Selected Handgun Detail

Manufacturer
	SIG SAUER GmbH & Co. KG More Info

About the Gun

This is a full-size, single-action 1911-style pistol built on an all-stainless-steel frame and slide. It follows the classic Browning short-recoil, locked-breech design with the traditional grip safety and manual thumb safety. Early examples were offered in Nitron or stainless finishes, with or without an integral accessory rail on the dust cover. The slide carries SIG’s distinctive contour and rear serrations, while the overall proportions and weight give it the solid, full-size 1911 handling characteristic of Government-model guns of the period.

Production

Produced in 2012 only.

Market value

MSRP at production was around $1,100–$1,300. Current used market value for examples in good to very good condition ranges $700–$1,000.

Cartridge Specifications
Cartridge:	.45 Automatic
Alias:	.45 Automatic Colt Pistol (ACP)
More Info

Analysis

SIG expanded its 1911 line into compact sizes after establishing the full-size GSR and Revolution models, responding to demand for a more concealable 1911 that retained better balance and reliability than pure short-barrel Officer’s models. The C3’s hybrid Commander-slide / Officer-frame layout addresses the common trade-off between grip length for concealment and slide length for sight radius and function. It was introduced as part of the Revolution series expansion and later catalogued simply as the 1911 C3. The alloy frame reduces carry weight relative to all-steel counterparts while the external extractor and Series 80-style firing-pin block reflect SIG’s approach to the platform.