When Springfield Armory debuted its Emissary 1911 handgun earlier this year, both the gun's appearance and name called to mind the elegance of a diplomat. With its distinctive looks and smooth, accurate function, the first thing that shooters everywhere wanted to know was where they could get one. The second thing that shooters everywhere wanted to know was how soon they could get an Emissary in a slightly different configuration. (What can we say? We shooters are particular about what we like.)
It's little surprise, of course, that the engineers at Springfield listened to their customers. The debut model, a .45-caliber with a 5" match-grade barrel, is everything a 1911 ought to be. That said, some shooters simply prefer a shorter barrel for easier concealability during concealed carry (CCW), and some shooters prefer the softer-shooting 9 mm chambering. So it is that Springfield has released two new variants on the Emissary—a 9 mm version with a 5" barrel, and a traditional .45-caliber version with a 4.25" barrel.
All three Emissary models are crafted with a forged stainless steel frame and forged blued carbon steel slide, with a distinctive and attractive two-tone finish. Shooters from cold climes will appreciate the Emissary's distinctive squared triggerguard, which boosts ease of operation with a gloved hand.
Inside the gun, the bushingless heavy stainless steel 4.25” or 5” bull barrel delivers maximum accuracy while reducing felt recoil and muzzle flip. In addition, the Emissary’s skeletonized hammer delivers ultra-fast lock times, which means that your shot-to-shot recovery will be faster as well. The pistol also boasts a solid-body, flat-faced trigger for top-end performance. The iron sights are custom-grade as well; the tritium and luminescent front sight pairs with a tactical rack "U-Dot "rear sight for easy target acquisition in all lighting conditions. Each pistol comes with two top-quality 8-round stainless steel magazines with base pads. MSRP $1,279; Springfield Armory
