Springfield Armory Shakes Up The TRP Lineup

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The TRP 1911 pistol from Springfield Armory has been going strong for over 20 years. With its roots coming from the Professional Model made for the FBI, the TRP has been a go-to handgun for the 1911-loving public sector. Even after all that success, Springfield has decided to freshen up the TRP lineup lately and they haven’t stopped adding to it.

The TRP has only been offered in 45 ACP and 10mm and only with iron sights. That is changing and you can get TRP handguns chambered in 9mm, with the AOS red dot plate system. I was sent the newest offering in the TRP family with these new features to test and evaluate. Springfield did not disappoint, read on to see why.

The Newest TRP Model

Springfield sent me a 1911 TRP AOS 4.25 CC Handgun. Translated, they sent me a bobbed commander length, semi-custom 1911 chambered in 9mm with a nice red dot mounting system. Since the inception of the TRP, Springfield wanted a 1911 as close to custom as they could get in a production model. What does this mean? The slide and frame are hand fit by Springfield and the piece sent to me did not disappoint. The fit was exceptional for a production model. The slide, frame, and barrel are forged for the best quality and durability.

Quality Parts Used In This Gun

The barrel and frame feature the Wilson Nowlin ramp which is important. A ramped barrel in a 1911 improves functionality and is a must in my guns. Being a carry handgun, the frame is made from aluminum to decrease weight. The frame is also bobbed on the bottom to prevent the owner from getting jabbed when carrying it concealed. Lastly, the frame has aggressive checkering on the front strap, which combined with the supplied grips makes for a very secure feel in my hands.

Some other features on this CC model include Hydra G-10 grips from VZ grips, ambidextrous thumb safety, extended grip safety or beavertail, and an integrated picatinny rail for lights and lasers. If you are familiar with the TRP handguns you know these are standard features included on these pistols. Other notable items include a bushing barrel and standard-length guide rod to help reduce weight for concealed carry.

Now with AOS Mounting Plates

There is no doubt that red dots have taken the handgun market by storm and are here to stay. Developed originally for the double stack 1911 offered by Springfield, the AOS (Agency Optic System) red dot plate system is a great addition to help modernize the TRP for today’s shooter. As of the writing of this article, the TRP handguns will include the standard plate for rear sight only. Included in the package though is a coupon for an AOS plate of your choice for only $49, normally priced at $129. Currently there are 6 AOS plates available to choose from. Simply select the plate that matches the red dot footprint you want to use and you’ll be in business.

Mounting the Red Dot on the TRP

When I was installing the AOS there were several items or features that I liked. For some people, failure of the red dot or mounting system has been a big concern keeping them from carrying one concealed. Red dots are getting better and more reliable with every generation, and the AOS seems to be a really solid mounting system. At the rear of the plate, you will notice that it dovetails into the slide, and dovetails work! At the front there is a matching slot and notch pattern to prevent any side-to-side movement at all.

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Lastly, two mounting screws with thread locker keep it secured into the slide. With these three features working together, I feel like it is a great mount if installed correctly. The AOS plate system, which is machined from billet steel, is robust and should take a lot of abuse. In fact, I would expect dot failure long before mount failure in extreme circumstances.

Iron Sights with the AOS

When installing the AOS it’s important to start with the dovetail first and get things lined up without using force. Once it is all lined up the plate will simply drop into place and all that is left to do is to tighten the mounting screws into place. On the mounting plate is an optic height rear sight that matches the front sight on the TRP. It is a black serrated rear sight, but the nice thing about the rear sight is that it is replaceable. The TRP has a night sight for the front, and if wanted on the rear, the owner simply loosens the set screw and drifts out the old sight, and replaces it with the new.

Different styles and height sights can be placed in the front and the rear. One other item I liked about the AOS and the TRP was the height of the iron sights. They seemed to be just right for me. Not too tall and in the way of the dot, but certainly tall enough to be used if something did happen to the red dot. The height of the dot also seemed to line up very naturally for me. Typically I like the dot mounted directly to the slide of my pistol to get the dot as low as possible, but Springfield seemed to get it low enough for comfortable use.

Red Dot Selection

The good folks at Vortex were kind enough to send me a couple of models to try on the TRP. The first one I tried was the Vortex DEFENDER-ST. From start to finish it took me approximately 15 minutes to remove the factory AOS and mount the new plate and dot. A simple process that was intuitive for me to get done. As I worked on the gun mounting the Vortex Defender, I appreciated the look, fit, and finish of it all. I am a fan of black accessories on earth tone colors and the Coyote Brown cerakote on the TRP did not disappoint when matched with the black accessories and the black body of the red dots. The package comes together like it was always meant to be.

Shooting the TRP in 9mm

Now to the fun and exciting part, shooting this great-looking blaster. I started with my own reloads topped with 124-grain bullets from Rocky Mountain Reloading. I got the Defender-ST sighted in with about 15 shots at 12 yards and then I shot for accuracy. All 4 loads were 124-grain bullets. I shot with reloaded 124 RMRs, 124 Speer Gold Dot, 124 Winchester Target, and 124 Hornady +P loads. Only the 124 RMRs were reloads, the rest were factory ammunition.

I am fairly confident that the gun shoots better than I do, to get the best possible accuracy I would need to use a Ransom rest or something similar. Even still, the gun shot really well with all of the loads. The RMR bullets performed the best, but the Hornady and Speer bullets were not far behind.

Other TRP Evaluation

After that round of shooting, I installed the Vortex Defender-XL onto the TRP for evaluation. You can quote me on the following. Optics and guns are like shoes, you need a pair for every occasion. Depending on how you plan on using your CC TRP 1911 will determine what optic you like. The Defender-XL is certainly designed with the competitive shooter in mind, and I found it fast to shoot with.

The large window and the ease of the 9mm 1911 made for some fast and fun shooting. Accuracy was the same with both dots, but I felt faster with the Defender-XL. Again, the shooter has to decide what will work best for them.

I ended up running some plate rack drills with the TRP and it performed great. In fact, during the whole shooting session, I did not have any problems with the gun at all. It gobbled up all the different loads and hollow points with no issues. I even let the range caretaker give it a go and he was mowing down plates as soon as I put it in his hands.

9mm and Red Dots for the Modern 1911

Weighing in at 27 ounces, the TRP is a few ounces heavier than similar-sized plastic pistols, but there is little doubt that the shootability of 1911 exceeds the plastic counterparts. Some say that fiber optic sights on pistols are like training wheels for shooters, but red dots are even more extreme than that. Red dots paired with a 9mm 1911 make shooting fast and accurately attainable very quickly even for less experienced shooters.

READ MORE: Testing the Gen5 Glock 17L MOS

I know there are a lot of 1911 purists that believe a 1911 should only be chambered in a caliber that starts with a 4 and should only have iron sights. If you haven’t, you need to try a 1911 chambered in 9mm with a red dot mounted on it. The TRP with AOS in 9mm fits the bill here and for me shot well. Everything about a 1911 in 9mm is a pleasure to shoot. Check out the newest 1911 from Springfield, you won’t regret it.

Check out the new additions from Springfield Armory here.

For more information on Vortex Defender Optics, click here.

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