Springfield Range Officer 1911 9mm Experience?

I have an opportunity to get a free Springfield via their rewards program. I do not own a 9mm 1911 and would like to possibly take the plunge. I've read and heard many reports of horrible accuracy, feeding, and reliability issues regarding Springfields 9mm series of 1911's. Are these issues still relevant?
 

MPer15

Amateur
I bought a used 9mm springfield back in August. Not sure what specific model, it just says m1911-A1 on the slide. The factory mag it came with caused a failure to feed with 124 FMj probably once every 20ish rounds, and would not feed hollow points (124 hst) at all. I bought 3 metal form 10 round magazines and it runs pretty well with those. I've only had one failure to eject with them, but only put like 300ish rounds through since (50 hst rest fmj). Accuracy wise it's solid, I can usually hold high 80s on a b8. I definitely would not trust my life to it, but it's fun to shoot.
 

Wake27

Regular Member
I have a 9mm RO Elite Operator. I got it used and haven’t shot it a ton, but I do like it a lot. Extractor needs a bit of tensioning but I don’t know if it was like that from the factory since it’s used. I’ve shot a little bit of Gold Dots without issue too.


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I bought a used 9mm springfield back in August. Not sure what specific model, it just says m1911-A1 on the slide. The factory mag it came with caused a failure to feed with 124 FMj probably once every 20ish rounds, and would not feed hollow points (124 hst) at all. I bought 3 metal form 10 round magazines and it runs pretty well with those. I've only had one failure to eject with them, but only put like 300ish rounds through since (50 hst rest fmj). Accuracy wise it's solid, I can usually hold high 80s on a b8. I definitely would not trust my life to it, but it's fun to shoot.
That's not too bad at all. Reports I read from a while back were god awful groups at even 10/15yds.
 
I have a 9mm RO Elite Operator. I got it used and haven’t shot it a ton, but I do like it a lot. Extractor needs a bit of tensioning but I don’t know if it was like that from the factory since it’s used. I’ve shot a little bit of Gold Dots without issue too.


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I may take a shot then.
 

Wake27

Regular Member
I have a 9mm RO Elite Operator. I got it used and haven’t shot it a ton, but I do like it a lot. Extractor needs a bit of tensioning but I don’t know if it was like that from the factory since it’s used. I’ve shot a little bit of Gold Dots without issue too.


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I may take a shot then.

I just looked at my book, I have an estimated 741 rounds through mine, all with Wilson mags. Definitely not a high end, but from memory, it seemed to be on par or better than the Colt Rail Gun I bought back in 2013. Except the finish is far better. I’m happy with mine, getting it for free would be solid. But I have hoped in the past that they’d release a railed 9mm TRP, so maybe it’s worth waiting for SHOT just to see.


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I’ve been running my 9mm Dan Wesson lately, and the 9mm is soft shooting in that big gun. I wish I’d gotten a 9mm 1911 years ago. And the SA guns look pretty nice for the money.
 

pbjb

Newbie
I have a Springfield Armory Ronin 4.25 inch 9mm no high round count but works well and shoots soft. I use Wilson and Ed Brown mags in it. 9mm 1911 are a good gun to shoot and carry.
 

WadeB

Newbie
I have the range officer operator in 9MM. I think I have around 3000 rounds through it now. I had to tension the extractor but that is all. I don’t like the magazines that came with it and only use them For the range. Chip McCormick and wilson ETM mags are what I use for “serious” work.

i also put on an ambi safety and a checkered back strap along with VZ grips and a wilson combat magwell, but those were just because I wanted to.
 

Nate Osborne

NateMac
Staff member
Moderator
Both I and a friend of mine have owned about 3-4 of them between the two of us. My favorite was the Lipsey's exclusive railed 9mm. I shot that one more than any of the others (both of us owned it at one time, and shot several thousand rounds through it collectively). I was surprised at the absolute lack of issues that we both had, especially considering we were shooting all sorts of coated lead reloads, tula, etc. It's one of only a few guns I really regret selling.

I'm guessing your freebie is coming due to you selling enough Springfield guns at a retail store?
 

Jsirles

Newbie
I’ve had a Range Officer Elite Compact 9mm for about 2 years now. It has performed beautifully from day one. There isn’t much on it that I would change. The only changes that have stuck is the Night Hawk extended mag release and a Wilson Combat short trigger. Other than that it’s OEM. SA has since discontinued the Elite models in 9mm, I wish I would’ve picked up a second one before that occurred!
 

Bill Assande

Amateur
I ran a SA RO Operator 9mm for a while in classes an IDPA. I stocked up on Chip Mccormick and Wilson combat mags and never had feed issues with ball or hollow points. Best accuracy was with 124gr or 147gr, I could keep everything in the black of a B8 at 25yds easily. Sadly I sold it for another project. I still carry a Dan Wesson Valkyrie Commander 9mm(discontinued model) with a Chambers RDSM installed by Buhler Ballistics. It is a laser with 124gr and I carry ring steel at out to 100yds with boring consistency. Any issues I had were due to the dun being dry or mag related.

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