Springfield 1911 operator or trp operator?

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MISportsman

MISportsman

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I really want to buy a Springfield 1911. I am stuck between the new operator and the trp operator. There's about a $500 difference between the two and it looks to be only a few differences between the two. It will definitely be used as a defensive carry gun and possibly a duty gun in the not too distant future. I am making a career change and starting back to school for criminal justice to become a police officer. Does anyone have experience with both of these models and have any suggestions either way
 
For a couple of months I have had a new to me TRP. The trigger is fantastic. It is factory around 4 lbs and really slick. I did make a few changes, got rid of the gaping hole of a mag well, diamond checked grips and a steel firing pin.
Have never liked the big mag wells and the firing pin was just barely making a dent in federal primers.
I do like the gun and it seems to be accurate. Will bench rest the piece soon. 80214C33-4370-4979-8B56-31667EAED83F.jpeg
 
I carry the 9mm Springfield Range Officer Operator for duty carry. I have a few things to think about for any 1911 with a rail and duty carry. Make sure whatever agency you are applying with allows a 1911 in the caliber of your choice.

Of the two choices you'd listed, I'd do the TRP. If stainless steel is an option for either go with that. Oil it well on a weekly basis. Whichever you buy prepare to think of it as a business expense, because it's going to get scratched, rained and/or snowed upon, rolled over on, and bumped getting in and out of buildings and cars.

Thoughts:

1: Putting a light on a 1911 increases the weight and bulk. I elected not to do so. The weight (gun, belt, armor, etc) does add up when you hit your 40s and 50s. Many of my colleagues have hip and knee issues.

2: because I chose not to do so with the light, I had a hard time finding a duty holster. G-code makes one, and that's what I am using, and am happy with. It's a bit loose, however it is still a level 2. Good luck finding a level 3 for a railed 1911 with no light (let me know if you do)

3: With a 1911, you are limiting yourself in capacity. It's a choice I have made, but make sure you are comfortable with it. I've gotten very good with mag changes but carry 8 mags at the range for training, 4-5 for duty. I put Archangel grips on mine, and they have a large angled magwell area at the bottom. Good investment. Most of LE is going to the Stacatto 2011 in 9mm if they want a 1911/2011 pattern. Haven't shot one, but they are lighter with their 17 round mag compared to mine with 10 rounds.

4: A railed 9mm 1911 with or without a light keeps the muzzle flip down for wicked quick and accurate double taps. We are going away from double taps to controlled pairs though, so that advantage is limited.

5: make sure you can do simple 1911 gunsmithing at home. You should be able to detail strip at the least. I replaced my trigger, polished certain areas, and lightened several springs to make it run better.

6: Red dots are becoming more popular. My 1911 carrying mentors and trainers have almost all moved to them, but I am sticking to irons for now. Consider if you want to mount an optic and the policies of the agencies you want to apply with. They may also complicate getting a holster.

7: Lube it well and frequently. I have different lube mixes I've mixed depending on the season.

If you have more questions, feel free to reach out.
 
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IlikeSA said:
I carry the 9mm Springfield Range Officer Operator for duty carry. I have a few things to think about for any 1911 with a rail and duty carry. Make sure whatever agency you are applying with allows a 1911 in the caliber of your choice.

Of the two choices you'd listed, I'd do the TRP. If stainless steel is an option for either go with that. Oil it well on a weekly basis. Whichever you buy prepare to think of it as a business expense, because it's going to get scratched, rained and/or snowed upon, rolled over on, and bumped getting in and out of buildings and cars.

Thoughts:

1: Putting a light on a 1911 increases the weight and bulk. I elected not to do so. The weight (gun, belt, armor, etc) does add up when you hit your 40s and 50s. Many of my colleagues have hip and knee issues.

2: because I chose not to do so with the light, I had a hard time finding a duty holster. G-code makes one, and that's what I am using, and am happy with. It's a bit loose, however it is still a level 2. Good luck finding a level 3 for a railed 1911 with no light (let me know if you do)

3: With a 1911, you are limiting yourself in capacity. It's a choice I have made, but make sure you are comfortable with it. I've gotten very good with mag changes but carry 8 mags at the range for training, 4-5 for duty. I put Archangel grips on mine, and they have a large angled magwell area at the bottom. Good investment. Most of LE is going to the Stacatto 2011 in 9mm if they want a 1911/2011 pattern. Haven't shot one, but they are lighter with their 17 round mag compared to mine with 10 rounds.

4: A railed 9mm 1911 with or without a light keeps the muzzle flip down for wicked quick and accurate double taps. We are going away from double taps to controlled pairs though, so that advantage is limited.

