When it comes to Triarc Systems, admittedly I’m a fanboy. I’m mostly familiar with their custom Glocks and I’ve loved every single one I’ve put my hands on. But when it comes to 1911s and even boutique, high-end 2011s….. I’m not going to lie… I’m not a huge fan. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve shot and appreciate STI’s and Wilson Combats as much as the next guy but like most people, the price tag has always dissuaded me.
So when I approached the Triarc Systems booth at Primary Arms Range Day, I made a conscious decision to try something new and go for one of their 2011s….excuse me, TRI-11s. And that’s how I fell in love with the still unreleased TRI-11 Bluebird.
The Bluebird is Triarc’s latest TRI-11 featuring an entirely redesigned Bull Barrel with TRACK rifling and an enlarged guide rod. The barrel keeps weight more evenly distributed and dramatically reduces recoil.
The pistol looks gorgeous. Seriously, Triarc does an incredible job and maintains painstaking attention to detail. Every slide cut is smooth. The finish is extraordinary and the grip texture is perfectly balanced.
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But enough about cosmetics. Man does the Bluebird perform just as good as it looks.
The recoil impulse is incredibly muted. Each shot was flat. Double taps on target were a breeze. Our photographer even managed to catch the shock on my face after my first shot broke. The trigger is phenomenal. Even by highly tuned 2011 standards.
The Triarc Bluebird slide comes milled to accept Trijicon RMR footprint-pistol red dots and comes chambered in 9MM, 10MM and .45. The NP3 coated magazines are incredibly smooth on reloads and boast a 17 and 20 round capacity.
In spite of my reservations, I’ve always wanted a high-end 2011 but could never bring myself to justify the cost of admission. At a $3,990 MSRP, the Triarc Bluebird is certainly on the high-end but it’s the first that’s convinced me it might just be worth it. To learn more about the TRI-11, click HERE.
So I’m a self admitted 2011 fan and while I’ve been tracking Triarc I have not had a chance to own any of their kit, although i really want to buy one of their AR barrels. Did you ask why they called it a bluebird? If you get a chance to T&E one I’d be very curious to run an accuracy test vs the 2011s i had built with KKM barrels.
What in the AARP is going on in these comments? A $4k gun is not a $500 gun. They’re not built for the same purposes. This is like comparing a Kia to a super car.
I will add this. Triarc uses 100% US steel, no exceptions. No steel no guns get made. They will never bend on this and the number of companies that do this staggeringly low.
Grand Paps WWI 1911 was dead accurate without all the whistles and bells that. the above 1911 has. I was disappointed in the military’s 1911 when I first came in then the service in Aug. ’66, but the problem was the barrels needed replaced. The lands and groves were wore out, I fired a 1911 in Germany in ’70 that had been packed in grease (never fired, still new) it was dead on , just like Grandpas’ amazing weapon when the barrel isn’t wore out!
Had to revisit, as this has been bothering me all day. WHO THE HELL NAMES A GUN – A GUN! – BLUEBIRD.
BLUEBIRD!
Will they laser-engrave a pretty birdie on the slide for me?? Maybe a few pretty flowers too?
I own an original National Match (not the Gold Cup, the original one). The trigger is flawless (after a bit of work by the world’s greatest Colt gunsmith, the late Jerry Klufas) and the sights are too (Jerry again, with a blade insert hand made from a clear orange/red plastic toothbrush – I kid you not – that gathers light like a magnet). It has no electronics to give away my position in the dark. It always hits what I ask it to hit. Every time. Will always put 5 in the 10 ring and at the very least cutting the X ring, timed at 25 yards. ALWAYS.
Keep the $4,000 and I’ll promise never to call that Colt “Bluebird”.
Or “Sunflower”.
Maybe Ryker, or Jagger. Maybe Blade. Or Sarge – yeah, Sarge. But NEVER BLUEBIRD.
“M-16? Ahh, lotsa plastic. Feels like a BB gun to me. Believe I’m gonna stick with my Colt. . . . Sir, if the time comes I need one, there’ll be plenty lying on the ground”. Sam Elliot as Sgt Major Plumley, “We Were Soldiers”, 2002.
I like antique guns for what they are — so leave grandpa’s gun alone!!! This is a brand new gun BASED on the 1911 design, so its ok if they do some things different. Even John Browning knew there was room for improvement in his designs — the 1911 wasn’t his first auto loading handgun. I like the reflex/red dot site, but can do without the flashlight. While it can be useful, it also tells a potential shooter exactly where you are… All that said, I’d spend $4K on an antique rather than a new gun. The prices of many new guns are just ludicrous! None of them do anything a $350 SCCY CPX-1RD 9mm (with reflex site!) will do. I’ll leave the Hi-Points out of this… SCCYs are great quality firearms,,,
You should have started with the $3,990.00 price tag and saved me the time of reading your article.
Heck, I wouldn’t take that thing in an even trade for “Grand Pappy’s 1911”, 4 grand or not. Heck, not if they offered TWO of the fugly things. We’ve morphed into a plastic society. I go to gun shops lately and look at racks of rifles with synthetic stocks and all I can think is they have no “soul”. “All-weather” my @$$. I’ve been out in truly miserable conditions an awful lot of times and my guns survived just fine. And this? The “finish is extraordinary and the grip texture is perfectly balanced” – the thing came out of a mold! It’s injected plastic fer cryin’ out loud. And the worst part? They named it BLUEBIRD. Who names a gun bluebird?? Next will be .454 Casualls named “Sunflower” or some dam thing. Sigh.
Time for a nap.
I am assuming none of the After Market add-ons or replacement parts for Granddad’s 1911 will fit? I’ll just keep the old reliable, and the $4000.00
I’m sorry, but for 4 grand, I’ll modernize Grand pappy’s 1911.
They left off the tinsel and tree ornaments. What a ludicrous looking piece of crap. What’s next… a hood ornament suspended over the front sight ?
I agree, where’s the shoulder strap?
The front sight is a hood ornament on that pistol. They made it square, but a winged lady is available.