Today, some of the finest and most innovative 1911s are coming out of Springfield Armory.
They called it the Range Officer.
Thousands of folks carry a 1911 on a daily basis.
For me least, the 1911 is just about the upper-level for a concealed pistol.
Yes, it is certainly more comforting than comfortable.
The result is a much smaller and easier to conceal pistol.
Barrel length for concealment is not nearly as important as the grip frame.
This is not the case as changes have been made both externally and internally.
Since the frame is smaller it was necessary to also down-size the magazines.
Looking inside we find more than just the reduced capacity of the magazine.
The Compact Model has a full-length guide rod instead of a bushing.
The thumb safety on the left side is striated for positive operation.
The standard-style magazine release is the on the left side and operates very positively.
The slides have slanted serrations below the rear sight for easy manipulation.
I do have possible replacements, however the grip panels on the Compact Models are well carried out.
They are slim, which aids their concealability.
They also fit well and are of the double diamond checkered variety, adding to security when shooting.
Possible replacements I have are smooth wood but in this case I prefer the checkering.
Material used in their construction is cocobolo.
The magazines for the .45 are blue while the 9mm versions are stainless steel.
Also included in the case is a refill for the fiber optic front sight.
Both of these pistols performed flawlessly with factory loads and handloads.
This was also my first time to try some new bullets from Acme Bullet Company.
It did, however it was easily manageable.
My best shooting factory loads turned out to be HPRs 185- and 230-grain JHP.
Again, all the test results are in the accompanying chart.
Long ago I learned in a situation like this there were three words that matter: Buy Em Both!
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1911Range Officer Compact
