Springfield Range Officer SS Target 45

Bayou · July 28, 2020, 01:57 PM

The order was placed with Springfield on Feb. 3 and the order was filled and received on July 20 of this year. So, it has been a very challenging year in this regard. But I have absolutely no complaints. My name was drawn in a state police raffle, and the prize was one-half the cost of this pistol!

But the Springer's here now, and I had it at the range on Sunday. Initial impressions were that the pistol cycled well and shot nice groups. It was storming on Sunday, so I didn't bring home any wet paper targets. I was shooting 15 yards, free standing with 2 hand hold.

Started shooting with Federal ammunition and after 30 uneventful rounds, I switched to my handloads. All of it cycled well. At 15 yards, holding as described, most shots fell within a 2" square with quite a few landing hole in hole. For an average shooter like myself, I was pleasantly surprised by the accuracy.

The manual states that SA sets factory sights for a 6 o'clock hold. That hold, however, guided the shots 2" high and 2" to the left. With adjustable sights on the pistol, out came the screwdriver set. I set the sights for a center mass aim, and after a few shots to tweak, the black was getting shot out of the bull.

The slide to frame fit is tight and has no noticeable slop/movement. I tested the resistance on the the bushing to slide fit, and it was snug. I did not remove it but felt the resistance. I hope to keep the bushing tight and so it won't be removed for field stripping.

The trigger break averages 5.25 pounds with no noticeable creep.

In short, I believe this one's a keeper, and so I don't plan on modifying it.

Pics:

Bayou

RickB · July 29, 2020, 09:33 AM

The RO is a great gun.
Did you swap the front sight, or are they now being made with the fiber-optic front? One of the few mods I made to mine was a Dawson FO.

Never understood how someone can adjust sights for a 6:00 hold, when they don't know the size of your target, or the distance?

Bayou · July 29, 2020, 09:57 AM

Hi, Rick!

Thanks for your comments. Greatly appreciated.

The FO front sight came attached to the pistol. The pistol as shown in the pics is how it came to me brand new on July 20. I've added nothing to it.

I agree with your remark about how to accurately gage where to put the sites on the target with 6 o'clock holds. For example, I use targets that have a 2" square bull, so the 6 o'clock hold would put the site alignment 1' below center. Also, other of my targets have a 1/2" square bull. The same sight alignment would seem to send the bullet high as the aim is only 1/2" below the center.

I'm sure others have more luck with the 6 o'clock hold than I have but, like you, I prefer the center mass point of aim.

All the Best -

Bayou

stephen426 · July 29, 2020, 10:43 AM

Congrats! Springfield makes some nice 1911s. I have the Loaded in 9mm and am very pleased with it. It looks a lot like my Les Baer Thunder Ranch Special, but costs a lot less.

Bayou · July 29, 2020, 11:01 AM

Thanks, Stephen -

This is my first Springfield pistol. The only other 1911 I have experience with is the SR1911 which I've had and shot for about 3 years.

In comparing the two, the overall fit of the Springfield is tighter. That would be the slide to frame fit, but the bushing to slide fit as well. The bushing to slide fit on the RO is snug right out of the box. On the other hand, my SR1911 had a loose fitting bushing and there was some actual slop in the bushing to slide fit. So much so, that I had my smith fit a competition Kart bushing to the slide. This has improved the pistol's accuracy, as you would expect.

Out of the box, the RO has shown itself to be more inherently accurate than the SR1911, perhaps due to the parts fitting tighter.

The SR1911, however, cycles remarkably consistent. No stoppages in many thousands of rounds, although there were some during the first thousand rounds or so. And it digests any and all ammunition fed to it regardless of weight or style of projectile, and I've handloaded just about all of the common ones. I hope the RO proves to be as reliable as the SR1911 going forward!

Trigger wise, both SR1911 and the RO had similar tensions on the trigger breaks - about 5 1/4 pounds out of the box. The SR1911, however, came with noticeable creep whereas the RO breaks with no noticeable creep.

Just some comparative observations...

Thanks, -

Bayou

stephen426 · July 29, 2020, 07:31 PM

The old Ruger P89s were supposedly built very loose but they always worked. A lot of people say the same for the AK-47s. Meanwhile, competition grade bullseye guns tend to be pretty finicky. I guess tight tolerances and reliability don’t usually go hand in hand. Enjoy your new gun and stay safe!

Bayou · July 29, 2020, 07:34 PM

^^^ Thank you, Stephen!

