Prodigious Pistola Review: Springfield Prodigy DS

John Browning’s design for the 1911 pistol is more than a hundred years old, but it doesn’t make it archaic or obsolete. There have been many subtle changes in the 11 decades that his pistol has been available. Springfield Armory’s latest design, the Prodigy, is a bold move in a new direction. If you are familiar with a standard pistol like the 1911, you will find the Prodigy to be very similar if you do not mind the increased capacity. The Prodigy 9mm pistol is ambidextrous and versatile in many ways. We’ve seen this design on pistols from STI (now Staccato), Cosaint Arms, and even older Para Ordnance 1911s. The Springfield Prodigy DS is a little different. This pistol has a single-slot Picatinny Rail on the dust cover. It also features an ambidextrous Safety, a magazine funnel, an optic, and a mounting plate system that allows you to upgrade the optic. The Springfield 1911 DS Prodigy is a great match for a titanium framelock by Jerry Hossom. Match-Grade BarrelsRather than using the traditional barrel and Bushing as per Browning the Springfield Prodigy DS utilizes a bullmatch grade barrel with no bushing. The bushing is easier to replace, but many shooters choose it out of tradition. The heavy barrel adds weight to the front of the pistol, which helps reduce recoil. The barrel of the Springfield 1911 DS Prodigy has the same thickness from chamber to crown. A threaded barrel would have been useful for adding a compensator or silencer. This was the shorter “Commander-length” version, which is 4.25 inches long as opposed to the 5-inch full-length version. The pistol uses Springfield’s two-piece full length guide rod that can be removed using a 5/32 inch hex key… not a standard paper clip. Keep your Allen key close by. Five-Star FrameThe five-star frame is something to behold. If you’ve been out of touch for the last 30 years, you may not know how amazing it is. The grip is made of polymer, just like the polymer-framed guns that have been around since the 1980s. However, the dustcover and upper portion of the frame are steel. This eliminates frame flex and allows for a wider magazine that fits more comfortably for shooters who have normal-sized hands. It also allows for a very low cut underneath the trigger guard. The Prodigy can easily be field stripped in 5 minutes if you have a 5/32″ Allen Wrench. It has a professional, finished look that is reminiscent of the old Operator model from early 2000s. It also features a single-slot Picatinny Rail. In most competitive shooting events, a visible light is not required to be mounted on the gun. This mounting setup can be used for training aids like the Mantis X. It’s a good option either way. It was a no-brainer when I had STI 2011.38 super/9mm magazines in my arsenal to see if it would fit. They fit, and they function well.Springfield Armory sells magazines with capacities of 17, 20, and 26 rounds for $60 each. The pistol comes with a 17 and 20 rounder. Springfield Armory does not offer a 10-round magazine for those states in the United States that do not respect the U.S. Constitution and the U.S. Supreme Court. If you are in this unfortunate situation, a 10-round magazine of the 2011 style will work. Trigger and ControlsThe trigger on that one breaks cleanly with 3.5 pounds without mush or crawl. This is the pinnacle of a factory-made 1911. It can be improved but it is a far cry away from the typical factory piece of even 20 years ago. An ambidextrous security makes it comfortable for left- and right handed shooters and ensures that the pistol can easily be operated with either hand. If you plan to carry this pistol all day as a personal protection weapon, you may want to upgrade to an aftermarket safety that is not ambidextrous. The “Series 70” safety system is used by Springfield, and there is no firing pin safety. This allows for a better trigger pull. The upswept beaver tail grip safety is perfectly fitted, and in conjunction with the undercut trigger guard, it really fits the sweet spot in the grip department.Springfield Prodigy SightsThis particular pistol came equipped with a red-dot optic from Springfield: a Hex Dragonfly. Factory iron sights are represented with a green fiber-optic front sight and a blacked out U-notch rear. The Hex Dragonfly has a battery life of 100,000 hours and the sight will turn off after 15 hours. It will come back on with the intensity that you set the dot to and will remember this setting. The Dragonfly has an aluminum housing, with a slightly extended front hood to protect the lens, and a serrated back to reduce glare. The MSRP of this sight alone is around $250.Springfield Armory chose the Agency Optic system (AOS), which allows the shooter the option to purchase different mounting plate to fit different sights. Springfield Armory sells these plates for around $60 each. A Modern FinishSo it’s not hard chromed, blued, or parkerized. This pistol has been given a nice treatment with black Cerakote. Cerakote is the finish of the future. I love the traditional hot bluing and case-hardening, electroless nickel, and hard chrome. It’s 124 grain FMJ rounds made by Global Ordnance in Serbia. They’re good, clean ammo that reminds me of Fiocchi and Sellier & Bellot. It was accurate, had a soft firing and had no failures. These magazines loaded easily by hand, without the use of a loader. The Hex Dragonfly made sure the group stayed small at 50 feet. This one is destined for the Bianchi Cup or other similar trophy. Minor DownsidesWhile firearms are constantly improving, there are still a few flaws. If there is a drawback, then it’s more of an aesthetic issue. You can transform the look of a classic pistol, whether it’s a high-end model made of stainless steel or Damascus, or a lower end model with a black-parkerized finish, by adding comfortable grips in quality hardwood, ivory pre-ban, pewter, or G10. This is not an option with the Springfield Prodigy DS. The Springfield Prodigy is a relatively new gun, so finding the right holster will be difficult. I have owned more than a dozen pistols and five times as many holsters. Only one fit and it was not very good. This will most likely be a matter of timing as manufacturers prepare to support this new model. The biggest advantage is the price. It’s much cheaper than its competition. Springfield Armory Prodigy is often about $1,000 less expensive than other pistols. These other pistols are likely to be similar to custom shop offerings. This is the greatest potential of the Springfield Armory Prodigy. It is a great base gun for a race build. This is not your grandfather’s rattletrap 1911. This is not your grandfather’s rattle trap 1911. The target grids and bullseyes are measured in MOA. Subscribe to the Gun Digest newsletter and we will send you your print-at home target pack immediately. Enter your email below.