[ARCHIVED THREAD] - 9mm 1911, Prodigy or Platypus? (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 3/12/2025 9:15:46 PM EDT
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I’m considering a 9mm 1911 type pistol for USPSA. I’m wanting to try something single action since all I have been shooting are striker guns. I’m restricted to 10rds so capacity isn’t a problem. I would probably add a bushing a comp and magwell/comp to anything that doesn’t have both. Any feedback on these options would be appreciated. Prodigy Ronin Emissary Operator The final option would be a Platypus with Full Length rail and magwell. |
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Can't say I am familiar with any of the guns the OP asked about. About a month or two back I went looking to satisfy a whim for a 9mm 1911 thinking I might find a Tisas or something else in a similar modest price range. Best laid plans and all- I wound up with a Colt stainless Gold Cup that shoots very well. With a extra mag and sales tax it kind of broke the bank at about $1400 but from my point of view it is set to go with a great trigger , great sights and a big meaty oversize beavertail. The stainless finish is kind of the fancy bling that I don't normally go for but I kind of like this |
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Quoted: Check out the Springfield Firecrest. They offered a para-ported and a chunk ported option. Never heard of that before but looks interesting… and I do have a thing for color cased hardening… was thinking of keeping it under $2k all in but that looks very nice Firecrest |
| Just stick with single stack mag guns if you are limited to 10 rd mags. No need to buy a more expensive 2011 double stack. Plenty of 10 rd mag manufactures in 9mm. Just try a few before stocking up on them as they can be finicky. I hand build a 9mm fullsize from parts and it is like shooting a .22. |
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I have a Prodigy and really like it. My range has a bunch of 2011 and was able to shoot it back-to-back against the Platypus, Staccatos, as well as a couple Atlas's and honestly if gives up very little to guns costing 2 to 3 times the price. Like with most stuff, there is a point of diminishing returns the higher you go up the price range, they are all nice pistols, I liked shooting the Platypus, I would say the trigger is nicer from the factory than the prodigy, having a polymer lower somewhat limits your ability to customize the lower via grip modules. IMO the grip module on the Prodigy seems a little more comfortable that the Platypus. I don't think there is a wrong decision. I would get a comp'd 5 inch Prodigy from factory for first 2011 as you have more options to build off of. I I think the platypus would be cool as a second 2011 with glock mags. |
| Personally if I'm limited to 10 rounds I'd buy the standard 1911. I haven't handled an Emissary yet but I love the way they look and it was the first time I've been tempted to buy a new 1911. I don't know if you've looked into the rules and divisions for USPSA but the comp puts you in open so you aren't going to have a competitive gun at all with 10 round mags. Single Stack is intended for 1911's but unless something changed there are no comps or optics allowed. |
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Emissary for $750. They were $699 the other day. https://palmettostatearmory.com/springfield-1911-emissary-5-9mm-pistol-stainless-black-px9219l.html |
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Quoted: Emissary for $750. They were $699 the other day. https://palmettostatearmory.com/springfield-1911-emissary-5-9mm-pistol-stainless-black-px9219l.html There have been lots of sales on the non AOS cut guns lately. Really tempting. |
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Of the options listed in the OP, the Operator gets my vote. That said if you can swing the budget I would steer you towards something like the DW Specialist OR. Get a gun that comes with a magwell, or throw something like a Stan Chen SI magwell on the gun. Even without the capacity restriction Im biased towards the single stacks, I just keep coming back to them time and time again after dabbling in double stack guns. |
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Quoted: Got mine for $550 on sale at PSA. It's awesome! Close to 1,000rnds through it, not a single issue at all. I love it! Quoted: Quoted: $600 Tisas 2011 for the win Got mine for $550 on sale at PSA. It's awesome! Close to 1,000rnds through it, not a single issue at all. I love it! I've put over 3500 through my 5 inch in the last 4 months and would agree. I have about 1200 through my 4.25 inch guns, but I've only owned it for 2 months or so. The only changes I've made so far are lighter recoil and main springs. The short gun kind of needed them, while the full size was OK with the heavier springs. The 5 inch gun did require about 150 rounds of "break in" before it functioned 100%. With all of that said, I'd get a single stack gun if I was limited to 10 round mags. |
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Given the mag capacity limit and the rough budget of the guns you’re looking g at, I’d say flip a coin between the operator and the ronin. They’re effectively the same thing, but the operator has a light rail and the ronin has the classic two tone look. Also consider holster availability. The ronin will fit just about any 1922 government holster out there. The operator will need operator-specific bolsters, and if you plan on using the light rail then you have even fewer options. By going single stack, you have a huge market of parts and know-how to leverage for upgrades. Double stacks have that to a degree, but the trade off is the much more expensive magazines that you can’t even take advantage of. |
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I received my Platypus on Thursday after a 4 month wait. Put 300 rounds on it this morning and I’m really liking it. This is my first 1911 so still learning this platform. Attached File |
