I know there are some fans of the Pro on the forum. I figured I’d discuss one of my latest 1911 purchases. This gun was built in 2011 and is in outstanding condition with not a whole lot of rounds through it.

As many here likely know, the Pro was the gun that won the FBI HRT’s contact many years ago against some very stiff competition. The contract is now over and the Professional’s production (along with Springfield Custom’s other models) ended within a short time afterwards. This particular example was built during the “contract years” and would be considered more desirable than a Pro built after they stopped supplying the FBI with their pistols. This example does have the National Match barrel, which indicates it was built after the FBI told Springfield that they wanted a more durable barrel than the original Nowlin. That being said, the Professionals that have the original Nowlin are more sought after by collectors, since it was the original spec.

Obviously this one is built on the Operator frame, which gives it a little more weight up front. I prefer 1911’s without the rail, but I do appreciate the extra weight keeping the muzzle down.

The Professional is a very tightly built 1911 and can be very difficult to rack until at least a couple hundred rounds are fired through it. This one had that from its previous owner, so it’s not too bad now. Finish on the Pro is always the Birdsong Black T.

I had a chance to get a few rounds through it last week and it performs very well. I don’t shoot a ton of 45 these days due to some tendinitis in my right hand/wrist, but I make exceptions for high end 1911’s like this.

Here are some pics. Please enjoy.
















Here it is on the left with my older Nowlin barrel Pro and TGO1. SA Custom really built some incredible pistols over the years.

I've always like the Professional. Simple aesthetically, the gun gets it's reputation from its build quality and real-world service use. It's not a gun for posers...if you don't know what you're looking at you'd never know it was anything special.

My income doesn't allow me to dabble in the high-end stuff, but if I was going to splurge on a 1911 it would probably be one of these (I'm partial to the black one without the rail). As it is, I enjoy my stainless Loaded.

quote:

Originally posted by 92fstech:
I've always like the Professional. Simple aesthetically, the gun gets it's reputation from its build quality and real-world service use. It's not a gun for posers...if you don't know what you're looking at you'd never know it was anything special.

My income doesn't allow me to dabble in the high-end stuff, but if I was going to splurge on a 1911 it would probably be one of these (I'm partial to the black one without the rail). As it is, I enjoy my stainless Loaded.

I’m a fan of all Springfield 1911’s.

Nothing wrong with a Loaded. I had a TRP and a basic Springfield GI years ago. They shot great.

Nowlin Pro Operator checking in.. They truly are works of art. I wish the Custom Shop would open back up. I'd love to send an EMP to 'em to get the Pro package.

Springfield brought me in with the Prodigy (good steel match gun), but they set the hook with the Ronin in 10mm. Great value for the money.

Wow nice pistol. Congrats on the addition to the collection.

A friend back in CA had one I wa sable to shoot. You won’t be unhappy with it.

My Garrison has been great so far!

quote:

Originally posted by m499:
Nowlin Pro Operator checking in.. They truly are works of art. I wish the Custom Shop would open back up. I'd love to send an EMP to 'em to get the Pro package.

That would certainly be a nice carry gun.

Nice pistol. I never realized the price on these until I researched it.

I've got one of those. I believe mine is a CRG33XX serial number and is still a Nowlin barreled gun. I think I got it in 2008 or so and I carried it as a cop through late 2011 when I changed jobs.

I never really liked the factory grips and preferred eight round magazines, so my Pro's Metalforms have never even been loaded. I think one of the most interesting things about them are the generic MTM cases they come in.

My fondest memory of that gun was the day I got it, putting a little oil on the frame rails and having most of it get pushed out the back because the frame to slide fit was so tight.

I still remember the Professional we had in the shop a few years back; was supposed to take 3 1/2 to 4 years to arrive after ordering and we had only been waiting about 9 months or so, but it surprisingly arrived far ahead of schedule...somewhat suspiciously shortly after the infamous anti-Illinois mom and pop gunshop/resident gun-buying limits debacle that I still haven't and likely never will cut Springfield any slack over their egregious involvement in. However at least on the outside there wasn't any indication that it had been rushed in assembly. I'd like to believe that we got ours well ahead of schedule due to wholesale cancellations that others had done to punish SA, but that's probably just wishful thinking on my part.

The gun was truly a real beauty for sure. Our SA rep was thoroughly surprised and shocked when he visited our shop and saw it in our 1911 case. He didn't know I had ordered it direct with someone at the home office, unintentionally leaving him out of the loop. But to his credit, he knew of a guy who was looking locally for the Professional and he got him in contact with us.

Very nice acquisition - congrats!

...another BEAUTIFUL pistol with wonderful pedigree...

thanks for sharing this with us

Bill

I live 16 miles from S.A.,

Two of the workers there told me that they have both the T.R.P and the Pro.

They said 75% of the customers won't know the difference between the two on the shooting range.


As most don't shoot enough

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
I live 16 miles from S.A.,

Two of the workers there told me that they have both the T.R.P and the Pro.

They said 75% of the customers won't know the difference between the two on the shooting range.


As most don't shoot enough

At the range, the TRP is basically the same performance. You would need a ransom rest or at least a bench rest to tell the difference. Offhand shooting would be similar.

Outside the range, you can definitely tell a difference in the fitting and attention to detail. The Pro has a nicer finish also.

The TRP is a nice pistol though.

The Springfield Professional 1911 is my favorite handgun.

Years ago, American Handgunner magazine did an article about the FBI's selection process for the SA Pro, and that article made quite an impact on me.

In the mid-2000s, an old FBI buddy of mine let me shoot his Pro one day when he came to our range to train. He told me to shoot his duty Golden Sabers because regular ball wouldn't cycle the gun reliably because the slide to frame was so tight. Shooting that pistol was amazing. He retired with that Pro in 2020.

Unfortunately, the closest I'll ever get to owning a Pro is my standard TRP.

I end up shooting more rounds through my Pro than any other pistol, when I go to the range. It has never once malfunctioned. Very accurate as well.

Here is a nice review:

https://www.swatmag.com/articl...-professional-model/

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