When you think about handguns that have made their mark in the public’s mind, there is, hands down, no firearm more iconic than the venerable creation of John Browning, the Model 1911-AI. Call it a “1911,” a “Colt .45 auto” or a “Navy .45,” this was the gun that got us through WWII, the Korean War, and just about every conflict since. But if you’re late to the party, you might not realize that 1911s were not always held in such reverence. Nope. After WWII, a huge number of surplus 1911s flooded the market. Some good. Many of them not so good. In fact, it was far more likely to find a 1911 that wouldn’t even run, than it was to find one that was a lean, mean, fightin’ machine. As well, there were certain design idiosyncrasies that made the 1911 less than fun to shoot – especially the combo of grip safety and hammer that had a nasty tendency to take a bite out of your shooting hand at inappropriate times.
Enter Springfield Armory. Along with a handful of other companies, they were largely responsible for the Renaissance of the 1911, after gun guys like Col. Jeff Cooper proclaimed the 1911 as their choice for handgun defense. But this is not your father’s Springfield Armory. The government’s go-to guys (founded by G. Washington way back in 1794) closed in the late 60s.
A new Springfield Armory rose from the ashes as a private concern in 1974, to manufacture firearms to the high standards of their namesakes. SA lead the charge back to glory with an extensive line of 1911s, from classic models, authentic down to the last spring, to custom shop models that rival anything you’d purchase from a master gunsmith. In between these extremes lies Springfield’s Loaded lineup, boasting features you’d expect to find in a custom shop gun, but at a much more affordable price.
In the wonderful world of 1911s, you’ve got three main form factors, two choices in frames, and then a plethora of options. Most manufacturers offer the 1911 in a 5″ barrel (the original design), a 4″ barrel (known in WWII as the “officer’s model”) and a 3″ barrel with a shortened grip, for better concealment. You will find frames available in steel and aluminum. The options? The only limits are your imagination…and your budget.
Springfield offers no fewer than 14 models within their Loaded line. We’ll focus on my personal favorite, the PX1909LP Parkerized.
The PX1909LP is a traditional 5″ barrel .45 ACP 1911 with a traditional Parkerized finish, a zinc and/or magnesium coating that prevents rust and is superior to the “blueing” process that pre-dates it. With it’s steel frame, it weighs in at a hefty (trust me) 40 ounces, unloaded.
Add a magazine full of JHPs, and we’re talking a weapon that isn’t just a defensive tool, it’s a freeweight system. While I proudly carry a concealed handgun license, I’m saving up for a lighter weapon before I carry on a daily basis – a 5″ barrel combined with a steel frame is just too much for even a big guy like me to lug around all day.
But weight is only a concern if you’re going to be carrying the pistol on your hip all day. The weight actually becomes something of an advantage, when you consider how this baby shoots – and shoot it does. With a full 5″ of a match-grade barrel, you’ve got it all over those that feature a standard barrel and those guys with a 3 or 4 inches of tubular steel.
The heft of the pistol makes it that much easier to control the recoil you find when shooting any .45 ACP load. A match-grade barrel provides that little extra bit of fit that improves your accuracy every shot. Additional features that add to the shooter’s comfort include a beavertail grip safety (don’t leave for the range without it; your hand will thank you in the morning), a lowered and flared ejection port (keeps spent brass out of your face), cocobolo grips (essentially, African rosewood), an ambidextrous thumb safety, and tritium night sights.
The grip of a 1911 is the standard by which everyone else relates the size and feel of their grips – the benchmark against what everyone other pistol is compared. With it’s grip safety, the feel of a 1911 grip is…um…unique. Some prefer the typically thicker grips of a double-stack magazine (you can find a few 1911-style pistols out there like that, too). Some favor smaller grips. As for me, I can comfortably shoot just about anything, but I keep coming back to the 1911. It just seems to “fit” my hand better than any polymer gun I’ve ever shot. The Springfield Loaded comes with some beautiful, laser-engraved cocobolo grips that you’d only feel like replacing if you plan to upgrade to a set of Crimson Trace laser grips.
One unique feature common to all 1911s is Springfield’s Integral Locking System, a scheme that allows the owner to manually lock and unlock the trigger with a small, universal key, inserted into a locking mechanism located to the back of the grip. The ILS is a sop to those that insist that two safeties on a pistol are not enough. Purists find the ILS an annoyance.
