Hellcats, and Echelons, and 1911s, oh my!
Prodigiously Ported
Springfield Armorys 1911 DS Prodigyis a single-action, hammer-fired, semi-automatic pistol.
Chambered for 9mm, Prodigy pistols come with two magazines boasting 17- and 20-round capacities.
The new Springfield Armory 1911 DS Prodigy Comp is a double-stack 9mm pistol with a ported barrel and slide for reduced muzzle rise and faster follow-up shots.
Although these are the standard payloads for the platform, state-compliantSpringfield Prodigy 10 round magazinesare also available.
At writing, the pistols family tree follows two primary forks, each with several smaller branches.
The primary purpose for adding a compensator to a pistol is recoil mitigation.
The Prodigy Comp has all of the features you expect in the Springfield Armory 1911 DS line, including an aggressive grip texture, an accessory rail and the AOS optics mounting system. The 4.25″ model is shown here.
Those forces combine to lever the pistol over the shooters hands, which act like a fulcrum.
Ideally, they reduce disruption to the sight picture, facilitating greater target awareness and fast follow-on shots.
One other change distinguishes the Prodigy Comp configurations, and its also located near the business-end of the barrel.
Porting allows gasses to escape the barrel in directions other than the muzzle. By redirecting gasses upward, muzzle rise is counteracted.
Springfield cracked the code with the Prodigy, though.
The AOS makes use of high-quality metal plates machined from billet steel.
The plates incorporate both a sight-specific mounting footprint and an integrated rear sight.
The Springfield Prodigy Comp can make for an excellent competition gun right out of the box. The double-stack design minimizes reloads while the porting helps to keep the gun on target.
The way it works is quick and intuitive.
Two screws hold a cover plate in position on top of the Prodigys slide.
Additional plates for popular optics are available from the online Springfield Armory Shop.
The Agency Optic System uses machined steel plates with an integrated rear sight. It is a rugged system that earned excellent reviews from many who have used it.
Fortunately, Vortex recently introduced new additions to its Defender line of slide-mounted optics, including themid-size Defender-ST.
The ST model joins the compactVortex Defender-CCWand upsizedVortex Defender-XL, and serves as a versatile, multipurpose middle ground.
Two size options are available for the Defender-STs red-dot reticle, 3 MOA or 6 MOA.
The Vortex Defender-ST is a popular red dot sight that is available for the Springfield Armory 1911 DS Prodigy Comp. It has large controls and a rugged housing.
Personally, I prefer the finer aiming point, especially for precision firearms like the Prodigy.
I hoped the Prodigy Comp 4.25 would offer the same or better, and I wasnt disappointed.
The excellent shooting experience is further enhanced by the new Prodigys integral comp.
While the guns are excellent for competition, the Springfield Armory Prodigy Comp is also a great choice for personal protection. Be sure to read Massad Ayoob’s article on theProdigy and CCW.
On the range, the pistol shot flat.
The usual push or snap of recoil was nigh imperceptible.
The compensator helped keep the muzzle down, allowing the slide to cycle smoothly on a near-horizontal plane.
Two Prodigy Comp models are now available: a 5″ model (left) and a 4.25″ model (right). For this article, the author tested the 4.25″ variant.
When its time to fire, the curved three-hole trigger delivers a clean break.
My test samples trigger pull weight measured consistently 4 lbs., 10 oz.
with a Lyman digital gauge, which is perfect for a defensive firearm.
The author used a Ransom Rest to ensure optimal testing from a bench. A rest is important to help minimize human error in the testing.
Wide forward and rear cocking serrations also make slide manipulations a breeze, whether running an optic or irons.
Better to have them and not need them, right?
The gun ran reliably and shot flat enough that I never needed to search for the dot.
The author got excellent accuracy results with the Springfield Prodigy Comp. The Hornady Critical Defense, shown here, averaged 0.76″ 5-shot groups at 15 yards.
Now, the pistol gets another boost thanks to the new integral comp.
FTX Critical Defense
Wilson Combat9mm 147 gr., Speer GDHP
Based on his testing, the author believes the Prodigy Comp proved to be a worthy addition to the Springfield 1911 DS lineup. The 5″ model with extended 20-round magazine is shown.
