SDS Imports has resurrected the MAC company name for a retro-“Special Ops” 1911, the JSOC Pistol. Was this exactly like the parts-bin guns special operations armorers built? Well, no – and yes. It’s reminiscent in general terms with some upgrades.

Starting with the frame and upper, it’s U.S. 1911 all the way; full five-inch barrel and slide, Government size frame and magazines – with bumpers, both 8-round, to facilitate use in the gun with the added magazine well.

The 500 pc. Limited Edition has a gun marked with the series number, a Zippo Lighter with MAC logo and a US-made knife and sheath, likewise with identifying marks.

The front sight has a classic brass bead. The rear sight is by LPA, a “BoMar” style adjustable unit set forward where the standard rear sight dovetail would be. In my early life, I saw “set-forward” adjustable rear sights as signs of a duffer; it takes that “all-important” sight radius down. For those who use guns for a living, the snag-hazard, damage-prone rear-mount rear sights I preferred were no advantage.

The front strap and mainspring housing are checkered and the gun has the GI recoil system – no full-length guide rod. The sample shipped in a rather solid polymer case with spare magazine, bushing wrench – and in this limited edition – a made in the U.S. knife and sheath along with a Zippo lighter marked with the MAC logo.

It appears there will be 500 pieces in the limited edition, which include the knife and lighter, as this gun is marked “7/500” on the right-side dustcover. The pistol will also be available without knife, lighter and number marking.

For some detail, the pistol features a titanium firing pin (blue in color, it appears), carbon steel forged frame and slide with a 416R stainless match barrel with 11° crown.

The MAC JSOC 1911 was a good fit for the Galco Avenger holster. It's a smooth shooter with conventional ball; an old duty load was a bit hot.

The ejection port is lowered and flared; the frame has 25 LPI checkering as does the flat mainspring housing. The slide and frame have the QPQ Tennifer finish. The stocks are Turkish walnut with the MAC logo, the hammer and trigger are “skeletonized,” the trigger with adjustment for over-travel. The safety has bilateral levers and the extended beavertail grip safety has been properly adjusted at the factory.

I got the pistol to the range on a pleasant fall morning, around 55 degrees with the sun still behind the trees on the first bay. I used one of the supplied Mec-Gar magazines, an eight-shot affair, and an Ed Brown 8-Pack Government Magazine, also rated for eight rounds. I began shooting hand-held, just seeing where the gun hit as new out of the box. I’d added some lube to the barrel hood and the outside of the barrel the day before my trip.

For the first ten rounds, I used some old stock Cor-Bon 230 grain JHP +P, hot stuff. I could tell the gun was tight (by service standards) and thought I’d help it along with some hotter ammo. Not uncontrollable by any means in our agency issued S&W 4506-1 pistols of old, the stuff felt like full-power 10mm in the JSOC.

Still, the group was tightly clustered, low and a little right on the B8 repair center. I loaded five rounds into the Ed Brown magazine and tried it. The groups overlaid each other.

I made some adjustments to the sights and broke out Cor-Bon Performance Match 230 FMJ. Like the hot duty ammo, the ball ammo ran without issues and my sighting adjustments were taking effect. I finished up with some old (1977 headstamp) GI ball. The gun put those rounds into the bull of the B-8.

I loaded up the pair of magazines with eight rounds of GI ball and put up a FP-1 target. While my ‘handling drill’ exercises didn’t yield perfect hits on target at seven yards, the gun clearly shot better than I could hold. I shot singles, pairs, and failure drills, right-handed and left.

The only snag was with the Ed Brown magazine loaded full. The first round ran into the feed ramp. I took it out, adjusted the top round and it chambered up easily. When running with seven-rounds or five, the magazines and gun ran without complaint.

What just has to be done to this gun to make it first rate for me? I’d replace the stock screws with slotted screws (and, likely, O-rings) from VZ Grips. Otherwise, I could look for some off-white ivory-looking stocks that fit a gun with a mag well …

Otherwise, as far as I can tell now, I’d change nothing. If you like retro-chic 45s, I didn't find a thing wrong with this one.

— Rich Grassi