Since I picked this pistol up I have been in love with it. It has been everything I wanted and a little more. It is accurate, great trigger and great options. The youtube video below will go over some of the options in case you don’t want to read.
The Springfield Armory MC Addition has a forged steel frame and it has a rail for lights and lasers. It’s finished with an OD Green Armory Kote finish. The slide is also steel and is black Armory Kote. I do have a flaw on the slide, after a few range sessions I was cleaning it and the finish looks like it just rubbed away in one spot. The gun has never been holstered so it cant be that. It has also been a safe queen and never abused. Disappointed in the flaw but its a tool and it will get dings and dents over time. The slide and frame have a tight lock up with very little play and add to the accuracy of the weapon. The basic specs are as follows.
Pistol Action – Single
Caliber – 45 Automatic Colt Pistol (ACP)
Barrel Length – 5″
Capacity – 7 + 1
Safety – Thumb, Grip & Integral Locking System
Sights – Night Sights, nonadjustable. See below for a peek at the glow.
The trigger is a dream. I wish every gun had a trigger like this one. It truly is like breaking glass. Slight pressure and then a click and your shot is away. No creep and no slop just a crisp break that leaves you wondering “why isn’t every trigger this good”. It hand down blows Glock, Smith&Wesson and Rock Island out of the water. It is by far the best trigger I have ever felt.
The grips that came with it were Pachmire rubber grips with a wrap around in front for more traction. I liked them a lot but decided to change them out to try out a new set from Strike Industries. The new ones have a little less “Sticky-ness” but still have positive traction to them.
The barrel is a five-inch stainless steel match grade barrel with 1: 16-inch twist. It has been very accurate with plated bullets but I have yet to get it to shoot cast lead without leading up the throat. I have to scrub it every time I shoot them, so once I am done with the 400 or so left I loaded I will switch completely to plated. The cost is not that much different and scrubbing the barrel every time is annoying. I know I could probably find a load that would not cause leading but I just don’t want to play with it when plated works just as well and is making a small ragged hole on target.
Additional parts on the weapon are a skeletonized trigger, lightweight delta hammer, standard guide rod recoil system, beveled mag well, extended ambidextrous thumb safety and beavertail grip safety. In addition, I am very happy with the low profile combat, 3-dot tritium sights. I am a big fan of night sights and these are bright and very solid. I have had the gun for about 8 years now with no perceived dimming of the sights.
The package includes two 7-round magazines but I had a bunch left over from another SA 1911 I had that was stolen by TSA / the baggage handlers on a flight that I used for Gun Sites 250 defensive pistol class. I found a handful of Pachmire mags at a southern AZ gun show and picked them up because they were 15 bucks with a rubber base plate so I could drop them without damaging them. Turnes out I should have bought the guy out of all he had. They have are the best mags I have used by far, never jamming always released from the mag well and always feeding without flaw. I have been searching for more without success. I have picked up a few other cheap mags from various places and have had issues with most of them. Quality mags have been flawless with the gun.
The function of the weapon is flawless, thousands of rounds have been shot through it with no issues. I have had about 10 jams I attribute to one magazine because once I tossed it any issues I did have went away. The accuracy is very very good. 1 ragged hole when I do my part, and even on a bad day it opens up a little but it is still very good. I have noticed hollow points are not as accurate but if your using them as a self-defense round you will still be accurate enough to defend yourself. It’s a matter of a group the size of a baseball vs a softball. Both will get the job done – one just looks better on paper.
If I was going to change anything it would be the finish. Like I said I had a part of it basically wipe away under pressure from an oil cloth when cleaning it I would assume its a flaw during prep that caused it. I know duracoat can be sensitive to oil and solvents and I don’t know about the SA process but I tend to think it would be about the same. I have had two of the Springfield 1911s over the years and have always been impressed by them.
Here is an image of the flaw in the finish.
If I was in the market for another 1911 I would look to SA for it. I feel like the Rock Islands are cheaper and I do like them but the SA just seems better put together and has better options. The trigger is smoother and the sights better and the aftermarket support on the Springfield’s is better. If your looking for a higher end 1911 the is your gun. If you don’t want to spend the 1299$ MSRP, the SA loaded edition is also a great option – I loved mine until TSA / Delta stole it (another story for another day). I think you will be happy with either one.
-Review and Pictures by Scott
If you’re still looking for magazines for you SA MC Operator, may I suggest Springfields own magazines. When I bought my MC Operator in January of this year, it came with a coupon for T-shirts, hats, magazines and other stuff. I usually believe in, “you get what you pay for”. But, I took a chance and bought the magazines. If I remember correctly. I think they were about $12.00 each. So, I bought 10 of them. I load all of them before I go to the range and have not had a problem with any of them. I’ve since added pads to the magazines that I bought through MidwayUSA.com. And I’ve never been happier. Enjoy.
Thanks for the feedback, I will have to pick a few up and see how they work. At 12 bucks a piece I wouldn’t mind stocking up on a handfull of them.