Springfield Armory's TRP Modern 1911 Fighting Pistol: Tested

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Springfield Armory says the Tactical Response Pistol (TRP) Model 1911s are perhaps the most “well-known” and “celebrated” family of the company’s many 1911s because they are inspired by the Professional 1911 that was used by the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team. For 2024 the TRP line has been updated with new features and new finishes, and these pistols are now offered in full-size and Commander-size versions. In fact, at present, there are six offerings.

The New TRP Classic

Shooting Times received a sample of the new TRP Classic, and it is a very clean-looking pistol. It weighs 41.3 ounces unloaded (according to my digital scale) and is 8.63 inches long, 5.67 inches tall from the bottom of the magazine to the top of the rear sight, and 1.42 inches thick at the ambidextrous thumb safety. The slide is 0.91 inch thick, and the magazine well at the bottom of the grip is 1.27 inches thick. The pistol has a 5.0-inch barrel (outside diameter of 0.579 inch at the muzzle), and it employs a typical barrel bushing and a full-length recoil spring guide rod. The TRP Classic’s forged, National Match steel slide has 11 forward-angled cocking serrations at the rear and nine up front. The skeletonized hammer, grip and thumb safeties, slide stop, flat mainspring housing, and magazine c

The rear sight is Springfield’s Tactical Rack sight that has two tritium dots, horizontal striations, and a square notch. The notch is 0.123 inch wide, and the outside corners of the rear sight are beveled. The front sight is 0.120 inch thick and 0.177 inch tall, and it has a single tritium dot. The rear surface of the front sight is forward-angled for a snag-free draw and striated to help reduce glare. The match-grade, stainless-steel barrel’s chamber is throated and polished. A notch at the rear of the barrel hood serves as a visual loaded chamber indicator. All of the new TRP pistols wear Cerakote finishes on their slides and frames. The Classic model is black Cerakote, but Springfield has two versions with a Coyote Brown Cerakote finish. One is a Commander-sized pistol with a 4.25-inch-long barrel, an integral frame rail, and a bobbed grip frame that is called the TRP CC. (CC stands for Carry Contour.) The other Coyote Brown TRP is a full-size model with an integral frame rail.

As long as we’re talking about all the TRP models, I should mention that the TRP CC also is offered in black Cerakote, and so is the 5.0-inch-barreled TRP with integral frame rail. And just to be thorough, the TRP Classic is also offered in a Commander size with a 4.25-inch barrel. The full-size black Cerakote TRP Classic that I’m reporting on here comes with VZ Hydra textured G10 grip panels, and they are held in place by hex-head screws. I’d describe them as being sort of a greenish-gray color, and I’d point out that the left-side grip panel has a sculpted area for the shooter’s thumb. I must say the texturing on our review pistol is very aggressive, allowing for a super secure grip. I wouldn’t say the texturing is too sharp, but it is much more aggressive than many other G10 grips I’ve handled. The TRP Classic grip frame’s frontstrap and the flat mainspring housing are checkered 20 lines per inch, and the bottom of the grip frame has a flared magazine well that’s bolted to the mainspring housing.

The Gen 2 skeletonized trigger is lightweight aluminum with a grooved surface. The fingerpiece is 0.181 inch wide. The trigger pull of the Shooting Times pistol averaged 4 pounds, 11 ounces over 10 measurements with an RCBS trigger pull scale, with just four ounces of variation. There is a slight amount of take-up, which is expected with any Model 1911, but there is no detectable overtravel, and the trigger breaks crisply and consistently. The pistol’s high-sweep beavertail-style grip safety has a smooth memory bump that helps ensure a positive grip for proper function every time it’s gripped. The beavertail prevents hammerbite. All parts of the TRP Classic are precision fitted, and the fit and finish of our test gun are nicely done. There’s absolutely no detectable wiggle between the slide and the frame, there’s no slop between the barrel hood and the slide, and the barrel doesn’t move at all when pressed on while in battery. Our sample came with three magazines made by Mec-Gar. The magazines have flat followers and removable polymer baseplates. They hold eight rounds of .45 ACP ammunition each.

