Tag Archives: SDS Imports

If an HK MP5 and a Colt SMG had a Turkish Baby

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Tennessee-based SDS Arms, whose brands include Military Armament Corporation, Tisas, Inglis, and others, brought a slew of new guns to SHOT Show.

We’ve been covering the company for a while and SDS always has some interesting stuff that you just don’t see everywhere else. Giving us a sneak peek at the 2025 catalog, Jahred Gamez introduced us to the new MAC IX.

SDS introduced the MAC 5 series last year, an MP5-style roller-locked pistol series sans the MP5 price.

The MAC5, in its two variants, as introduced in 2024

For those who prefer direct blowback rather than roller lock, with a more AR feel, the company will be introducing the MAC IX in March (just in time for the NRA Annual Meetings in Atlanta).

The MAC IX runs an AR-style safety and trigger group. Note the slingshot-style charging T-handle rather than the forward slap-and-go of the MP5. However, it uses MP5 mags, which are increasingly available at better prices than in previous generations.

Note the rear Pic rail for mounting a pistol brace or stock (NFA rules apply).

More in my column at Guns.com.

New CMP 1911s?

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The CMP has been in the Army surplus M1911 business for the past half-decade, drawing up to 10,000 each year since 2018 from a dwindling supply of 100,000 mostly World War II-era guns long-stored at the Anniston Army Depot. However, everyone realizes these guns are in short supply – leading to a lottery system by CMP to sell them to the public with prices starting at $1,050 for even a very well-worn pistol – and eventually, the Depot will run dry. 

With that in mind, in a partnership announced at the SHOT Show, the organization and SDS have teamed up with Tisas to produce a special CMP M1911A1 model for sale to the public to help fund its national youth-focused marksmanship efforts. 

The production of a new-manufactured M1911 for the CMP is big news. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

The .45 ACP Government model, according to SDS, will be “a museum-grade reproduction of a mid-war M1911A1 as it was issued during the Second World War.” This will include “United States Property” markings, a Type E hammer, and reproduction WWII-style brown plastic grips – although an extra set of walnut double diamond checkered grips will be included with each gun. 

In a nod to the special status with the marksmanship organization, they will be “CMP” marked. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

The slide, frame, and small parts will be Manganese Phosphate finished, and there will be no MIM parts used in the manufacturing process. Like most Tisas 1911s, it will have Series 70 internals. 

Sure, they are made in Turkey, but Tisas makes a hell of a 1911.

The cost, sold through the CMP, will be $479. 

Turkish Tactical

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I’ve been looking at the new Tisas PX-9 Gen3 Tactical for a few months now and have found a lot to like about it. The third generation of the Tisas-made polymer-framed striker-fired pistol includes a 5.1-inch extended threaded barrel, accepts easy-to-find SIG P226 pattern double-stack mags, is offered in three finishes (black Tenifer, OD green, or FDE Cerakote), has a decent 4.5-pound flat-faced trigger, comes with steel suppressor-height Glock-pattern sights with a front fiber-optic, and has a factory micro red-dot slide cut in a Trijicon RMR/SRO pattern.

Proving reliable across the first 1,000 rounds of Barnaul import, CCI Blazer Brass, and Federal American Eagle 115-grain FMJ, I recently quieted down a bit and tested it with a suppressor.

A big one.

For reference, the overall length in this format was 16 inches and it balanced well between the full mag and the can. Keep in mind you could always shrink that down, for instance, the SilencerCo Omega 36M shown can be dropped to its short format, or you could use a lighter can such as an 8-ounce Osprey 9 2.0, but we are getting too much in the weeds here. You get the idea.

More in my column at Guns.com.

Budget Commander Line Grows Further

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I’ve talked about the Commander-sized Tisas Tanker a few different times here previously and found it held up well in testing. Using a 4.25-inch hammer-forged chrome-lined barrel on a full-size frame that is crafted of forged steel, the 8+1 shot Tanker is an excellent value in the $400 range but comes with some basic sights and plastic grip panels.

