- What is the current lead time for the Vanta 9? AKA our most common question

We don't have a definitive answer for this, yet. We are working diligently to streamline our production and scale up to demand. Eventually, we hope to have consistent inventory available on our web-store (www.shopfiguns.com). Until we reach that milestone, all inquiries regarding new V9 orders must be made through our support page here.

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- What makes the Vanta 9 better than <insert name here> brand?

This is a question that is best answered by not making comparisons. What I will tell you - we respect the process, we respect craftsmanship, and we respect the end result. A firearm is a tool, and manufacturing such an important tool is a task we don't take lightly. There are over 60 components that make up each Vanta 9. Of those 60 components, every piece is hand fit or altered from its original state as it comes off the CNC. A quest that started in 2020 to make a production viable double stack 1911 has slowly evolved into something much more. While our production numbers may not be through the roof like other companies, we stay true to the old mantra: "quality over quantity". The end result is a pistol that is repeatably accurate, safe, reliable, and easy to manipulate.

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- Why can't I get anybody to answer the phone?

Because we're busy building guns. As much as we'd love to chat for hours on end about guns and how awesome they are, we don't have the manpower to justify pulling away from building. We have spent a substantial amount of time on this FAQ page to address 99% of questions our customers have, please use this page as a resource. If you ask a question via email that is already answered on this page, please don't be offended if we reply with a link to this page. 

 

There is one exception to this rule - if you experience problems with your pistol. Any issues with your purchase justifies an expedited phone call, and we will make time for it. Please use our support page to schedule a call.

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- Where are your components made?

The Vanta 9 is made in the great state of Texas.

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- Can I have a spare extractor fit to my gun?

Absolutely. We will, however, need your complete slide at our facility for proper tuning. Please use our shop to place an order for an extractor. Once the order is placed, you will be emailed with a location to send your upper to for fitting.

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- What mags can I run in my Vanta 9?

Most common in-use 2011 magazines are compatible with our Vanta 9. We use MBX magazines standard. The only magazines (we are aware of) that aren't compatible with the V9 is any 2011 magazine with a metal Dawson base-pad, and the Duramag (the base-pad bottoms out on the magwell). Spare magazines can be ordered via MBX.

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- How many rounds before I need to replace my guide-rod spring?

We suggest swapping your recoil spring every 3,000 rounds. If you run hotter ammo, it may be necessary to replace every 1,500-2,000 rounds. It is critical that you replace your spring consistently so you don't induce excess wear on the firearm. Guide-rod springs can be found here at our shop. The Government/5" Vanta 9 uses a 12.5lb recoil spring standard.

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- Can I change out components on my Vanta 9?

NO. Do NOT swap parts (no matter how seemingly inconsequential) on your Vanta 9. The only component that is acceptable for interchanging at the end-user level is the recoil spring and the optic/fixed sight plate. Any other labor or long-term maintenance must be performed by Fowler Industries, LLC. or your warranty will be voided. Every component on your Vanta 9 was mated to that specific serial number and is tracked by internal means here at FI. If you change parts out on your own accord and submit a warranty claim at a later date, your repair may be delayed and additional fees may be applied. Also, if you notice a different number engraved on the inside of your gun (different number than your frame's serial number), this is normal. Please note, warranty repairs that are not due to end-user error are not billed to the customer.

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- If I have multiple Vanta 9s can I interchange parts? i.e. - barrel, trigger, etc...

NO. See above.

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- I purchased the swelled grip module V9, can I send my gun back to have it converted to the conventional style grip module/vice versa?

No, once your module and grip safety are fit to your Vanta 9, the parts are married to the pistol and cannot be reverted to another variant at a later date.

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- What grip module do you prefer, the S line, or the C line (swell/conventional)?

Grip module preference is very subjective. We find the S line of modules to be the most popular. If you order a V9, the S line will come installed by default unless otherwise specified. The diameter of the grips are very similar, with the only difference being the swell towards the middle portion of the grip. We typically tell customers one of two things:

A. If you're used to conventional single stack 1911's then you may prefer prefer the C line (the C standards for conventional, a la conventional 1911)

B. Even if you're partial to conventional flat back strap 1911 grip style, you may still like the S line (S standards for swell) module. The S line model outnumbers our C line model ~10:1 in our production

C. Flip a coin, either way you'll probably like both

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- Can I have my trigger pull weight adjusted?

Yes, contact us through the support page and we'll get you squared away. If you intend to carry your Vanta 9 on duty or as a carry gun, we can increase the weight. For reference, Vanta 9's trigger weights are set anywhere from 2.5-3 pounds on average.

