Zenith (Tisas) M45 review (picture heavy)

9862 Views 19 Replies 9 Participants Last post by Bellows1, Feb 23, 2018

Bellows1

Discussion Starter · Dec 2, 2017

5

Mr. Bill has been on a spending spree (don't tell the wife). I have several reviews to do, budget, Milsurp, Ruger, Kimber, Colt and a few others I just haven't had the time for.

Starting off with the Tisas M45, imported by Zenith.

It ships in a very nice plastic box.

Red Pink Technology Electronic device Gadget

What's inside the box? The gun, 3 mecgar mags, two brushes (brass and plastic), cable lock, and a bottle of gun oil...or a shot of whiskey, who knows for sure.

Gun Firearm Airsoft gun Everyday carry Starting pistol

Gun Firearm Trigger Starting pistol Airsoft gun

First impressions: A very nice looking gun, snug slide to frame fit. The finish looks to be a powder coat of some kind, well done.

Gun Firearm Trigger Airsoft gun Everyday carry

The barrel is a stout bullish thing. Stainless.

Hand Finger Auto part

It has a series 80 type firing pin block, and ambi thumb safeties.

More to come...

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Bellows1

Discussion Starter · #2 · Dec 2, 2017 (Edited)

5

A captive dual recoil spring. This seems very stiff, we'll see how it does with my reloads.

Tool accessory Screw Metal

Everything up till now seems great, there are a few issues tho.

Some areas of the frame seem rough, mostly around the trigger guard. The movable parts are MIM. Slide stop, safeties...

Revolver Trigger Tool Cutting tool

Metalworking hand tool Cutting tool Metal

I purchased the gun through CDNN, they had a BF deal with a Bladetech holster for $329. Haven't been to the range with it yet, but I really like it so far.

Gun Firearm Trigger Starting pistol Gun accessory

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Bellows1

Discussion Starter · #3 · Dec 2, 2017 (Edited)

4

First range report...

I have seen reviews of these guns not functioning well with magazines other than the ones that come with it. I brought several 1911 mags with me to test, CM's shooting star, Colt, and a couple no name 1911 mags, 7 in all, all functioned perfect. I had no malfunctions with my re-loads. (230gn cast RN with titegroup), and the groupings were very good.

The trigger is kinda crunchy, definitely needs work. However, when you get to the last crunch, it does break well, a little heavy.

My first group of ten shots, at 10 yards standing just to get a feel for it.

Glass Tile Window Games

Second and 3rd 5 shot groupings, again ten yards.

Recreation Games Indoor games and sports Target archery Archery

Green Tile Glass Games

Of course, can't leave the range without throwing a few down town. 60 yards standing. Shooting low at 60, only hit 3 of 10.

Target archery Archery Field archery Arrow Recreation

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GhostHorse

· #4 · Dec 2, 2017

That's a commander length slide?

The photos must be adding some glamour; doesn't look like powder coat. Too shiny. Looking at the triggerguard, I'd say my 90s Colt has tooling marks as bad orworse. Shoots like a dream though.

Looks to me like you got a great deal on a nice 1911!

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maloy

· #5 · Dec 2, 2017

I've a Tisas that is similar, but imported by Walther as the Regent R350CR. The only thing I needed to to was trim down the front sight to bring it right on. The original Tisas magazine was bad, and made Promags look good as they worked.

Tisas seems to make a good product that is priced too cheap to believe.

Maloy

Reactions: 2

jwc007

· #6 · Dec 2, 2017

Very very Nice Tisas 1911! :smile: Congratulations and may it serve you well! Looks to be a bit shorter than a Commander. True?

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Bellows1

Discussion Starter · #7 · Dec 3, 2017

A 4'' barrel, so yes a tad shorter than the Commander.

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Smokewagon

· #8 · Dec 3, 2017

Handsome pistola, and appears to be a shooter too!:thumb:

Reactions: 1

MrSteuben52

· #9 · Feb 10, 2018

My new-last-month Zenith M45 seems to be pretty "picky" about the new FMJ target ammunition that it likes ... no reloads or remans.

It likes Monarch 230-gr (brass-cased) and Selliot & Bellot 230-gr., but it doesn't like Winchester 230-gr or CCI/Blazer 230-gr ammo.

I get failure-to-extracts when I use what it doesn't like. It's been cleaned, etc. and I've got about 350 rds downrange now.

Thoughts or suggestions? (I don't mind buying cheaper range ammo that works, but I'm trying to figure out what's going on with it!)

