Springfield Armory 1911 DS Prodigy Comp AOS: Full Review

Springfield Armory’s 1911 pistols continue to evolve as a testament to the genius of John M. Browning and the company’s ability to adapt the fundamental characteristics of the design with modern manufacturing to maintain its relevance.  The 1911 DS Prodigy Comp AOS in 9mm is new for 2024 and is an interesting development. Though it is a 1911, Springfield Armory has equipped it with every contemporary demand of a pistol that could be used in competition or drawn from a duty holster.

The slide, frame and barrel are all made of forged steel. “Forged steel” means steel billet that’s shaped using mechanical force. Crushed by hammers, the structure of the steel is denser. Forging is an ancient process, but it continues to offer benefits such as improved strength and wear resistance. At the molecular level, the steel fibers are tight and uniform in direction. The forged steel skeleton makes the 1911 DS Prodigy a durable platform.

Though forging steel is a traditional method used in firearm manufacturing, Springfield Armory precisely shapes the corners and flats through modern CNC machining. The carbon-steel forged slide features tight tolerances that require little fitting, which is protected by a black Cerakote finish. As is the trend, the 1911 DS Prodigy Comp features an optics-­ready slide, incorporating the Agency Optics System (AOS). Its billet steel plates accept most popular optics. The optics cut and plate were designed in collaboration with Agency Arms, which has proven to be one of the strongest and most adaptable mounting systems available.

Distinctive Features

AOS steel adapter plates sport integral rear sights that align with the front sight and co-­witness with the optic in the lower third. The front night sight is dovetailed into the slide behind the port, shortening the pistol’s sight radius.

Through the years, the 1911 has changed to embrace certain trends. Springfield Armory has been one of the trendsetters on this subject. Its Prodigy slide offers both front and rear angled serrations. The ejection port has been lowered and flared, a modification popularized in the 1970s and ’80s. The Prodigy also features an internal extractor, which highlights the ongoing “Internal vs. External Extractor” debate. It’s safe to say that a quality internal extractor, when properly fit, functions reliably. It also streamlines the look of a 1911, adding to its overall aesthetics.

The 1911 DS Prodigy Comp is distinctive for its integral compensator. It’s a cutout machined into the front of the barrel and through the slide at the 12 o’clock position, just ahead of the front sight. When fired, gas vents upward through the compensator to counter muzzle rise. The benefit keeps the slide level during cycling, permitting faster aiming and follow-­up shots. Recently, compensators have become very popular, even on carry pistols. Springfield Armory took an extra step by incorporating the feature into its Prodigy pistols. These are one of the few comp’d 1911s costing less than $2,000. Unlike pistols having external compensators, the integrated compensator retains the look of the gun and supports compatibility with the plethora of 1911 holster options.

The Prodigy barrel design and guiderod assembly are examples of the departure from Browning’s original intent. Gone is the traditional barrel bushing. The 1911 DS Prodigy Comp carries a bull barrel and full-­length, two-­piece guiderod. Field stripping is straightforward, but different than traditional 1911s that sometimes require a bushing wrench. Here, a 5⁄32 Allen wrench is used to disassemble the guiderod assembly. With the guiderod and spring out, the barrel can be removed. The 1911 DS Prodigy Comp pistols are available with either 41/4- or 5-­inch barrels. For those who don’t have time to perform a press check to inspect the chamber’s condition, the barrel does feature a notch cutout at the rear of the barrel hood to glance for brass. Underneath, Springfield Armory’s approach retains Browning’s swinging barrel link. The 1911 DS Prodigy Comp is chambered in 9mm so it also utilizes a ramped, forged stainless-steel barrel with a 1-in-16-inch twist rate. The muzzle is complete with an 11-­degree target crown.  

More Ammo

The primary feature that makes 1911 DS Prodigy series a standout in the market is the double-­stack (DS) design. The Comp version includes the polymer grip module to accommodate the double-­stack mags. Where legal, the 1911 DS Prodigy is delivered with 17- and 20-­round metal magazines made in the U.S. by DuraMag exclusively for Springfield Armory. For restricted locations, 10-round magazines are provided. Inside, the magazines feature Everflex springs and advanced geometry followers, which are advertised to be more reliable than other magazines of this type. Understanding that a double-­stack 1911 is only as good as its magazine, Springfield Armory’s partnering with DuraMag was a wise choice.

The 1911 DS Prodigy grip module is molded with the company’s Adaptive Grip Texturing (AGT), which first appeared on the Hellcat models. When viewed under magnification, AGT looks like the surface of a studded tire. The “adaptive” design locks tightly into the hand the harder it is squeezed, but it isn’t as aggressive as the blockier texture patterns of older XD pistols. AGT is more effective. AGT acceptance on the Hellcat prompted the company to add it across the line of Prodigy pistols. Except for a smooth section on the trigger undercut, and under the middle finger of the strong-hand grip, AGT wraps around the grip module.

