For the purposes of this piece, I decided to consider its adaptability to concealed carry.
There are concealment pistols, and concealable pistols.
The former were designed to be small and to hide discreetly from public view.
The Springfield Armory Prodigy offers a lot of gun for a reasonable price. In this article, Massad Ayoob tests the gun for its use as a concealed carry pistol.
The second are service-size pistols of the key in originally intended for carry in open holsters.
[Be sure to watch our10,000 Round Prodigy Torture Test.]
The Prodigy is a relatively big 1911-pattern pistol with an even larger grip.
Simply put, it has a big butt, and the butt is a major factor in concealment.
Solutions
You conceal the Prodigy basically the way you would any other large pistol.
confirm the concealing garment has enough drape to cover its bulk.
With a quality rig, the Springfield Armory Prodigy can be concealed and carried for self-defense. Image: Gail Pepin
The tighter the holster holds the handgun to the body, the less its going to bulge.
In the case of the Prodigy, the butt circumference is exaggerated.
The Prodigy comes with 17- and 20-round magazines.
The author’s Prodigy is perfectly concealed under LL Bean sport coat in Elmer MacEvoy Summer Surprise IWB holster. Image: Casey Koss
(26-round magazines are also available from the Springfield Armory webstore.)
Obviously, the 17-rounder is the one you want in the gun to reduce protrusion.
His holster choice is strong-side hip with an El Paso IWB leather rig.
With a Leather Arsenal IWB rig and a sport coat, the author is easily able to carry a Prodigy concealed. Image: Casey Koss
Both offered a very quick draw.
The IWB hid the pistol easily under a sport coat or suitcoat.
For the spare magazine carry, I chose a Pitbull expandable carrier which proved surprisingly concealable and very comfortable.
The author found the Springfield Armory Prodigy was reliable and carried well during his testing. Image: Gail Pepin
Bottom Line
Body size and shape are definite factors in concealed carry.
Reliability is a non-negotiable baseline in the selection of defensive firearms.
I had only two minor problems with it.
I carried it with Winchester 127-gr.
When Springfield Armory wants this gun back, theyll be getting a check instead of a pistol.
Go to forum thread
1911 DSProdigyTM Series
Leather ArsenalSurprise Special
