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View Full Version : Nighthawk Falcon .45 ACP Heinie 5" G10 Govt vs Ed Brown Special Forces


jjs1025
10-10-2015, 12:09 PM
Hi Calgunners,

Couldn't find anything in the past history comparing these two, so I'm asking your opinions if you have experience with both.

Or do you think another model Wilson, Les Baer, Ed Brown, or Wilson Combat is a better deal? (45 cal only)

Not looking to buy used; new only.

Just a range handgun, nothing special; looking for a new toy!

Thanks for your opinions!

BoJackUSMC
10-10-2015, 12:16 PM
I have seen Wilson and nighthawk in person... wow they got all the whistles and bells (awesome finish as well)...
You can't go wrong with those 2 for sure...

Ed brown and bear is more workhorse 1911, still custom 1911, but finish is not awesome as Wilson and Nighthawk..

BoJackUSMC
10-10-2015, 12:17 PM
Some people will push bear and ed brown 1911 hard like taking it to tactical shooting school, but most people tend to treat Wilson and nighthawk like safe queen babe.

static2126
10-10-2015, 12:18 PM
Agreed. Wilson will have better resale value too.

Depending.on how much you plan to spend a true custom.shop pistol will always be nicer vs a semi custom

trigger945
10-10-2015, 1:07 PM
Sorry to break this to you, but at that level, it is all preference. I can, however, give you a general idea of a Nighthawk and a Brown. I hope this will help a bit.

Nighthawk prides itself with a "one gun, one gunsmith" philosophy, among other things. That is good and bad at the same time. Good because the gunsmith knows or should know your gun inside out. Bad because that gunsmith might not be the best at some specific process, i.e. trigger, etc.

I don't know how Ed Brown does theirs but I will take a wild guess that multiple gunsmiths work together on one gun.

The Nighthawk specimen I have (Talon) has one of the finest triggers on a 1911. Many people have provided the same feedback and these people are not new to guns. It breaks at 3.5 lbs (digital gauge, 10-pull ave) and has a rolling feel. Just superb.

The Ed Brown specimen that I had (Kobra Carry) - take note: had, as I sold it - had a trigger that had nothing to write home about. It broke at 4.75 lbs (digital gauge, 10-pull ave) and you could feel the wall just before it broke. It was crisp and clean though. A friend of mine who owns an Executive Target and has lots of experience working on his gun could not mimic my Talon's trigger. His gun's trigger felt the same as my Kobra Carry. He had to replace the sear and some other parts but was still unsuccessful in his pursuit.

Ed Brown's fit/finish is top notch. Just quality all over the gun that you can see. Perfect slide-to-frame fit, perfect fit on the beavertail safety, perfect barrel bushing-to barrel fit. It was a beautiful gun inside and out.

Nighthawk's fit/finish is not as good as Brown's. The checkering on the rear of the slide was crappy. The slide-to-frame fit, beavertail safety and barrel-to-barrel bushing fit were great, but not superb. One can tell the difference when put side by side, which I did.

As far as looks, Ed Brown has more of a classy look, while Nighthawk has more of a "tactical" look. Ed Brown seems to be truer to the 1911 form. I don't know how else to put this in words.

Ed Brown, himself, is well known and has been in the industry for a while. He started out building custom guns using different base guns, primarily Colts. Ed probably has a better reputation as far as building guns than Nighthawk.

Nighthawk has not been around that long. They put out great products but can be inconsistent. They are an offshoot of Wilson.

They both make their own parts. Ed Brown is more popular as far as parts than Nighthawk. It is probably a function of longevity in the industry.

I unfortunately had to pick one of the two and picked the Nighthawk. I would not hesitate owning an Ed Brown if funds allowed. I picked the Nighthawk because overall, it felt better for me. I am a big fan of that trigger and balance. I am not as impressed with the look, esp with the FCS, but oh well. I preferred it knowing its advantages and disadvantages. I have no regrets, although I miss the Kobra Carry.

Hope this helps.

trigger945
10-10-2015, 4:57 PM
I did not really see the second part of your question so I am adding some info below.

I also had a chance to own a Wilson Combat CQB Elite. It was a great gun. In fact, it felt the best in terms of holding a 1911. Not sure why. Could be just how the profile was? Its fit/finish was probably on par with Nighthawk's, although the barrel-to-barrel bushing fit was looser relatively speaking - it did not require a tool to turn it.

Its trigger was slightly behind Nighthawk's. It registered a trigger pull of 3.75 lbs (digital gauge, 10-pull average) but did not have a rolling feel that I preferred. The slide action was probably the smoothest of all my 1911's.

Really nothing to complain about that specific Wilson. I actually think that it could be the best overall for people who are looking for a really, really nice 1911. It just did not have anything that stood out that I cared about or preferred. I eventually sold it.

What can I say about Baers? Well, I had a Custom Carry. It had the tightest barrel-to-barrel bushing fit. Its best feature was probably its trigger. It was a very nice trigger.

Its finish was so-so with its very thin bluing, although it would probably have the best worn look. I can't think of any other thing that was exceptional about it except for its price. It cost half my Wilson for not half the gun. I also miss that Baer and might get one again once funds allowed.

Based on my preference (take note: MY preference), and not entirely scientific approach, here is how I would rank all 4 models:

1. Nighthawk Custom Talon
2. Ed Brown Kobra Carry
3. Les Baer Custom Carry
4. Wilson Combat CQB Elite

Extra: Since I got each one brand new, the one with the best re-sale value (i.e., you don't lose as much money when selling, but you of course lose money) is probably the Wilson followed closely by the Baer. Although I have not sold my Nighthawk, and have no plans to, it seems like it has the worst re-sale value of the 4.