The two-tone 9mm Ronin Operator 4.25 looks good and shoots great. Overall average accuracy at 25 yards with five factory loads was 2.38 inches for five, five-shot groups with each load. (Shooting Times photo)
April 06, 2021
By Sam Wolfenberger
With an MSRP of $849, the Ronin Operator 4.25 from Springfield Armory is a very good buy. It’s accurate, comfortable to shoot, and pretty darn good-looking.
Unlike other Operator 1911s in Springfield’s lineup, the Ronin Operator does not have an accessory rail on the frame. What it does have is a whole bunch of other top-drawer features. Let’s get into the details.
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The version I used for this report is the Ronin Operator 4.25 chambered for 9mm Luger. Springfield also offers full-size Ronin Operators, and all versions are available in either 9mm or .45 ACP. The key features of the Commander-size Ronin Operator 4.25 are the 4.25-inch barrel, short slide, and lightweight forged alloy frame. The frame is finished in satin aluminum Cerakote, and the frontstrap is smooth.
The pistol wears checkered wood laminate grips. The manual thumb safety is an extended type, but it is not ambidextrous. The beavertail grip safety has a memory bump. The magazine release and the slide stop are grooved, and the flat mainspring housing is checkered.
The rear sight is a ledge type that allows one-handed racking of the slide by pushing the sight against a belt, a tabletop, or some other sturdy surface. It has two white dots in the horizontally striated face, and the whole rear sight is dovetailed to the slide and secured with a screw.
Ronin Operator 4.25 Specs TYPE: Recoil-operated autoloaderCALIBER: 9mm LugerMAGAZINE CAPACITY: 9 roundsBARREL: 4.25 in.OVERALL LENGTH: 7.9 in.WIDTH: 1.27 in.HEIGHT: 5.5 in.WEIGHT, EMPTY: 31 oz.GRIPS: Checkered wood laminateFINISH: Satin aluminum Cerakote frame, blued carbon-steel slideSIGHTS: White-dot rear, fiber-optic frontTRIGGER: 5.0-lb. pull (as tested)SAFETY: Extended thumb safety, beavertail grip safetyMSRP: $849MANUFACTURER: Springfield Armory; springfield-armory.com