The winning bidders and NRA members pose with Taya Kyle and Springfield’s Daniel Reese. (Photo: NRA/American Rifleman)
Springfield Armory, in conjunction with the Frog Foundation, raised $22,500 for the veterans’ charity auctioning off serial No. 0001 of their new Chris Kyle 1911 Legend Series TRP pistol. All of the proceeds of the auction were put towards the Frog Foundation, whose goal is to improve family life for active-duty soldiers, veterans and first responders.
The pistol is the first of a limited edition run of Springfield 1911s and was auctioned off in of this year’s NRA Annual Meeting’s events along with a custom display case, certificate of authenticity and a copy of American Sniper signed by Taya Kyle. Only 1,000 of the pistols will be made.
Springfield and the Frog Foundation commissioned the special edition to raise money for the Frog Foundation, not just from the auction, but from each sale–a portion of every sale will be donated to the Frog Foundation. The series also celebrates the life of combat veteran and husband Chris Kyle, who credits a Springfield pistol for saving his life at least once in action.
The auction-winner also took home a custom display case and signed copy of American Sniper. (Photo: Springfield)
“In 2004, I bought a Springfield TRP Operator, which used a .45-caliber round,” wrote Chris Kyle in his book American Sniper. It had a 1911 body style, with custom grips and a rail system that let me add a light and laser combo. Black, it had a bull barrel and was an excellent gun–until it took a frag for me in Fallajuh. I was actually able to get it repaired–those Springfields are tough.”
The remaining pistols are shipping out through distributor channels now for sale on the open market. They’re featured 1911s with with many of the same upgrades Kyle touted and then some.
Each Chris Kyle 1911 Legend Series TRP pistol is built around a full-size 5-inch match grade barrel and has a railed frame for lights and laser sights. The frame and slide are machined from carbon steel forgings with a black polished nitride finish. The slide is serrated front and rear and the frame is finely checkered on the front- and backstraps with 20 line-per-inch checkering.
The other 999 guns will be sold on the open market with a portion of proceeds going to the Frog Foundation. (Photo: Springfield)
The guns use full-length National Match guide rods, sport compact flared magwells and ship with two 7-round magazines with bumper pads. Each gun comes equipped with fully-adjustable night sights, ambidextrous safety levers and custom machined American flag G10 grips. They, of course, are chambered for .45 ACP.
With a suggested retail price of $2,499 they’re expensive but a lot cheaper than the auction-winner, and like most pistols real-world prices are expected to be less, although people are always willing to spend more for special commemorative editions, especially when they’re for a good cause.
The Frog Foundation is a little different from many military and responder charities out there. Knowing that long hours, night shifts and months and months of deployments can be exceedingly hard on couples and families, the Frog Foundation looks for ways to bring spouses and families back together when things start to fall apart.
To find out more about Springfield’s guns visit Springfield-Armory.com: https://www.springfield-armory.com/
To shop for Springfield Armory firearms go to GunsAmerica.com: https://www.gunsamerica.com/Search.aspx?T=springfield
Mr. Ventura is a famous pseudo sportsperson, who managed to get himself elected to high political office through name recognition, not unlike the pseudo statesman and Nobel Peace Prize winner, that got himself elected to be President. Kyle Earned his medals in true service to his Country, regardless of how many medals were awarded. The other two gentlemen are pussys by comparison. To disparage Kyle’s memory by defending the the egocentric whining of the likes of Ventura makes me wonder just how someone like Winston measures true heroics. By the number of folding chairs bent over the heads of your ‘opponents’ in a ring surrounded by screaming kids and grannies? Or the number of falsified memoirs you pen, inflating your own importance? Suing the widows of our military heros is hardly an admirable trait, but then, BO Did accept that Nobel Prize, didn’t he, so Ventura’s bruised ego deserves the support of all the Winston’s out there. Wish the auction was better advertised, they could have raised even more for their Worthy cause!
Mr. Ventura is a famous pseudo sportsperson, who managed to get himself elected to high political office through name recognition, not unlike the pseudo statesman and Nobel Peace Prize winner, that got himself elected to be President. Kyle Earned his medals in true service to his Country, regardless of how many medals were awarded. The other two gentlemen are pussys by comparison. To disparage Kyle’s memory by defending the the egocentric whining of the likes of Ventura makes me wonder just how someone like Winston measures true heroics. By the number of folding chairs bent over the heads of your ‘opponents’ in a ring surrounded by screaming kids and grannies? Or the number of falsified memoirs you pen, inflating your own importance? Suing the widows of our military heros is hardly an admirable trait, but then, BO Did accept that Nobel Prize, didn’t he, so Ventura’s bruised ego deserves the support of all the Winston’s out there. Wish the auction was better advertised, they could have raised even more for their Worthy cause!
Does this expensive m1911 have fewer claims to fame than advertised as does Kyle’s 100% inflated medal count and his tall tale of punching Jesse Ventura? Just curious. Mythology: It’s what makes ‘America’ great.