toward Nighthawk because every gun leaves the shop hand fitted rather than assembled from bins of interchangeable parts. This particular Talon carries that same attention through, from the two piece magwell to the serrated rear of the slide. It is a pistol built to be carried and used, not just set on a shelf.