Last year saw a distinct rise in new double-stack 1911 and 2011 designs. People love the 1911, but they want it to hold more ammunition. With that in mind, they also didn’t want to spend a ton of money on these guns. The market of double stack 1911s and 2011s have existed for years and years, but they’ve always been expensive. In fact, a lot of times, the price was around two grand. Luckily, last year, we saw a glut of new double-stack 1911 models hit the market at lower price points. When it came to slashing prices, the Witness 2311 series led the charge.
The Commander Sized 2311
This year, Girsan, the manufacturer of these guns, started trimming the barrel. While Government models and Long Slide models were introduced last year, the shorter variants were noticeably absent. If you wanted to carry your 2311, you might find it a bit big, so the wise move was to introduce a Commander-sized model. These guns tend to be the most popular size for double-stack 1911 platforms. This cuts the barrel to 4.75 inches but keeps the same grip and magazine size.
The new Commander model made its debut at SHOT. Upon grabbing the gun, you realize just how well-balanced it is. It feels perfect without that hint of front-heavy we see on most 1911s. These guns have traditionally come in a wide variety of calibers, including 9mm and 45 ACP, as well as 10mm. The Comander size keeps the varied calibers much to my joy at a 10mm version.
Across the bottom, the gun is milled with a rail for attaching accessories. Up top, it proved to be optics-ready. The magazine holds 17 rounds of 9mm. The 2311 Commander comes with a nice extended beavertail, as well as a set of ambi safeties. The trigger is skeletonized and surprisingly nice and smooth. It’s thick in the grip, which is what you expect from a double-stack M1911.
Out The Door
Overall, this $999 double-stack 1911 seems like a real winner. The 2311 Commander-sized compact model seems like a great bargain for shooters looking to get into the 2011 and double-stack M1911 market. It’s available at this time and can be found at EAA’s dealers now.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Travis Pike is a former Marine Machine gunner who served with 2nd Bn 2nd Marines for 5 years. He deployed in 2009 to Afghanistan and again in 2011 with the 22nd MEU(SOC) during a record-setting 11 months at sea. Travis has trained with the Romanian Army, the Spanish Marines, the Emirate Marines, and the Afghan National Army.
He serves as an NRA-certified pistol instructor and pursues a variety of firearms-based hobbies.
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