Adam Scepaniak 02.23.23
Many gun aficionados are both infatuated with, or properly conscious of, the 1911 handgun designed and dropped at fruition by the well-known John Moses Browning. Fast ahead 100 years and trendy engineers, inventors, and designers have taken that just about timeless design and introduced it into the twenty first century by crafting what known as a 2011 handgun. What makes a 2011 handgun extra forward-thinking and trendy is that it boasts every part that you simply may name a “failing” within the 1911. They have extra capability as a result of they’ve double-stack magazines. They not solely have detachable grip panels, however completely detachable frames which can be usually crafted from polymers to lighten the firearm and permit for it to be stippled to your exacting preferences in grip texture. Most 2011 pistols additionally help you readily add micro purple dot optics as you please. All these aforementioned options are one thing evident on most all 2011 pistols together with the comparatively new Springfield Armory 1911 DS Prodigy 9mm.
Springfield Armory is understood for a lot of issues, however for those who wanted to outline them with a blanket assertion they’re the “battle firearm” firm. They make legendary M1A rifles, 1911 pistols, extra trendy AR-15 variants, polymer service pistols just like the XDM Elite, and now they joined the 2011 occasion. Here, at AllOutdoor, we aren’t recognized for torture assessments, however we put the Springfield Armory 1911 DS Prodigy by means of its paces once we shot near 1,000 rounds on the Annual ConcealedCarry.com Guardian Conference final September within the scorching south of Oklahoma.
Springfield Armory 1911 DS Prodigy Coverage
Annual ConcealedCarry.com Guardian Conference
For those that is perhaps unfamiliar, ConcealedCarry.com is an all-inclusive supply of information for many who personal firearms and/or carrying them on a regular basis for work or private safety. The scope of the data they share covers the gamut of authorized recommendation for when you’re carrying to medical gear on a regular basis residents must be skilled on to much more widespread issues like information, a podcast, YouTube movies, and merchandise chances are you’ll take pleasure in. All of this makes them an awesome useful resource for firearm house owners.
While we have been attending the ConcealedCarry.com Guardian Conference, we have been all in regards to the instruction and tutelage they needed to supply with regard to pistol capturing. We did take part in some medical courses as properly, however they bulk of our cause for being there was to hone our handgun expertise. Moreover, give the Springfield Armory 1911 DS Prodigy 9mm one hell of a exercise.
The Basics – Springfield Armory 1911 DS Prodigy 9mm
Before we get too far forward of ourselves, let’s lay down the fundamentals of precisely what the Springfield Armory 1911 DS Prodigy 9mm is. We perceive that this might be dubbed a close to cousin to the 1911 (we’re speaking an in depth sufficient cousin that they’re getting invited to the household cookout). You have much more metallic elements than innumerable handguns in the marketplace right now – permitting for tighter tolerances and high quality – however there’s additionally a polymer grip body that may be stippled, modified, and simply modified out as properly. All of the nitty-gritty specs might be learn under for the 1911 DS Prodigy 9mm as offered by Springfield Armory:
- Cartridge: 9mm
- Barrel: 5″ Forged Stainless Steel, Match Grade, Bull, 1:16
- Slide: Forged Carbon Steel, Black Cerakote®, Optics-Ready
- Frame: Forged Carbon Steel, Black Cerakote®
- Sights: Fiber Optic Front, Black Serrated Rear, HEX Dragonfly
- Recoil System: 2 Piece Full Length Guide Rod
- Grips: Polymer
- Magazines: (1) 17-Round, (1) 20-Round
- Weight: 33 oz
- Length: 8.5″
- Height: 5.5″
- MSRP: $1,699 (PH9119AOSD – particular mannequin we’re reviewing right here right now)
The Prodigy from Springfield Armory takes the confirmed 1911 platform and enhances it with double-stack capability, performance-driven function set and bundled HEX Dragonfly purple dot. Reconfigured round a double-stack journal, the Prodigy’s polymer grip module mounts to its cast metal body providing capacities of 17+1 and 20+1. Optics prepared with an ambidextrous security and Picatinny rail the Prodigy combines probably the most beloved traits of the 1911 with trendy capability for unmatched efficiency.
The Torture Test – Springfield Armory 1911 DS Prodigy 9mm
Now, to the torture take a look at! For our unaware topic – the Springfield Armory 1911 DS Prodigy 9mm with a factory-mounted HEX Dragonfly purple dot – it was a protracted take a look at over the course of three days and 4 capturing courses within the Oklahoma warmth. The common temps we skilled whereas out on crushed rock ranges assorted from 100°F – 105°F most days. All these in attendance have been chugging water as shortly as we have been reloading magazines.
