A Devil of a 1911: The 5 Tactical From Devil Dog Arms

My last three shots with the Devil Dog Arms 5 Tactical 1911 really told the story about my experiences with this first-rate pistol. I was shooting from a rest at 25 yards, had tried various brands of ammunition for accuracy, and was down to my last three rounds of Federal Premium Law Enforcement Tactical +P in .45 ACP.

Make them count, I told myself. Concentrate.

I couldn’t quite believe the near-perfect, three-point triangle I shot, which measured just .85-inches.

I’m a decent shot, but much of the credit for that group went to the 5 Tactical and the ammunition. This three-shot group occurred at the very end of my fourth range session with the Devil Dog, with over 300 rounds through the pistol, and I’d done no cleaning of the semi-automatic beyond wiping down the frame and slide. 

My work has me reviewing new 1911’s regularly and the Devil Dog is among the best I have ever used. The trigger, the functionality, and of course the accuracy—all near the top of my 1911 experiences.   

Yeah, I know, if you like 1911’s you are–to many people in the firearms word–a Fudd. Old school, old timer.

Yet, I don’t hate other types of pistols, don’t get on social media to run down this or that platform. I rate each pistol on its functionality, and I’ve used some damn fine striker-fired pistols including, yes, Glocks. And while I do have a special affection for 1911’s, a 1911 that doesn’t work is of no use to me or anyone else.

And the 5 Tactical works great. In fact, it performs as well as many 1911’s I have reviewed that literally cost two and three times the price of the 5 Tactical.

Debuted in 2018, the Devil Dog Arms 5 Tactical features a five-inch, 416 Stainless Steel barrel, heat-treated and button rifled with a 1:16 left hand twist. A match-fit barrel bushing secures the end of the barrel and makes for consistent accuracy.

The frame is fashioned from domestic investment cast steel, the slide from domestic 4140 barstock steel. Both frame and slide are heat treated.

With an overall length just shy of nine-inches, the 5 Tactical weighs in at a substantial 42-ounces. The KenSight DFS fixed white-dot sights front and rear create a sharp sight picture thanks to the rear sight’s generous notch and the precisely cut sides of the front post.

The 5 Tactical’s trigger is made of aluminum, cut with three holes to minimize weight, and averaged a pull weight of a crisp 2 pounds, as measured by my Lyman Electronic Trigger Pull Gauge. The pistol is sold with two eight-round magazines. It also features a three-slot Picatinny rail forward of the trigger guard for attaching accessories.

Initially, I ran 50 rounds of various ammunition brands through the pistol to get a sense of the pistol. I liked the feel of the 5 Tactical in hand, and the accuracy seemed solid.

My next time at the range was more structured. I brought along three brands of .45 ACP ammunition—American Eagle with a 230-grain FMJ bullet average 793 feet per second (fps) velocity*; Browning BPT range also with a 230-grain FMJ projectile, at 844 fps; and Federal Personal Defense HST, 230-grain hollow point, at 862 fps.

At ten-yards offhand, I had no problems scoring one-inch, five-shot groups with each of the ammunition brands, as long as I did my part. Of course, I pulled shots and recorded larger groups. But I considered those groups my failings, not the 5 Tactical and ammunition.

At 25-yards and from a rest, I shot two-inch groups with the above ammunition brands. But I ran out of the Federal Personal Defense HST early and found a box of Federal Premium Law Enforcement’s Tactical+P, firing a 230-grain HST bullet at 925 fps. I printed groups of two-inches and tighter with the Tactical+P, and this was the ammo that scored the .85-inch three shot group.

In over 300 rounds, I had one stovepipe with Federal Tactical+P, and once the slide didn’t hold back when the magazine was empty. Both occurred near the end of my shooting, and I am sure a good cleaning of the pistol would negate/stop any such issues in the future.

The manual thumb safety on the left side of the frame snapped up and down very easily with my shooting hand thumb.

The only thing that gave me any problems on the 5 Tactical was the grip safety and the way the ledge at the bottom of the grip sometimes jammed into my thumb bone. A high grip is needed to keep that ledge away from the bone, which wasn’t always easy for me to accomplish when I was firing faster.

The magazine release really pops the mag out of the pistol. The 22 lines-per-inch checkerings on the front and back strap of the frame provide a very stable hold on the handgun.

I really like G-10 grip panels for pistols, but the 5 Tactical sports Devil Dog’s own NBD grip panels. I was a little leery of the NBD’s initially. They just didn’t look like they’d provide good grip given the many flat spaces. However, I had zero issues with the panels while shooting; my hands stayed firmly in place.

Fan of 1911’s though I am, I guess I’m not a complete Fudd as I very much like the FDE cerakoted finish on the 5 Tactical’s slide and frame. I also appreciate the way the black grip panels, sights, manual and grip safeties accent that finish. Wood panels and gunmetal-blue frames and slides function well, but I do prefer a more upgraded, modern look to my 1911’s.

The 5 Tactical can also be had with a Black Oxide or a Two-Tone black and stainless finish. The pistol is available in 9MM, too.

Depending on the finish, the .45 ACP versions of the 5 Tactical list for $1,099 to $1,199 on the Devil Dog Arms website, with the 9MM versions at an additional $150. My FDE Cerakote model lists at $1,199. 

From an internet search, I found the 5 Tactical for $100 to $125 below the prices listed on the DDA website. 

That’s still a fair amount of money, especially when you can buy a basic 1911 for around half that price. But I know this. I’ve used customized 1911’s costing anywhere from $1,500 to $3,000 and while all of them were first-rate pistols, none of them performed any better than the 5 Tactical I tested.  

If you are in the market for a new 1911 and want one that works really well and has great accuracy, check out the 5 Tactical. If the 5 Tactical fits your needs, you might want to buy sooner rather than later, too. Once the word begins circulating about the quality of the Devil Dog Arms’ 1911s, I suspect prices will only go up.

* Velocity measured with a PACT Professional XP Chronograph, from Brownell’s, with the unit set up approximately six feet from the pistol’s muzzle.

Specs:  Devil Dog Arms 5 Tactical 1911

Caliber:  .45 ACP (as tested)

Barrel: 5-inch 416 Stainless Steel, 1:16 LH Twist

Frame: Domestic investment cast steel, heat treated
Slide: Domestic 4140 barstock steel, heat treated
Trigger:  Aluminum, three hole

Trigger Pull:  2-LB average
Safeties: Beavertail Grip and Extended-Thumb
Finish: FDE Cerakote
Grips: Devil Dog NBD
Sights: KenSight DFS fixed white-dot, front and rear
Length: 8.75-inches

Weight: 42 Ounces
Includes: Two 8-Round Magazines
MSRP:  $1,199.00.

For more information visit Devil Dog Arms website.