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- Can I have the Ultra Short Throw (UST) trigger installed on my Vanta 9?

Yes, this is easiest to do when you order is initially placed as all of our Vanta 9s come fit with our Hybrid length trigger. This trigger is an additional $100 as it is not a standard item we stock/fit.

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- Can you add an active grip safety to my Vanta 9?

We do not offer the Vanta 9 with an active grip safety option.

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- Can you change the front sight to a green fiber optic?

Yes, contact us through the support page. We will need your slide at our facility to swap the optic rod out.

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- Can I run my Vanta 9 without the magwell?

Yes, you will need a standard width mainspring housing pin, available here.

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- Can you fit a single sided safety to my Vanta 9?

Yes, contact us through the support page. We will need your complete frame present at our facility to fit a new thumb safety.

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​- Can you fit a left handed specific safety to my V9?

Yes! This is easiest to do when you order is initially placed, as all of our ambi thumb safeties are biased by default to benefit right-handed shooters. A left handed Vanta 9 thumb safety consists of a thin left (non-ejection port side) side paddle, and a wider right (ejection port side) side paddle.

 

If you already own a Vanta 9 and would like a lefty safety fit, the price is $185 (excludes the cost of shipping your pistol to and from the FI shop). If the pistol is originally spec'd (before the pistol's production has been completed) with a lefty thumb safety, there is an additional $100 charge. A trade-in credit of $85 can be applied if you don't mind leaving your original safety with us indefinitely. All safeties are finished with DLC.

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- I can feel slight front-rear movement on my Vanta 9's beavertail, is this normal?

Yes, over time the gun will wear in, and the pinned grip safety will clearance itself. This has no effect on function.

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- Can I use Loctite or other adhesives to secure my grip module to my frame?

We suggest not using Loctite on your grip module, this is for maintenance/deep cleaning purposes. ALWAYS CHECK YOUR LEFT/RIGHT GRIP SCREWS, AND FRONT STRUT SCREWS AFTER SHOOTING.

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- I can see wear on the hood/muzzle of my barrel, is this normal?

Yes. Due to the tight fitting nature of our barrels, the DLC coating may wear on the front and back of the hood area, as well as the top and bottom sides of the muzzle (where the slide rides). Our barrels are clearanced properly for unlocking, but during dynamic operation of the pistol this area can still make light contact, resulting in slight finish wear. If you feel there is excess finish wear in the areas listed above, please email us with photos and we will see if there is another variable at play.

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- Can you adjust my Vanta 9's thumb safety weight?

Yes, we will need your frame at our shop to adjust the activation and de-activation weight. There is a $100 charge for this service (not including shipping).

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- There are areas on the inside of the pistol that appear to have wear or may have been fit after finishing, is this normal?

In some cases, additional fitting may be required after finishing is applied to allow the pistol to perform at full efficiency. This can be due to a variety of factors, including finish build up/tolerance stack (especially on Cerakote parts). Certain parts can be blued afterwards, however this is not always necessary. As the gun wears itself in, surfaces will mate and finishes may wear themselves down on the inside of the pistol. We do not view this a problem, rather the result of a precision fit part breaking in. Areas that you may notice this on are (but not limited to): ejector, frame rails, firing pin stop plate, barrel, breach face, extractor.

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- I've heard about bent ejectors on 1911/wide body 1911's, is it a concern on the V9?

The short answer to this question: not really. This topic of discussion usually originates from the use of long magazines (greater than 17 round/126mm). A bent ejector can occur when the slide is locked to the rear and the magazine is over inserted. The potential for over insertion is increased when using magazines that are longer than 126mm as there is no base pad to bottom-out the magazine on the magwell. What ends up happening is the magazine "over inserts" past the magazine release and wedges itself into the underside of the ejector. The best case scenario is the magazine lightly sticks to the bottom of the ejector and requires a light downward pull to relieve it. The worst case scenario is the tip of the ejector gets bent, which then increases drag on the inside of the slide and prohibits the slide from reciprocating freely, leading to stove pipe malfunctions and a myriad of other problems. Sometimes a light tap on a bent ejector will restore it to its original condition. However, it is critical that the ejector is examined closely after this as microscopic cracks may occur if the utmost care isn't exercised when bending it straight.

