Nighthawk Custom Sand Hawk Single-Stack 1911: Performance Heirloom

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Since its formation in 2004, Nighthawk Custom has manufactured some of the finest 1911 pistols in the world. At Nighthawk Custom, “One gun, one gunsmith” is more than a slogan. It’s a commitment to quality.

Every component of a Nighthawk Custom 1911 is fully machined from bar-stock billet steel. Parts are made oversize to allow for hand fitting by a gunsmith using files and sanding sticks. All 46 parts are fitted to a particular Nighthawk Custom 1911 to create a highly functional work of art.

All Nighthawk Custom pistols are test fired before they leave the Berryville, Arkansas, facility. If the pistol doesn’t meet the company’s stringent standards, it doesn’t leave the shop. Pride in craftsmanship and accountability at Nighthawk Custom is exemplified by the gunsmith’s initials being stamped under the left grip panel.

One of Nighthawk Custom’s most popular pistols is the Sand Hawk, a double-stack 1911 with a Government-size frame and an integral compensator.

Feature-Rich

“The Sand Hawk is our first 1911 pistol that features our full-length dust cover and square trigger guard frame,” said Landon Stone, Nighthawk’s director of marketing.

These features—combined with the Sand Hawk’s flat dark earth Cerakote finish and black controls—strike a perfect balance between tactical and elegant. Never one to rest on its laurels, Nighthawk Custom recently introduced a single-stack variant of the Sand Hawk: the Single Stack Sand Hawk.

The new pistol is chambered in 9mm and runs on 10-round magazines, as opposed to 17-round magazines like the original Sand Hawk. As a result, the grip is slightly narrower, which aids in controlling the pistol—especially for shooters with smaller hands.

The Single Stack Sand Hawk is also available in .45 ACP at no extra charge or in 10mm for an additional $100.

Heft

You might assume the Single Stack Sand Hawk would be lighter than the original Sand Hawk, but that’s not the case. It’s actually five ounces heavier, thanks to its 416R stainless steel frame, compared to the Sand Hawk’s aluminum frame.

Weighing 43.3 ounces, the Single Stack Sand Hawk is quite heavy. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Heavy pistols tend to produce less felt recoil and muzzle rise, making them easier and faster to shoot.

“The Single Stack Sand Hawk is the flattest shooting pistol that Nighthawk has ever built,” Stone said. Of course, being flat shooting has a lot to do with the integral compensator as well.

I’ve reviewed a lot of pistols over the years, but few are even in the same league as the Single Stack Sand Hawk. When I first saw the pistol, I was impressed with its clean lines and smooth contours, as well as its heft and ergonomic design. It’s like getting into the driver’s seat of a luxury car. You immediately realize why it’s more expensive than a run-of-the-mill model.

Refinement

The Single Stack Sand Hawk’s Government frame is topped with a 416R stainless steel slide that houses a five-inch match-grade barrel constructed of the same material. The integral compensator blends perfectly with the contour of the pistol. A rack of the slide lets you know the tolerances are tight without compromising the buttery-smooth slide cycling.

The Single Stack Sand Hawk is completely dehorned for snag-free concealed carry. The edges are hand-beveled, and there wasn’t a blemish to be seen or felt on the test gun.

The slide has wide serrations—two up front and five in the rear. The single-slot accessory rail extends from the front of the trigger guard to the end of the dust cover. The model I tested was equipped with a SureFire X300 Ultra light, which is a $379 upgrade. This full-size light adds weight to the front of the pistol, which mitigates muzzle flip, while enabling you to illuminate a threat without compromising your shooting grip.

Nighthawk’s Interchangeable Optic System (IOS) is a $350 upgrade. The IOS is a unique, convenient mounting system that facilitates a low-profile optic mount via the dovetail cut in the slide. Plates can be swapped in a matter of seconds with nothing more than an Allen wrench.

Optics Ready

The IOS system gives you the option of switching optics or switching from an optic to iron sights or vice-versa without having to worry about re-zeroing. IOS plates are available for the following footprints: Trijicon RMR, Shield RMSc, Leupold DeltaPoint Pro, Aimpoint Acro, Vortex Viper, Holosun 509T and Docter/Noblex.

With the IOS system, the integral Heine Ledge black rear sight is positioned in front of the optic window. The pistol’s standard-height sights are visible through the lower portion of the window.

Like the original, the Single Stack Sand Hawk sports a gold bead front sight, which not only adds a touch of class but also has a practical application because it draws your focus when you’re using iron sights. If gold isn’t your thing, you can upgrade to a tritium or fiber-optic front sight for $50.

Controls on the Single Stack Sand Hawk are what you’d expect on a high-end 1911. There’s an oversize thumb safety, which is easily manipulated on and off. You have the option of upgrading to an ambidextrous thumb safety for $150. While many prefer to have a thumb safety on either side of the pistol, some right-handed shooters feel that a thumb safety on the right side of the pistol is more of a hindrance than a benefit.

Function

The slide stop is big enough to use as a slide release. Some shooters prefer to rack the slide to chamber a round, but I prefer to hit the slide release with my left thumb because I find it an efficient way to run a 1911.

