I’ve had my eye on the Operator for a few years but my rifle builds have always taken precedence in the past. With the new year upon us my first resolution will be to finally own a 1911.
The Springfield MC Operator is my first choice but I feel like the TRP is a full step up for only a little bit more dough. I’m indifferent about the rail on the Operator but I prefer its aesthetics and GI style guide rod for easier take down. The Colt XSE Combat Elite has crept into the picture recently but my focus is still on the two Springers.
I don’t intend to carry it and I don’t plan on making any mods. I expect $1000+ pistols to run out of the box. Any suggestions? Experiences?
I have an operator. it only has 200 rounds through it but I really like it. I wanted a railed 1911 without a FLGR and it’s very near my dream 1911. it’s a bit on the heavy side but I don’t mind.
if I didn’t care about the rail I’d probably lean towards the TRP although my next one will probably be the loaded.
The TRP is a significant step up from the Loaded-level MC Operator in fit as it relates to function (accuracy, reliability). Trouble is the light rail version comes with a bull barrel, FLGR, and adjustable sights. To unfuck all of that would put you around the price of the Professional that DocGKR mentioned which comes out of their Custom Shop and represents yet another significant step up. If you have no plans put a light on it, then the non-railed TRP would make an pretty darned good entry into the 1911 world.
That being said, if 10-8 offers another SA semi-custom build, I would jump on it.
Since you don’t intend to carry it . . . then absolutely the first SA gun I’d look hard at is the new Range Officer. It is marketed as built to TRP specs minus certain $$$ items like the ambi safety, magwell, Novak tritiums, FLGR, forward serrations. Some of those pricey features I don’t use and some I detest (Novak sloped rear sights).
Roughly half the price of a TRP. Adjustable sights are IMO a big plus for a range gun. Priced at $750 at my fav store.
Of the two choices you gave, I would go with the MC Operator. Once you have the gun, shoot the snot out of it to check reliability and then once you have it broke in decide if you want anything done to it.
If it were my gun I’d then send it to the SA custom shop and have 25 lpi put on the frontstrap, a 10-8 flat trigger, 3.5 llb tigger adjustment, reliability package, S&A magwell, and armory cote the whole thing black. Add some nice cocobolo grips and…
The Range Officer is an interesting alternative but I find it hard to believe its on par with a TRP in quality. I’ll have to find one to fondle. Not a fan of adjustable rear sights but I suppose that would be an easy fix.
I would LOVE to get a Professional but its far above my price range.
My team has about 15 MC Operators and I have seen about 75K-100K rounds put through them over the last 4 years. For the most part they have been very reliable out of the box. We replace recoil and firing pin springs every 3K rounds and extractors are checked twice a year.
I would lean towards the MC Operator, especially if you want a rail. The TRP adds the mag well and the checkering but they can be added to the MC Operator if you want. As noted by others the Railed TRP brings in the adjustable sight, the FLGR and the Bull barrel. One of my team members recently got one of these with the Harris fixed sight mentioned above. This is your only option as the slide is still cut for the adjustable. I was not really impressed with the TRP Operator.
If you are running the gun hard you will want to follow DocGKR’s advice and spring for the Pro with the light rail.
The MC Operators and the one TRP have all gone back to Springfield to get their ejectors pinned. They come press fit but on a hard shooting schedule will work loose with in about 3K-5000 rounds. Not sure if this would become an issue but we have never waited to find out. At the first sign of play they go back to the factory for a pin. The Pro models come with the ejector pinned.
The other issue we have had is the lack of a bevel on the guide rods (both full and regular lengths). If you shoot a lot the back top edge of the guide rod will begin to beat up the front of the barrel lugs. I could post pics if you want them but do not have them available right now. The 3 Pros I have dealt with all had the back top edge beveled for clearance, none of the MC Operator’s or the TRPs have had that bevel.
All in all we have been thrilled with the performance of the MC Operators. I have over 27,000 through mine and it still runs great.
The other thing you will need to do is keep it well lubed with a quality product. We rely on SLiP 2000 EWL. We run this almost exclusively on both the 1911’s and our ARs.
I have both. You said you did not care about the rail, so I would get the TRP. Better Trigger, Magwell (if you like that) , checkering on grip. I really like the checkering on the grip, some feel its too aggressive.
I have seen them on GunBroker for almost same price as MC Op.
Both the TRP and MC Operator utilize MIM parts. Consider changing those out with an ignition set from Harrison Custom, Vickers, Nowlin, CYlinder & Slide, etc.
I vote for the MC Operator and I got mine back two weeks before Xmas from the Custom Shop with a list of work and a big pile of parts I sent in with it. I had the lower gutted and used Ed Brown, SS hammer,sear,disconector & SS beavertail,SS wide ambi-safety,SS Chainlink mainspring housing w/ loop. Nowlin SS extended mag catch, Nighthawk slidestop. 10-8, SS grip screws, long curved trigger. I had them drill the firing pin hole out to do a FBI firing pin job/ to fit a G.I size .45acp pin.They did the trigger job and a 4.0-4.1/4 pull. And less than 300rds through her. They redid the Armory green and did the black in satin/flat. I havn’t had time to shoot her or good temp.and my foot in a new cast. I had the weak side safety trimmed to.200 and not sure about the strong side. I will have to measure it with my Cal.
