Gun Tests Grade: A-
$902
Because this is a modern pistol intended for personal defense, we matched it up against the flashy Ronin. This gave us two steel-frame Government Model pistols, a steel-frame Commander, and an aluminum-frame Government Model. The Commander-size Bobcut was actually heavier than the full-length aluminum-frame Kimber Custom LW. The Metro was the most expensive pistol, but it offered good features, including a few the other pistols do not.
Metro Arms Mac Bobcut 1911 Deep Blue 45 ACP
Action Type | Short recoil-operated locked breech, single action |
Overall Length | 7.8 in. |
Overall Height | 5.4 in. |
Maximum Width | 1.25 in. |
Weight Unloaded | 34.6 oz. |
Weight Loaded | 39.1 oz. |
Slide Material | Forged Steel |
Slide Retraction Effort | 20.8 lbs. |
Receiver Material | Steel |
Finish | Blued |
Front Strap Height | 2.6 in. |
Back Strap Height | 3.2 in. |
Barrel Length | 4.25 in. |
Grip Thickness Maximum | 1.25 in. |
Grip Circumference | 5.35 in. |
Magazine | One 8 round |
Rear Sight | Adjustable |
Front Sight | Dovetailed post with fiber optic |
Sight Radius | 5.75 in. |
Trigger Pull Weight | 5.8 lbs. |
Trigger Span | 2.8 in. |
Safeties | Slide lock, grip |
Warranty | One year |
Telephone | (732) 493-0333 |
Website | EagleImportsInc.com |
Made In | Philippines |
Metro Arms is the brainchild of noted competitive shooter Hector Rodriguez. They are manufactured in the Philippines. The Metro Arms gun was notably well fitted and finished. The Bobcut is a standard-size steel-frame Commander with a 4.25-inch barrel. There are no forward cocking serrations. The pistol featured high-visibility sights and a fiber-optic front sight. The rear sights are adjustable for elevation and windage, a nice touch on a 1911. They appear to be rugged, and they are compact.
The ejection port was properly lowered and polished. The blued finish was nicely applied. The pistol featured an ambidextrous slide-lock safety, an improvement over both the Springfield and the Kimber pistols. The beavertail grip safety was nicely fitted and functioned properly. The grips had a dragon-scale-type treatment. (The rater owning the pistol added a set of imitation stag grips. Most of the testing was done with the original grips.)
The pistol is called a Bobcut due to the frame modification. It is similar to the bobtail modifications that have gained popularity among concealed-carry shooters. The bobcut is usually found on expensive handguns. The grip frame is cut diagonally at the bottom of the grip to make for an easier handgun to conceal without compromising grip area.
The slide-lock safety, slide release, and magazine latch were nicely serrated. The trigger was steel. Slide-to-frame fit was tight, without lateral play. Trigger compression was a consistent 5.8 pounds. All raters liked the front-strap treatment. These scallops helped the shooters control the pistol. A 1911 pistol fits most hands well, and grip checkering allows good control. The Metro Arms pistol had the most secure grip of the pistols tested. We liked the balance of adhesion and abrasion a lot.
On the firing line, the Metro Arms pistol performed well in combat drills. We liked the easy point and rapid acquisition of the sights. The grip frame had a neutral pointing characteristic, and we did not fire low. This was an important point we had to clarify with the different-style grip frame.
We ran across a problem early on. We slammed a magazine home, released the slide, and the cartridge did not chamber. The 200-grain semi-wadcutter bullet hung up. We traced the problem to the ACT MAG magazine supplied with the pistol. With the SWC load and also JHP loads, this magazine would not feed properly — odd because this was the supplied magazine. The Bobcut grip was intended to aid in concealment, but the supplied magazine had a basepad which lengthened the grip — this is counter-intuitive. We rated the pistol down a half grade on this odd malfunction. We also discarded the magazine for use in any of the test pistols, but before this, it may have caused the Springfield’s odd malfunction.
In accuracy testing, the Metro pistol was not expected to be as accurate as the 5-inch-barrel guns, but it was close. The best groups were never below 2 inches. On average, the pistol exhibited accuracy that was not as good as the Kimber or Springfield. Generally, Commander-length barrels show velocities of 50 to 60 fps less than 5-inch-barrel guns. This one was in that range with standard loads, but it was a 85 fps slower with the Gold Dot +P load. The Gold Dot probably uses medium-burning powder. Faster-burning powder isn’t as affected by barrel length.