A memory bump ensures the hand-blended grip safety is deactivated, even with a less-than-perfect grip. The beavertail and Ultra High Cut frontstrap facilitate a high hold on the pistol, which is conducive to controlling recoil. The beavertail also protects the web of your hand from getting bitten by the skeletonized hammer. The magazine release is easy to reach without being in the way when gripping the pistol.

The G10 RailScales grip panels have a miniature dot texture that, combined with the dimpled texturing on the frontstrap and mainspring housing, locks the pistol into your hand.

The 9mm Single Stack Sand Hawk ships with two 10-round magazines. The mag well funnels magazines into the pistol for efficient loading. The magazine base plates protrude from the bottom of the mag well so you have something to grab hold of should you need to strip the magazine from the gun. This is particularly useful when clearing a malfunction, which is problematic with flush-fit magazines.

Sweet Trigger

Nighthawk Custom 1911s are known for their exceptional triggers. Rather than pivoting at a hinge like other triggers, the sliding 1911 trigger produces a smooth, clean trigger press.

Of course, some 1911 triggers are better than others. The trigger on my sample broke cleanly at three pounds. It’s one of the better 1911 triggers I’ve ever tried, which is one reason the Single Stack Sand Hawk is such an accurate pistol.

Slow-fire accuracy is one thing, but in a self-defense situation, you can’t assume a single round on target will stop the threat. That’s when having a pistol that’s easy to control in recoil really shines. A compensated pistol like the Single Stack Sand Hawk produces less muzzle rise, enabling you to deliver rapid hits on target.

“There is a reason that compensators are so popular,” Stone explained. “All you have to do is shoot one and you’ll understand—especially on a fully machined, hand-crafted 1911.”

Reliability

The model I tested had a Trijicon RMR IOS plate, which is a $150 upgrade, and a tan RMR, an $840 upgrade.

Per usual, I tested the Single Stack Sand Hawk for accuracy from a Ransom Multi Cal Steady Rest at 25 yards. Range time was on a surprisingly cold Arizona day with wind and heavy rain, but even with numb hands, I found the Single Stack Sand Hawk to be an absolute pleasure to shoot.

The polished feed ramp, hand-polished ignition components and tuned and polished extractor ensure reliable operation. The lightweight aluminum Nighthawk Custom flat trigger made it easy to fire the Single Stack Sand Hawk without disturbing the orientation of the muzzle.

The firing-pin stop is hand-fitted. Stone said this ensures that the firing-pin stop is installed almost perfectly and to the tightest tolerances.

Accuracy

“It looks right, feels right, and you won’t ever have any slop or issues out of it over the lifetime of the pistol,” he said.

The throated barrel on the Single Stack Sand Hawk helps feed cartridges into the chamber by way of an enlarged opening where the barrel meets the frame. This helps ensure the pistol can handle a wide array of ammunition without malfunctioning. This is an important feature if you plan to use a pistol for self-defense, as hollowpoints don’t always feed well in 1911s.

Five-shot groups were impressive, with bullets ranging in weight from 100 to 124 grains. I was able to shoot two groups under one inch and several at or just over an inch. The overall average group size across all three loads was 1.2 inches. When it comes to accuracy, the adage “You get what you pay for” usually rings true.

Not only was the Single Stack Sand Hawk accurate, but it was also 100 percent reliable and incredibly soft shooting. Stone was right: The compensator made a big difference. When shooting offhand, I was able to deliver rapid-fire hits in part because there was so little muzzle rise, and the muzzle recovered predictably. The red dot was always on target when I was ready to fire the next round.

It Delivers The Goods

The Single Stack Sand Hawk is everything you’d expect a custom 1911 to be. From overall aesthetics to fit and finish to functionality, this pistol delivered.

With a base price of $5,199, the Single Stack Sand Hawk isn’t cheap, but if you’ve shot a lot of pistols, you’ll appreciate the quality it exudes. Kitted out with the IOS, mounting plate, RMR and SureFire X300 Ultra light, the Single Stack Sand Hawk I tested carries a price tag of $6,915.

In addition to the extras that came with my samples, Nighthawk offers a range of upgrades—including a fluted barrel hood, extra extractor, stainless finished slide, rear slide serrations only and custom block-letter engraving.

Like any luxury item, a custom 1911 like the Single Stack Sand Hawk isn’t within everyone’s budget, but those with the means and a hankering for the best pistol money can buy will surely be satisfied with one. It’s something you could proudly pass along as an heirloom, but unlike a diamond-encrusted ring or a Rolex watch, the Single Stack Sand Hawk is capable of firing one-inch groups at 25 yards and could save your life or the life of a loved one. That’s priceless.

Nighthawk Custom Single-Stack Sand Hawk Specs

• Type: 1911
• Caliber: 9mm Luger (tested), 10mm Auto (upcharge), .45 ACP
• Capacity: 10+1
• Barrel: 5 in., fluted and ported 416R match-grade stainless steel
• OAL/Height/Width: 8.47/5.61/1.35 in.
• Weight: 43.3 oz.
• Construction: FDE Cerakote-finished 416R stainless steel slide and frame; G10 RailScales grip panels
• Sights: gold bead front, black Heine Ledge rear; IOS optics cut (as tested)
• Trigger: solid flat-face aluminum, 3 lb. pull (measured)
• Safety: grip, single-side thumb
• MSRP: $5,199; $6,915 as tested
• Manufacturer: Nighthawk Custom, NighthawkCustom.com

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