Nighthawk Custom, Permacoat

[willis68]

Just a word of advice to anyone here looking to buy a Nighthawk Custom, Get it Diamond Black coated or Hard Chromed if you want the coating to last! While the permacoat may look good, it is not durable, I guess alot of people assume that since Nighthawk was founded by some of Wilson Combat's best people that their coating would be as good as armourtuff,

Not true, I have friends that have had Wilson CQB's with over 10,000 rounds through them and the armour tuff still holds, I have a friend in Houston Texas that recently bought a $4000.00 (I know, I wouldnt either) Nighthawk Heine model, he shot less than 500 rounds through it and the gun now looks 20 years old, to say he is upset would be an understatement, the good news is that he bought it at Collectors firearms, he returned it and Nighthawk is going to refinish it in diamond black, for free, while that is nice, I don't see why on a gun that expensive they would put such an inferior coating on it to begin with...

[Guest Verbal Kint]

Ironic, because I've been following this thread over on the 1911forums for the past couple of days... and, honestly, I'm appalled by the reply Nighthawk gave the customer of it being perfectly normal. After seeing several cases like this lately (NHC pretty much telling the customer tough ****), I've changed my opinion of Nighthawk. Sure they make nice guns... but if they don't stand behind their manufacturing, I won't entertain buying one.

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Link : http://www.1911forum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=185326

Well I have put just over 500rds through my T3 and completely love it. Besides the casing that hit me in the face today. Never had that happen before. The wear around the extractor and ejector seem to be very heavy for a gun that is capable of 25000rds+ with the spring replaced in a timely matter. Every 1500rds for my commander. Is this wear caused by a malfuction of parts or the of lack of strength with the permakote? Should I contact NightHawk with this matter? Please let me know what your opinons are on this matter. Thank You, Jae

Well I just got off the phone with Craig at NightHawk Customs about an hour ago. He is a very nice guy who is interested in having a happy customer. He was very polite and I am still happy with the gun although it seems maybe they should make the perma-kote better on a $2600 gun. He said the wear on the gun is NORMAL??? and that 4.25 " guns are much more violent on the slide then a 5" gun. He offered me a discount on refinishing the gun in Diamond Black. Which is what im going to have done when I get a chance to purchase my second 1911 due to the fact that it takes 6 weeks for the Diamond Black finishing to be complete. I must say that im leaning more towards Kobra Carry now instead of a Predator II due to the finsh situation. The main question now is if I pay the $300 bucks + shipping for the Diamond Black will it wear again? Im still a little "wowed" on this whole situation. Never thought the gun finish would wear so quickly. Being that he stated that perma-kote is 4X stronger then anything anybody else is using. Well the gun in general is still an excellent piece of machinenary. Although if I do order another NightHawk it will be Diamond Black or Hard krome no matter what. I hope no one takes this as a bash of NightHawk. Because I still love their guns. I just feel for the price of this gun that shouldn't happen that easy, or at least that fast.

Photos:

[Guest Verbal Kint]

Maybe it's just me... apparently not, from the replies this thread is getting over on the 1911forums... but 500 rounds through a $3k gun, and this is "normal" per Nighthawk Custom's staff. I'd be pretty damn pissed. Especially when told they'll fix the issue, but only after paying another $300.

[willis68]

Maybe it's just me... apparently not, from the replies this thread is getting over on the 1911forums... but 500 rounds through a $3k gun, and this is "normal" per Nighthawk Custom's staff. I'd be pretty damn pissed. Especially when told they'll fix the issue, but only after paying another $300.

I know that is unacceptable, I thought long and hard before shelling out the money for my Nighthawk (still on layaway) that pistol cost $500.00 more than either Ed Brown I have, but $2720.00 on mine includes Diamond Black, if I have ANY problems with that pistol, for that kind of money I will be sure they fix it,I will not accept ANY flaws cosmetic or mechanical, I think alot of people are happy with the "normal wear" excuse NH is using, They will stand behind their products as long as you dont back down, Im not sure if they got a bad batch of Permacoat or what the deal is, but after 750 rounds out of my Blued Executive Elite, the gun still looks new, NO marks around the ejection port, the picture you are showing from that thread, there is something wrong in the way the extractor in that T-3 is tuned, I would be PISSED after paying 3K

[dunndw]

I must have been lucky. I sent my Nighthawk GRP back to Nighthawk for ambis. There was a screwup on the pricing AND the gun got lost for a bit. I made a post once I got it back that I was not happy with the way things turned out.

