SPRINGFIELD 1911 RONIN

SPRINGFIELD 1911 RONIN.

• CALIBER

  9mm
• COLOR

  Stainless/Black
• BARREL

  5″ Forged Stainless Steel, Match Grade, Fully Supported Ramp, 1:16
• SLIDE

  Forged Carbon Steel, Blued
• FRAME

  Forged Stainless Steel
• SIGHTS

  Fiber Optic Front, Tactical Rack White Dot Rear
• RECOIL SYSTEM

  GI Style
• GRIPS

  Crossed Cannon Wood Laminate
• MAGAZINES

  (1) 9-Round
• WEIGHT

  41 oz
• LENGTH

  8.6″
• HEIGHT

  5.5″

  Like anything in life, the firearms industry experiences cycles. Some trends are good, some bad, while some are forgettable. We’re currently seeing a boom for retro, or “throwback guns,” if you prefer.

  Some retro firearms harken back to times when America was fighting Communists, while others pull at our heart strings to produce fond memories.

  

  With what you’ll see in the new Ronin Operator, I think Springfield Armory has done retro right. So sit back for a bit and let me tell you about it.

  I’ll argue that the late 1980s saw the apex of custom Model 1911 culture. Attributes taken for granted now, such as the ability to shoot hollowpoint ammunition through a new-­in-­box .45 (or even 9mm, .38 Super and 10mm for that matter) was rare.

  So were decent sights. Any M1911 meant for competition use or duty seemed to need customization by a gunsmith.

  And these guys weren’t just swapping parts out, some were artists. Armand Swenson, Jim Hoag, the ‘smiths at Pachmayr and Kings, for example.

  

  They all crafted functional, deadly pieces of art, and while modern manufacturing has eliminated the demand for much of their work, guns from that era certainy had a special look and a feeling. What many would call a “vibe.” Features included hard-­chromed frames and deep blue slides, squared triggerguards, custom sights, and flared beavertails.