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Quoted: I received my Platypus on Thursday after a 4 month wait. Put 300 rounds on it this morning and I’m really liking it. This is my first 1911 so still learning this platform. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/366627/IMG_1930_jpeg-3491695.JPG I really like the size of the platypus with the Magwell. Does it take Glock 19 magazines with the Magwell off and 17s with the Magwell on. I can’t remember. |
| Prodigy 4.25 is my first and only 2011. I like it a lot—great trigger, good irons, dot capable (EPS on mine), great grip. Mine has been pretty reliable, but can run into issues if going more than 500rds without cleaning or in very cold and snowy conditions. The accuracy is…okay with mine. Couple inches at 25yds. All in all, I’m pretty happy with it. |
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Quoted: Personally if I'm limited to 10 rounds I'd buy the standard 1911. I haven't handled an Emissary yet but I love the way they look and it was the first time I've been tempted to buy a new 1911. I don't know if you've looked into the rules and divisions for USPSA but the comp puts you in open so you aren't going to have a competitive gun at all with 10 round mags. Single Stack is intended for 1911's but unless something changed there are no comps or optics allowed. I’m not doing USPSA for the competition at this point. It’s just a cheap and easy way to practice/train. Any public area to shoot is gone and ranges get to upset if you do just about anything. There’s local training classes but I don’t have $400/month to spend on them. I’ve been using my CCW mostly but I’m going to mix it up a bit and I’m not worried about what class I’m in. |
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Palmetto State Armory just put a Springfield Ronin Range Officer on sale. https://palmettostatearmory.com/springfield-ronin-range-officer-9mm-5-9rd-pistol-black-ss-px9119l-adj.html#psa_retail_inventory_tab Good price on a good gun. If I didn't already have a Range Officer I would be ordering now. Just do it. |
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Quoted: Palmetto State Armory just put a Springfield Ronin Range Officer on sale. https://palmettostatearmory.com/springfield-ronin-range-officer-9mm-5-9rd-pistol-black-ss-px9119l-adj.html#psa_retail_inventory_tab Good price on a good gun. If I didn't already have a Range Officer I would be ordering now. Just do it. That would require some work/addons. I do have a DW Specialist Incould use as a base but was hoping to get something with an optic cut/comp from the factory |
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The Prodigy is OK out of the box but they have systemic minor issues that often need to be dealt with. Firing pin replacement, spring replacement, trigger tweaks, too-short optic screws. I have worked on a bunch of them where the owners have dropped in EGW fire control parts and fought with that one way or another. They are basically solid but recognize there's a chance you will have to mess with it at some point. |
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Quoted: The Prodigy is OK out of the box but they have systemic minor issues that often need to be dealt with. Firing pin replacement, spring replacement, trigger tweaks, too-short optic screws. I have worked on a bunch of them where the owners have dropped in EGW fire control parts and fought with that one way or another. They are basically solid but recognize there's a chance you will have to mess with it at some point. I have a Prodigy and can agree with this, but would only offer that there are no shortage of threads and clips on YouTube of Staccatos and even Atlas's shitting the bed and needing to be sent back for service. Bottom line is that 2011's are phenomenal shooters pistols BUT have their quirks, they are way more reliable today than what they were 4 or 5 years ago. |
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Quoted: Used Prodigy for $1000 is a pretty good deal. Hand lapp the ceracote off the rails and de-mim it for around $250 and you have a pretty good pistol. This. I think I am all at 1600 or 1700ish with EGW internals, and Stiener MPS optic and its phenomenal. very happy with it, with that being said, if budget is an issue, the turks are making some really good stuff these days. |
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I prefer a steel frame for handling and especially for higher round counts. Both my prodigy’s needed the barrels reamed to be reliable. One got new internals when the sear basically turned to mush against the safety. If you can save a bit more I’d honestly pick up a MPA Ds9. I don’t think it can be beat for the money. A Bul is also a great option. |
| So far I've been happy with my Springfield Operator and AOS plate. Only 200 rounds through it so far, but 100% reliable. Trigger isn't great, but not sure comparing it to a higher end gun is a fair comparison either. It's still been pretty accurate. I also do prefer the grip size compared to how blocky a 2011 is. |
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Quoted: I’m not doing USPSA for the competition at this point. It’s just a cheap and easy way to practice/train. Any public area to shoot is gone and ranges get to upset if you do just about anything. There’s local training classes but I don’t have $400/month to spend on them. I’ve been using my CCW mostly but I’m going to mix it up a bit and I’m not worried about what class I’m in. Another rules consideration for a single stack (should you want to shoot in Single Stack division later on), is that a bushing barrel is required. From Appendix D5: "Cone and flanged barrels are not allowed. All barrels must have a bushing installed, regardless of barrel diameter. This does not apply to pistols having a barrel length of 4.20 inches or less." That all said, I'm happy with my Platypus, I'm also happy with my Staccato P (although the trigger is meh). |
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I plan on getting one myself eventually and like the fact the Platypus uses Glock mags but I don't care for how the rear of the slide jets out towards the rear by the thumb safety. For me, reason being is I would like to get a thumb safety similar to the type on the BUL, as it has a plate/cover built in to the safety along the slide. |