 

We go to great lengths on the V9 to avoid bent ejectors. Our magazine releases have built in stops to prevent over insertion, and we also scallop out of the bottom edge on all V9 ejectors in the event that the over insertion stop fails. All of this to say: if you insert a magazine (that is larger than 126mm) into a V9 with an unusual amount of force, you are at risk for bending the ejector. We aren't saying you have to handle the V9's ejector with kid gloves, quite the contrary. What we are saying is to not full send your 141mm or similar magazines into your magwell with strong man level force.

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- I've heard that I should never rack a 1911/wide body 1911 on an empty chamber for fear or ruining my trigger job or damaging my barrel lock up, is this true?

This is completely false. So long as your trigger job and barrel fitment are mechanically sound, there is absolutely no reason to be concerned about dropping your slide on an empty chamber. The empty chamber myth has been perpetuated for decades by individuals that have a less than stellar understanding of how the 1911 platform works. In addition, modern metallurgy and machining practices have made whatever merit this argument had (if there ever was any) patently false. These statements apply to triggers up to 5 pounds, all the way down to 1.5 pounds. If a 1911 trigger can't withstand racking on an empty chamber, then there are underlying problems with setup that will only be exacerbated under live fire circumstances.

 

We'll restate this: if your gun is going to half-cock, if you experience hammer follow, or if your barrel lock up loosens, tightens, or drags after racking the slide on an empty chamber, something was mechanically wrong with the pistol to begin with. There should never be any concern about racking or letting the slide slam on an empty chamber.

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- What optics are compatible with the Vanta 9's optic plate?

We currently have optic plates for the following:

- Trijicon RMR/SRO, RMR HD, RCR (Holosun 407, 507, 508, any RMR footprint)

- Aimpoint ACRO P1/P2 (Steiner MPS*)

- Holosun 509T

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*Steiner MPS compatible with ACRO footprint, however may require a .005" shim kit based on variances in MPS clamp sizing we encountered. Email for more details.

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- What thread pitch does the Vanta 9 use (optic/fixed sight plate)?

Every thread pitch on the Vanta 9's slide is 6-32.

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- What weaponlight do you recommend for the Vanta 9?

The only weaponlight we recommend is the Surefire X300/X400 series (THUMB SCREW MOUNT ONLY, AKA -B MODEL).

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- Where can my Vanta 9 be shipped to after my order?

Federal law requires all firearms ship to a Federally Licensed Firearms/FFL dealer. Sales of large capacity magazines are only viable where legal.

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- What holsters are compatible with the Vanta 9?

Any holster that is compatible with a standard 1911 that has a shrouded dust cover should work fine with the Vanta 9. The best holster we've used is the Vanta 9 specific holster through TXC holsters, available here - https://txcholsters.com/products/ovrt-holster . Tier 1 Concealed, and Red Hill Tactical also sell holsters that are compatible (but not developed for) the V9.

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- Do you offer Cerakote services?

We use Blowndeadline exclusively for Cerakote. Cerakote is a flat $575. If you Cerakote your V9 via secondary market means your warranty will be void as there are extra clearancing procedures that need to be done before and after assembly.

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- How do I install my optic plate?

Download this PDF.

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- Does the V9 come with a tool-less guiderod?

No, we found the single piece guiderod to be more sufficient for long-term hard use.

 

If you must have a tool-less guiderod, we will be more than happy to include it with your pistol for an additional $45. This request must be made to us during the ordering process.

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How do I remove my guiderod?

Watch the video below.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugL9b6znF-Q&t=49s

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- What weight recoil spring does the V9 come with?

The V9 comes standard with a 14lb recoil spring.

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I'm occasionally getting stovepipes and the slide isn't always locking back, is it the gun or me?

Without sounding like we're trying to pass blame off onto the end user, this is best diagnosed with a side profile video of you shooting the gun (can be sent to info AT figuns.com). A heavy gun chambered in 9mm requires a stiff sprung suspension (the suspension system being your body); momentum is your friend. If you take the momentum out of the slide during reciprocation (i.e. - elbows tucked back, low grip with a gap between the beavertail and web of your hand, loose grip, constant readjusting of grip after a short firing string, poor stance/standing upright with no forward lean) then you may encounter problems. We do our best to tailor the V9 to work with a wide variety of shooting types, but there isn't always a one size fits all solution. If you are experiencing stove pipes or short strokes, and there is no stitch anywhere during reciprocation (i.e. - you can feel something dragging when you rack the slide), then we suggest purchasing one of our 12.5lb recoil springs available here:

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https://shopfiguns.com/spare-replacement-recoil-spring/

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If you still encounter problems after swapping springs then feel free to contact us.

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