Our Team Said: In the end, we liked the Metro Arms pistol a lot. It featured an ambidextrous safety, an adjustable rear sight, and front-strap texturing that worked. While it may not appeal to those on a tight budget, we feel the pistol was worth the money. We rated it down a half grade on a defective magazine and another half grade on accuracy, grading on the curve against the other pistols. There were no malfunctions related to the handgun itself. In this case, a quality Commander-length handgun held its own in combat shooting, but not in bench accuracy, against 5-inch Government Model 1911 handguns.
45 ACP Range Data
All groups were fired at 25 yards from a solid benchrest position using a Bullshooters pistol rest. The first chronograph screen was 10 feet from the muzzle of the firearm. We used a Competition Electronics Pro Chrony to record velocities.Black Hills 200-grain LSWC | Tisas Duty | Metro Arms Bobcut | Kimber Custom LW | Springfield Ronin |
Average Velocity | 877 fps | 854 fps | 860 fps | 884 fps |
Muzzle Energy | 342 ft.-lbs. | 324 ft.-lbs. | 328 ft.-lbs. | 347 ft.-lbs. |
Small Group | 2.5 in. | 2.3 in. | 2.0 in. | 1.9 in. |
Average Group | 3.3 in. | 2.7 in. | 2.3 in. | 2.3 in. |
Hornady XTP 200-grain JHP 9112 | Tisas Duty | Metro Arms Bobcut | Kimber Custom LW | Springfield Ronin |
Average Velocity | 987 fps | 960 fps | 980 fps | 959 fps |
Muzzle Energy | 433 ft.-lbs. | 409 ft.-lbs. | 426 ft.-lbs. | 408 ft.-lbs. |
Small Group | 2.5 in. | 2.3 in. | 2.0 in. | 1.5 in. |
Average Group | 2.9 in. | 2.8 in. | 2.3 in. | 1.9 in. |
Speer Gold Dot 230-grain JHP 23966GD | Tisas Duty | Metro Arms Bobcut | Kimber Custom LW | Springfield Ronin |
Average Velocity | 899 fps | 814 fps | 908 fps | 903 fps |
Muzzle Energy | 413 ft.-lbs. | 338 ft.-lbs. | 421 ft.-lbs. | 416 ft.-lbs. |
Small Group | 2.8 in. | 2.4 in. | 2.1 in. | 2.2 in. |
Average Group | 3.4 in. | 2.9 in. | 2.5 in. | 2.5 in. |
Value Guide 45 ACP 1911 Handgun Rankings
Gun Name | Issue | Grade | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
SIG Sauer Ultra Compact W1911U-45-BSS 45 ACP, $949 | May 2021 | A | Our Pick. Has a flared and extended ejection port, extended ejector, and a very nice trigger pull. |
S&W SW1911 Pro Series 178020 45 ACP, $1249 | May 2021 | A- | We liked the recoil impulse and movement of the S&W the best. Function was 100% with all ammo. |
Colt Defender Lightweight Stainless O7000XE, $999 | May 2021 | B+ | We want our frames to last for years, so we are not great fans of aluminum feed ramps as on the Colt. |
Ruger SR1911 Officer Stainless 06762, $979 | May 2021 | B | All-steel construction and slightly longer slide-barrel combo resulted in the softest recoil impulse. |
Springfield Loaded Operator PX9105LL 45 ACP, $1162 | July 2020 | A | Best Buy. If you need a personal-defense handgun rather than a show piece, this is the trick. |
Guncrafter Commander 45 ACP, $3285 | July 2020 | A | Our Pick. The fitting is excellent, the sights are ideal for combat, and the trigger is superb. |
Nighthawk Custom Falcon 45 ACP, $3699 | July 2020 | A | An excellent production/custom grade handgun. Very smooth, excellent finish. Best combat ability. |
Dan Wesson 1911 Heritage RZ-45 01981 45 ACP, $1227 | July 2020 | A- | The Dan Wesson Heritage offers good fit and finish and outstanding accuracy. Had break-in malfunctions. |
Devil Dog Arms 4.25 Standard DDA-425-BO45 45 ACP, $1150 | July 2020 | A- | Of this set of five, this gun makes the most sense for real-world concealed carry. |
Desert Eagle 1911C 45 ACP, $695 | August 2019 | A | Best Buy. Reliability was good and accuracy was the best of the test. |
Kimber Pro Carry SLE 45 ACP, $750 | August 2019 | A | Good reliability, excellent sights, the best trigger of the test, and more-than-acceptable accuracy. |
Taurus 1911 Commander 1-191101COM 45 ACP, $500 | August 2019 | B- | We did not like the fit of the beavertail safety. Less accurate than the previous 2018 test gun. |
Iver Johnson Arms Polished Hawk Commander 45 ACP, $570 | August 2019 | C | Poor attention to detail in feed-ramp finish, trigger-pull weight, and selection of the proper-size slide lock. |