Range Evaluation

If you’ve fired a 1911 before, you’ll have no trouble adapting to the 1911 DS Prodigy Comp’s controls. There’s an extended bilateral thumb safety and a reversible magazine release located just behind the triggerguard. There’s also a grip safety with extended beavertail and memory bump, classic design cues for 1911s made since the ’70s. The hammer and trigger are skeletonized, too, and the Videki-type trigger includes an adjustable trigger stop. More of a trend since the availability of dedicated pistol lights in the mid-2000s, there 1911 DS Prodigy offers a full-­length dust cover with a five-slot accessory rail.

The grip module is excellent, and the AGT texture provided a secure hold. This was appreciated while trying to play a fast-­paced tune on steel plates. Even the most ham handed among found a good grip. The subtle magazine well offered just enough feedback to perform rapid, blind magazine changes.

G&A’s test gun arrived with a Vortex Defender-­ST 3 MOA red dot installed on an AOS plate. However, if an optic ever fails, the back-up iron sights on the AOS plate and coverplate are excellent.

Reliability was excellent with this gun, as well. The trigger was, well, “meh.” The trigger measured at 5 pounds, 4 ounces, heavier than all of us expected. It may lighten after a longer break-­in period, but it didn’t for G&A’s staff after nearly 1,000 rounds of testing. The pistol appeared to have been shot prior to its arrival, so it should have worn in. Accuracy wasn’t significantly affected, though. The smallest five-­shot group at 25 yards measured 1.4 inches. Three of the loads tested managed at least one group under 2 inches.

Takeaways

To sum up the shooting experience in a single word, one Guns & Ammo staff member described the 1911 DS Prodigy as being “smooth.” Slide-­to-­frame fit on our sample was superb. In fact, the slide on the 1911 DS Prodigy Comp AOS cycled as if it was hand fit —but it’s not. The only secret is very good machining.

Aiding the experience was the integral compensator. It hampered muzzle rise, allowing shooters to stay on target. The 1911 DS Prodigy Comp is a very flat-shooting pistol, so it was easy to maintain sight picture during rapid-fire drills. The comp was most effective when shooting +P loads, due to the added pressure and velocity. Recoil felt similar to shooting standard-velocity rounds. In the give-­and-­take world of physics, there was increased muzzleblast, but, despite the loud bark, the 33-­ounce 1911 DS Prodigy Comp was one of the easiest guns to shoot accurately and quickly, which added to our enjoyment. You can’t help but to feel like a better shooter with this gun in your hands.

The real shocker isn’t that there is a double-­stack 1911 pistol available. We fondly remember the defunct Para Ordnance 1911s. However, this gun carries an MSRP of $1,599, which is substantially lower than most of its competitors. The Staccato P has an MSRP of $2,499. The 1911 DS Prodigy Comp AOS lacks a few of the Staccato P features, such as the clever tool-­less takedown guiderod. And there are other alternative double-­stack 1911s: Kimber KDS9c Rail ($1,903) and the Military Armament Corp. MAC 1911 Double Stack 9mm ($1,099); neither available with a 5-­inch barrel. Though other 1911s are less expensive than the 1911 DS Prodigy Comp, the polymer grip, optic interface, and sights inferior to Springfield Armory’s. The Kimber is more expensive and weighs a little less. In favor of the Springfield Armory 1911 DS Prodigy Comp is the integral compensator, which makes it shoot flatter, faster.

The 5-­inch version of the 1911 DS Prodigy Comp AOS weighed 33 ounces, unloaded. The 41/4-­inch-barrel version weighs 321/2 ounces. It is slightly more than the competiting alternatives. Others weigh around 30 ounces. All of these pistols weigh far less than a traditional steel-frame single-­stack Government Model, which typically averages around 39 ounces. Dimensionally, the 1911 DS Prodigy measured 81/2-inches long, 51/2-inches tall, and 1.45-inches wide across the controls.

Overall, the Springfield Armory 1911 DS Prodigy Comp AOS proved itself to be an excellent pistol. It offers the handling characteristics that shooters like about the single-­action 1911, but with modern amenities that allow it to aggressively compete with today’s trending, optic-ready, double-stack 1911s. 

SpringfieldArmory 1911 DS Prodigy Comp AOS

• Type: Recoil operated, single action, hammer fired, semiautomatic
• Cartridge: 9mm
• Capacity: 17 rds. or 20 rds. (10-rd. magazines optional)
• Barrel: 5 in., ported, 1:10-in. twist
• Length: 8.5 in.
• Width: 1.5 in.
• Height: 5.5 in.
• Weight: 2 lbs., 1 oz. (tested)
• Finish: Cerakote, black (steel)
• Sights: Post, tritium (front), U-­notch, serrated (rear); AOS optic ready
• Trigger: 5 lbs., 4 oz. (tested) 
• MSRP: $1,599
• Manufactuerer: Springfield Armory, 800-680-­6866, springfield-­armory.com

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