SIG Sauer has a solid reputation for building fine firearms, in the past few years they have expanded into silencers, optics, ammunition, and air guns. Now I know what you are thinking, why would a large manufacture diversify into air guns. Well the SIG air guns are not toys, and they are more like clones of their firearms that run off of carbon dioxide instead of gun powder.

August of 2016 I reviewed the SIG air guns, and you can read that article by following this link.   It was a few months ago I got the SIG 1911 Spartan BB gun for review. Over the past few months myself and a few friends ran about a 1000 BBs through the Sig with no problems.  The SIG uses the common 12 gram CO2 canisters and you get about four to five magazines per canister, depending on how fast you run the gun. Each magazine holds sixteen BBs, the slide reciprocates during fire and locks back when the magazine runs dry.

The Spartan BB gun is a close copy of the Spartan 1911 pistol, allowing for inexpensive and convenient training.

The BB gun utilizes a similar manual of arms as the 1911, the thumb and grip safety function as does the magazine catch.

Incorporated Picatinny rail allows for attachment of whatever accessories you see fit, or training aids such as the MantisX.

Typical rapid fire groups shot from twenty five feet, offhand, This is thirty two BBs, two magazines worth.

This BB gun would serve well as a training tool and a plinker with similarities in weight and manual of arms of a 1911. While it is a BB gun and a lot of fun to shoot it is still not a toy. With a new canister the 1911 BB gun will push a BB through a couple pieces of cardboard, so all the firearm safety rules still apply. Including this BB gun in your training regimen can allow you some flexibility on when and where you can train. Since there is very little report and not the risk of penetration as a centerfire and rimfire handgun you can set up a range at home offering an inexpensive and convenient way to train new users that may be intimidated by firearms, or for the seasoned shooter. Being CO2 powered you don’t need the same facilities to shoot as you would firearms. Even a range could be set up in your backyard. With that said, I cannot stress enough, these are not toys and produce enough velocity to be very dangerous. In testing the sealing potential of the BB gun I left a full CO2 canister in the pistol for a month, untouched. After that time was up it ran fine with no apparent gas leakage.

The CO2 canister resides just under the stocks, just behind the magazine. What you would know as the mainspring housing folds out creating a lever. The canister is dropped in from the side, then camming the mainspring housing in place puncturing the canister and locking it in place. The left stock is snapped back in place and you are ready for the drag strip.

Range Time

Conclusions 

After spending a great deal of time shooting the 1911 BB gun, I get where SIG is going with this. As I said above they would make excellent trainers to brand new shooters to bridge the gap from an inert gun to the .22. Since they are modeled after actual SIG firearms, having similar manual of arms, once someone became comfortable with these air guns it would be a much easier transition to the real thing. Since they are actually shooting a BB, it is easy to incorporate all sorts of targets other than paper. That will allow you to mix it up and keep it from getting boring. SIG offers all sorts of reactive targets and due to the nature of the air guns it is easier to make a safe backstop than with actual firearms. With a little imagination and some safety measures it would be easy to turn a basement into a shooting gallery. With that said, again these are not toys.

Specifications 

Model: 1911 BB
Operating system: CO2
Caliber: 4.5mm Steel BB
Trigger pull: 6.5 lbs
Receiver and slide material: Metal
Accessory rail: M1913 Picatinny
Sights: 3 dot fixed
Magazine: 1, 16 round BB Mag
Overall length: 8.7 inches
Weight: 2.6 pounds
MSRP: $109.99

Acknowledgments 

SIG Sauer

MantisX

By Hunter Elliott

I spent much of my youth involved with firearms and felt the call early on to the United States Marine Corps, following in my father's and his brother's footsteps. Just after high school I enlisted and felt most at home on the rifle range, where I qualified expert with several firearms and spent some time as a rifle coach to my fellow Marines. After being honorably discharged I continued teaching firearm safety, rifle and pistol marksmanship, and began teaching metallic cartridge reloading. In the late 1990s I became a life member to the National Rifle Association and worked with the Friends of the NRA. Around that time my father and I became involved with IDPA and competed together up until he passed away. I began reviewing firearms for publications in the mid 2000s and have been fortunate to make many friends in the industry. Continuing to improve my firearms skills and knowledge is a never ending journey in which we should all be committed. I am also credited as weapons master on a few independent films.

2 thoughts on “SIG Sauer 1911 BB gun.”
  1. Hey brother, I have a few airguns myself and am pretty knowledgeable with them. I have a couple questions for you: How many shots did you get per one 12g co2? How many FPS does it shoot at? It’s all airgun dependent. I owned a Cybergun [the best company IMHO] Full size all-metal UZI replica which I modded to full auto, THAT was the most realistic I’ve owned. The bolt kicked super hard.One co2 would only give you 30 bbs worth of shots, that thing was killer! You should llek it up and do a review! Thanks, peace

  2. I never considered getting any Co2 powered airgun because I was under the impression that 12g were childrens toys.Then last year I aquired a Walther PPK blowback bb pistol.I was blown away by the feel and action.Then last week I aquired a Sign Sauer 1911 “Spartan” and WOW.I have had only one air pistol prior to these two Co2 and it is a RWS Diana P5 Magnum.I had the same positive experience with the break-barrel.Now this morning I was given a Beeman P-17 pneumatic (single pump)and once again I am pleasantly surprised.Next purchase-Beeman P-3.

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