{"id":127532,"date":"2020-05-24T12:05:00","date_gmt":"2020-05-24T16:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/?p=127532"},"modified":"2020-05-24T12:05:00","modified_gmt":"2023-09-06T18:06:29","slug":"my-nemesis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/my-nemesis\/","title":{"rendered":"My Nemesis: By Atlas Gunworks"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I have a problem; a nemesis if you will. No, it is not with having too many guns, as that is easily solved, but more of a personal issue with me buying and subsequently selling off really high-end guns! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Nemesis from Atlas Gunworks!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

My \u201cissue\u201d started some time ago (1998) shortly after I landed the 18th spot on the United States Practical Shooting Association\u2019s (USPSA) Grand Master (GM) list. Why then? Because it was then I folded to the temptation that a new state of the art handgun would be a great reward for that lifetime accomplishment. The temptress in question was the then-new Briley \u201clinkless\u201d barrel system on full capacity, custom-built 2011 in 40 smith.  That gun was IT man! It ran flawlessly, it was accurate and very soft-shooting. It had every bell and whistle available in the late \u201990s and for a short time, it was mine! Short time? Yup! While I could do no wrong with this lovely competition blaster, it just wasn\u2019t right\u2026for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Nemesis Steel Slayer from Atlas Gunworks<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Somehow this fine specimen was too good, too good for the likes of me and I sold it off a few months later. You see, I am a bit of a Scotsman when it comes to spending money on myself and frankly, I earned my Grand Master rating with an ugly ass Para-Ordnance 45 that I built and that is really all I \u201cdeserved\u201d. I repeated this cycle several more times over my shooting career with custom shotguns, rifles, and handguns. I\u2019d save up and lay down the green for the best of the best only to feel like I have not earned the \u201cright\u201d to own something so good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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That brings us to today and a new nemesis, which actually is a Nemesis! It says so right of the side the of the light-weight shortened 1911 Gov\u2019t model slide! Yes shooters, check out the photos of this heavyweight handgun hewed of splendid steel! Could this Atlas Gunworks custom persuade me to actually keep a perfect pistol? Let\u2019s find out\u2026.read on my friends, read on!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Rather than pontificate on the masterful assemblage of this exquisite ballistic tool (which I will share with you in a bit) let\u2019s get to the meat of the all-metal 3.5-pound masterpiece with some hard facts about what it does!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Accuracy: Some gun reviews lack this info and more often than not for good reasons. Asking any human to shoot a handgun in order to prove its mechanical accuracy potential is a daunting and difficult task. While a \u201cmachine rest\u201d can do a far better job (you better know how to run one of those well to collect good data!) \u201cwe gun writers\u201d are fraught with naysayers on both sides complaining that either our groups are too good or not good enough! But\u2026I will not offer a complete review without giving you my best shot at accuracy testing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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My methods and techniques have evolved over the decades and my current efforts are thusly. I shoot off a simple sandbag set-up. With one each under my forearms to rest on and one taller bag for the knuckles and trigger guard to sink into. I try to have my head upright so I can see a clearly front sight through my Rx eyewear. With care to use the same grip tension for each shot, I shoot enough groups at 25 yards to get a \u201cfeel\u201d for what the gun\/ammo (and me) combination can produce. The \u201cfeel\u201d is based on my shot calls and then taking the best 5 of 6 or 7 shots fired per group. \u201cWe\u201d are trying to test the gun, seeking its intrinsic accuracy\u2026not my ability to produce them. More often than not I end up with two groups using the best 5 with each ammo type. Depending on how well-stocked I am for ammo that usually provides for 5 pairs of groups. In the case of the Nemesis, I repeated this series twice netting \u201cus\u201d a total of twenty-seven 5 shot groups! >Jeeze Patrick can ya get to the F\u2019ing point?<<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Check the photos. This gun liked to produce groups! The average group of all 135 rounds placed on paper was 1.44\u201d at 25 yards! The smallest group was 0.71\u201d and the largest was 2.80\u201d and none of the ammo was anything I\u2019d call Match Grade. I am confident proper hand-loads would shrink groups to under 1\u201d. If the editor (hey man you reading this?) will let me, I would like to come back with a Part 2 long term test review where I can run the crap out of the Nemesis and let you know how it holds up and develop some accuracy hand-loads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The trigger is OUTFREAKINGSTANDING! It breaks perfectly at 1 pound and 12 ounces with great repeatability! I had several (ok a couple as Covid-19 made it more difficult to get more hands-on the gun) other shooters standing with their mouth agape as they dry fired and then demanded to live fire this most delightful trigger! Since you can\u2019t feel it I will offer up these data points: the trigger moves 0.050\u201d in take-up. Hits a hard stop wall.  The sear trips at 28 ounces. Trigger finishes its remaining travel of 0.025\u201d  The shooters only feels the wall and break, nothing else. It is truly a thing to experience!