Springfield 1911 Overview

In the mid-1980s, the US armed forces began the process of retiring their obsolete warhorse. In 1985, Springfield Armory® in Geneseo, Illinois originally provided newly manufactured 1911s to the weapon buying public. The next twenty-eight years firmly instituted Springfield Armory® as the best known manufacturer of 1911s – and the standard through which all other 1911s are judged today.



This is a full-size (5” barrel), and everything is still steel in this 1911. The overall weight, with an unloaded magazine, is 40.6 ounces. Seven rounds of ammunition brings the weight up to about 44.3 ounces. It’s most certainly not a light-weight. The other side of that coin, is the fact that the weight certainly aids the shooter in bullet accuracy, as well as recoil reduction. Even though some lighter .45ACP pistols can be quite heavy in a polymer frame firearm, the recoil of this timeless masterpiece is pleasantly smooth. This attribute results in better shooting with more accurate results, with quicker follow-up shots, and less inclination to get “punch drunk” when shooting. I call it punch drunk (an old boxing term), when you become weary of the recoil enough that you flinch and pull your shots (usually wide and upper right, for right handed shooters).



The slide is easy to manipulate, when compared to the slide on some other .45ACP auto loaders. Women and others with limited hand force who might not be able to cycle the slide on a .45ACP, have the option of going to the 9mm round in the same frame. These 1911s have a reduced spring system for the lighter round, and most have no difficulty with the 1911 9mm. Whatever caliber you carry, whatever frame you choose, the options for carrying these fine time tested 1911 pistols. are about like the stars and limitless is their materials and applications.



Springfield 1911 Specifications

· Type: Pistol

· Caliber: . 45 Automatic Colt Pistol

· Weight: 2.4 pounds (1.1 kg)

· Length: 8.5 inches (21.6 cm)

· Barrel length: 5 inches (12.7 cm)

· Capacity: 7-round magazine

· Action: Semi-Auto

Sights: Fixed front with standard rear w/ windage adjustment.