1911 Features
The quick pitch is that this 2311 is a 9mm wide-body 1911, also known as a 2011, that takes SIG P320 mags. But there is much more to the story.
Yes, you get the best qualities of a 1911. It is a single-action pistol with a 1911-style safety. The adjustable aluminum trigger broke at 3 pounds for me and had a great reset. Because it is designed for duty use as opposed to competition, it’s probably closer to a Staccato trigger than a custom Nighthawk.
You also get the great 1911 grip angle and renowned shootability, and I can confirm it is a pleasure to shoot.
That’s really where the similarities end, so let’s go over the innovations.
P320 Magazines
The first and most advertised feature is that the 2311 is designed on the SIG P320 magazine pattern. This was done for three main reasons.
First, 2011 magazines are notoriously unreliable. To be fair, this reputation was established by previous generations of the magazines. Today, 2011 mags pioneered by Staccato are much more reliable, although they still cannot take a pounding like Glock mags.
SIG P320 magazines, on the other hand, have a proven reliability record.
They are also much more affordable and widely available than double-stack 1911 mags. With the military’s adoption of SIG 320s (M17s), these magazines will be everywhere.
Third, the body of the P320 tubes is smaller than a 2011 magazine, allowing the 2311 grips to be slimmer than typical wide-body 1911s. A smaller grip allows more hand shapes to be able to grip the gun more comfortably.
More Upgrades
The next advanced feature of the 2311 is the polymer grip. Not only is it slimmer, it is also modular. The full-size and Compact model of the 2311 have identical grips.
The difference is the magazine well. The Compact comes with a shorter magwell, while the full-size model comes with a longer one. They can be interchanged, so compact guns can easily be converted to full-size grips, and vice versa.
Ambi controls also set the 2311 apart from the 1911, which is notoriously only right-hand friendly. There are slide lock levers on both sides of the pistol, and the magazine release button can be switched to either side.
The action is not a traditional 1911 design, either. The bull barrel is link-less. While the linked 1911 barrel is not a high failure point, it has been known to break on occasion. The link-less design is more robust and makes disassembly easier.
In addition, the traditional internal extractor has been switched to an external one that is commonly considered more reliable.
Specs
OA Defense has five 2311 models:
- 2311
- 2311 Compact
- 2311 Pro
- 2311 Pro Compact
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2311 Pro Elite
The standard 2311 has a full-size polymer grip and 5-inch barrel. The Compact (my test model) has a short polymer grip and 4.25-inch barrel. The Pros have V-ported barrels, enhanced triggers, gray polymer grips, and five included magazines instead of the normal three.
The Elite has highly texturized aluminum grips and comes with three 21-round 140mm competition magazines and two 17-round mags.
2311 Compact Specs:
- Caliber: 9mm
- Barrel Length: 4.25 inches
- Overall Length: 7.75 inches
- Height: 5.1 inches
- Width: 1.4 inches
- Weight (unloaded): 26 ounces
- Trigger Weight: 4-4.5 pounds
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Capacity: 15+1 / 17+1 (with Plus Kit)
Belt & Holsters
Despite the newness of the design, there seems to be wide holster support. I didn’t have a specific 2311 holster, so I shot my test gun with a few of my universal holsters that index off the weapon light instead of the gun itself.
I used both my Blackhawk Omnivore and Phlster Floodlight with a Streamlight TLR-VIR II, which is basically the same shape as the TLR-1. I also used the Floodlight keyed to the Modlite PL350.
I was able to switch among all these holsters because they all use the Safariland QLS holster hanger system that attaches to my Kore Essentials Battle Belt. I love this setup. It is flexible and lets me test many different pistol platforms.
I can also layer my clothing to the weather conditions, and the Kore belt will fit. It uses a ratcheting buckle that adjusts quickly. This is the best belt and carry setup I’ve ever used.
Testing
Shooting-wise, I was very happy with the 2311 Compact. It is accurate and reliable. The fit and finish are excellent, the trigger is outstanding, and the action cycles fast. You can shoot this gun extremely quickly.
The shooting experience was similar to my personal Staccato C2, which is saying a lot because the C2 is one of my favorite pistols. They are both medium-weight, short guns, so don’t expect a super flat-shooting gun.
Related Review: Review: Are Staccato Double-Stack 1911-Style Pistols Worth the Money?
Still, the recoil impulse was predictable, and the 2311 felt stable. I think the spring weight is perfect, because there was not much bounce when returning to zero.
Optics & Grip
I like the optics system better on the 2311 than my Staccato, because the optic plate has the iron sights integrated in front of the red dot. I’m primarily a dot shooter, and having the iron sights in front of the dot keeps them out of the way until you need them. They also give the optic a little bit of distance from the ejection port, which helps reduce debris buildup on the glass.
Related Review: Holosun 507Comp Is the New Sheriff of Red Dots
I also love the versatility of the modular grip. The ability to switch from a full-sized grip to a short grip is amazing. You can go from carry to competition easily but keep the same trigger, controls, and sights.
Grip texture is adequate, although I would like to try the aggressive texturing of the Elite version. The rough surface extends high up the grip panel. This is really where it is needed, because this is where your support hand interfaces with the gun. The unique shape of the compact magwell also helps with locking your hand in place. There is also a molded-in gas pedal, but I don’t use those with my grip.
I did find the compact grip a little short. While great for concealing, it barely fits my hand. I had problems with fast reloads because the exposed heel of my hand got in the way of seating the magazine.
Pros & Cons
