Springfield Armory 1911 Emissary .45 ACP, 5″

Description
DESCRIPTION OF Springfield Armory 1911 Emissary

Springfield Armory 1911 Emissary- The Emissary is a serious defensive pistol loaded with features inspired by custom 1911’s. The “Tri-Top” cut to the slide and light diffusing 40 LPI flat top serrations give the pistol custom-grade styling, while a heavy-profile bull barrel delivers maximum accuracy and reduced muzzle flip. With a forged slide and stainless steel frame the Emissary blends form and function seamlessly in a defensive-minded firearm loaded with custom-grade features.

Caliber: .45 ACP
Barrel: 5″
Twist: 1:16″
Front Sight: Tritium Luminescent
Rear Sight: Tactical Rack U-Notch
Magazines: 2
Capacity: 8
Weight: 40 oz

Review: Springfield Armory Releases Emissary .45 ACP 1911 Pistol
Springfield Armory is proud to announce the newest addition to its award-winning family of 1911’s—the Emissary. Bridging the gap between duty and custom handguns, the Emissary delivers a bold and capable 1911 pistol with defense-minded features intended for serious use.

The new Emissary blends form and function seamlessly in a firearm built for defense and loaded with custom-grade features. It’s constructed with a forged stainless steel frame and forged carbon steel slide, with a beautiful two-tone finish. The blued carbon steel slide pairs with a stainless steel frame featuring a distinctive squared trigger guard with additional room for ease of operation with a gloved hand. Springfield Armory 1911 Emissary

The slide’s “Tri-Top” cut gives the Emissary custom styling, while a flattened top strap is finished with 40 LPI serrations to diffuse light and reduce glare. On top, the tritium and luminescent front sight on the Emissary pairs with a Tactical Rack U-Dot™ rear sight for easy target acquisition in all lighting conditions.

Inside the slide, a bushingless heavy stainless steel bull barrel delivers maximum accuracy while reducing felt recoil and muzzle flip. In addition, the Emissary’s skeletonized hammer delivers ultra-fast lock times and combines with a solid-body, flat-faced trigger for top-end performance.

The forged stainless frame’s front strap and mainspring housing are wrapped in a grenade-pattern texture for firm engagement in adverse conditions, which are matched with slim line grip panels by VZ Grips machined from G10. At the front, a Picatinny accessory rail is integrated into the steel of the frame and is ready to accept a light, laser or combo of your choice. Springfield Armory 1911 Emissary

“This newest addition to the 1911 family of pistols provides an excellent option for a defensive handgun with an additional measure of refinement,” says Steve Kramer, Vice President of Marketing for Springfield Armory. “The modern features on this classic pistol platform make this a must-have for 1911 lovers and anyone who wants a top-of-the-line defensive pistol.”

The Emissary is truly a refined 1911 built for self-defense that blends the best elements of a tactical handgun and a custom pistol to create a gorgeous and capable firearm that stands ready to deliver.

First Look: Springfield Armory Emissary 1911 Pistols
Springfield Armory has been a cornerstone of the production 1911 industry for a long time, and its designs have always been well thought out and practical; the new Emissary is all that, plus a lot of sex appeal. Springfield Armory 1911 Emissary

Springfield Armory describes the new Emissary 1911 pistol as a blend of defensive and custom, and one look tells you there’s a lot of that going on here. For starters, the slide is a tri-top instead of rounded, giving it a racy appearance. This aesthetic is enhanced lightening cuts in the top of the slide, but unlike some such cuts, these don’t actually go all the way through the slide. They almost look like flat-cut slide serrations, but they’re on the angled flats of the tri-top and not the sides.

The top of the slide is flat and serrated for glare reduction, a practical and good-looking touch. For the Emissary Springfield went the Tactical Rack U-Dot sights. Tactical Rack allows you to use the rear sight to rack the slide on a flat surface or sturdy belt in an emergency, and the U notch in the rear has a white outline. The tritium/luminescent front is definitely a top choice for defensive use in every light condition. Springfield Armory 1911 Emissary

Inside the slide is a bull barrel with a concave crown and fits flush with the slide. Did I just say “flush fit”? Yep. This is one of Springfield’s few production guns that doesn’t employ the traditional bushing setup. And it’s got a one-piece full-length guide rod to boot.

The slide is forged carbon steel and the stainless-steel frame is forged as well. It gives the gun a two-tone look like the Springfield Ronin Operator has. But whereas the Ronin’s frame was smooth on the frontstrap, with the Emissary you get “grenade pattern” serrations on the frontstrap and the mainspring housing—adding to the pistol’s bold appearance. The VZ Thin-Line G10 grips continue the grenade theme, thanks to a variant of VZ’s “Frag” pattern on the stocks.

The gun also features an accessory rail for lights and lasers, a squared-off trigger guard and a skeletonized hammer. The trigger is a solid body with a flat face. Currently available only in .45 ACP, it comes with two eight-round magazines. Springfield Armory 1911 Emissary

Handguns will have a full review of this gun in an upcoming issue, but I had the chance to run several magazines through one today, and the Emissary shoots every bit as good as it looks. The serration pattern on the frame and mainspring, combined with the VZ grips, keeps the gun anchored in your hand. At a suggested retail just under $1,300, the Emissary is a ton of gun for the money—one that will be turning heads at the range and ready to tackle any defensive job you could ask of a handgun.