Up till the Annual ConcealedCarry.com Guardian Conference, I had not fired my take a look at pattern of the 1911 DS Prodigy. I verified its zero with a bore-sight indoors and from there I headed to the convention for a weekend of prolonged capturing. Out-of-the-box for the first class, all of us zeroed our iron sights or purple dots (whichever your pistol was rockin’) by making “A” Box hits into the chest and eye field of a cardboard goal at 7 – 10 yards. As you may see from my goal, the 1911 DS Prodigy carried out nice.
This set a very good baseline for myself not just for the first class, however all the weekend. From right here, it was off to the races. As talked about, I participated in 4 completely different capturing courses over the course of the weekend. These assorted from stationary/static capturing at various distances, dynamic capturing whereas strolling or calmly jogging on the vary (safely below the supervision of our teacher), and even long-distance capturing of fifty+ yards participating metal targets. All of the particular programs I took (sometimes 3 – 4 hours in size) have been:
Sometimes there was in depth dialogue between bouts of capturing rounds down vary and different occasions we have been almost magazine dumping (with a objective) into metal or cardboard like that focus on took our lunch cash or known as our momma fats! Overall, it was an awesome take a look at of endurance for the 1911 DS Prodigy. I by no means cleaned the gun all weekend and it functioned flawlessly within the searing warmth. The a part of Oklahoma that we have been in had purple, silty clay that appeared to get into every part (I had extra clay in my pockets than pocket change most days). This purple clay penetrated the Prodigy, however it nonetheless saved hummin’ alongside.
When I arrived in Oklahoma for this treacherous and torturous take a look at of the Prodigy I had 1,000 rounds there ready for me. By the top of the weekend I had solely a handful left. So, my Springfield Armory 1911 DS Prodigy 9mm didn’t shoot precisely 1,000 rounds on that given weekend, however I’ve since far eclipsed that spherical rely mark. The gun by no means skilled a single Failure-to-Feed (FTF), Failure-to-Fire (FTF), or Failure-to-Eject (FTE). All basic failures if a handgun isn’t as much as snuff with the place it must be.
The one detrimental comment I could make is in regards to the HEX Dragonfly purple dot. The purple dot carried out as flawlessly because the handgun it was mounted on besides round 4pm on a regular basis. The solar can be at an ideal, direct angle the place my dot would burst and I may see 5 purple dots as as soon as! It was a bit trippy and type of neat wanting till you wanted to have interaction a goal. The first time it occurred I instantly resorted to capturing the iron sights (which might be simply considered by means of the glass of the purple dot). This abnormality solely occurred for about 5 minutes when the obtrusive solar hit the glass ever-so-perfectly to disrupt the image. Other than that tiny window of time, the HEX Dragonfly purple dot and Prodigy have been champs within the silty clay and searing warmth of Oklahoma for a 950+ spherical weekend of capturing.
Final Thoughts – Springfield Armory 1911 DS Prodigy 9mm
So, what are my closing ideas on the Springfield Armory 1911 DS Prodigy 9mm with a factory-mounted HEX Dragonfly purple dot?… Overall, I’m completely impressed with this handgun. I’m detached in direction of 1911 pistols (please don’t tar-and-feather me for saying that). I respect them, admire them, however different firearms get me a bit extra excited. After capturing the 1911 DS Prodigy 9mm extensively I’m hooked. I’ve a seat on the 2011 bandwagon as a result of I’ve nothing detrimental to say in regards to the pistol. I added a Streamlight TLR-1 HL to mine for extra weight (it provides a stabilizing have an effect on other than the lumens obtainable to you), and Springfield has an in depth mounting plate system so you may all the time improve the purple dot for those who like. At an MSRP of $1,699 with a factory-mounted purple dot, it is a hell of a cut price compared to different 2011 producers that value 3x as a lot with no discernable enchancment in high quality.
In closing, I need to say thanks to Springfield Armory for permitting AllOutdoor and myself the chance to check out their Springfield Armory 1911 DS Prodigy 9mm. That is tremendously appreciated. Also, we wish to know what all of you guys and gals assume? Do you consider that the Springfield Armory 1911 DS Prodigy 9mm is one thing price spending your cash on for competitors, hid carry, or just capturing with buddies? As all the time, tell us your entire ideas within the Comments under! We all the time admire your suggestions.
