Springfield PI9134LP 9mm

[geetarman]

I would be interested in any feedback the members would have on the ongoing problem in obtaining this firearm. It is a Springfield loaded 1911-A1 9mm pistol.

If you look on the Springfield web site, you will find the gun listed but you cannot just order it.

Three YEARS ago at Rio Salado, I saw one for the first time and talked to the guy who owned it and he told me it had been owned by a dealer who had done some work on it and I got a chance to try it out. I liked it and set about trying to find one. They were not to be had. Bud's didn't have them, Able Ammo did not have them and you could not find them readily available on-line.

I went to my local gun store and asked them to order one ( we can get anything quickly ). . .it has been THREE YEARS and they still cannot get one. In the interim I bought a Smith and Wesson Pro Series that is a real good shooter. Still had that hankering for the Springer.

I called Springfield and they told me, the line that those guns run on does double duty for other lines as well and when it does run, the production is allocated to some big distributors and they are allocated in the order they are received by Springfield.

I then try to take advantage of Bud's guns offer to prepay and order the gun. So I did. . .then the wait began. FOR A YEAR!!! I then check with Able ammo and they also have a way to prepay for the gun and an option to be notified when the gun is in stock.

So... sometime in 2013, I get a notice from Able that the gun has been placed in stock and is available to order. As soon as the notice comes in, I call to order and sure enough they are sold out. I get back on the list and a couple of days later, they receive another shipment and I try again to place an order and once again they are sold out.

I call Buds and ask them why it is that Able Ammo has received two shipments of this model and I have prepaid for over a YEAR with Buds and have not heard a thing. Buds tells me they will check into it. A couple of days later, I get a notice from Able that they have received a shipment and this time I am able to latch onto one and arrange to have it shipped to my LGS.

I call Buds and ask them why Able Ammo is able to get three shipments of this firearm and Buds has yet to come up with one although it has been bought and paid for for over a year. A day or so later, I get an email from Buds that the gun has been received and is being shipped to my LGS. I am not complaining though as now I have two of them.

The guns come in and I pick them up and sell one to my son. The guns run fine and I really like them.

Just for giggles, I check from time to time with Able Ammo and Buds and sure enough, neither one has the gun in stock and they do not know when they will get another shipment.

Now I see a thread on TFL where someone is asking about the gun and here again I am looking on-line and can find an occasional used gun but they are certainly not easy to locate.

My question is whether anyone has insight as to why Springfield seems to have such a problem producing this gun and why they would only run the production line for this pistol so sporadically? It seems they can sell every one they can produce and why they would not want to gear up and get with the program just amazes me. It is almost like they are not interested in producing enough of the firearms to fill existing orders.

The last time I actually spoke with anyone at Springfield was at least a year and a half ago and what they told me at the time was that they were installing a new line with new equipment to satisfy the demand for the gun. So far that seems to be an epic fail.

I know I waited for almost two years to get my hands on a Dan Wesson PM9 and when a shipment of ten finally showed up at the CZ Custom shop, I beat feet down there within minutes of getting a phone call and they had already sold four of the ten on the shipment.

Perhaps this is just a useless rant but I truly do not understand the mindset of a company that could, if they wanted, sell every loaded 1911 they could produce. If you check the web sites today, you will be hard pressed to find a dealer that has the gun in stock and some will not even accept a back order.

How does this train get back on the track?

[RickB]

I don't know why it would be harder to get than, say, the fixed-sight loaded model, since the only difference should be the rear sight.
My IDPA club has ordered dozens of Springfields over the years, to put on prize tables, and sometimes we have been told that certain cataloged models were not available.
Other times, we were told that a certain model was not available in April, but it should be available in July, that sort of thing.
The gun that used to be almost unobtainable was the long-slide model; I don't think we were ever able to get one of those.
I did get a Springfield PI9134LP, circa 2011, and it was no harder to obtain than other models, at that time.

[geetarman]

Rick,
I was really surprised at the hassle I went through to get one and then have one from 2 different dealers hit at the same time.

I just looked at the redesigned Springfield web page and they no longer list the loaded model in 9mm. They only show a .45.

Mine has really run good and the only thing I have done to it was use a little copper anti seize compound on the rails and exercise the gun until the runoff was black. I probably did close to a thousand repetitions, but the gun will hang right with the Dan Wesson PM9 and that IS a good thing. The first Dan Wesson PM9 that I shot actually felt like the slide was on ball bearings. The Springer is not quite that good but the more I shoot it, the better it is getting.

[geetarman]

Hi Hilton,
That model has been discontinued as of 2015.
Thanks and have a great day!

Kyle
Springfield Armory
Customer Service
1-800-680-6866 Ext 8919

Well. . . .I finally contacted Springfield Armory. . .again to ask about the availability of the Springfield M1911-A1 PI9134LP pistol and why it has been a problem to order one.

The word from Springfield is short and to the point.

The pistol was discontinued at the beginning of 2015.

I am glad I have mine. They are good shooters.

[chadio]

Sad news - that is the Springfield that I wanted most.... :(

[WC145]

There's a brand new one on gunbroker with a 'buy now' price of $880, hurry up and go get it!
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=511466261

[Jim Watson]

I had one of those for about a week.
Also a SA911SLTT lightweight Loaded .45.

Then I swapped the uppers to produce a lightweight 9mm that I shoot in IDPA ESP. (And a stainless .45 which I traded off.)

Gunsmithing was involved, it was not a simple parts swap.

[geetarman]

WC,

I have two. I don't need another. The question for me was and actually still is, why discontinue something that sells so well.

Those things would sell out in a day or so when they landed at Bud's Guns or Able Ammo. I don't understand why you would discontinue such a good seller. I have had one on back order for over 4 years at a LGS. . . .they just can't get them. . . .

[WC145]

I know, I posted that link for chadio.:)

[geetarman]

Sad news - that is the Springfield that I wanted most....

They can still be found. I ended up with two when Able Ammo and Bud's had them at the same time. I sold one to my son. The slide to frame fit is tight on both guns. I spent some time just putting anti seize on the frame rails and working the slide back and forth to get rid of the high spots.

Both guns are really great shooters. I hope you can follow through. I don't think you will be disappointed.:)

[g.willikers]

As much as I, too, am a fan of Springfield, there are other manufacturers.
Surely some of them would have something suitable.

[JDBerg]

I traded a Springfield Loaded 9mm and a Sig P220 last year for a new STI Trojan 9mm.

I'd heard that the Springfield Stainless Loaded 9mm was cancelled due to the popularity of the Springfield Range Officer 9mm, which I liked better than the stainless version anyway.