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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28 ounces of trigger perfection!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sights are what is now the proper standard for high-end practical competition handguns. Fully adjustable (Bo-Mar style) rear with flat serrated face and square notch. Upfront is a fiber optic rod equipped front blade. Options with regard to front sight widths and rod colors are available. What you should have noticed and must note is that that front sight is attached to a \u201csight block\u201d. This is a \u201cwhat\u2019s old is new again\u201d kinda deal. Back in the day (yeah I am old) blocks of steel were threaded onto the barrels of 1911 (in JMB\u2019s caliber 45acp) in order to reduce muzzle lift. It worked and eventually the blocks were found to be a good place for the front sight and later still various holes were added to make \u201ccompensators\u201d, but that is a whole \u2018nuther story. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Now the block itself (as any weight would) helps to lessen muzzle lift, it also lets the savvy gunsmith change the slide weight\/recoil spring relationship in order to reduce muzzle lift, improve accuracy and soften the recoil impulse. How? Removing weight from the slide and adding it to the barrel changes the how long (in time) the barrel and slide are in lock up (\u201cstalling it\u201d if you will). The longer the barrel is in lock-up as the bullet exits, the better the accuracy. It also changes the recoil impulse characteristics (for the better) as the now lightened slide offers a lesser impact to the frame bridge. Tuning this barrel weight, slide weight, recoil spring rate, set-up, really makes for a wonderfully pleasant shooting experience. Hot 40 cal loads are lowered so close to bunny fart levels that I now want a Nemesis in 10mm!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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While we are talking about barrels let me just state for the record that the barrel fit is perfect! Lock and unlock timing, duration, and fitment are spot on! This coupled with absolutely every movable element is flawlessly crafted to work in perfect alignment and harmony.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Check the photos showing the side-to-frame fit both with and without the barrel in battery.\u00a0Now I must offer you that slide-to-frame is a lesser element of accuracy especially when the sight system is on the slide, but when one mounts optics to the frame\u2026you are effectively aiming the frame at the target and then fitment is much more important. But because \u201cwe\u201d all wiggle and jiggle the frame and slide of every 1911 we handle and then push down on the barrel hood with a nod of approval or a frown of disappointment, it has become a data point that I explore more closely.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Horizontal movement with the barrel in lock up.
The Atlas Nemesis would only yield 0.003″ MAX at the muzzle end!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Horizontal movement with the barrel removed.
Just about 0.002″ at the rear and 0.004″ at the muzzle end.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 The Atlas Gunworks Nemesis is fit so well I had to come up with a better way to show what little \u201cplay\u201d there was in the frame-to-slide! Normally I would lock the frame into a vise and use a dial indicator in the X and Z axis. Then with my fingers push the slide to and fro, up and down noting the total indicated movement. With this gun this pushing and pulling felt like I was working against a heavy spring! This gun wanted to stay true and not move unless real force was applied! So I decided to employ a spring scale and apply #5 of force. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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ZERO movement in the vertical with the barrel in lock-up.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Still a ZERO at the rear and 0.003″ with the barrel removed.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

That level of fitment can be seen and felt at every point on this shooting machine. The machining of front and rear grasping panels on the slide is remarkable as is the beautifully shaped and fit thumb safety that goes on and off in a smooth and predictable manner from either side! The sight block mates to the slide and frame with just a proper sliver of daylight between the frame face and the rear of the block. (note: that sliver is required as the slide and block (or comp) should not make contact for longevity and consistency) From the \u201cmelted in sights to the grip safety to the trigger shoe and magazine well, every element of the Nemesis has had careful attention paid to it. Even the magazines themselves were given a perfect tuning and polish! And I have never had any magazine so easy to load\u2026even to 20 rounds!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Smooth and clean.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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No need for an “Easy loader”.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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A Magwell ya can’t miss!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I spent a goodly amount of time on the range with the Nemesis shooting various drills. Several \u201cBill Drills\u201d were done, MGM steel targets were rung and I even shot a few \u201cEl Presidente\u2019s\u201d for good measure. In total, about 600 rounds were sent downrange just for the sheer joy of shooting the Nemesis!  40 S&W never felt so soft, controllable, and enjoyable! Oddly I spent more time shooting strong and weak-hand-only than I have in quite a while, and that alone had me well pleased with the handling characteristics of the BIG beautiful ballistic bullet launcher! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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