5: make sure you can do simple 1911 gunsmithing at home. You should be able to detail strip at the least. I replaced my trigger, polished certain areas, and lightened several springs to make it run better.

6: Red dots are becoming more popular. My 1911 carrying mentors and trainers have almost all moved to them, but I am sticking to irons for now. Consider if you want to mount an optic and the policies of the agencies you want to apply with. They may also complicate getting a holster.

If you have more questions, feel free to reach out.
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Thank you! I was hoping to get some insight from someone in LE using a 1911! I know for sure at least one of the departments I applied to slows 1911s in both 9mm & 45. As far as the weather resistance, both models I'm looking at are factory cerakoted.
I am comfortable with the slight reduction in magazine capacity. Check Safariland for a holster, their website shows an option for no light on their level 3 duty holsters.
I have carried and put many rounds through Berettas and sigs in the military and do like them, especially the sig, but nothing gets on target and stays on target like a 1911! I'm also not a fan of Glock, I just can't seem to get comfortable with one.
 
I can't help you choose between those two but just make sure you are up to date on your preventative maintenance with a duty 1911. They are amazing pistols but do require more maintenance and care than the modern striker fired guns.

Also Im sending you a PM.
 
Aside from field stripping and cleaning and oiling after every shift, what other extra maintenance would the 1911 require?
 
MISportsman said:
Aside from field stripping and cleaning and oiling after every shift, what other extra maintenance would the 1911 require?
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Unless you shoot it every shift, why would you need to do anything to it, maintenance-wise?. If it's gotten wet from rain, a simple wipe-down would suffice, and over time in a holster it might collect a bit of dust/dirt, so field strip it once a week, or once a month. When you oil a gun, you wipe it back off. Whatever is left on the gun is plenty, anything more just collects grime. Unless you have a mechanical problem, there's usually no reason to go any farther than a field strip in disassembly.
 
MISportsman said:
Aside from field stripping and cleaning and oiling after every shift, what other extra maintenance would the 1911 require?
Click to expand...

Larry Vickers and Hilton Yam both have articles and videos about it. Mostly it's about the springs and other parts (ie recoil spring) having a significantly shorter service life than modern options.

I don't think you would need to clean it after every shift.
 
I own several Springfield 1911's from the loaded to the basic to the TRP in 10mm. My opinion is what ever you choose, you will not go wrong. At this point you just have to choose which one you prefer or want the most. Needless to say you will always regret not buying the one you want the most. So if it becomes a matter of finances , do not settle for a second option instead discipline yourself and wait while you continue to save for the one you really want.
 
ms6852 said:
I own several Springfield 1911's from the loaded to the basic to the TRP in 10mm. My opinion is what ever you choose, you will not go wrong. At this point you just have to choose which one you prefer or want the most. Needless to say you will always regret not buying the one you want the most. So if it becomes a matter of finances , do not settle for a second option instead discipline yourself and wait while you continue to save for the one you really want.
Click to expand...
The 2 models I'm looking at are very close to identical. From what I can tell the only differences are a bull barrel verses bushing, a one piece match grade guide rod verses gi style, an adjustable rear sight, and an extra set of hand grips. I'm truly not sure if I would ever notice the differences, do these things effect the longevity and reliability of the gun, or would they just be more of a personal preference type of thing?
 
MISportsman said:
Aside from field stripping and cleaning and oiling after every shift, what other extra maintenance would the 1911 require?
Click to expand...

You don't have to do that.

I'm on the front range of Colorado so it is pretty dry here most of the year, with snow in the winters. I detail strip about twice a year to deep clean it, and field strip clean it after every range date (4x a year) or after I shot it for pleasure (pretty rare, I have more fun guns).

Every week to two I put a little oil on the barrel, in between the hammer and rear, and let the oil I put on the back drip down along the rails. This is the maintenance I do for it normally. I have switched out the recoil spring (should be around 3000 rounds) as a maintenance thing.

Brownells has some in house mags, I don't remember the name, but they are black and they work well.
 
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MISportsman said:
The 2 models I'm looking at are very close to identical. From what I can tell the only differences are a bull barrel verses bushing, a one piece match grade guide rod verses gi style, an adjustable rear sight, and an extra set of hand grips. I'm truly not sure if I would ever notice the differences, do these things effect the longevity and reliability of the gun, or would they just be more of a personal preference type of thing?
Click to expand...
It is a very personal preference thing, for example I love adjustable rear sights and I prefer GI style guide rod with bushings. For me it is easier to field strip without having to use a tool like one would with 2 piece guide rod. The one piece is a good rod but I don't see that it is any smoother when sliding the rack than the GI style one and I've never have had binding issues. I personally do not like the one piece long guid rod because you have to use a recoil spring plug that is opened and the edge of the plug cuts into my dish pan hands. Like I said it is a personal preference.
 
