June 6th, 2020
7minute read
Roy Huntington, editor ofAmerican Handgunner, has some funny ideas.
One is we writers should earn our remuneration.
I had to look that word up in the dictionary.
Another is we should at least have a minor knowledge of handguns developed in the 20th century.
I do a lot with revolvers but not so much with autoloaders.
Initially I had no idea what they were so I was happy when they turned out to be 1911s.
I thought, My traditionally oriented brain gets along with steel and wood.
These are not simple military-style 1911s.
They have features bringing 1911s well past that year.
Both have extended beavertail grip safeties so they dont bite.
It will draw blood.
Back straps of both versions are finely stippled and hammers are the bobbed sort.
After that these two pistols differ radically.
The 9mm version is carbon steel given a phosphate finish usually called Parkerizing.
Its tinted black and not green like most American military firearms.
Its barrel is stainless steel.
It also wears the name Operator.
This Range Officer Operators magazines hold nine rounds and it comes with an extra.
The .45s capacity is the standard seven rounds and it also comes with a spare.
My samples actually weighed 40 and 43 ounces.
The rail and extra thick 9mm barrel adds to the weight.
Of course there is also the obligatory safety lock in both cases.
In examining both pistols prior to shooting I found them well made, well finished, smoothly operating 1911s.
The only complaint I might make is one that accompanies just about every currently made handgun.
That is, the triggers are too heavy.
Everything I tried slid through the .45 perfectly and it shot accurately with both jacketed and cast bullets.
That said: it shot well with some jacketed and cast bullets.
roundnoses from a Lyman mold #452374 were pitiful.
I couldnt keep all rounds on an 8 black bullseye at 25 yards.
Proof you should run different loads through any gun to find out what it likes best.
roundnose cast bullets from Oregon Trail Bullet Company shot best of all things tried.
Powder charge was 5.3 grains of Hodgdon HP38.
As the photo shows it was just a bit over 21/2 at 25 yards.
As received, the Range Officer .45s sights were zeroed high and a bit left at 25 yards.
After group shooting a bit I adjusted them to give a dead-on zero.
One good reason to have an adjustable sight.
It fed several factory loads perfectly.
Then I began trying some of my cast bullet handloads.
On the second shot the case did not eject and the extractor tore right through it.
After a couple of shots the same stoppage happened.
Again the case was punched out.
The 9mm was then disassembled and rounds dropped into the chamber.
Factory loads just kerr-chunked home.
My handloads stopped before being fully chambered.
Most of my other 9mm firearms have military chambers which are intentionally generous in size.
So again, this is not to mean the Springfield Operator 1911 9mm is at fault, at all.
I say this to let it be a lesson to those who reload the 9mm.
Perhaps this is one reason self-defense/training experts advise people to only carry factory ammunition in their serious handguns.
Anyway, I can say that after opening an old box of Winchester 115-gr.
Silvertips the Range Officer 9mm started to behave and shoot clusters.
No complaints at all when I got smart and stuck to factory loads!
And one thing I can say for sure this heavyweight 9mm is a pussycat in the recoil department.
My arthritic hands liked it a lot!
Dukes Final Thoughts?
Both of these Springfield Armory Range Officers are quality, heavy-duty pistols.
He quickly mastered the Range Officers and became reasonably proficient with them displaying appropriate smiles while doing it!
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