I need help identifying a springfield 1911

[InnerVision]

I found a used Springfield Armory 1911 in stainless Steal at a local gun shop. It just says "Compact" on the slide. It has the shortened grip (6+1) and shortened barrel length, But I can't find any pictures of it on the internet.

It also has the mil-spec style sights and the commander hammer, but the beaver tail doesn't extend up all the way. He is asking $450 for it but I have no idea how much it costs new...He also said that the gun was not modified in any way. I've never seen a 1911 with that kind of grip safety/beaver tail.
Is it an older version of the Ultra Compact maybe??
Anyone know where I can find this gun on any websites? Thanks.

 

[fletcher]

If you can write down the serial, give Springfield a call and they'll tell you everything you want to know about it. That's probably the best bet.

 

[InnerVision]

Anyone else have any ideas?

 

[98C5]

Does it look like this?

http://www.impactguns.com/store/SS-32585.html

 

[InnerVision]

No. I it has the commander hammer and Mil-Spec style sights. It also has the 4" barrel instead of the 3". It is also in stainless steal. Just says "springfield armory" on one side, and "compact" on the other.

I figured if it was a GI Champion that it would say "champion". or if it was a GI micro compact it would say that as well...

*EDIT...Finally found a picture of it...It said "Champion" in the description, but it says "compact" on the slide..

 

[ktd]

Springfield, if I remember correctly had some issues naming their medium sized gun. I think they called it a Commander, and got into trouble with Colt (Colt likes to sue over names). Then I think they called it a Compact, but I also seem to remember a 4inch/short frame version now that I think about it, that may have been the Compact, then came up with the name Champion. The Officer's ACP sized gun is called the micro-compact. Those early guns had the classic colt commander style burr hammer. The grip safety was slightly extended, not as much as a beavertail, but I think they did not need to modify the frame from the original spec.

I have an old G&A article back from when they were introduced, maybe I will go look for it.

At any rate, if it actually is stainless, $450 is a decent price, especially if it is in good shape.

 

[ktd]

this page has a list of models with short descriptions of the configurations
http://www.jensenarms.com/pistols/pistols_springfield.htm

The compact, it says, is the champion slide on the micro-compact frame. It does not look like it is made anymore according the actual Springfield site.

The pictures show the newer fancied up versions, but about ten years ago, they had the same models, but were more basic. So what you have at that shop is a perfectly usable basic model, which if you intend to modify, is perfect because you have less costly parts to toss. Seems like any of the enhanced pistols (Springfield Loaded, Colt Enhanced, Kimber, etc) uses some fancy part that is not my pref, so I still have to change something out. My old Champion has the Commander hammer, muzzle bushing, and basic parts (not fancy, but not GI either). The only thing is that I did not know they made stainless guns in those older series.

 

[dtown240]

http://www.impactguns.com/store/706397138011.html

Or more like that?

 

[ktd]

nah, he said it had the 4 inch barrel.