Someone from Nighthawk called Dennis @ Guns and Leather (they're the ones who sent the gun in for me) and told him "We've got a unhappy customer..make it right"

The comped the install of the amibis completely no questions asked.

I didn't ask for anything from NHC or from Guns and Leather. I understand stuff happens and was chalking it up to a mis understanding on my part.

The guy from NHC saw the post, figured out who I was, and went above and beyond to make the situation right.

[willis68]

I must have been lucky. I sent my Nighthawk GRP back to Nighthawk for ambis. There was a screwup on the pricing AND the gun got lost for a bit. I made a post once I got it back that I was not happy with the way things turned out.

Someone from Nighthawk called Dennis @ Guns and Leather (they're the ones who sent the gun in for me) and told him "We've got a unhappy customer..make it right"

The comped the install of the amibis completely no questions asked.

I didn't ask for anything from NHC or from Guns and Leather. I understand stuff happens and was chalking it up to a mis understanding on my part.

The guy from NHC saw the post, figured out who I was, and went above and beyond to make the situation right.

Thats good, My GRP 2 has Diamond Black, when I get it I doudt Ill have any wear issues, my dealer who has possesion of it George Talia of www.migunslingers.com assures me that it is perfect I know they make a fine gun and have excellent customer service, that is why I ordered mine, is your GRP Permacoat with no finish issues? it is possible that they got a bad batch in lately, I dont know

[dunndw]

yep...The gGRP is Permacoat, no problems. Now..if and when I get another Nighthawk it will be Diamon Black, my TalonII is Diamond Black and I like that finish much more.

[willis68]

yep...The gGRP is Permacoat, no problems. Now..if and when I get another Nighthawk it will be Diamon Black, my TalonII is Diamond Black and I like that finish much more.

Post a picture of the Talon 2, im sure all of us would like to see it!

[dunndw]

[willis68]

Very nice! that is a beauty!

[Guest Verbal Kint]

Beautiful looking 1911!

*** Warning : Sarcastic Humor Below ***

Be careful though, it's rumored to be perfectly normal and acceptable per NHC, for them to disintegrate if your hands sweat too much while shooting.

[willis68]

Here is my Diamond Black GRP 2, It was ordered with alot of Ed Brown parts installed

[dunndw]

Gotta love 'em

[MexicanDragon]

Here is my Diamond Black GRP 2, It was ordered with alot of Ed Brown parts installed

Hey man... I love that pistol. I've heard really good things about the diamond black, and I think I'd talked to you about wanting to get a coating on my SS Les Baer. I was thinking about the Wilson Armor-Tuff, but the DB just looks so hot, it's something I'd consider.

So, how does it shoot? I'd been thinking about a DW CBOB before I got my LB, and that looks like it'd be a great carry piece!

Great pics, guys!

**BRENT**

[willis68]

Hey man... I love that pistol. I've heard really good things about the diamond black, and I think I'd talked to you about wanting to get a coating on my SS Les Baer. I was thinking about the Wilson Armor-Tuff, but the DB just looks so hot, it's something I'd consider.

So, how does it shoot? I'd been thinking about a DW CBOB before I got my LB, and that looks like it'd be a great carry piece!

Great pics, guys!

**BRENT**

I havent got to shoot it yet, it is still being paid off, my dealer was kind enough to send me pictures, I will have at the end of Febuary, as far as the diamond black, it is supposed to be an incredible finish, i dont know if it can be applied over stainless steel or not? as far as the Bobtail goes, I love them, but some people do not, ill let you shoot mt Kobra Carry sometime and you can see if you like the Bobtail, PM me

[willis68]

Hey man... I love that pistol. I've heard really good things about the diamond black, and I think I'd talked to you about wanting to get a coating on my SS Les Baer. I was thinking about the Wilson Armor-Tuff, but the DB just looks so hot, it's something I'd consider.

So, how does it shoot? I'd been thinking about a DW CBOB before I got my LB, and that looks like it'd be a great carry piece!

Great pics, guys!

**BRENT**

Brent ,

It shoots excellent, I ran 225 rounds of Remington 230 Grain Golden Saber, it ran flawless and shoots to POA, very accurate on par with my Kobra Carry, the Diamond Black is incredible, I have carried this pistol in a milt sparks VM2 several times and the finish has no marks on it, Im not sure if you can get it on stainless stell or not, but if so I highly reccomend it,