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The Charles Daly 1911 Empire Grade is the flagship of the Daly 1911 family, built in Italy by Brixia and imported by Chiappa Firearms. The platform is as classic as it gets — single-action, Government-frame, .45 ACP — but the Empire Grade layers on a package of upgrades that sets it well apart from entry-level 1911s in its price range. The matte chrome finish gives it a sharp, distinctive look, and the all-steel forged frame and slide give it the kind of solid, satisfying heft that does a lot to smooth out the push of .45 ACP over a long range session.
The upgrade list on this pistol is long and practical. You get a skeletonized trigger and hammer, a beavertail grip safety, front and rear slide serrations, and an ambidextrous thumb safety — all the things people usually start adding to a budget 1911 after they buy it. The checkered front strap gives your support hand something to bite into, and the black G10 grips are grippy and durable in a way that walnut just isn't. The fully adjustable rear sight handles both windage and elevation, which is a real bonus if you're shooting different loads or working toward tighter groups at distance. It's a target-oriented setup on a full-size platform that also handles everyday range work without complaint.
The 5-inch barrel keeps this in Government-frame territory — optimal sight radius, proven reliability, and the full weight that makes recoil so manageable. Overall length comes in at 8.63 inches and weight runs right around 2.57 pounds, which is exactly where you'd expect a full-steel 1911 to land. The trigger breaks consistently in the 5 to 6 pound range with a short reset, which is one of the things the 1911 platform has always done well. Standard single-stack 1911 magazines mean aftermarket options from Mec-Gar, Wilson Combat, and others are all on the table.
This is a well-sorted gun for anyone who wants a proper 1911 with all the right parts already on it, built somewhere with a genuine firearms tradition behind it.
The Empire is the top of the Charles Daly 1911 range, sitting above the Field and Superior grades. It adds premium features like a skeletonized trigger and hammer, beavertail grip safety, ambidextrous safety, checkered front strap, G10 grips, and fully adjustable target sights. Think of it as the target-oriented flagship of the family.
It's manufactured in Italy by Brixia, a company with roots in fine Italian gunmaking, and imported into the U.S. by Chiappa Firearms under the Charles Daly brand. The all-steel forged frame and slide are made in a country with a long and respected firearms manufacturing tradition.
Yes — the Empire Grade uses standard single-stack Government-frame 1911 magazines in .45 ACP. That means you have a wide selection of aftermarket options from brands like Mec-Gar, Wilson Combat, and Chip McCormick if you want to add more to your rotation beyond the two 8-rounders included.
This model comes with fully adjustable target sights for both windage and elevation, which is what separates it from the Superior Grade's fixed combat sights. That adjustability is genuinely useful if you're dialing in for a specific load or working on precision groups at the range.
Yes, the Empire Grade comes with an ambidextrous thumb safety, so left-handed and right-handed shooters are both covered without any modifications needed. It also features an internal grip safety as an additional passive safety.
The Empire Grade is the most feature-loaded option in the lineup. The Field Grade keeps things traditional and stripped down, the Superior Grade steps up with a beavertail and fiber optic sights, and the Empire takes it further with adjustable target sights, premium G10 grips, a checkered front strap, and a skeletonized trigger and hammer. If you want the full package without going custom, the Empire is where to land.
| UPC | 8053800943932 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | |
| Manufacturer Part Number | 440.147 |
| Length | 13.5 |
| Number of Magazines | 2 8 rd. |
| Package Height | 3.0 |
| Package Width | 9.0 |
| Shipping Weight | 4.15 |
| Sights | Target Adjustable Sights |
| Sights Type | Adjustable Sights |
| Capacity | 8 + 1 |
| Caliber/Gauge | .45 ACP |
| ATF Type | Pistol |
| Barrel Length | 5" |
| Action | |
| Product Type | Semi-Auto Pistol |
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