When Springfield Armory introduced the 1911 Range Officer for the competitive shooter, they were surprised at the response. Serious shooters who care about the details welcomed the precision features that made the Range Officer perform far beyond its price tag.

Springfield insisted on the best components and manufacturing techniques, like forged national match frames and slides, both features found on their top end 1911 models. A gun is only as good as its barrel, so they didn’t skimp there either. They added a national match stainless steel barrel and precisely fit bushing for maximum accuracy.

Many of those competition gun customers couldn’t help wonder why Springfield didn’t make a self-defense version of the 1911 Range Officer, so they did!

New for 2016 is the 1911 Range Officer Operator 9mm. They’ve kept the same great “under the hood” features that made the original Range Officer great, but added features to turn this pistol into a formidable self-defense pistol for carry or home use.

The five inch barrel with fully supported ramp provides an extended sight radius, making your job of getting fast hits on target even easier. Speaking of sights, the front is a shielded fiber optic tube while the rear is a low profile combat style that won’t snag during the draw.

There’s no reason a functional combat gun can’t look good. The 1911 Range Officer Operator sports a Parkerized finish that looks sharp and will ward off corrosion and rust. Checkered Cocobolo grips provide a firm hold without shredding carry holsters and clothes.

Serious 1911 fighting features are all there too. The classic flat mainspring housing is checkered for positive grip, and the extended beavertail safety includes a memory bump for positive activation. Add a long aluminum match grade trigger, skeletonized hammer, and rail for light or laser and this pistol is good to go.

When it’s time to get down to business, place your trust in a gun that’s built for the task. Try the Range Officer Operator. Are You Ready?