I know of nobody who uses it, for the same reason that few shooters use a trigger lock when there’s an alternative. Trigger locks and the ILS do nothing more than prevent you from using the gun when you need it the most.
All 1911s are NOT created equal. Once you get past what we’ll call the “convenience group” that raise a mil-spec 1911 to something that you’d actually want to shoot, then comes the part that separates the wheat from the chaff as it were – the factory tuning that comes from the attention of a master gunsmith.
Make no mistake – the Springfield Loaded is not a custom gun. But you’d be hard-pressed to tell the difference, unless you’re a competitive shooter (and if you were shooting competitively, you’ve likely already purchased a custom gun). No, think of the Springfield Loaded series as a “custom(ish) gun for the rest of us.” Sort of.
Keep in mind that one thing most 1911s share, regardless of manufacturer, is a pretty hefty pricetag. While you can find a slew of good quality polymer guns on the market for under $600, you won’t touch a decent 1911 for under $800, and most semi-custom 1911s start at over $1000. The Springfield Loaded boasts an MSRP of $959, making it an impressive value for the price.
The gun ships in a custom, lockable carry case, along with an extra magazine, two ILS keys, and cleaning tools.
I would judge fit and finish to be excellent, especially in a gun with these custom-class features. And like all 1911s, you can customize it to your heart’s content. One thing to note – I wanted to upgrade to some sights that combine tritium with fibre optics. No can do on the Springfield line, as their sight mounts won’t work with the replacement sights.
Any other downsides? On my personal gun, one of the grip screws would not tighten. Turns out, the screw had stripped out the threads within the frame. Springfield, however, offers an excellent warranty program, and my gun was repaired and returned within three days.
The Springfield Loaded is a great choice if you’re looking for a reliable weapon with custom features without the custom price.
Out of five stars
Style *****
Either love 1911s or hate ‘em. If you love ‘em, what’s not to love?
Ergonomics (carry) ****
A bit big, really. And heavy. Did I mention heavy?
Ergonomics (firing) *****
If you like the feel of a 1911 in your hand, firing it is a pleasure. If not, you’ll find it’s a whole lotta gun. Course, that could be the .45 ACPs talkin…
Reliability *****
As long as you don’t limp-wrist it, the gun runs…and runs…and runs, no matter what. It’s the Energizer Bunny of semi-autos.
Customize This *****
Sights, lights, silencers, lasers, you name it, and you can get it for the 1911 —- one of the most customizable guns on planet Earth.
Rating *****
There’s a reason why this is one of the most popular handguns made. And this one is about the best you can get, short of spending the big bucks on a custom job.
Summary
When it comes to 1911s, you either “get it” or you don’t. If you buy-off on the ergonomics of the 1911, everything else falls into place – the fact that it’s got more accessories than the G.I. Joes of my childhood, and that it’s designed to run in conditions that would give a mule team pause. Comparing a 1911 to a Glock was like comparing a Mercedes to a Beetle – both will get you where you want to go, but the Benz does it with a dash ‘o panache. But a mil-spec/stock 1911 can be a pain to shoot – literally. You want some upgrades to appreciate the “1911 Experience.” The Springfield Loaded provides those much-needed improvements, and then some. It’s the best example I’ve found (so far) of a custom job 1911 at a working-man’s price. ‘Nuff said.
CALIBER: .45 ACP
FRAME: Forged Steel, Parkerized
MAGAZINES: 2 – 7-round, blued steel
SLIDE: Forged steel, Parkerized
BARREL: 5″ Stainless steel
RECOIL SYSTEM: 2-piece, full length guide rod
SIGHTS: Fixed, low-profile combat rear, dovetail front, 3-dot
HEIGHT: 5.5″
LENGTH: 8.5″
TRIGGER: Long aluminum match grade, 5-6 lbs.
GRIPS: Cocobolo
WEIGHT (w/empty magazine): 40 ounces
MSRP: $ $959
Disclaimer
The opinions expressed within this review are those of the reviewer, and do not necessarily reflect those of anybody else, including TTAG. Neither the reviewer nor TTAG have received any considerations – either in the form of money, free stuff, tickets, t-shirts, trips or any other swag – in exchange for this review. In fact, the gun reviewed here is the personal property of the reviewer, and he paid for it out of his own pocket.
