Entreprise Arms Elite P500 .45 ACP Pistol

Type:  Locked Breech Self Loading pistol System of Operation:  Recoil, Single Action Caliber:  .45 ACP Capacity:  10 round detachable box magazine (will accept Para-Ordnance high capacity magazines) Sights, front: Drift adjustable blade Sights, rear:  Drift adjustable notch Length: 8.5"  Barrel length:  5" Weight (loaded):  40 ounces Retail Price:  $699.00

In addition to the aftermarket parts industry, there are a growing number of manufacturers who offer their own flavor of M1911A1.  Some of these offerings are nothing more than reproductions of the GI pistol, while others are enhanced models sporting numerous custom features designed to overcome perceived shortcomings in the original design. These pistols have proven to be very popular with the American shooting public.  This popularity was aided in large part by the 1994 ban on magazines able to contain more than 10 rounds.  The general perception is that a pistol chambered for 9x19mm or .40 S&W restricted to 10 rounds has somehow lost a degree of efficacy while a ten round .45 ACP has become an enhanced "high capacity" model.  Industry was quick to capitalize on this trend, with a variety of these high-capacity M1911A1 style guns being offered by a number of manufacturers.

Curious to see what advantages were offered by an "enhanced high capacity" M1911A1 style gun, we contacted Entreprise Arms of Irwindale, California and ordered one of their Elite P500 Widebody .45's.  The Elite P500 comes with a laundry list of impressive features to include:

A widebody frame (necessary to accommodate the double stack 10 round magazine) with the following characteristics:

• A reinforced dustcover that provides additional weight for
   improved balance and an increased surface for mounting optics.
• A bolstered front strap reinforced for checkering, serrating,
   stippling, or any other specialized grip area modification.
• Squared trigger guard
• High grip cut (relief cut under trigger guard), allowing the shooter
   a shooter a higher grip for increased comfort and control.
• Ultra slim grip panels
• Hardened steel magazine release
• High ride beavertail grip safety with high sweep design to
   position the hand higher for better control. The grip safety has a
   positive palm swell to ensure grip safety deactivation. The tail is
   counter sunk for the rowel hammer.
• Steel flat (M1911 style) mainspring housing with 20 lines per inch
   checkering.
• Checkered slide release
• Extended thumb lock safety
• EDM skeletonized lightweight match hammer with matching
   sear
• Match grade disconnector with polished contact points
• Adjustable aluminum anti-backlash match trigger with overtravel
   adjustment screw and stainless steel bow with lightening cuts.
• Exclusive use of Wolff Springs
• Mec-Gar  10 round magazine, compatible with Para Ordnance and
   STI Para high capacity magazines
• Slide fully machined and cryogenically treated with parallel slide
   rails, polished barrel channel, and polished breech face
• Three dot fixed sights (drift adjustable for windage)
• Stainless steel barrel
• Lowered and flared ejection port
• 4140 chrome-moly steel firing pin
• Dovetail Front Sight
• Action set at 5.5 pounds

PRODUCT REVIEW
With all this build-up, we were somewhat apprehensive about opening the box.  The P500 comes in an attractive black plastic case that is form fitted to the pistol and the spare magazine.  Upon picking up the pistol we were quite pleased.  It had a well balanced and very satisfying heft.  The pistol was nicely finished in an attractive matte black with no evidence of burring, marring, or other finish discoloration.  The hammer, trigger and barrel were finished bright.  The slide has deep, widely spaced and forward canted cocking serrations which we much prefer for a no slip grip to the traditional Colt style fine vertical serrations.

Examination proved the Elite P500 to be a very carefully and very well built gun.  All controls worked perfectly with neither looseness nor binding.  The safety snapped into and out of engagement quite positively, requiring thought, but no undue effort.  Many of the M1911A1 style guns we've tested in the past have had safeties that either did not properly engage, or required undue effort for engagement and disengagement, so this was a welcome change.

The gun displayed very tight tolerances. No amount of shaking or handling could produce any kind of discernible rattling between the slide, barrel, and frame, or for that matter, between the grip safety and the frame.  Despite this, the slide ran smoothly and without a hint of binding, and the grip safety fell into position as the gun settled into the hand.  The barrel to slide fit displayed equally close tolerances, and similarly, did not exhibit any signs of binding.  Disassembly required tools; the barrel bushing was sufficiently tight so as to require a bushing wrench.  While conducive to enhanced accuracy, shooters should be aware of the need for a bushing wrench in their range bag.

The gun sat very comfortably in the hand, despite the considerable width of the grip frame.  Indeed, the Elite P500 was appreciably more comfortable than a Glock 21, and settled into the proper grip more readily than several different standard capacity M1911A1 style pistols.

The sights deserve special mention.  The Elite P500 we received was equipped with Entreprise's own ghost ring night sights.  Ghost ring sights include a standard front blade with what can best be described as a fixed aperture rear.   These sights work on the

SHOOTING THE ELITE P500
Based on our inspection, we were very excited to shoot the Elite P500.  As we trundled off to the NRA range, we were full of hope that the pistol would  shoot as well as it was apparently made and looked.

Ammunition
We brought along some representative .45 ACP ammunition with which to test the pistol, to include:

•  Federal American Eagle 230 grain FMJ
•  Winchester USA 230 grain grain FMJ
•  Federal Hydra-Shok 230 grain JHP
•  National Bullet Company 185 grain JHP

However, toward the end of our accuracy firing, we noted that the groups had started to shift to the left.  No matter how we compensated for the drift, the leftward trend remained.  Upon examination of the pistol, we noted, with some chagrin, that the front sight had loosened under recoil and now slid freely in the dovetail.  Entreprise has a lifetime warranty on their products, and will square problems like this away quickly and permanently.
 

Recoil and Ergonomics
The recoil sensation, as with most .45 ACP pistols, was stout, but not unpleasant, being significantly less than with the same load fired from a standard framed M1911A1.  The wider grip helped to spread the force out over a wider area of the hand and thus to attenuate the recoil sensation.  All controls were within easy reach and operated smoothly.  The Elite P500's trigger was simply a joy, breaking cleanly and crisply with each shot at exactly the right point.  In fact, we're tempted to send the Elite P500 with every pistol we send for a trigger job with the admonition "Make it like this!"

Reliability
Nothing to report here!  The Elite P500 ate everything we put through it, including the cavernous 185 grain JHP's without hesitation.  No failures to feed, fire, extract, or eject.
 

CONCLUSION
The Elite P500 is simply an excellently made gun that shoots well, and is, given the limited span of our test, totally reliable.  The only black spot on an otherwise flawless report is that the front sight loosened under recoil.  It has been our experience that heavier "combat" or "target" front sights will always loosen on M1911A1 style guns unless they are pinned or staked in place, and our only recommendation for improvement would be to do so when installing the ghost ring sight set.  In a nutshell, we liked the Elite P500 a great deal, and recommend it to anyone interested in a high quality, high capacity M1911A1 style pistol.

If you have any questions about where and how to go about acquiring an Elite P500,  please contact either CRUFFLER.COM or Entreprise Arms.

And now, our Buy-O-Meter rating for the Elite P500:
 
 
 

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