Taylor’s & Company Compact 1911 51469 45 ACP, $450 | June 2019 | A- | Had good sights and a good trigger. We would have liked a textured front grip strap. |
American Tactical Firepower Xtreme GI 1911 45 ACP, $398 | June 2019 | A- | This a traditional GI-style Commander with a nice trigger and good sights. |
Taurus 1911 Officer 1-191101OFC 45 ACP, $459 | June 2019 | B+ | Had all the right features, but it did not shoot to point of aim. Would need a new rear sight. |
Colt Gold Cup NM O5870A1 45 ACP, $1190 | May 2019 | A | Our Pick. The National Match Colt is the most accurate of the five handguns tested. |
Colt Series 70 01970A1CS 45 ACP, $865 | May 2019 | A | Best Buy. The least expensive tested, but it could be the best carry gun for the money. |
Les Baer Concept VI 45 ACP, $2290 | May 2019 | A- | It wasn’t faultless; we dinged it for a sharp edge on the safety. |
Colt Bright Stainless Gov. O1070BSTS 45 ACP, $1549 | May 2019 | B- | Flawless fit, finish, and build quality. Slippery grip isn’t easily addressed. |
SIG Sauer Match Elite 1911T-45-TME 45 ACP, $1050 | May 2019 | D | If you’re willing to do some light gunsmithing, move the grade up to B. |
Remington 1911 R1 Enh. TB 96339 45 ACP, $675 | February 2019 | A | A well-outfitted gun for the money. Consider the threaded-barrel model over an R1E. |
Kimber 1911 Warrior SOC 3000253 TFS 45 ACP, $1309 | February 2019 | B- | The Bobcut offers a crisp trigger pull and bobbed grip for better concealment. |
American Tactical Imports ATIFGX45 45 ACP, $525 | February 2019 | F | We had ongoing function problems when the suppressor was fitted to the gun. |
Metro Arms MAC 1911 Bobcut 45 ACP, $746 | October 2018 | A | The Bobcut offers a crisp trigger pull and bobbed grip for better concealment. |
American Classic ACC45C 45 ACP, $568 | October 2018 | A- | Our only ding on this gun is the lack of a serrated front grip strap. |
Taurus 1911 Commander 1-191101COM 45 ACP, $459 | October 2018 | A- | The trigger was a bit too heavy, but the sights are good. Great fit and finish. |
RIA Tactical 2011 w/TruDot Night sights 45 ACP, $590 | April 2017 | A | Best Buy. Light rail, good barrel fitting, TruDot night sights, ambi slide-lock safety. |
Springfield Armory TRP PC9108LP 45 ACP, $1347 | April 2017 | A- | Good fit and finish. The Match Grade barrel lived up to its name. Reliability was faultless. |
EAA Witness Elite 1911P 600347 45 ACP, $470 | April 2017 | B- | Least accurate pistol off the bench. Magazine latch could cause dire consequences. |
ATI Firepower Xtreme Hybrid FXH-45 45 ACP, $600 | April 2017 | D | We could not convince the pistol to fire without a trip back to the factory. |
Kimber Gold Match II 45 ACP, $1311 | June 2016 | A | Offered an excellent trigger action and was more accurate than the Springfield. |
Springfield Armory TRP PC9108LP 45 ACP, $1347 | June 2016 | A | Best Buy. The Springfield offered excellent reliability and good accuracy. |
Colt Rail Gun 01070RG 45 ACP, $1199 | April 2016 | A | An all-stainless 1911 with Novak sights, ambi safety, and a rail. Excellent. |
Springfield Armory TRP PC9108LP 45 ACP, $1347 | April 2016 | A | Our Pick. This is a first-class 1911. Excellent reliability, accuracy, and night sights. |
Springfield Loaded PX9109LP 45 ACP, $790 | April 2016 | B | Best Buy. A good choice for home defense, carry, IDPA, and as an all-round handgun. |
Colt Combat Elite 08011XSE 45 ACP, $1015 | April 2016 | B | We rated it down based on the lack of an ambidextrous safety. |
Colt’s Mfg. Co. Series 70 O1970A1CS 45 ACP, $953 | August 2015 | A | Excellent trigger action, good accuracy, relatively light weight for a steel-frame 1911. |
Colt’s Mfg. Co. 1991A1 No. O1991 45 ACP, $745 | August 2015 | B+ | Accurate and reliable. Some of the 1991A1 pistols have a nicer trigger than ours. |
Colt’s Mfg. Co. Gold Cup Trophy O5070X 45 ACP, $1249 | July 2015 | A- | Excellent trigger action, good accuracy, and sights that offer good adjustment. |