VALUE FOR MONEY
The SIG SAUER 1911 We The People CO2 BB Gun is a new model from this famous company. HAM brought you news of its availability last month. Now it’s time for the full test review…
The SIG SAUER 1911 We The People CO2 BB Gun has an MSRP of $119.99 and is selling at a Street Price of $99.95. The centerfire version lists for $1,481.00! This – among other things – makes the BB-firing version ideal as a cost-effective practice and training tool.
This is the company’s tribute to the Second Amendment and features an aggressively aged appearance, together with a total of 50 stars on the grip plates. It’s a full size 1911, with the weight that entails. It feels and handles just like the firearm version.
| HAM Test Rating | 89% |
|---|---|
| Value For Money | Great blowback action, very realistic. At $1,381 less that the .45 caliber version, it's a steal! |
| Firearm it Copies | SIG SAUER 1911 We The People |
| Best BB Tested | Crosman Copperhead BBs |
| Street Price at Time of Test | $99.99. |
| Ammo Type | .177 caliber steel BBs. |
| Power Source | 1 x 12 Gram CO2 cartridge. |
| Useful Shots per Fill | About 55. |
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SIG Sauer 1911 We The People CO2 BB Pistol![]()
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SIG SAUER 1911 We The People BB Gun
REALISM, LOOKS AND FEEL
There’s no better comparison of the SIG SAUER 1911 We The People CO2 BB Gun with the firearms original than comparing them side-by-side. Here they are at the 2018 SHOT Show, demonstrated by Joe Huston, the General manager of SIG’s airgun division.
It’s really, really tough to tell, but the BB-firing version is the one on the right in the photograph above. As we can see, this is a VERY close copy of the extremely popular SIG SAUER 1911 We The People centerfire pistol.
Length, width, height and weight of the BB version all match that of the firearm exactly. Trigger pull feels the same. About the only – slight – difference is that the firearm has the company’s “Night Sights”, while the BB gun has simple white dots on the front and rear sights. We can live with that!
Compared to many other BB pistols, the printed legal warning and caliber notices on the frame are not obtrusive either, as you can see in the photograph above. That’s another significant contributor to this pistol’s realistic appearance.
This realism is continued with a full set of functional controls. The grip safety, slide holdback/release and magazine release all function exactly as they should for a 1911. And – for the first time on a SIG SAUER 1911 – the regular safety is truly ambidextrous.
Another great step for realism is that the SIG SAUER 1911 We The People CO2 BB Gun is the first replica pistol the HAM Team has seen where realistic field-stripping is positively featured. This is an important feature for many replica pistol purchasers. It’s also another way in which this gun really steps up to the mark as a firearms training tool.
Yes, there are plenty of other replica BB pistols that can be field-stripped to a greater or lesser degree. But SIG SAUER has taken this capability one step further by actually highlighting the feature in the gun’s Owner’s Manual (it seems as if most of the instructions were missed-out). As it’s easy to see, similarity to field-stripping a 1911 firearm is just about identical.
ACCURACY AND POINT OF IMPACT
Using Crosman Copperhead BBs, HAM tester Doug Wall achieved “minute of soda can” accuracy at 6 yards with the SIG SAUER 1911 We The People CO2 BB Gun. They shot pretty-well to the point of aim, too.
However, other BBs tested tended to spread out – and down – on the targets, as you can see below. This is combat-grade accuracy.
While nobody expects replica BB pistols to offer outstanding accuracy, it has to be said that the example tested by HAM was less accurate than other 1911s we have tested, particularly the same company’s 1911 Max Michel BB Pistol. It may be that the extreme blowback has an impact on accuracy, as we have seen a similar tendency with other long-blowback BB-firing pistols.
This makes it important to understand the purpose of the SIG SAUER 1911 We The People CO2 BB Gun. It’s a firearms trainer, first and foremost. In this case, accuracy is less vital, but the test gun’s performance still left the HAM Team wishing for somewhat better results…
COMPARISON TO MAKERS CLAIMS
The main claim for the SIG SAUER 1911 We The People CO2 BB Gun is that it offers “authentic weight, balance and handling”, compared to the centerfire original. There’s no doubt that this claim is fulfilled. Likewise with the “full blow back slide” claim.
In HAM testing, we recorded a maximum Muzzle Velocity of 328 FPS at 62 degrees F. As we know that FPS increases with CO2-powered guns by 2 FPS per degree F rise in temperature, this means that the SIG SAUER 1911 We The People CO2 BB Gun tested by HAM meets it’s Muzzle velocity claim at a temperature of 68 degrees F.
Of course, the Muzzle Velocity will continue to climb with increasing temperature. This means that it would be around 375 FPS at 85 degrees F, for example, significantly exceeding the manufacturer’s claim.
CONSISTENCY
The SIG SAUER 1911 We The People CO2 BB Gun tested by HAM demonstrated generally good consistency.
Standard Deviation, the shot-to-shot variation within a string, was low at 9.2 FPS. And accuracy was quite similar with each of the standard set of HAM test BBs.
Pull weight on the “skeletonized” trigger varied between 5.5 and 6.5 Lbs. However, subjectively trigger pull felt fairly uniform to the HAM Team.
There were no jams during the test period and the SIG SAUER 1911 We The People CO2 BB Gun fed all the HAM standard suite of BBs faultlessly.