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Bellows1

Discussion Starter · #10 · Feb 10, 2018

MrSteuben52 said:
My new-last-month Zenith M45 seems to be pretty "picky" about the new FMJ target ammunition that it likes ... no reloads or remans.

It likes Monarch 230-gr (brass-cased) and Selliot & Bellot 230-gr., but it doesn't like Winchester 230-gr or CCI/Blazer 230-gr ammo.

I get failure-to-extracts when I use what it doesn't like. It's been cleaned, etc. and I've got about 350 rds downrange now.

Thoughts or suggestions? (I don't mind buying cheaper range ammo that works, but I'm trying to figure out what's going on with it!)

Thoughts first... It could be your extractor tension giving you problems, could be small burrs on the extractor itself, or a rough chamber. Many guns, especially 1911 types do not feed/function well with every ammo. Some feed anything, sometimes they'll wear in and be fine.

Suggestions... Use the ammo that works. I don't want to sound over simplistic, but that's the easiest solution. It may work itself out over time.

Reactions: 1

glenwolde

· #11 · Feb 10, 2018

Nice looking gun. I hope somebody will step up import Tisas now that Zenith has dropped them.

Bellows1

Discussion Starter · #12 · Feb 10, 2018

glenwolde said:
Nice looking gun. I hope somebody will step up import Tisas now that Zenith has dropped them.

It is a very nice gun, good shooter.
New grips.

Everyday carry Airsoft gun Knife Utility knife Pocket

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olfarhors

· #13 · Feb 10, 2018

Bellows1 said:
Thoughts first... It could be your extractor tension giving you problems, could be small burrs on the extractor itself, or a rough chamber. Many guns, especially 1911 types do not feed/function well with every ammo. Some feed anything, sometimes they'll wear in and be fine.

Suggestions... Use the ammo that works. I don't want to sound over simplistic, but that's the easiest solution. It may work itself out over time.

OR!
tune the extractor and see if you don't get better results.
check the claw and make sure there is enough room for the rim of the cartridge to fit under it as well. often power of the round can effect extraction as well, you need to keep the sldie working at a speed that it is designed to operate at., not to fast not to slow.

Reactions: 1

Bellows1

Discussion Starter · #14 · Feb 10, 2018

Here's a vid.

Reactions: 1

Heavy10mm

· #15 · Feb 15, 2018

It’s a great looking pistol! I’m wondering about that guide rod though. Could it be replaced with a regular full length guide rod (like the one on my bull barrel RIA) Or is that going to be a Tisas-only part?

Thank you anyone who can say. I’m looking at getting one Saturday, but that would be a deal breaker

Reactions: 1

Bellows1

Discussion Starter · #16 · Feb 15, 2018

It has a dual captured recoil spring guide rod... so it is kinda full length.

Heavy10mm

· #17 · Feb 15, 2018

Bellows1 said:
It has a dual captured recoil spring guide rod... so it is kinda full length.

Thank you. It looks similar to the one in my old Springfield Ultra Compact. But I’m wondering about how hard it would be to find a replacement part. I really love the look of that pistol, but I hate the look of that part, because it doesn’t look like any other 1911 piece I’ve seen, and I fear that if it failed, the gun would be toast

Bellows1

Discussion Starter · #18 · Feb 16, 2018

Heavy10mm said:
Thank you. It looks similar to the one in my old Springfield Ultra Compact. But I’m wondering about how hard it would be to find a replacement part. I really love the look of that pistol, but I hate the look of that part, because it doesn’t look like any other 1911 piece I’ve seen, and I fear that if it failed, the gun would be toast

I'm not sure how the customer service is with Tisas/Zenith, or what kind of parts availability they have.

The unit itself seems very solid and well built. I'll try to post better pictures tomorrow of how it disassembles.

Heavy10mm

· #19 · Feb 23, 2018

Bellows1 said:
I'm not sure how the customer service is with Tisas/Zenith, or what kind of parts availability they have.

The unit itself seems very solid and well built. I'll try to post better pictures tomorrow of how it disassembles.

Thank you! I picked one up. Seems to shoot pretty well. I wish I could put a new recoil spring in it though. But none of the parts I have will work.

Reactions: 1

Bellows1

Discussion Starter · #20 · Feb 23, 2018

Heavy10mm said:
Thank you! I picked one up. Seems to shoot pretty well. I wish I could put a new recoil spring in it though. But none of the parts I have will work.

I hope you like it, I'm pretty happy with mine so far.

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