There are those who say the 1911 is from a bygone era and is outpaced by the “plastic/fantastic” 9mm pistols that have proliferated on the market. To that I say, the 1911 pistol is as relevant as ever and continues to improve with time. But are there any areas where there’s room for improvement?
In the past few years, we’ve come to expect our pistols to come from the factory with native optics capability. The advent and adoption of micro red dot sights for pistol shooting has revolutionized the market and improved the experience for shooters worldwide. While this feature is common on polymer-framed pistols, the 1911 has been one of those holdout pistols that has taken some time to adopt the ability to add a red dot optic.
That is no longer the case with the launch of the new 1911 AOS (Agency Optic System) pistols from Springfield Armory. Currently made up of 1911 Ronin, Operator and Emissary offerings in 9mm and .45 as well as 5” and 4.25” models, these pistols feature the same optics-mounting system you may have seen on the 1911 DS Prodigy.
Red Dot Sights and 1911 Pistols — All the Details
Developed in collaboration with Agency Arms, AOS allows modern optics integration direct from the factory. AOS is a plate-based system that allows for the mounting of today’s most popular optics. The pistols will ship with the iron sight configuration, which is a cover plate that features an integral rear sight and a contour that preserves the classic lines of the 1911’s slide.
If you remove this plate, you’ll notice a flat surface with mounting holes machined into the slide. This is where the AOS plates come into play. Based on the optic you will be using, you simply purchase the proper plate from the Springfield Armory Webstore and attach that plate to the pistol. Then, you mount your optic to the plate. (You can find all the plates here as well as a handy compatibility chart.) The only thing left to do is to hit the range and enjoy the new ease of target acquisition and accuracy.
I think one of my favorite aspects of AOS is the rear back-up sight that is integrated into each plate to ensure a proper co-witness with your front sight with most optics. When adding optics to modern pistols, it can be a guessing game if you will still retain the ability to co-witness through the red dot. For me this is a mandatory ability as a back-up sighting system is a must in case the optic breaks, runs out of batteries or simply loses its zero. It’s also a great way to always ensure your pistol is properly zeroed by lining up the dot with your iron sights.
There are six total plates offered as part of the AOS system, allowing for a wide range of optics to be mounted to the pistol. Each plates retails for $129 and, as noted, includes a rear iron sight set specifically to co-witness with most modern red dot optics available. The built-in rear sight is all black and serrated to reduce glare, which is a nice touch. Each optic plate is machined from billet steel for a durable and perfect lockup with your pistol ensuring a proper zero is maintained. Also of note is the fact that every purchaser of a 1911 AOS pistol will receive access to one discounted AOS optic plate of their choice for just $49.
Now that we have discussed AOS, let’s dive into each pistol that is currently in the 1911 AOS family and consider what you can expect from each variant.
Your Options
First up is the Ronin. To my eye, the Springfield Ronin AOS is a beautiful, classic yet elegant 1911 with variants in 9mm and .45 ACP, 5” and 4.25” barrel lengths. The Ronin features crossed cannon wooden grips and a two-tone finish with a forged carbon steel slide that is hot salt blued — which contrasts beautifully with the forged stainless-steel frame. The Ronin is outfitted with a Gen2 Speed Trigger, which is streamlined and skeletonized for performance.
Moving to the Springfield Operator, we’ve got a sleek-looking defensive grade pistol. The Operator is meant for hard use and features duty-grade features such as Tactical Rack rear/tritium front sights, forward cocking serrations, G10 grips and an ambi safety. The Operator is also equipped with an accessory rail for the mounting of a pistol light or laser. The Operator is made from high quality forged frame and slide for incredible durability and strength. The Operator is offered in 9mm and .45ACP with 5” and 4.25” options. The 4.25” model, newly offered as part of the 1911 AOS launch, features a lightweight aluminum frame.
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Finally, we come to the Emissary. The Emissary was designed to bridge the gap between defensive and custom-level pistols. Built on a foundation of a forged steel barrel, slide and frame, the Emissary is durable and formidable. The Emissary AOS is an all-black design with squared-off triggerguard and a Tri-Top cut to the slide. The Emissary is equipped with a bull barrel and “grenade”-pattern textured grips and frame checkering. This, combined with the all-black coating, makes this one of the coolest-looking 1911s offered by Springfield in my opinion.
Hands-On with the Springfield 1911 AOS Pistols
I was able to test a 9mm 5” Ronin, 9mm 5” Operator and a .45 ACP 5” Emissary, each equipped with a Vortex Defender-CCW compact red dot optic. It was refreshing to shoot such a solid platform like the 1911 with the benefit of a modern sighting system.
The process to attach the plate is very simple and nearly foolproof. You simply remove the existing cover plate by loosening the two attaching screws. Once removed, you attach your selected AOS plate to the pistol, fitting it snuggly to the slide and tightening down the screws that come with the cover plate. Just as an FYI, I use a bit of Loctite to ensure a secure lock-up.
Once the AOS plate is installed, you can now install your chosen optic by placing it atop the plate and securing the screws that come with your optic. Again, I personally use some Loctite for a solid fit. You are now ready to hit the range.
I am thrilled that Springfield is offering this. I’ve come to expect optics capability on all my pistols as it is a much more natural way of target shooting. Simply place the red dot on the target and manipulate the trigger without interrupting your sight picture. Don’t get me wrong, iron sights are great and it’s important to understand them and train using them, but having a red dot just feels like cheating sometimes. If you’ve shot irons enough you’ve heard many ways of “focusing your eyes” past the sight and somewhere in between your target and your front sight. With a red dot, you are always target-focused, making shooting much easier and intuitive.
On the range, the Vortex Defender mounted easily atop each pistol and made the session very enjoyable. The Vortex Defender-CCW is a rugged, incredibly well-built optic with a crystal-clear lens and a very intuitive design. The battery is top-loaded, making replacement easy. There is no distortion in the lens and no off-color coating adding a blue or pink tint to the image. The Defender has simple “up” and “down” buttons for changing brightness. The Defender is also motion-activated, which for me is a must with a red dot. No need to turn the optic on or off, it’s simply ready when you need it. Lastly, the Defender-CCW is aptly named as the rugged construction includes “Fast-Rack” texturing on the front of the optic. This allows you to rack the pistol against a hard surface with little fear of damage.
Springfield’s Optics Ready 1911 Pistols — A Beautiful Thing
The beautiful thing about the new AOS-equipped pistols is that you don’t even have to use a red dot if you don’t want to, but if one day you want to try it out you will have the capability. Equipping a modern red dot optic to your 1911 will surely breathe new life into your experience and greatly improve your ability to quickly acquire your target and place accurate rounds with ease.
I also cannot overstate the value of a good plate-based system as you aren’t locked into just one optic footprint. You get the freedom to choose the optic of your choice and even change your mind down the road to utilize a completely different optic. The AOS system makes your 1911 future-proof and ready to perform. Welcome to the 21st century.
Check out the Ronin, Emissary and Operator pistols with the AOS system. Be careful though. Once you experience the red dot future with the 1911, you might not look at your iron sight pistols the same again.
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