Springfield Armory 1911 DS Prodigy 9MM Semi-Automatic Pistol Review

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The Springfield Armory Prodigy 9MM Pistol is a dense double-stack gun that absorbs recoil and is fun to shoot.

Springfield Armory is a household name in pistols, and the launch of the new double-stack Prodigy generated immediate buzz. For myself, the interest lies in having handled and fired several iterations of double-stack 1911s and wanting to compare the shooting experiences.

This is our review of the Springfield Armory Prodigy 9MM Pistol.

Springfield Armory 1911 DS Prodigy 9MM Pistol Review

First impression: Springfield Armory Prodigy 9MM Pistol is a solid gun with a very clean look.

The grip: The grip has a great texture! At first glance, it seems very uniform and “flat,” but it’s actually more like sandpaper grips than any polymer texture I’ve ever felt. The attention put into the type and application of the texture is apparent.

Trigger: The trigger is metal and has a crisp break, a very positive reset, and almost zero of the creep or drag I’ve felt in some plastic-shoed triggers.

Slide Serrations: The slide serrations are aggressive enough to allow manipulation of the slide with just my thumb and index finger, using the serrations on the muzzle-end of the slide.

Impressions Shooting the Pistol:Shooting the pistol was enjoyable. The grip performed well during shooting. The Prodigy also has less muzzle flip than some of the smaller, double stack pistols I’ve shot.

Testing the Springfield Armory Prodigy 9MM Pistol

I enlisted my son, Tim, 24 and a USPSA Grand Master, to help me shoot groups and check out this pistol. We fired three types of ammunition: Federal Hydra-Shok 124-grain; Winchester Active Duty 115-grain; and Winchester USA Ready 115-grain.

The first group I fired was at 15 yards standing. We noticed the rear sight plate was loose at this point and tightened it and fired the rest of the groups. On the previous day, Tim had run 80 rounds through the Prodigy.

From the location of the groups, it was obvious the sights could be adjusted, but since the focus was group size and not placement, we left the sights alone. We wanted to see how consistently the gun performed, not perfect its zero.

Tim shot groups at 15 yards off a bag, with both the Winchester Active Duty and the Hydra-Shok. The consistency and group size were respectable for the distances that we shot. For understanding the general accuracy of a pistol, groups off a bag will help remove some variables, but with the Prodigy’s 4.4-pound trigger pull, pistol movement will usually be a factor in group sizes.

Our 15-yard groups measured: 

• 1.877-inches (offhand) Winchester USA Ready
• 1.906-inches (off bag) Winchester USA Ready
• 1.871-inches  (off bag) Winchester Active Duty
• 1.085-inches (off bag) Federal Hydra-Shok 

We did have one malfunction. During weak-hand shooting, Tim had a failure to extract. I disassembled the gun and investigated, but I found nothing out of the ordinary, and we could not replicate the malfunction.

About the Gun

The attention to detail on the inside of the gun is apparent. The feed ramp was polished well. The underside of the slide where it rides over the top round in the magazine is polished. The hood has a cut to visually verify if the chamber is loaded.

There was some play in the connection of the male/female ends of the ambidextrous safety. Having disassembled and reassembled a wide range of double stacks, I thought the fit would have been more refined, but for a factory gun this was not shocking.

The Prodigy weighs 32.5 ounces. This suits my preference for a heavier gun versus the featherweight feel of a polymer gun. A firearm with mass means the gun itself “absorbs” some of the recoil, and less energy (recoil) is transferred to the shooter, which makes shooting the Prodigy enjoyable.

The mag release is exactly like my competition guns, and I can manipulate it the same way. The pressure to activate it is reasonable, as compared to the excessive force required on some factory guns. I would not feel the need to adjust it.

My only complaint is the heavy trigger weight. The average for ten measured pulls was 4.4-pounds.  

Conclusion: Springfield Armory Prodigy 9MM Pistol

Overall, the Springfield Prodigy is well made and the attention to detail put into getting things right make it an attractive potential purchase.

Specifications: Springfield Armory 1911 DS PRODIGY

• ACTION: Semi-Auto, Double Action
• CHAMBERING: 9MM
• SLIDE: Forged Carbon Steel, Black Cerakote, Optics-Ready
• FRAME: Forged Carbon Steel, Black Cerakote
• BARREL: 4.25" Forged Stainless Steel, Match Grade, Bull, 1:16
• RECOIL SYSTEM: 2-Piece Full Length Guide Rod
• GRIPS: Polymer
• BARREL LENGTH: 4.25″ AOS
• MAGAZINES: (1) 17-Round, (1) 20-Round
• SIGHTS: Fiber Optic Front, Black Serrated Rear
• TRIGGER: Metal, Curved, 4.4 lbs. Average Pull.
• HEIGHT: 5.5"
• WIDTH: 1.45”
• LENGTH: 7.8"
• WEIGHT: 32.5 oz.
• MSRP: $1,499

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