Last updated November 2026 · By Nick Hall, who put 600 rounds through the original Century Arms Centurion 11 for our review
Quick take: Century Arms just launched the Centurion 11 TAC, a full-size .45 ACP 1911 with a slide cut for a red dot and a rail for a light. It lists at $499.99, a hundred dollars over the GI-style Centurion 11 it grows out of.
- What it is: A steel-frame, single-action 1911 in .45 ACP with an RMSc optic cut, a 1913 Picatinny rail and an 8+1 capacity.
- Price: MSRP is $499.99 for the black model, SKU HG8680-N.
- Where: Century Arms says it is available now through its dealers nationwide.
- Why it matters: It puts a red dot cut and a light rail on a 1911 that lists under $500.
A hundred bucks. That is the gap between Century’s bare-bones GI 1911 and this one, and the spec sheet shows exactly where the money went.
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Table of Contents
What Century Put in the Centurion 11 TAC
The Centurion 11 TAC is a full-size 1911 chambered in .45 ACP with an 8+1 capacity and a 5 inch barrel. Century lists it at 2.29 pounds, 5.82 inches tall and 1.5 inches wide. The black model carries SKU HG8680-N and UPC 787450441606, and the MSRP is $499.99.
The upgrades are the point. The slide is optics-ready with what Century’s page calls an “RMSc Foot Print,” the sights are a Novak front and a co-witness rear, and there’s an integrated 1913 Picatinny rail on the dust cover for lights and lasers. Century’s launch release adds the part the product page skips: it is built on “the same full-size, steel-frame foundation” as the original Centurion 11.
Century’s photo shows more than the spec block lists. You can see a beavertail grip safety, a skeletonized hammer, front cocking serrations and a silver trigger on a black gun, with “CENTURION 11 TAC” on the slide.
“The Centurion 11 TAC was developed for shooters who appreciate the legacy of the 1911 but want the advantages of modern handgun technology,” said Century Arms in the launch release.
The $100 Gap Over the GI Centurion 11
The original Centurion 11 is Century’s straight GI-pattern gun. It is imported from Turkey, lists at $399.99, and Century describes it as having “fixed iron sights, a spur hammer, and a GI style grip safety.” The TAC is $499.99, so the optic cut, the rail and the modern sights cost you exactly $100 at MSRP.
I have 600 rounds through the original for our Century Arms Centurion 11 review, and two things stuck. The tiny GI sights are hard to see, and the spur hammer bit my hand on a high grip. Those are the two complaints the TAC looks built to answer, with bigger sights, a dot option and, judging by Century’s photo, a beavertail that keeps the web of your hand clear of the hammer.
Weight barely moves. The TAC is 2.29 pounds against 2.19 pounds for the GI model, about 1.6 ounces more. It does get taller and wider, 5.82 inches against 5.31 and 1.5 inches against 1.37, and I’d bet the taller co-witness sights account for most of that height.
One thing I wouldn’t assume. The original ships in a hard case with one magazine, a bore brush, a cleaning rod and a bore mop, and the TAC product page does not list what comes in the box. Ask your dealer before you count on a case or a second magazine.
Why the RMSc Cut and the Rail Are the Whole Pitch
A railed 1911 is not a new idea, and neither is a 1911 with a dot on it. What’s new is getting a slide cut for a dot, a rail for a light and a steel frame on a Century 1911 at $499.99, which puts the TAC within a hundred bucks of the GI gun that Century already sells as its “accessible price point” way into a .45.
But know your footprint before you buy glass. The RMSc pattern is named for Shield’s RMSc, and it is a different footprint from the Trijicon RMR. Our red dot footprint chart shows which optics bolt straight onto an RMSc cut and which need a plate.
The rail matters for the job Century is selling it for. Century’s page names “home defense, duty applications, and serious range use,” and a nightstand .45 without a light is half a plan. A light on the dust cover also means a light-bearing holster, so budget for that too.
If you only want the classic look, the GI Centurion 11 still does that for less. If you want a dot and a light on a steel-frame .45 without moving up a price bracket, the TAC is the more useful gun for the extra $100.
When You Can Buy the Centurion 11 TAC
Now, according to Century. The launch release says the Centurion 11 TAC “is available now through Century Arms dealers nationwide,” and the product page has a dealer locator rather than direct sales.
Expect street prices to settle under the sticker once stock spreads out. The GI Centurion 11 was already $397.99 at Palmetto State Armory when we checked on October 4, 2026, a couple of dollars under its $399.99 MSRP. Our cheap 1911 pistols under $500 roundup is where the TAC will have to earn its place.
Same old .45. New tricks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Century Arms Centurion 11 TAC?
It is a full-size, steel-frame 1911 in .45 ACP from Century Arms with an RMSc-cut optics-ready slide, a Novak front sight, a co-witness rear sight and an integrated 1913 Picatinny rail.
How much does the Centurion 11 TAC cost?
Century Arms lists the Centurion 11 TAC at $499.99 MSRP. The black model is SKU HG8680-N.
What is the difference between the Centurion 11 and the Centurion 11 TAC?
The original Centurion 11 is a GI-pattern 1911 with fixed iron sights, a spur hammer and a GI style grip safety at $399.99 MSRP. The TAC adds an optics-ready slide, a Picatinny rail and a Novak front sight with a co-witness rear sight for $499.99.
What red dot fits the Centurion 11 TAC?
The slide is cut for the RMSc footprint, the pattern named for the Shield RMSc. Optics on that footprint mount directly. A Trijicon RMR uses a different footprint and does not bolt straight on.
How many rounds does the Centurion 11 TAC hold?
Century lists an 8+1 capacity in .45 ACP, the same as the original Centurion 11.
How much does the Centurion 11 TAC weigh?
Century lists it at 2.29 pounds, about 1.6 ounces more than the 2.19 pound GI-style Centurion 11.
Can you mount a weapon light on the Centurion 11 TAC?
Yes. It has an integrated 1913 Picatinny rail on the dust cover for lights and lasers. You will need a holster made for the light you choose.
Where can I buy the Centurion 11 TAC?
Century Arms sells through its dealer network, and says the Centurion 11 TAC is available now through Century Arms dealers nationwide. Use the dealer locator on Century's site to find one.
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