The Tanker…not a bad little Commander-sized 45 at all

The new Tank Commander gives it a step up.

Standard features of the Tisas Tank Commander include a rowel style (circular) hammer spur rather than the standard spur, checkered Walnut “double diamond” style grips, wears improved serrated front and rear sights, has a rounded mainspring housing, and uses flush-fitting 7-shot magazines, shipping with two of the latter.

While the Tisas Tanker comes in plain black, the Tank Commander is offered in either a Cerakote matte gray that mimics old-school military parkerizing or what Tisas calls a “Marine” nickel finish.

More in my column at Guns.com.

Tisas PX-9 Gen 3. Say what?

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Tennessee-based SDS Imports is bringing in an affordable 9mm double stack with a ton of features, the Tisas PX-9 Gen 3.

SDS specializes in importing quality pistols, shotguns, and accessories. In the past few years, they have partnered with Tisas (pronounced “Tis-ash”) in Turkey to supply well-made M1911-style handguns to the U.S. market that have built a following through a combination of good reviews and affordable pricing. Newer and more modern is the PX-9 series of polymer-framed striker-fired pistols, with the third generation guns being the most feature-rich.

This brings me to the Tisas PX-9 Gen 3 Tactical I currently have under evaluation.

Gotta say, I don’t hate it as it has a lot of good things going for it including an RMR direct-mount optics cut, an extended threaded barrel, Glock pattern sights, P226 pattern magazines, a decent trigger, modular grip ergos, a ton of accessories, and the ability to use XD-M holsters– all for about $500.

It looks like a mix of every modern combat pistol– and for good reason

More in my column at Guns.com.

Shooting Sports Showcase?

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This week, I had a chance to be on the ground in Northern Alabama for the annual Shooting Sports Showcase.

The Showcase is hosted by the National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers, the Professional Outdoor Media Association, and the Southeastern Outdoor Press Association. Held on the ranges of the massive CMP Marksmanship Park in Talladega, this year’s event was the second of its kind, following up on last year’s inaugural show.

Photo dump ensues:

More here, after the jump. 

Turkish Tisas Tanker Tally

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So I’ve been testing the new Commander-length Tisas Tanker from SDS Imports for the past few months. After 500 rounds, including hollow points, the subtotal number of jams/failures I came away with was four.

I say subtotal because two of the four were likely due to a weak magazine spring on an old GI mag failing to chamber the bottom round– they worked fine when loaded in another mag– while the third was a failure to eject on a dirty chamber with PMC. The fourth failure was a misfire likely due to a hard/bad primer as the round in question failed to go off when struck a second time. That leaves the final tally at one out of 500, fresh out of the box.

Not too bad, especially when you consider you can get one of these 70 series Commanders with a forged frame and slide for $400 smackers.

The Tanker…

More on the Tanker in my column at Guns.com.

$400 Forged Turkish Commander

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SDS specializes in importing quality pistols, shotguns, and accessories and, in the past few years, they have partnered with Tisas in Turkey to supply well-made M1911 style handguns to the U.S. market that have built a following through a combination of good reviews and affordable pricing. The Tanker, quietly debuted last October, is set to continue that trend.

While the “Tanker” moniker is typically applied to shortened T26 M1 Garands and similar chopped-down rifles in the same vein, the SDS version an upgraded M1911A1 Government with a full-sized frame and Commander-length– or 4.25-inch rather than the traditional 5-inch– barrel, and corresponding slide. It has lots of good features to include a forged slide and frame, Series 70 internals, a chrome-plated and lined barrel, as well as a mirror-polished feed ramp.

Plus, it runs $400 smackers, new.

I’ve been kicking the Tanker around for a couple weeks, and it is hard not to like it, especially for the price.

Check it out in my column at Guns.com.