Springfield Armory Operator 1911

Changing Minds, One Writer At A Time
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Though it’s not Trent’s cup of tea for a CCW gun, for those seeking
a full-sized carry or range gun, the 1911 Operator fills the bill nicely.

I’m going to be honest about something right off the bat — I’ve never been a huge fan of the 1911 platform.

This isn’t to say I am not deeply appreciative of John Moses Browning and his creation, or I don’t have a deep and abiding respect for the work the 1911 platform has done around this globe for more than a century.

They’ve just never been for me. See also: Henry Ford and his namesake.

I’m sure there’s a generational aspect to this way of thinking. As someone who is not yet eligible for an AARP card and is widely considered to be one the radical punk kids of the unofficial Gun Writer Guild of America, I grew up in the age of the polymer 9mm. It is where my handgun affinity typically lands.

As a general rule we all wax poetically about the music popular when we were in high school and coming of age. So too we romanticize the cars we bought and sold, and lament the Chevelle, Monte Carlo, or Firebird that we let get away.

“If I’d only hung onto that car.…” I just kind of missed the window for the 1911.

I’ve been around them. Shot them some, but they just never landed for me. They were very nice, shot well, and were stunning to look at but they also came with a price tag I couldn’t justify.

The 1911 window I did catch was trying to address the problem of the price of a fine 1911. There were, and still are, budget 1911 pistols that don’t truly do the platform justice. More than once I’ve heard some version of, “you can spend $2,000 on a 1911 that shoots and runs, or you can spend $750 on a 1911, and then spend the rest of the $2,000 to make it shoot and run.”

The utilitarian in me found other options, while not as visually appealing, but just as functional. Recently though, as manufacturing has improved and demand has increased, there are pistols in the market forcing me to reevaluate my stance on the venerable 1911.

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Springfield Armory Operator 1911

As one of the most respected gunmakers in the world, Springfield Armory builds a host of 1911 variants to suit different applications, preferences and budgets.

The Operator variant nestles nicely into the sweet spot between entry-level and custom. With the very first look you can tell this isn’t your great-grandfather’s 1911 but you know exactly what it is. It’s not over-styled or fluffed up to be something it isn’t. It cuts a figure true to platform, but with a modern spin that will catch anyone’s eye.

The overall footprint of the pistol is what you would expect and is true to the 1911 platform. The match-grade 5″ forged stainless steel barrel features a full support ramp and 1:16 twist. Around the barrel is a forged carbon steel slide and the same steel is used for the frame.

Empty, with magazine removed, the Operator 1911 weighed in on my scale at 38 oz. With a full magazine of Nosler 124-grain JHPs and one in the chamber, it comes in at just less than 45.5 oz. Pretty much what you would expect from a 1911 pattern semi-auto.

But a few things give away there might be a little more to this pistol.

First, and worth noting, is the pistol I was using was chambered in 9mm. While the Operator 1911 is also available in .45 ACP, I have to maintain my status as the rogue punk-kid somehow, right?

The black Cerakote finish on the slide and frame is super smooth and a perfect match for the pistol. It’s clean and fresh, and undeniably durable. The black finish stands in contrast to the G10 grips from noted grip maker VZ Grips. The scalloped pattern is aggressive, but not to the point of being uncomfortable. Rather, the grips make for a reliable hold on the pistol and provide modern styling setting this 1911 apart from so many of the me-too models.

The integrated accessory rail allows for additional customization of the pistol with modern gizmos like lights and lasers that just weren’t part of earlier 1911 deployments. Similarly, the rear white-dot sights are complimented by a tritium front sight for maximum visibility. Forward serrations and a skeletonized hammer round out the aesthetics of the Operator 1911.

You don’t have to be a long-time fan of the pistol to appreciate the pitch-perfect blend of legacy and innovation at work with the Operator 1911.

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The Springfield Armory 1911 Operator — the pistol that might
have performed the impossible — caused Trent to reevaluate
his long-standing detachment for the 1911.

Operating The Operator

Balance and appropriate weight distribution make the Operator 1911 feel comfortable in the hand. As someone who sometimes struggles with finding a perfect grip because of slightly shorter fingers than my palms would indicate, no grip issues were to be found. The G10 grips allow me to lock down on the pistol securely, and during presentation, firing and holstering, the grip on the gun is never in question.