REALISM TRIGGER AND ACTION
The action and trigger feel of the SIG SAUER 1911 We The People CO2 BB Gun tested by HAM were about as realistic as it gets!
The single action trigger pull weight averaged a little under 6 Lbs. This is fairly close to the figures published by test reviews of the firearm version.
Operation of the slide, slide stop, safeties and magazine release were all identical to the firearm version. The slide locks open when the magazine is empty. This is not universal with all BB replica pistols.
Furthermore, the hammer flies forward with authority. Unlike some other CO2-powered replica pistols, the hammer actually contacts the “firing pin” instead of stopping short. This is another small detail that enhances the realistic shooting experience for many discerning owners.
SHOT COUNT
The SIG SAUER 1911 We The People CO2 BB Gun tested by HAM achieved 55 shots from one CO2 cartridge. The blowback stopped functioning at about 200 FPS, so that’s where we drew the line. This is on the low side for a CO2 pistol. However it is understandable.
There’s a set amount of energy potential contained in one 12 gram CO2 cartridge. This forces all designers of CO2-powered guns to make decisions about how that energy is used. The choices they have are to prioritize FPS, shot count and blowback effect.
In the case of the SIG SAUER 1911 We The People CO2 BB Gun, the priorities were clearly given to realistic blowback and relatively high Muzzle Velocity. The trade-off was that shot count had to suffer somewhat.
The HAM team feels that this was the correct compromise, given the emphasis on this 1911 as a training tool. Yes, we would have liked a higher shot count, too. But that’s not a realistic expectation given the laws of physics.
If you want a higher shot count and greater FPS, then the SIG SAUER 1911 Max Michel is your option. It gives those benefits but trades-off a certain amount of blowback realism to do so.
You can find more comparisons between the different SIG SAUER 1911 ASP pistols in another HAM story.
MUZZLE VELOCITY
The SIG SAUER 1911 We The People CO2 BB Gun tested by HAM achieved a maximum Muzzle Velocity of 328 FPS with Umarex Steel BBs.
| BBs | Average Muzzle Velocity | Average Muzzle Energy | Accuracy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crosman Copperhead 5.13 Grain | 314 FPS | 1.12 Ft/Lbs | Good. Best Tested. |
| Umarex Steel 5.29 Grain | 328 FPS | 1.26 Ft/Lbs | Good. |
| ASG Blaster 5.32 Grain | 319 FPS | 1.21 Ft/Lbs | Poor. |
| Hornady Black Diamond 5.36 Grain | 317 FPS | 1.20 Ft/Lbs | Poor. |
| Daisy Avanti 5.44 Grain | 317 FPS | 1.22 Ft/Lbs | Poor. |
As with all CO2-pistols, rapid fire will cause the CO2 to cool and FPS to drop. If you can bring yourself to shoot the gun fairly slowly, you will be rewarded with more consistent velocities and avoid possible vertical stringing on the target.
APPEARANCE AND FINISH
Both SIG SAUER’s 1911 We The People centerfire and BB-firing models feature an aggressive distressed, weathered finish, topped-off with metal, star-embossed grip plates. This is clearly an unique approach to finish and will divide opinion into “love it” and “hate it” camps. Judging by the sales success of this model, the “love it” group seems to be very large!
There’s no question that this finish style is extremely well reproduced on the SIG SAUER 1911 We The People CO2 BB Gun. As we saw above, it’s nearly impossible to detect the difference between it and the firearm. Even the magazine carries the distressed finish. That’s taking detail to extremes!
BUYING AND OWNING
The SIG SAUER 1911 We The People CO2 BB Gun is available from the usual online and physical stores, so buying it is no problem. Packaging is good, in the company’s now-standard “plastic clamshell in card box” format. That’s important, because it combines the product visibility required for physical store display with the security required for shipment when purchases online.
Unusually, there’s also a small supply of BBs provided in the box, although SIG SAUER does not sell BBs separately under it’s own brand at the present time.
The 12-month warranty will be a big plus for many purchasers. Many CO2-operated replica pistols have just a 3-month warranty, so SIG is at the leading edge with this.
Another big benefit for the SIG SAUER 1911 We The People CO2 BB Gun is that it has a lock back capability for the BB follower. This makes BB-loading very easy and appears a simple, “no brainer” feature to have – see the photo above. Yet, it’s amazing how many BB pistols do not have a similar feature, requiring the BB follower to be held down by the operator while loading.
The owner’s manual for this gun is first rate. It’s comprehensive, well-illustrated and well printed. It’s in English only, but otherwise is right up there with the best we’ve seen. Only the field stripping explanation could be better (it starts well, but stops – apparently – in mid-stream).
SAFETY FIRST. As with all BB-firing airguns, it’s necessary to wear shooting glasses when firing this airgun. Also do not shoot at hard surfaces or water. BBs tend to bounce off these surfaces and may hit you, or something other than what you intended. If in doubt, don’t pull the trigger! Due to the realistic appearance of this product, handle it as you would a firearm. Do not display it in public or in any place where it could be mistaken for a cartridge firearm.
6 YARD TEST TARGETS
10 YARD TEST TARGET
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SIG Sauer 1911 We The People CO2 BB Pistol![]()
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SIG SAUER 1911 We The People BB Gun
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