I like it, though the paywall coming up in 6 months is not a happy thought. I regularly read the blogs and consider them very beneficial to understanding the legal foundations for key amendments in the BOR. I’ll have to figure out how to grab his stuff as an RSS feed… Don’t much want to pay for WaPo, though I do read there stuff on gun control if for no other reason than to stay current on the progressive charge against the Second Amendment.
Matt made me go buy an M92 as my first gun purchase this year. I might need to cook some bacon.
If we put enough holes in the sky do you think it will rain?
There have been some changes to the gun since you wrote this review.
Springfield is sort of like Porsche; it is fond of making running changes to its product without necessarily informing the buying public. I recently purchased the Black Stainless Loaded Combat model. Cost was $890.
It is a beautiful piece and draws ooohs and aaahs from everyone who sees it. I really wanted the Black Stainless competition model, but finding any Black Stainless model on dealer's shelves is next to impossible right now. The current Combat model has Novak sights with tritium inserts and a non-ambidexterous, non-extended safety. The grips are Pearce rubber. The fit and finish is generally quite good. The slide to frame fit is tight with absolutely no rattle.
The carry bevel job they did is perfect. Nothing to snag or cut, but it doesn't make the gun look like a used bar of soap. I plan on shooting IDPA CMP class with it. To that end, I needed to make some changes to make it really competetive. First, the trigger pull was impossible. Out of the box it measured almost eight pounds. I realize this gun was designed for combat but this is ridiculous. It felt like the designer of the "New York trigger" on certain Glocks had some input on this one.
Fortunately, the 1911 has more custom parts available than any other firearm. I have ordered a complete trigger pull set from Cylinder and Slide that will drop the pull to a crisp 3.5 pounds. This is light enough for competition, but not a dangerous "hair trigger". I have an all-out race gun with a one pound trigger, and believe me, you have to be careful about sneezing too hard around it. The set from Cylinder and Slide does it right. It includes a new hammer, disconnector, main spring, sear, and trigger spring; and all are carefully matched. Dawson Precision, Ed Brown, and others also make similar kits and they all run between $150 and $200.
A new drop forged ambidexterous extended stainless steel safety was also ordered from Cylinder and Slide for about $60 dollars. I plan to put a Techwell Carry type magwell system on the gun. The magazine well on the gun comes beveled and the magwell system is not absolutely necessary, but the Techwell system comes with a set of machined Alumagrips that I just love. This system runs about $149.
All this brings the Combat model up to the specs of the competition model. Since the competition model of the Black Stainless Loaded costs around $1250, it comes out even. The only difference is that the competition model has adjustable sights. I really don't think they are necessary in action pistol. This game isn't bullseye. If you can hold a five inch circle at 15 to 20 yards, you're good to go.
Great review. I was "fence-setting" on the Springfield until I read your reviews. I am not a competitive shooter, just a casual target shooter, but I have quite a few 1911s and have an opportunity to add the Springfield to my collection. Now I will.
I have recently purchased a Springfield 1911 A-1 loaded model. It is everything you said and more. I do carry it occasionally but I am a 300 lb. man and another 4 lbs. doesn’t hurt anything… Mine came in a fancy plastic case with 3 mags total, a “Fobus” like belt holster and a 2 mag belt carrier. I got this to be able to shoot because my Kahr P45 was beating me to death… Very satisfied with my purchase. While I love the wood grips, I put on rubber ones for added comfort.
Keep up the great work on the reviews… Really enjoyed it and it helped me make up my mind.
Brad, help.
You refer to this as the PX1909LP but I cannot for the life of me find this online. Do you know if it’s still in production?
Could the PX1909 actually be the 9101?
Just had trijicon night sights installed on my R.O. The look great. Waiting for the Wilson combat magazines which will complete my upgrade. Love the gun. Anyone out there that upgraded their R.O.??
I love 1911’s this one I carry for a personal gun. I have put a ton of ammo threw it.
its like a time ex, watch takes a licking and keeps on ticking.
personal definse ACURACY? Don’t run, or you will die tired.
LOVE THIS GUN, 2IN GROUP AT 66FT.