Even after all the rounds I’ve put through the pistol and hours of fiddling with it, the thing I can’t get over is just how smooth and secure the slide operates. We’ve all handled 1911s, which sound like rattle cans of spray paint when run, but the Operator 1911 couldn’t be more different.

At a recent industry event, I made a point to put my hands on as many 1911 pistols as I could. A few ran as smoothly as the Operator 1911 but I can’t say any were noticeably better. A few weren’t in the ballpark.

If I have to complain about something, this is it — I can’t operate the slide or mag release without rolling the pistol more toward my support side. My palm/finger combination just makes working those controls a little more difficult than I would love. It’s just a small change in my normal mechanics, but it is noticeable. This may not be a concern for you at all.

Both the grip safety and ambidextrous safety operate smoothly and as expected with no hiccups.

While this wouldn’t be your first choice as a concealed carry pistol, on several occasions I was able to do exactly that. While noticeably larger than my standard EDC, it wasn’t uncomfortable or impossible. My clothing allowed me to carry OWB and remain concealed, and with a proper holster configuration, IWB carry would certainly have been possible and may even be on my shopping list.

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Digesting every round tried without a hiccup — including frangible
ammo — the eye-opening accuracy surprised Trent with “…
how well I was able to shoot it.”

Range Time

I’m not shy about saying most modern firearms are capable of a much higher degree of accuracy than we are as shooters, but I absolutely feel this way about the Operator 1911.

I would go so far as to say I’ve never shot a pistol grouping more accurately or reliably for me. Shooting at ranges from 3-20 yards, I was able to keep groups tight and well within the realm of respectability. Heck, I was downright proud of how well I was shooting with this pistol.

More than the result, though, was just how much fun the Operator 1911 was while on the line. When you spend all your time shooting those polymer 9s, you forget just how much those small, light guns are moving around on you. Getting a gun with a little more heft, a little more balance and a rock-solid firing system in your hands is like going from riding around in a dump truck to sitting in a new Cadillac.

Follow-ups were noticeably faster than usual; recoil was managed easily and I found myself on range days with the Operator in my hand far more than my other go-to pistols.

I ran 200 rounds each of American Eagle Syntech 115-grain, Winchester White Box 115-grain and PMC 115 FMJ ammo without any failures. It didn’t seem to like the Syntech quite as much as the standard FMJ but it really only suffered by comparison. The groups I was getting were well within what I would typically expect, just not quite as tight as the regular FMJ stuff.

I also put 100 rounds each of Nosler 124-grain and IMI 115-grain JHP ammo down range without issue. I especially liked how the Nosler performed. I even had a few rounds of 85-grain frangible left over from another project I figured I would try out, and again, the Operator 1911 ran through them without issue.

Even as someone who came into this review without any great affinity for the 1911 platform, I couldn’t walk away from my time with the Operator 1911 with anything but impressed with how well it shot, and how well I was able to shoot it.

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The Operator comes standard with forward slide serrations and
uses a well-fitted standard barrel bushing to facilitate tool-free
disassembly for cleaning and maintenance.

A tritium front-sight capsule is backed by a 2-dot rear
sight with a pronounced ledge to facilitate one-handed
emergency slide operation.

Parting Shots

I wasn’t especially looking forward to doing this review. It just wasn’t something to excite me. I was happy to do it but there was no anxious anticipation of getting my hands on the Springfield Armory Operator 1911.

I’m secure enough to say I was wrong.

The more time I spent with this gun, the more rounds I put downrange, I couldn’t deny there just wasn’t a miss. Not on the targets or on the aesthetic, design, or functionality.

I’m going to stop well short of saying I’m a 1911 convert. I still hold there are a lot of other guns fitting my needs better than any 1911 variant.

This said, not long ago I didn’t think I had a place in my safe for a 1911. They were cool nostalgia pieces. They were absolutely a crucial part of our history as an industry and even our nation. But they weren’t for me.

The Operator 1911 proved me wrong at every turn.

Not only is there room in my safe for a 1911, but I also don’t think I’m going to let the Springfield Armory Operator 1911 out of my sight.

MSRP: $1,184

Springfield-Armory.com

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