Bayou

July 28, 2020, 01:57 PM	#1
Bayou Senior Member Join Date: March 8, 2016 Location: SE Louisiana Posts: 300	Springfield Range Officer SS Target 45 The order was placed with Springfield on Feb. 3 and the order was filled and received on July 20 of this year. So, it has been a very challenging year in this regard. But I have absolutely no complaints. My name was drawn in a state police raffle, and the prize was one-half the cost of this pistol! But the Springer's here now, and I had it at the range on Sunday. Initial impressions were that the pistol cycled well and shot nice groups. It was storming on Sunday, so I didn't bring home any wet paper targets. I was shooting 15 yards, free standing with 2 hand hold. Started shooting with Federal ammunition and after 30 uneventful rounds, I switched to my handloads. All of it cycled well. At 15 yards, holding as described, most shots fell within a 2" square with quite a few landing hole in hole. For an average shooter like myself, I was pleasantly surprised by the accuracy. The manual states that SA sets factory sights for a 6 o'clock hold. That hold, however, guided the shots 2" high and 2" to the left. With adjustable sights on the pistol, out came the screwdriver set. I set the sights for a center mass aim, and after a few shots to tweak, the black was getting shot out of the bull. The slide to frame fit is tight and has no noticeable slop/movement. I tested the resistance on the the bushing to slide fit, and it was snug. I did not remove it but felt the resistance. I hope to keep the bushing tight and so it won't be removed for field stripping. The trigger break averages 5.25 pounds with no noticeable creep. In short, I believe this one's a keeper, and so I don't plan on modifying it. Pics: Bayou __________________ Bayou NRA Life Member "Keep Calm and Reload" Last edited by Bayou; July 29, 2020 at 10:11 AM.

July 29, 2020, 09:33 AM	#2
RickB Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2000 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 8,518	The RO is a great gun. Did you swap the front sight, or are they now being made with the fiber-optic front? One of the few mods I made to mine was a Dawson FO. Never understood how someone can adjust sights for a 6:00 hold, when they don't know the size of your target, or the distance? __________________ Runs off at the mouth about anything 1911 related on this site and half the time is flat out wrong.

July 29, 2020, 09:57 AM	#3
Bayou Senior Member Join Date: March 8, 2016 Location: SE Louisiana Posts: 300	Hi, Rick! Thanks for your comments. Greatly appreciated. The FO front sight came attached to the pistol. The pistol as shown in the pics is how it came to me brand new on July 20. I've added nothing to it. I agree with your remark about how to accurately gage where to put the sites on the target with 6 o'clock holds. For example, I use targets that have a 2" square bull, so the 6 o'clock hold would put the site alignment 1' below center. Also, other of my targets have a 1/2" square bull. The same sight alignment would seem to send the bullet high as the aim is only 1/2" below the center. I'm sure others have more luck with the 6 o'clock hold than I have but, like you, I prefer the center mass point of aim. All the Best - Bayou __________________ Bayou NRA Life Member "Keep Calm and Reload"

July 29, 2020, 10:43 AM	#4
stephen426 Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2005 Posts: 3,840	Congrats! Springfield makes some nice 1911s. I have the Loaded in 9mm and am very pleased with it. It looks a lot like my Les Baer Thunder Ranch Special, but costs a lot less. __________________ The ATF should be a convenience store instead of a government agency!

July 29, 2020, 11:01 AM	#5
Bayou Senior Member Join Date: March 8, 2016 Location: SE Louisiana Posts: 300	Thanks, Stephen - This is my first Springfield pistol. The only other 1911 I have experience with is the SR1911 which I've had and shot for about 3 years. In comparing the two, the overall fit of the Springfield is tighter. That would be the slide to frame fit, but the bushing to slide fit as well. The bushing to slide fit on the RO is snug right out of the box. On the other hand, my SR1911 had a loose fitting bushing and there was some actual slop in the bushing to slide fit. So much so, that I had my smith fit a competition Kart bushing to the slide. This has improved the pistol's accuracy, as you would expect. Out of the box, the RO has shown itself to be more inherently accurate than the SR1911, perhaps due to the parts fitting tighter. The SR1911, however, cycles remarkably consistent. No stoppages in many thousands of rounds, although there were some during the first thousand rounds or so. And it digests any and all ammunition fed to it regardless of weight or style of projectile, and I've handloaded just about all of the common ones. I hope the RO proves to be as reliable as the SR1911 going forward! Trigger wise, both SR1911 and the RO had similar tensions on the trigger breaks - about 5 1/4 pounds out of the box. The SR1911, however, came with noticeable creep whereas the RO breaks with no noticeable creep. Just some comparative observations... Thanks, - Bayou __________________ Bayou NRA Life Member "Keep Calm and Reload"

July 29, 2020, 07:31 PM	#6
stephen426 Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2005 Posts: 3,840	The old Ruger P89s were supposedly built very loose but they always worked. A lot of people say the same for the AK-47s. Meanwhile, competition grade bullseye guns tend to be pretty finicky. I guess tight tolerances and reliability don’t usually go hand in hand. Enjoy your new gun and stay safe! __________________ The ATF should be a convenience store instead of a government agency!

July 29, 2020, 07:34 PM	#7
Bayou Senior Member Join Date: March 8, 2016 Location: SE Louisiana Posts: 300	^^^ Thank you, Stephen! Bayou __________________ Bayou NRA Life Member "Keep Calm and Reload"