Before You Buy - Alpha Foxtrot AF1911-S15

“But does it take Glock Mags?” This is a statement that has often been asked sarcastically by gun owners for any new pistol for many years now. Well, in this case, this 1911 actually does. This is the Alpha Foxtrot AF1911-S15, a compact double stack 9mm 1911 that actually does take a Glock 43X/48 pattern magazine. Designed to be a compact and thin carry gun option, the S15 is just as thin or thinner than a standard single-stack 1911 while having a shorter grip. All the while having a nice 15+1 ammo capacity. So today we’ll dive into the specs and performance of this carry gun to help you see any advantages and disadvantages to help inform you before a potential purchase.

Specifications and Key Features

The Alpha Foxtrot AF1911-S15 is a compact 9mm 1911 pattern handgun with either a 3.5-inch barrel or a 4-inch threaded barrel. It has an overall length of 7.5 inches, a height of 5.1 inches, and a width of 1.36 inches. The pistol comes in at 28.5 oz empty and comes with a 15 Shield Arms S15 magazine. While it ships with the Shield Arms magazine, it can use any Glock 43X/48 pattern magazine. The slide, barrel, and rails of the AF S15 are machined from SUS416 stainless steel and given a polished black Diamond-like Carbon coating. The frame is made of forged 7075-T6 aluminum with a black anodized finish. MSRP of the Alpha Foxtrot AF1911-S15 starts at $1370 and goes up to $1530 depending on if you choose to add the optional threaded barrel, optics cut, or both.

Alpha Foxtrot AF1911-S15 Specs

• Type: Hammer-Fired, Single Action Semi-Auto
• Caliber: 9mm Luger
• Capacity: 15+1 rds
• Barrel: 3.5” Match Barrel / 4” Threaded Match Barrel
• OAL: 7.5”
• Width: 1.36”
• Height: 5.1”
• Weight: 28.5 oz
• Construction: 7075-T6 Forged aluminum frame, SUS416 Steel Slide
• Finish: Polished Black DLC Slide/Barrel, Black Anodized Frame
• Sights: Three-Dot Novac Sights, Optics Cut Available (RMSc footprint)
• Safety: Ambi Thumb Safety, Grip Safety
• Rail: Yes, 3 Slot Pic Rail for Lights or Lasers
• MSRP: $1490 - 1650

Range Performance

As with every handgun, I plan to carry on the regular I made sure to put at least 500 rounds through the AF1911-S15 with a variety of different 9mm ammunition. And through that, the AF1911-S15 has excelled in both reliability and shootability. In the past months of shooting this gun, I have not had a single reliability issue with the S15. It has just chugged along eating any sort of hollow-point defensive ammo I’ve tried to feed it. The handgun has locked back on the last round every time as well with the Shield Arms S-15 magazines. The shootability of the AF1911-S15 is also excellent. For a compact pistol, it handles very well. The added mass of being a full metal gun keeps the recoil impulse relatively mild even with premium defensive ammo. The texturing of the grip is also just right, with nice grippy checkering on the frontstrap and backstrap. While the sides of the frame have a milder texture so that it doesn’t eat you or your shirts up when you are carrying it.   The trigger for the AF1911-S15 is acceptable but nothing special when it comes to 1911s. Depending on your experience with 1911s some might consider it a bit heavy and not the crispest trigger. Though a slightly heavier trigger on a carry gun could also be considered a plus by many people. Though it is a better trigger by a good margin compared to some of my striker-fired handgun triggers. While I did have no reliability issues with the AF1911-S15 when it came to the shooting of the gun I do need to talk about an issue I had with mounting a pistol red dot. I mounted a Holosun 507k that I’ve been using on another handgun for a couple of years with no issue but had an issue where my POI was consistently low on the S15. After reaching out to Alpha Foxtrot though they promptly got me sorted out by sending me an optic shim plate right away, which fixed my problem. Other than that the only other thing I found to be an issue was limited holster options, but Falco does have your back with some nice holster options available.

Pros:

• Capacity: Holds 15+1 with the provided Shield Arms magazine
• Slim Profile: 1.36” width makes for a more concealable handgun
• Picatinny Rail: Allows for easy mounting of lights or lasers
• Reliable and Accurate: Exceptional accuracy with the match barrel, no issues with a variety of ammo.
• Optics Cut: The option to get an optics-ready 1911 pattern handgun from the factory is a big plus.

Cons:

• Weight: Coming in at 28.5 oz empty it is not the lightest handgun option.
• Higher Price Point: With the price starting at around $1400 it is a bit higher priced than other handgun options out there.
• Holster Options: Fewer holster options are available than other similar pistols, luckily though Falco does have your back with both the C116 Bateleur and A112 Hawk

Conclusion

The Alpha Foxtrot AF1911-S15 is definitely something you should consider if you are wanting a carry gun in the 1911 platform. It is a compact option with an impressive 15+1 ammo capacity. The accuracy and reliability of the handgun make it an ideal choice. Additionally how comfortable it is to shoot, makes practicing with it very easy. While it is not the most economical option in the realm of carry guns, it is definitely a worthwhile choice if you’re like me and have a soft spot for 1911s. While I’ve tried carrying with other compact 1911s before, I have not had one perform as well as the AF1911-S15 or have as many useful features.