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I actually like the new operator a little better, I was just thinking that the trp was the better gun because it was designed for the FBI, but that does not necessarily seam to be the case.
 
MISportsman said:
...I was just thinking that the trp was the better gun because it was designed for the FBI, but that does not necessarily seam to be the case.
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The Springfield Professional was designed for the FBI https://www.springfield-armory.com/...om-handguns/1911-professional-45-acp-handgun/

The TRP was "inspired by the Custom Professional Model HRT 1911 developed by Springfield Armory for the FBI." https://www.springfield-armory.com/1911-series-handguns/1911-trp-handguns/
 
I had a TRP , I didn’t like the aggressive front strap and the trigger on mine was only fair . I sold it before I ever shot it .
 
A wide but fine flat file will take care of that. I have a couple of guns with flattened checkering that are still grippy but not sharp to my desk engineer's hand.
Factory triggers are a crapshoot, plan on adjustment.

I am not LE, the longest I wear a service pistol is for a match, nothing on my belt but gun and ammo and it is feeling real solid by the end.
I would find a 42-45 oz gun a burden for all day carry, especially with the rest of the duty load out.

My old Commander is a lot less of a load, how about a nice Ronin 4.25 lightweight?
 
IlikeSA said:
You don't have to do that.

I'm on the front range of Colorado so it is pretty dry here most of the year, with snow in the winters. I detail strip about twice a year to deep clean it, and field strip clean it after every range date (4x a year) or after I shot it for pleasure (pretty rare, I have more fun guns).

Every week to two I put a little oil on the barrel, in between the hammer and rear, and let the oil I put on the back drip down along the rails. This is the maintenance I do for it normally. I have switched out the recoil spring (should be around 3000 rounds) as a maintenance thing.

Brownells has some in house mags, I don't remember the name, but they are black and they work well.
Click to expand...
That's pretty much exactly what I do with my sig I use for edc. Sounds like I just would need to keep up with that.
 
red rick said:
I had a TRP , I didn’t like the aggressive front strap and the trigger on mine was only fair . I sold it before I ever shot it .
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The trigger on mine is spectacular. (How can you truly judge a trigger without shooting the pistol?)

Dan Wesson makes a good 1911, but they're getting spendy. A dark horse: KImber Custom TLE II.

I still think the basic TRP is a good deal. Yeah, the front-strap checkering take some getting used to, but no one can say you can't keep a good grip on this pistol. As far as the Operator version, unless you're gonna mount a light, why bother? Rails on a 1911 look wrong to me (not a huge fan of front-cocking serrations, either, but that's another thread).
mags.jpg
 
Old Dog said:
The trigger on mine is spectacular. (How can you truly judge a trigger without shooting the pistol?)

Dan Wesson makes a good 1911, but they're getting spendy. A dark horse: KImber Custom TLE II.

I still think the basic TRP is a good deal. Yeah, the front-strap checkering take some getting used to, but no one can say you can't keep a good grip on this pistol. As far as the Operator version, unless you're gonna mount a light, why bother? Rails on a 1911 look wrong to me (not a huge fan of front-cocking serrations, either, but that's another thread).
View attachment 1086883
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I kind of think the pic rail looks kind of looks cool. I was an aircrewman in the Navy and wile deployed to Iraq we gave some marine force recon guys a ride and they were carrying m45a1s. After seeing those I fell in love with the "tactical" 1911.
 
MISportsman said:
I kind of think the pic rail looks kind of looks cool. I was an aircrewman in the Navy and wile deployed to Iraq we gave some marine force recon guys a ride and they were carrying m45a1s. After seeing those I fell in love with the "tactical" 1911.
Click to expand...

As a duty gun, a weapon mounted light is nearly a requirement. I wouldn't carry a duty gun without a light. As a cop who has worked morning to early afternoon shift for several years now, I still use my pistol light all the time.
 
I love this TRP Operator but it’s basically a bnib safe queen now these past years after I’ve had health issues. Only shot 50rnds through it and cleaned it Larry sent me these grips as I only had the original sandpaper grips. Not sure if I should let this one go as I don’t see the full dust cover versions very often now. C0547E89-47C2-47FD-B6C4-C7ADDD1460E7.jpeg
 
I've had a TRP since they first came out. Outstanding pistol. I think the ONLY thing I really dislike about it is the big "TACTICAL RESPONSE PISTOL" engraved on the side of it.... oh, and the "TRP" on the rear sides of the slide. I don't need that crap to tell me what I bought. Other than that, no complaints!
 
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