Aside from the historical differences, I just wanted to see all the ways the two guns from SDS Arms/MAC differed.

The JSOC had the adjustable rear sight, magazine well and nicely rendered lumber for stocks. The front sight featured a (preferred) gold (brass) bead. The magazines likewise differed, as the images show. Don’t forget the checkering on the front strap.

The MEUSOC has a nicely rounded rear sight reminiscent of a dehorned high fixed Micro rear sight. The front is a ramp, making it snag-resistant when drawing from a holster. The stocks are legit-like-the-old-days wraparound Pachmayr rubber – the front strap is covered with checkered rubber. The barrel has a black finish, the JSOC has a silvery finish to its barrel. 

Both guns were supplied with a pair of magazines. Now I wanted to see how they shoot side-by-side.

From the Gunsite Debrief Episode 1: Sig P320, Red Dots, & Combat Accuracy on YouTube, there was some discussion by the Gunsite Irregulars about this topic: What is “combat accuracy?” 

After a discussion with actual Marines using rack grade GI 1911s in the 1960s, ace writer Dick Williams was told that the accuracy standard was hitting inside an 8-inch circle. That’s the 8-ring of a B-8 and they were shooting at 25 yards. 

It was more a “minute of enemy soldier” than “minute of angle.” 

So I determined that I’d see what I could do with the two SO replicas by shooting at B-8s, one-handed, at 25 yards. That’s an accuracy standard. They’d both been fired for “we’re too close” events already, though I changed stocks on the MEUSOC to make this test more equal. 

Each of the test samples were fired two-handed as well as one-hand, bullseye-style.

It’s always better if I can get to the mag release.

I further complicated the mess by shooting each heater one-handed, with the right hand, checking and marking the target, then hiking back to repeat the performance with the left hand, one-handed. Which was going to result in a better group?

I wasn’t concerned with zero, just hitting the repair center. I was measuring groups, in my hands, shooting bullseye style.

I’d follow that up with a short distance (20 feet) shoot-reload-shoot exercise to see which one I shot best.

On the big day, I arrived at the range with the Galco Avenger belt holster I’d been using and some ASYM Precision 230gr. FMJ Match ammo. Standing off at 25 yards, shooting like people were meant to shoot – one-handed – I shot on a B-8 repair center. The group, shot with my right hand, scored 50/50-1X! This was with the JSOC, a gun I hadn’t shot in some time. The group was 2 3/8” fired mostly below the “X” ring. 

On handling drills each gun was drawn from the Galco Avenger holster. Magazine pouch by Simply Rugged Holsters.

Left-handed, I shot low and right. It appeared that I was grasping at the trigger while regripping. Two hits were south of the repair center … from great to “meh!” The “score” was like 25/50. 

The JSOC started strong and I failed it.

With the MEUSOC, I was hampered by the trigger and the grip safety, essentially my failure to completely depress the grip safety to allow firing. The trigger is very tight, a little heavy. I’m thinking a detail strip and putting a bead of grease on the outside of both sides of the trigger bow could help, but it could call for a minor refit.

If I were competent, I’d also fit the grip safety to deactivate with less grip. I wouldn’t disable it - intentionally. At that point, I’d replace the grip safety and try to fit it up right.

With all those excuses, I shot 85/100-1X (right-handed was 45/50-1X). The groups tended right. The right-handed group was 5 3/8” with the left-hand group coming in at 4 ¼”. 

If the JSOC has superior sights – the brass bead up front with the “billboard” Bomar-clone on the rear – and the better trigger, how does the MEUSOC shoot “better?” First, I was ten rounds into the exercise before I shot the MEUSOC. Next, having the tougher trigger and the harder to see slanted ramp front sight meant I had to knuckle down and work to make those hits with the newer gun. 

I’m willing to bet either of these guns would do just fine for the intended purpose. 

I’d changed the stocks from the Pachmayrs to a pair from Magpul. Nicely formed and textured, they feature an open approach to the magazine release. I’d added an o-ring under each stock screw to minimize the tendency for 1911 stock screws to back out.

For handling, at 20 feet, I covered a used IDPA cardboard target with a “Bakersfield” repair center featuring a six-inch maximum scoring ring. The drill was #1 – draw to a failure to stop (2-center, 1-head), followed by #2 – from low ready to an attempt to a failure to stop; the gun has only two rounds in it. That requires a reload to finish with the head shot. 

Both guns worked fine, but my reloads were terrible. I was down two with the MEUSOC, hitting just under the center ring. Head shots were inside the four-inch ring.

Both guns were evaluated on a bullseye course of fire – targets shown, as well as a handling course.

Looking at my times, the first hits from low ready were slow, as was the reload component.

I finally moved to the five-yard roundup by Justin Dyal. In that exercise, time created a -5 for 95/100 with the JSOC. With the MEUSOC, the black sights were lost in the shaded part of the B-8, I was down 8 points. 

My Marine times were slower on all strings but one; the Army was compellingly quick. 

So who wins? 

Me. It didn’t matter to me which got the higher score or the quicker time. I was just glad to get to shoot these guns. The recoil, that low-pressure, 45-caliber push is more pleasant than the shock-and-snap of higher-pressure cartridges. 

If the JSOC were mine, I doubt I’d change a thing. I’d be less likely to carry it as it features the external mag well. If the MEUSOC were mine, I’d clean up that trigger, fit or replace the grip safety and do something with the existing front sight. 

Which should you buy? It doesn’t matter; I don’t think you could go wrong.

— Rich Grassi