Springifeld Range Officer Operator in .45 ACP

[mreed911]

TL;DR: I picked up the Springfield Range Officer Operator as a new duty pistol.  I'm very pleased and in a pinch it'd qualify as a competition pistol if I needed it.

So after 7 years I'm going back to law enforcement as a reserve officer - I just can't let my license expire after all the work I put in to get it (I'm a paramedic now and enjoy that a whole lot more).  I've found a place that's a good fit, especially for a reserve, and they allow Glock and 1911-style pistols.  I carried a Glock 21 before but over the last year I've been shooting Single Stack competitively and I'm likely to continue that in the future, so I'd rather stay with one platform for muscle memory purposes.  1911 it is!

I currently shoot a Para Ordnance in .45 major and a Springfield Range Officer in 9mm minor.  For duty carry, I wanted a brand known to be reliable, I wanted a left-side-only safety (I knock ambi's off on the outside), I wanted "carry" sights (to not catch on things) with a fiber front and I wanted a rail for a light.  Springfield's 2016 SROO met the requirements at about $800 delivered.

First off, the front fiber sight on the SROO is shorter than the SRO.  I can't tell a difference when looking down the sights, however:

The front sight serrations are nice, too:

As for competition weight?

Granted this is without mag and with no magwell, but it's still under the 43oz limit if need be.

My only addition was some skateboard tape on the front strap since it doesn't come checkered (my only complaint).  I'll be adding a light (likely a TLR-1) then heading to the range to get it dialed in before I have to qualify.

[thormx538]

Nice looking gun. My Springfield Mil-Spec brought me back around to 1911s after years of disliking them. I bought it used with a new trigger and beavertail safety, and have only added VZ grips, and some skateboard tape like you did. Feeds everything I feed it, including SWCs.

[mreed911]

Even though it's not competition legal with the light, I'm ready to get the TLR-1 mounted on it (tomorrow) and taking it to the range to see how much the forward weight of the rail and light affect recoil.  Not to mention that I need to drive the wife crazy as I constantly learn the holstering/unholstering motion of a new retention holster, pistol and light combo.

[terrydoc]

Front sight height will be different due to the different rear sights Operator has fixed and the RO has adjustable. 

[mreed911]

Height, yes.  I guess that accounts for the length difference.