Flawless Functioning & Excellent Accuracy

I can’t say it enough, shooting a well-built full-size .45 ACP Model 1911 is one of my most pleasurable shooting chores. To me, it really isn’t even a chore! I spent a thoroughly enjoyable winter day shooting the new TRP Classic at my personal shooting range, and it went like clockwork. As per my usual shooting protocol, I fired the pistol for accuracy from a sandbag benchrest at a distance of 25 yards with seven different factory loads. Bullet weights ranged from 185 grains through 200 grains to 230 grains. Bullet styles included FTXs, SJFNs, SWCs, JHPs, and FMJs. All loads functioned perfectly, ejecting well clear of the firing line. I didn’t have even one failure to feed, extract, or eject, and the accuracy was excellent. As you can see from the accompanying chart, the 5.0-inch-barreled TRP Classic averaged between 2.00 and 3.25 inches. Those averages are based on three, five-shot groups with each load. Overall average accuracy was 2.66 inches. My best accuracy came with the Federal Gold Medal 230-grain FMJ ammunition. It averaged 2.00 inches. Its velocity averaged 845 fps (measured 12 feet from the gun’s muzzle with a Competition Electronics Pro Digital Chronograph), with an extreme spread of 34 fps and a standard deviation of 14 fps.

The load producing the highest velocity was the Hornady Critical Defense 185-grain FTX, which averaged 991 fps for five rounds measured 12 feet from the muzzle. The load with the lowest extreme spread (17 fps) was the Black Hills 200-grain lead SWC, and that load also had the lowest standard deviation (9 fps). The second most accurate load was the Black Hills 200-grain lead SWC ammo, and it averaged 2.25 inches for its three, five-shot groups. This ammo produced an average velocity of 862 fps. The third most accurate load was the Winchester 230-grain FMJ loading. It averaged 2.50 inches and produced an average velocity of 747 fps with an extreme spread of 30 fps and a standard deviation of 11 fps. After shooting from the bench for accuracy and velocity, I spent a considerable amount of time putting the TRP Classic through my usual modified El Presidente action-shooting drill (at seven yards); the FBI drill (at five yards); and a close-up one-handed, rapid-fire drill (at three yards). Also, taking a cue from Shooting Times writer Layne Simpson, I fired the pistol right side up, left side up, and upside down. During all that shooting, the TRP Classic functioned flawlessly.

I’ll mention here that I used a DeSantis Wild Hog Hybrid holster (MSRP: $53.99) with the TRP Classic, and it is shown in some of the photos. I really like this holster because it evolved from the original 1970s DeSantis Hunter holster. The current Wild Hog Hybrid is made of 1060D Senior Ballistic Nylon with a smooth pack-cloth lining and a core of closed-cell foam. The upper portion is premium saddle leather. This holster is ambidextrous without any adjustments for hand preference, and it’s offered for most 4.0-inch-barreled and 6.0-inch-barreled hunting revolvers, as well as standard 5.0-inch-barreled Model 1911s with or without frame rails. The TRP Classic fits well and is securely held by the retaining strap, yet the pistol draws easily. The holster’s belt slots fit my 1.75-inch-wide belt perfectly, and the rig rides my hip comfortably. I’ve said it before, but it remains true, the Model 1911 might be America’s favorite pistol because you can do so much with it. It’s great for duty and defense, competition shooting, hunting, and plain old fun shooting. And while I prefer carrying mine in outside-the-waistband holsters and across-the-chest rigs, a lot of people legally carry full-size 1911s concealed in inside-the-waistband (IWB) holsters for personal protection. Inspired by the Professional 1911, Springfield Armory’s hand-fitted TRP Classic is perfect for all those tasks, and if you prefer the shorter Commander-size 1911, well, the TRP is available in that size with a more concealable bobbed grip frame, too.

Springfield Armory TRP Classic Specs

• Type: Recoil-operated, autoloader
• Caliber: .45 ACP
• Capacity: 8 rds. 
• Barrel: 5 in. 
• Overall Length: 8.63 in. 
• Width: 1.42 in. 
• Height: 5.67 in. 
• Weight: 41.3 oz. 
• Grips: VZ Hydra G10
• Finish: Black Cerakote
• Sights: Tactical Rack rear with two tritium dots, tritium-dot front
• Trigger: 4.7 lbs. (tested)
• Safety: Ambi extended thumb safety; beavertail grip safety
• MSRP: $1,999
• Manufacturer: Springfield Armory

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