These guns sure do get good reviews. Well here’s mine: Disappointing! I could’ve gotten more accuracy by throwing the plastic case at the target. Now before you say,”Dis foo’ can’t shoot.” this is the 6th 1911 I’ve owned, the 3rd Springie, the 3rd .45acp and the 2nd Springie .45acp (that one was garbage too). It was embarassing at the range the first time out. Then I put the .22 slide on and got favorable attention with that (enough for someone to ask about it). When I qualified for plate-shooting I used a Rock Island with unadjusted sights and a loose ft. blade. I was cold and shivering too. This Springie could not have done it. One box of ammo and it’s as loose as Grampappy’s from the war.
NOT worth a month’s rent or a month of waiting for it.
I have the same problem. I’m not the best shot, but I feel like this pistol should be more accurate than it actually is.
Do you have one of the “N” frame models? Because some of them are not fitted very well, IMO. I have one of the N frames.
You CAN send the gun to the Springfield Custom Shop and have it tightened up if you want.
I have had my SA Loaded Ultra Compact (3.5″ barrel, officer’s frame) for about 7 months now. Price at the LGS was right at $700. Reliability and accuracy has been excellent. This version weighs in at 33 ozs, but that is a great tradeoff for a pistol with a forged stainless steel frame and slide that will be passed down to future generations. What wasn’t mentioned in the review is that all Springfields have a lifetime warrantee, and that applies to 2nd owners also. Any warrantable repairs are paid for by Springfield, including shipping both ways, and they are considered to have one of, if not the best, customer service shop in the business. One of the top gunsmiths in the country, Dave Williams, heads up the Custom Shop at Springfield, and, if you ever decide on special work for your pistol, The Custom Shop is a fine place to send it. Stock trigger pull was guaranteed for 5-6lbs (mine came in at 5.5lbs). I sent mine in for an action job to get the trigger down to a nice crisp 4 lbs for carry, and got the gun back 6 days after I dropped it off at FedEx. I am very satisfied with this pistol!
i have owned a sa mill speck sence 03 out of the box to this day. shot so meny rounds cant even count. i had 2 jams both were my fault one was a dirty gun & lack of lub, the other was poor grip. i love this gun! im geting ready to buy a loaded. hope it shoots as good as my mill speck has. im not sure how i feel about a full lenth gide rod does anybody know what the real diffance is? the mill speck has a short rod i think it looks better.
I own one of these that still has the black bushing, not the stainless one. I think mine may be a little older too because I don’t have the SS barrel with the high polish on it, mine’s sort of got ridges or something it looks weird.
Anyway, I like the gun. It’s reliable. It just isn’t super accurate. I think if I had to make any changes to the gun, I think I’d send it in and get the match barrel & bushing and the Black-T finish and it would be perfect.
I own a 1998 SA loaded that has several thousand rds through it and never, never had a problem with it. I have shot it, my kids have shot it and we all love it. I paid a little over $500 for it and it is the best money I have spent.
yes
I own the Loaded. It isn’t hard to take down. It has that classic hand-fit that makes it feel like an extension of your arm, the sign of a quality pistol for any application. They are reliable, go-to weapons, preferred by vets since before WWI. Glocks are fine pistols. They will never be as highly regarded, nor will they be standard issue for over 70 years and in fact still in use to this day, almost 100 years since first comissioned.
Great, another one for my want list. Not that I dont like my Benelli Nova, but finding new barrels and aftermarket stuff for it is a bit of a pain.
Everything is very open with a really clear explanation of the challenges.
It was truly informative. Your website is extremely helpful.
Many thanks for sharing!
Finish Line is where {I’ve|I have} acquired my athletic shoes and gear for years. They offer you a wide variety of shoes, apparel,
I’m currently a GI bill student, and did a group project about gun cleaning for a class the week Newtown happened. We used the school rifle range for the pictures, because it looked more professional than a house. The looks I got from professors while carrying a half dozen rifle cases across a parking lot, on campus, were priceless, if not an endorsement of concealed over open carry.
HOWEVER, I don’t live on campus. Range that day was rifle only (actually, olympic-grade air rifles, mostly, impressive machines) so all the handgun pictures were done at home. Didn’t take any ammo, either, was there for pictures only. Also, never unboxed anything outside of the range.
In the modern lexicon, an “insurrectionist” is anyone who disagrees with the Democrat power elite. A “racist” is anyone who thinks that when the President farts, it doesn’t sound like Beethoven or smell like roses. A “misogynist” is anyone who thinks that some men are decent people and some women are not. A “gun nut” is anyone who thinks that having a gun is a Constitutional right and a damn good idea to boot.
