Watchtower Firearms and its flagship weapons

While the NSSF SHOT Show is always full of excitement, one of the biggest news this year was arguably the participation of Watchtower Firearms. Before January 2024, most people had never heard of the company, but it promises to be “the next great American gun company,” and given its pedigree, that claim seemed credible. Founder Jason Colosky, who grew out of F1 Firearms, purchased and repurposed the facility with a vision to not only run the plant at full capacity, but also expand to other states and even other countries. While F1 focused on flashier firearms for competitors, Watchtower aims to continue a legacy of quality, but now with more understated options for defense.

Watchtower Firearms has its sights set on more than just high-quality guns; the company wants to restore American dominance in the field. Over dinner, Mr. Colosky explained that while many gun brands appear to be all-American, most of the larger ones have foreign investors or other means of siphoning profits from our economy. Watchtower promises to maintain a 100 percent American board and expand its offerings to the American labor market. On a global level, Watchtower wants to help arm our foreign allies and bring those funds back to the United States. Those funds will be reinvested in the company and used to create more jobs at additional locations in the United States.

A noble mission, indeed, and I was curious to see if Watchtower’s products had what it takes to make it a reality. At the time of this writing, Watchtower has two flagship weapons that collectively demonstrate its creative might. A defense company cannot exist without an AR-15-style carbine, and Watchtower is no exception. Its Type 15 is touted as a “SPEC-OPS class” weapon, which sets it apart from the more common “mil-spec” gear that floods the market. While both classes are capable of heavy-duty use, the SPEC-OPS designation indicates an upgrade in its features and workmanship.

Using a matching billet receiver kit, both halves of the Type 15 fit together tightly without any play. This fit greatly increases accuracy while closing off the typical pathways through which dirt and debris can enter. Watchtower offers these with a traditional 5.56 NATO chamber or a tighter .223 Wylde chamber for users who value consistency over generous chamber dimensions. The Type 15 is also available in a range of Cerakote shades to match the end user’s equipment or blend into different environments as needed.

Our industry is in the process of equipping the military and police with competition pistols, and I believe this is long overdue. I have never understood why we reserve the best firearms for punching paper while those whose lives are at stake are limited to ordinary weapons. Watchtower shows that it is aware of current trends and ideas by offering the Apache. This double-stack M1911 pistol features a generous 20+1 capacity, oversized controls, and a ported barrel extension, making it one of the shallowest-ranging pistols on the market.

Like most pistols these days, the Apache is designed to accommodate an optic. However, unlike most other pistols, it can be supplied with a Trijicon SRO red dot pre-mounted and sighted in if desired. The pistol even includes a set of recoil springs that allow you to set it up for the specific cartridge you plan to use – a godsend for police departments limited to special duty ammunition.

I began my day at the range with an accuracy test of each weapon with various bullet weights. Watchtower was kind enough to loan me an EOTech EXPS holographic scope with the Type 15, so no additional work was needed to get it ready for live fire testing. As I prepared the rifle for its first shots, I noticed the ambidextrous F1 charging handle, which replaced the usual brittle lugs with a pair of sturdy knurled knobs. Early results were excellent, especially considering that carbine-length ARs are not built for precision applications and this particular model was chambered in the looser 5.56 NATO. Despite this, sub-half-million accuracy was possible, especially when combined with match-grade ammunition.

Let’s move on to the Apache. Its combined weight and recoil-reducing properties made it one of the smoothest-shooting 9mm Luger pistols I’ve ever fired. Coupled with the Trijicon sights, it was also one of the sharpest pistols I’ve ever worked with. With the stiffest spring, I was able to nearly eliminate slide-against-frame recoil, although it cost a bit in reliability with softer cartridges. One notch lighter proved to be the best balance for the three cartridges I chose for testing, but I’d certainly opt for the heavier spring if I were carrying this with +P loads.

I took both weapons to the steel pit, determined to use them in an environment more suited to their production. I adopted an aggressive C-clamp grip and briskly emptied a magazine through the Type 15 using a combination of “no stopping” routines and double shots. This helped me better utilize the three-chamber brake that came with the carbine and really experience how effective it was at keeping me on target. Placing two bullets a few inches apart was effortless, and I found the overall balance and geometry to be suitable for high-velocity use.

The same was true of the Apache, which I ran through the same series of drills with. Although it is stout, I found that Watchtower designed the grip efficiently, as I had no trouble maintaining a full grip on the pistol. I was also grateful for the magazine funnel that tops it all off, as that little bit of flair made reloading quicker. Aside from making the trigger on each gun have a crisp click, it had an exceptional reset feature that sped up follow-up shots. I jokingly attribute this to why I went through more than 400 rounds of ammo so quickly.

Aside from the shooting range, I can attest to Watchtower’s ambitions to be one of the big guns in the years to come. Not only do the products seem to have what it takes, but the company’s forward-thinking ideas are the key to greatness. These include programs that replace service weapons stored in evidence lockers and allow officers to send their weapons in for annual maintenance. This sets Watchtower apart from the crowd and is a warning shot across the bow of the competition.

Additionally, the company is eyeing areas in Florida and Alabama as possible locations for satellite factories and is in talks with three countries to arm their militaries. Due to the quality of its products and services, Watchtower is certainly a company to keep an eye on. For more information, visit watchtowerfirearms.com.

Type 15 – Performance and Specifications

Specifications for Watchtower Firearms Type 15
Manufacturer: Watchtower Firearms
Chambering: 5.56 NATO
Action type: Direct gas operated, semi-automatic centerfire rifle
Receiver: 7075-T6 billet aluminum; Cerakote finish
Barrel: 16.25″ chrome-molybdenum steel; 1:7″ right-hand twist, thread 1/2×28 TPI
Magazine: removable 30-round box, polymer PMAG
Sights: None; Picatinny rail
Trigger: single stage, Hiperfire EDT2 Heavy Gunner; 4 lb., 8 oz. pull.
Total length: 33.50 to 36.75 inches
Height: 8.82 inches (with magazine inserted), 7.36 inches (without magazine)
Pull length: 11.00 to 14.25 inches
Width: 2.14 inches
Slope at crest: 0.5 inches
Heel drop: 0.5 inches
Weight: 7 lbs.
Accessories: Instruction manual, hard case, lock
MSRP: $1,479.00

Apache – Performance and Specifications

Watchtower Firearms Apache Specifications
Manufacturer: Watchtower Firearms
Action type: recoil-operated, semi-automatic centerfire pistol
Cartridge chamber: 9 mm Luger
Barrel: 4.62 inches
Slide: 4140 stainless steel, PVD coating
Frame: 4140 stainless steel; PVD finish
Grooves: 1:16” left twist
Magazine: removable box for 17 or 20 shots
Sight: Dovetail guide, fiberglass front, square recess rear,
Trigger: Single-action, 2 lb., 14 oz. trigger weight
Total length: 8.53 inches
Height: 4.96 inches
Width: 1.62 inches
Weight: 43.2 ounces (unloaded with empty 20-round magazine)
Accessories: Instruction manual, soft case, spare magazine, locking spring set, lock
MSRP: $4,540 (including Trijicon SRO)