The 1911 pistol was standard in the U.S. Armed Forces from 1911 to 1985, and it remains one of the most popular handgun designs. But anything that’s stood more than a century is likely to receive an upgrade at some point. That’s the basis for a 2011 pistol. Though not immediately noticeable in a glance, the most important differences between a 1911 handgun and the new 2011s are structural. While the original design has a one-piece metal frame with grip panels attached, the 2011 design uses a metal subframe and a polymer grip frame, reducing recoil. One of the newer entries to the 2011 design is Springfield Armory’s Prodigy.
About the Springfield Prodigy
The Prodigy is a 9mm high-capacity 2011 pistol featuring a polymer grip module. The round-top carbon steel slide is protected with black Cerakote. It is available with either a 5-inch or 4.25-inch barrel. I tested the 4.25-inch, which weighed 32.5 ounces. The increased weight — and the Prodigy’s superior accuracy — is in part due to the match-grade bull barrel.
The Prodigy ships with an unheard-of three magazines: a 17-round, a 20-round and a massive 26-round! With one in the chamber, that’s a whopping 64 rounds available. The 17-round magazine fits flush, while the other two extend progressively further beyond the base.
The polymer frame features just-right stippling that wraps around the front sides and provides an excellent gripping surface despite rain or sweat but without shooting discomfort. There is a single rail cut on the frame for light/laser mounting on the 4.25-inch barreled model. The 5-inch model has five grooves. The steel mainspring housing is checkered. The extended grip safety features a beavertail and a memory bump.
Specifications
Caliber: 9mm
Length: 7.8 inches
Barrel length: 4.25 inches
Weight: 32.5 ounces
Height: 5.5 inches
Sights: Fiber optic front, black serrated rear
MSRP: $1,499
The identical thumb safeties are ambidextrous, easily reached and respond crisply. There are five wide-style rear-grasping grooves and four front-grasping grooves on the slide. I personally find the modern wide grooves on many pistols uncomfortable to use without the addition of Talon Grip slide adaptors and would fit the Prodigy slide with them if I were keeping it.
The slide glides along the frame with a custom-like feel, and a standard slide release lever is used. The trigger is skeletonized and adjustable for overtravel. The crisp pull weight was 4 pounds, 3.2 ounces, according to my Wheeler trigger pull gauge. Springfield undercut the trigger guard, which really enhances control. The front of the polymer trigger guard is flat and stippled.
Being optics-ready is a must for any 1911 classified as a 2011, and the Prodigy is ready to go with its included HEX Dragonfly mounting plate. If you don’t want to use an optic, the factory sights are quite good. There is a green fiber optic front with a prominent U-notch rear sight.
How Does the Springfield Prodigy Shoot?
The Prodigy does not feel like the average polymer-framed pistol. In fact, you may not realize it’s a polymer-framed handgun when you first pick it up. Its weight is extremely well balanced, especially at the Commander size. I recommend any 1911 purchased be at this length. It is amazing what a reduction of .75 inches can do for balance and feel.
I took the Prodigy to a friend’s range on a sunny spring day to try it out, using SIG Sauer’s 124-grain FMJ Elite Ball practice ammo. We loaded up the 17-round magazine and moved back to 25 feet.
The muzzle remains in line while shooting.
If you want to experience a truly smooth shooting pistol, this is it! You can see from the accompanying photos that show empty cases in the air that the Prodigy muzzle is still in line with the target. SIG’s Elite ball ammo is no slouch either, with a muzzle velocity of 1,165 feet per second and muzzle energy of 374 foot-pounds of energy. The Prodigy controls the power of the Elite ammo well.
The bright green fiber optic front sight stood out vividly against silhouette. Right out of the gate, I managed a 3-inch, 17-round group with one called flyer that opened up the total group size to 3.5 inches. It seemed as if the Prodigy almost shot itself. Every part worked together to form tight groups. There were no malfunctions.
Who Should Buy the Prodigy?
The Prodigy epitomizes what a 2011 pistol format is all about, combining the best of the traditional 1911’s stellar attributes with modern advances. Its size and weight work well for concealed carry, home defense and trail use.
Pricing for the 4.25-inch Prodigy on the Midway USA website is $1439.99, while the 5-inch was on sale for $1299.99.
Sources:
Springfield Armory: SpringfieldArmory.com
Midway USA: MidwayUSA.com
SIG Sauer: SIGSauer.com
Talon Grips: TalonGrips.com
