Arkansas National Guard 1st Sgt. Kenneth Johnson, assigned to Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 153rd Infantry Regiment, 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team based out of Harrison, Arkansas prepares for an interview about his annual training experience at the Joint Readiness Training Center, Fort Polk, La., July 24, 2021. (U.S. Army National Guard Photo by Sgt. Marie Bryant).
When it comes to Triarc Systems, admittedly I’m a fanboy. I’m mostly familiar with their custom Glocks and I’ve loved every single one I’ve put my hands on. But when it comes to 1911s and even boutique, high-end 2011s….. I’m not going to lie… I’m not a huge fan. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve shot and appreciate STI’s and Wilson Combats as much as the next guy but like most people, the price tag has always dissuaded me.
So when I approached the Triarc Systems booth at Primary Arms Range Day, I made a conscious decision to try something new and go for one of their 2011s….excuse me, TRI-11s. And that’s how I fell in love with the still unreleased TRI-11 Bluebird.
The Bluebird is Triarc’s latest TRI-11 featuring an entirely redesigned Bull Barrel with TRACK rifling and an enlarged guide rod. The barrel keeps weight more evenly distributed and dramatically reduces recoil.
The pistol looks gorgeous. Seriously, Triarc does an incredible job and maintains painstaking attention to detail. Every slide cut is smooth. The finish is extraordinary and the grip texture is perfectly balanced.
But enough about cosmetics. Man does the Bluebird perform just as good as it looks.
The recoil impulse is incredibly muted. Each shot was flat. Double taps on target were a breeze. Our photographer even managed to catch the shock on my face after my first shot broke. The trigger is phenomenal. Even by highly tuned 2011 standards.
The Triarc Bluebird slide comes milled to accept Trijicon RMR footprint-pistol red dots and comes chambered in 9MM, 10MM and .45. The NP3 coated magazines are incredibly smooth on reloads and boast a 17 and 20 round capacity.
In spite of my reservations, I’ve always wanted a high-end 2011 but could never bring myself to justify the cost of admission. At a $3,990 MSRP, the Triarc Bluebird is certainly on the high-end but it’s the first that’s convinced me it might just be worth it. To learn more about the TRI-11, click HERE.