FRONT SIGHT - uspsa

FBy Mike Detty, L-1627our years worth of planning,designing and engineeringwent into Springfield's recentlyintroduced high-capacitypistol. I first handled this newpistol at the 1997 Limited Nationalsand was so impressed with the wayit felt in my hand that I immediatelyrequested a test and evaluation sample."We wanted to make sure that itwould be 1911-compatible, workwith existing holsters and accept thereadily available Para-Ordnancehigh-capacity magazines," reportedSpringfield's top professionalshooter, Rob Leatham. "We had theadvantage of being the last ones inwith a widebody, and we learnedfrom the others' mistakes. We triedto design a gun without any of theshortcomings of cast frames."Indeed, above all else, the thingthat sets the new Springfield gunapart from all other high-capacityguns is its forged frame. "Framesmachined from a billet of forgedOften, the best things come in small packages.- SLIDE RACER - NEW!411111111M1=111V-=-- -7-11Springfield's New WidebodyLow PROF ILEI IV 11=1 IL-9Springfieldzines.steel have a more dense grain structurewhich translates into strength.Practical shooters put more roundsthrough their guns than all othershooting disciplines combined andthese new frames will hold up," emphasizedLeatham at the 1998 SHOTShow (Shooting, Hunting and OutdoorTrade Show) in Las Vegas."T" F=t IPrecision Parts for the Serious Shooter - call today!P.0.8ox 727 Hardwick, Yr 05843 I-802-172-8263Armory's new high-capacity 1911 will accept Para-Ordnance maga-Leatharn pointed to the recoilspring dust cover area of his Limitedpistol saying, "We beefed up thedust cover area where other manufacturershave had failures." I notedthat other than some checkering onthe front strap and under the triggerguard the only visible modificationto the frame was that Leatham hadcut off the trigger guard and weldedon a squared guard that gives him alittle more room for his trigger finger."As far as I'm concemed, the bestthing about the new gun is the wayit feels. No other hi-cap gun feels ascomfortable in my hand as the newSpringfield," Leatham told me. Afterreceiving my test gun, I'd haveto say that I agree with him. Part ofthe reason for the comfortable gripis a very aggressive cut where thetrigger guard meets the frame. Therounded cut allows the third fingerto ride very high up. Another factoris the synthetic grips which are slimtowards the front strap and wider inthe rear.The sample gun I received was astainless-steel model with standardfeatures. It came in a lockable blueplastic case with two 10-roundmagazines, but, as mentioned earlier,Para-Ordnance's high-capacitymagazines will work just fine in thegun. Cosmetically, the gun is beautiful.The frame is heavily beadblasted and is a dark matte gray,and the flats of the slide are brightlypolished. Fixed three-dot sights, a18 FRONT SIGHT • May/June 1998