In this week's episode of "I Carry," we have a Watchtower Firearms Apache double-stack 1911 pistol in 9 mm with a SureFire X300 weaponlight carried in a PHLster Floodlight 2 holster with a Garmin Tactix 7 AMOLED smartwatch.
Firearm: Watchtower Apache (MSRP: $3,999)
Watchtower Firearms is a relatively new player in the self-defense game, offering semi-automatic carbines and handguns with self-defense in mind. We’ve chosen the company’s Apache double-stack 1911-style pistol in 9 mm for today’s kit to highlight this new company and let you know about another option in the growing double-stack 9 mm 1911 market.
One look at the Apache, with its proprietary PVD coating on the frame, slide and other elements, and it’s clear this is no ordinary 1911. It’s chock-full of top-shelf components such as the Commander-length tri-top cut slide with built-in compensator, optics cut, 4.6-inch Clark/Para barrel, Dawson Precision Toolless Recoil System and Watchtower’s polymer grip module. Fit and finish are superlative, with contrasting controls making for an aesthetically pleasing handgun that delivers on the range.
A 17- and a 20-round magazine come with each Apache in its nylon case, along with different-weight recoil springs and a lock. Two color options are available, the contrasting graphite and copper in today’s kit as well as a slightly more subdued graphite and black version for a more monochromatic look. In either case, it’s a pistol designed to stand out not just because of the looks-each Apache has a flared magazine well for faster reloads, a mid-length trigger with a 3 to 4 pound pull weight, ambidextrous thumb safeties and a full-length dustcover with accessory rail.
With the prevalence of double-stack 9 mm 1911s available on the market, it’s no surprise that a new company might want to present the most visually appealing option possible. In the case of the Watchtower Apache, those good looks are backed up by rock-solid engineering, thoroughly tested operation and a lifetime warranty. While it might be a top-tier option, there’s nothing wrong with having more options, and if one of those happens to be an attractive pistol like the Apache that shoots supremely well? That’s a great option to have.