The Springfield Armory Combat Operator series of 1911’s bridge the gap between standard production guns and custom shop build pistols.

Working with the Springfield Armory Custom Shop (SACS), we took a standard Operator 1911 and added custom features that discriminating shooters have been asking for.

At the 2015 SHOT Show, Dave Williams (the head honcho of the Springfield Armory Custom Shop) was showing me the new offerings for that year. I was really enamored with some of the new Operator models Springfield was introducing. While chatting about different features Dave mentioned they may have some production time available to do something special if we were interested. At that time there were no 9mm’s listed with a rail so that was a good place to start with 9mm 1911’s really catching fire. I wanted something comparable to the 9mm Luger and the ammo to match. I wanted a handgun that had great accuracy and was easy to shoot. I sent Dave a list of specs for a railed 9mm that eventually became the Combat Operator.

“THE ORIGINAL 9MM CAME OUT SO NICE THAT WE DECIDED TO DO THE SAME SPECS FOR A 45 ACP AND 10MM VERSION AS WELL. WE WANTED THE GUNS TO HAVE A DISTINCTIVE LOOK SO THE COMBAT GRAY COLOR WAS CHOSEN FOR THE TWO-TONE TREATMENT. THAT IS WHY WE DECIDED TO CALL THEM THE COMBAT OPERATOR.”

Custom features like a SACS tool steel hammer and sear, bar stock checkered mainspring housing without the ILS system, machined bar stock extractor and 25 LPI checkering on the front strap are but a few of the upgrades on the Combat Operators. To keep the lines of the classic 1911 intact we deleted the front cocking serrations and included a ball cut slide. A one piece TRP match grade barrel and match grade GI style bushing are included, as well as, plain black serrated .140 10-8 Performance rear sight and a Dawson Precision .125 fiber optic front sight come standard on these models. Combat Operators are finished with Black Armory Coat on the slide and Combat Gray Armory Coat on the frame for a striking two-tone look. Checkered black and gray micarta grips finish off the package.

This gun should be perfect for the range as well as for the home to defend against any intruders. It’s also great for those who want a small firearm to have on their person, especially if they want it for self-defense purposes. See this utah concealed carry blog if you would like to learn more about firearms and self-defense. Of course, while the best defense is often a strong offense, it should not be your only defense strategy. You could also get another layer of security with a Monitored alarm system. The Springfield Combat Operator’s ease of fire and high accuracy makes it a real contender for self-defence.

To keep the Springfield Combat Operator looking in top condition and firing as it should, maintenance is essential. Cleaning kits, like those found on Smartguncleaning.com, can help with this and potentially prevent catastrophic failure which occurs when residue builds up in the firearm and is not addressed.

The 9mm Combat Operators come with 2 Chip McCormick 10 rounds magazines for the ultimate in reliability with the 9mm 1911 platform. The Springfield Combat Operator series takes the standard Operator pistols to the next level with upgraded features done at the factory and at a price that makes it one of the best values in the 1911 market.