BUL Armory TAC COMP
- Graham Baates
- Jun 8
- 7 min read
Updated: Jun 14
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BUL Armory is a favorite company of mine. This is the 13th model of theirs I've reviewed and every time I've been impressed. The Ultralight and EDC models have been my summer and winter carry guns. The heavier TAC is an excellent range gun, and TAC PRO a wonderfully easy-shooting gun that feels a bit like a cheat code on the range. So how about the TAC COMP?
What Is It? The BUL Armory TAC COMP is a 5" doublestack 1911 based on the BUL Armory SAS II platform that feautres both V-6 porting and an integral compensator that is physically one piece with the barrel. This promises a uniquely-strong reduction in muzzle rise by combining four contributing traits:
BUL Armory's "V" porting progressively applies downward pressure on the barrel starting with highest pressure with least leverage and moving to lowest pressure with most leverage. To me this creates a sensation similar to a wave of downard pressure versus the "smack" of downward pressure experienced with traditional chunk porting.
A full-length steel dust cover of non-reciprocating mass to counterweight muzzle rise.
The compensator itself on the end of the barrel using the last of gas pressure in an aggressive manner.
The muzzle weight of a steel compensator on the end of the barrel.
In addition to those main points, the TAC COMP also features shielded safeties and BUL Armory's new LINK trigger system which eanable the user to easily change trigger shoes without disassembling the gun. We'll have a separate video and article on the new LINK trigger system we first saw at SHOT 2026.
*An important note about ported barrels that are not back-bored: Do not use plated ammunition such as Blazer. The plating can be shaved off by the ports and possibly result in copper being ejected into the air as well as accuracy issues. Unfortunately few ammunition manufacturers admit to when their ammunition is plated. Look for ammunition labeled as "FMJ or TMJ".
Who's it For? The TAC COMP is meant for competition shooters and range junkies who want absolute performance. While technically any handgun could be carried for personal defense, I'd presonally recommend a non-ported, non-compensated model for carry. With four magazines included with the gun you're ready for a quality range session out of the box.
About those magazines. It's worth noting if you're new to BUL Armory pistols that they do not use the expensive and oddly-shapen (intended for 38 Super) "2011" magazines but instead are a pattern of their own that are less expensive, have more robust feed lips, and fit one more round of capacity for their length than a standard "2011" magazine. Before that causes panic, remember that four come with the TAC COMP and additionally magazines start at just $55 direct from BUL Armory's US store.
Take a Look at the BUL Armory TAC COMP's fit, finish, and features as well as what all comes in the box in the tabletop video below. Rumble Link
Specs
Platform: SAS2
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 5” one-piece Hybrid (V6) ported one-piece Bull Barrel
Frame: Stainless steel
Grip: Full Size Polymer
Trigger: Link Trigger System / Semi Curved Medium
Optic system: B.A.O Multi Footprint System
Magwell: Carry Magwell
Safeties: CNC ambidextrous walled safeties
Sights: Black serrated rear & front
Capacity: 20+1
Included magazines: 4
Trigger weight: Up to 3.2lbs
Finish: Stainless Steel finish (Silver)
Weight (unloaded): 987g / 34.8oz
What's in the box:
- Magazines: 4
- BAO adapter plates (3): RMR / DPP / Holosun K & RMSc
- Short mainspring house pin
- Guide rod takedown tool
- Bore brush kit
- Owners manual
- Range bag
"How do I get a BUL Armory?" is a question I've often been asked and usually in conjunction with a complaint about never seeing one in person or models never being in stock. Unlike many of the other brands in this space, BUL Armory pistols aren't slapped together by an assembler digging through parts bins. The guns are hand fit by competent smiths; production can't be quickly ramped up by grabbing some temps off the street. If you don't have a local dealer stocking BUL Armory the best way to get your hands on a BUL Armory is directly through the US shop. You'll likely see a certain model is out of stock. Join the email waitlist and be ready to purchase the moment you get an in-stock notification. Shipments come every few weeks, but often sell out within hours. Find your nearest US dealer HERE.
Expecting nothing but the best we hit the range to get to know the TAC COMP by starting of course with the singature GBGuns range protocol; ensuring all guns start from an even playing field by first experiencing:
Cold Shots: Truly our first shots through the gun.
Full Magazine +1: Suprisingly some modern guns still struggle with this. It's a test of how much play is in the magazine as well as how the slide cycles with pressure. This is also when I do my best to learn the trigger.
What's For Dinner™: A test to see what ammunition the gun will eat. Does the gun feed the round from slide lock, will it cycle and feed another round of the same type, does the slide lock to the rear on empty, and is there any notable point of impact change with different loads.
For this gun the following ammunition was used:
Priced and linked where found at the time this article was written
72gr+p Liberty Ammunition Bear Country
140gr S&B Subsonic $26.99 / 50 at Ammunition Depot
147gr Federal Premium HST $41.99 / 20 direct from Federal
124gr Freedom Munitions X-DEF $22.89 / 50 from Freedom Munitions
100gr Liberty Ammunition Plate & Range Frangible $39.99 /50 at Ammunition Depot
124gr Federal Premium HST $39.95 / 50 from Widener's
100gr Federal BalistiClean $27.59 / 50 at Target Sports USA
65gr+p NovX (Out of Production?)
100gr Sellier & Bellot XRG $13.34 / 25 at Target Sports USA (see review HERE)
115gr Sig Elite Defense V-Crown $24.99 / 20 from Sig
Standard Range amunition was 115gr Fiocchi Range Dynamics $13.11 / 50 from Target Sports USA
Sights & Trigger Control: on a 6" spinner target at a distance of 12-ish yards. We got this from Titan Great Outdoors and use it to gauge how learnable the trigger is and usable the sights are for forced, timed, precise shots.
Practical Accuracy: Five shots from a distance of seven yards at a one inch target. This isn't so much about printing a tight group as it is a culmination of the shooting experience and time for to collect thoughts prior to making a conclusion.
After Shots: Final impressions and reflections from the range session.
Watch the process from the very first shot (post zero) for theBUL Armory TAC Comp in the Shooting Impressionv video below. Rumble Link
On the WET Range we had a number of things to contend with thanks to Oregon weather, but no problems from the TAC COMP. In fact, the gun was such a pleasure to shoot that the video was shorter than average because we both shot faster than usual despite rain making exhaust gasses cloud the front lens of the optic every few rounds. That quick shooting was simply because the gun is back on target, nearly exactly where it was before your previous shot quicker than your finger can prepare for the next shot. We WILL be bringing this gun out again in better weather, but as you watch the accuracy of the TAC COMP keep in mind that for most of the time we struggled to make out the target through a dirty optic, rain, and fog. We generally got a good first sight picture, and shot from muscle memory the rest of the time. The TAC COMP is just that good.
I've reviewed over 500 handguns over the last 11 years, and shot even more than that. I can not name a smoother, or softer-shooting handgun, and we didn't even try the heavier recoil spring. We slapped an optic on the gun and ran it out of the box. I know the MSRP is higher than what many people spend on a range gun, but it's lower than what many spend on lesser guns. If you have the means and the patience to get on the wait list I have no qualms about suggesting the BUL Armory TAC COMP being your trophy gun that rules them all in your safe and on the range. I know it is for me.
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