So if someone attacks you with any of these perverse terms, take it as a compliment. I know that I do. It proves that we’re right, because if we were wrong, they wouldn’t have to rewrite the English language.
I think he probably meant that he found a NEW way to make the wife very angry.
Recommend the Kimpro Tac Mag. The plain ones that generally seem to come with the Kimber guns are inferior to the Tac that you can order online.
I had a stainless SA Loaded and I wasn’t impressed w/ the accuracy. I have a TLE, a RO and a Milspec which are accurate which I really like and carry depending on my “mood”.
I never have any FTE/FTF’s as I “throat” all of my 1911’s before I ever fire them and “tune” the extractors, both of which are a simple task [done at home] in less than a half hour with a few simple hand tools and some 1000 grit sandpaper.
I picked up a SS loaded in late 2012. Shoots beautifully. Someone above was complaining about no actual shooting on this review so here you go. Took this the day I picked up the fun from the store. Springfield armory 1911: http://youtu.be/9w4dSufKJ5U
I have two of these pistols and i love them, one is a factory gun with nothing done to it, and one is slightly modified for daily ccw. Now some finer points that people have missed, yes this gun is a pain n the *** to break down if… And the big word IF tou leave the factory one peaice guid rod. I switched my ccw gun to a gi style with the factory spring and a new plug, i can now break the gun down in a few seconds. Also i swaped the grips to a set of magpul grips, and of course upgraded to power mags. But on to another note, there are two places these guns are made, one is us one is brazil, us is NM brazil is N, resale value for these the NM brings more money “sorry guys”, but there have been issues with the N series there supposed to be the same gun same parts ect. Ect. But we all know how that goes… If you had an issue with the gun its usally because it dosent like the ammo, or bad mags usally 99% of the time its bad ammo, ive shot almost everything from cheap reloads to exspinsive +p ammo threw mine and only issues it had was soft lead rounds, it hates them and will not feed. Now to the glock fans, the glock is a good gun like a swiss watch, a well built 1911 is like a rolex, there both great guns on there own sides, id rather have my exprince and trigger time that extra rounds any day, and reloading is not that hard. Also if i run out of said ammo, id rather have a half lb of steel than plastic just saying.
I am a 145lbs and i carry this gun daily, ive done so for so long i forget that its there, but ive carried most of my adult life from military to daily life. The gun is built as a work horse to run, and run and run. Finally to do some corrections from above posters… The military used the 1911 from the end of ww1 untill well it still uses it.. Sooo i would say that it is a proven reliable platform. When i was over seas, most of the ODA guys i ran into, thats spec forces for the arm chair commandos, and not just any spec forces but your best of best guys, all carried custom made 1911s.. Usally from springfield they carry the professional model, and there not the only ones our good ol FBI Hostage Rescue teams, also carry the springfield professional models as there go to back up side arms, they have been used by marine force recon units, and navy seals, and delta force guys, all of these are now called oda teams. Navy seals now use HnKs and usps, marine units use glocks mostly, but good old army still uses the 1911s, i saw many of them during my tours over seas, and can attest there not you run of the mil 1911s there highly modifeid and extreamly reliable, unlike those m9 pos the issue, by the way the berrate is utter garbage in the dessert. At home its a great gun but over there in that kind of enviroment it sucks.. Id throw mine before i tried to fire it.
Bought the TRP instead and wow am I glad. What a wonderful pistol.
Does the 1911 A1 loaded come with a match grade barrel?
Does the 1911 loaded come with a match grade barrel?
I have the Loaded Target with standard 5″ barrel. It’s not small, or light but it’s reliable so I carry cuz why not. I felt stupid spending that much for something to just sit in a safe. I don’t do IDPA or any competitions, just bought as a really nice treat for myself with my bonus check.
My 9mm model holds 9+1 btw.
#StupidAnalogies – GCer analogies that prove the opposite of what they think. See also #AllTheyveGot
For example arguing: “No right is absolute. You can’t shout ‘Fire!’ in a crowded movie theater.” suggests your right to bear arms can’t be restricted until you misuse it. Indeed, just like shouting “Fire!” when there is one can save lives, shooting when there’s a maniac killing people can save lives exactly the same way.