Quietly added to the Tisas catalog earlier this year, this bobtailed update to the company's Duty B45B series is an interesting new installment to the larger M1911 .45 ACP field.
When it comes to the signatureEd Brown Bobtail treatment, with the heel of the frame cut to minimize printing – and maximize comfort – when carrying concealed, most 1911 models on the market that utilize it are of the more compact Commander-sized length, using 4.5-inch barrels. Well, Tisas already has that in the form of the 9mm Stingray Carry and Yukon Carry in 10mm. What the Manta Ray brings is a blend of the Bobcat frame in a full-sized Government-length format.
Tisas swam one of the new Mantas our way to check out.
As with the rest of the company's Duty B45 series, the Manta runs a forged carbon steel slide and frame. (All Photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
Government-length, it has a 5-inch cold hammer forged barrel. Note the smooth slide with very few rollmarks. Almost like the back of a ray, so to speak.
On the inside, it is all 1911, with a standard recoil spring and barrel bushing. Of note, the magazines are 8-rounders which seem to be unmarked Check-Mates as they carry one of Tom Vieweg's old patent numbers.
And yes, the pistol has 70 Series internals, which means no mushy trigger safety plunger.
The ramped Ed Brown Bobtail and matching mainspring housing trims the edge off the bottom of the grip frame and, besides cutting down on a hot spot that can rub against the user's body and make it easier to conceal without printing, also fits into the hand better.
Sights are bright Novak-style fixed 3-dots that are dovetailed into the slide.
The Manta ships with unbranded sunburst textured black G10 grips with a matching Bobtail cut and a big thumb scoop for the magazine release.
While there is no front or rear grip strap checkering, the frame is undercut at the trigger guard and the slide has slanted and aggressive front and rear serrations.
The ejection port is flared and lowered for more reliable ejection.
The trigger has a short takeup to the wall and breaks just under 4 pounds, which is about what you expect for an SAO 70 series 1911.
The ambi frame-mounted safety lever is standard, as is the extended beavertail and skeletonized spur hammer.
The Tisas Manta Ray Duty B45B has an MSRP of $539.99 and ships with a lockable hard case, two magazines, a cleaning kit, a bushing wrench, a trigger lock, and an instruction manual.
Stay tuned as we hit the range with it for a more extensive review.
