Springfield Armory has just added more variations to their popular TRP line-up with the new AOS. Whether your tactical needs include a lightweight Carry Contour with a 4.25-inch barrel or a full size 1911 with tactical light bearing capability, you won’t be disappointed. I received a sample of the new full-size, light-rail model in .45 ACP.

The Springfield Armory TRP AOS: A Gun with Roots

Chambered in .45 ACP or 9mm, Springfield’s newest TRP guns feature the Agency Optic System (AOS) allowing for a slide-mounted optic.

The Tactical Response Pistol (TRP) traces its roots directly to the FBI’s elite Hostage Rescue Team (HRT), which adopted Springfield Armory’s Professional pistol back in 1998. Built largely in Springfield’s Custom Shop, the Professional was chosen for its unerring reliability and supreme accuracy.

A great deal of hand-fitting went into these guns. The TRP line was developed to bring consumers a comparable production gun without the hefty government-paid price tag.

No Compromises

The new TRPs retain the classic 1911 lines while adding more modern upgrades designed for today’s tactician. Things like the light-rail, magwell funnel, and optics platform give the TRP all of the advantages an operator needs. However, it retains the crisp, short reset trigger that makes the 1911 platform so appealing to competitors and professional peacekeepers.

For strength and durability, Springfield Armory uses a forged frame that will stand up to the volume of rounds fired in training without fear of failure. It also ensures that the flawless slide-to-frame fit is maintained for the life of the pistol.

The fitment of the parts on my test sample is indicative of Springfield’s commitment to detail. The extended ambi-safeties snick on and off as crisply as the trigger breaks. Operators, especially those wearing gloves, will never wonder if they are on or off safe.

Likewise, the high-sweep beavertail grip safety is fit with precision, with barely a discernible gap between the part and the frame. My sample’s lightweight trigger tracks smoothly in its raceway without any vertical or horizontal play.

It takes just 3 pounds and 3 ounces to drop the hammer. Likewise, its overtravel has been adjusted to perfection at the factory. Reset is firm, and this is what will allow a skilled shooter to fire the TRP rapidly.

Springfield checkers the frame’s front strap at 20 LPI. Combined with the excellent VZ Hydra G10 grips, this ensures a secure grip for the shooter. The 2-piece detachable magwell funnel makes reloads fast and certain.

The three magazines that accompany the TRP pistol are equipped with base pads designed for use with the magwell.

Seeing the Light

Springfield equips the TRP with a light rail on its dust cover, which will accommodate most new tactical lights/lasers. Adding to the TRP’s night-fighting capability is the dovetailed tritium front night sight. In addition, the rear sight—on the optics plate cover—is drift-adjustable for windage correction.

Developed in collaboration with Agency Arms, the Agency Optic System (AOS) uses plates equipped with a rear sight to attach the most popular red dot optics. Consumers will receive a cover plate and a coupon for buying an AOS plate of their choice for a reduced price of $49 (down from the $129 price). 

Shooting the TRP AOS

I attached a Trijicon RMR HD for my accuracy testing. It took less than 2 minutes to attach the plate and sight and, once installed, it was rugged and secure.

With my target set out at 25 yards, I fired 5-round groups from a seated rest using my DOA Tactical portable shooting bench. I rested the TRP’s dust cover on my Ranson Rest Multi Cal Steady Rest. Then, I fired three groups with each ammunition, and the smallest group is recorded in the accuracy chart (below).

Speer’s 200-grain Carry Gun Gold-Dot G2 +P rounds produced the best 5-shot group, measuring just 1.15 inches. This load also churned up the most energy, producing almost 500 foot-pounds of energy. It was a handful to shoot!

So, too, was the Hornady Critical Duty load, which is also +P. I was glad when I got those two loads out of the way. When I switched to the Doubletap 230-grain FMJ RN Match rounds, the TRP was very pleasant to shoot.

Back in 1997, when the FBI was testing different manufacturers’ 1911s, one round caused a lot of controversy. Protocol required each gun to shoot at least 1.5-inch groups, from a machine rest, at 25 yards. Several manufacturers claimed the Remington 230-grain Golden Saber JHP rounds were not capable of this level of accuracy.

With my test TRP and current production Golden Saber rounds, I was able to group five shots into 1.19 inches at 25 yards. It is an easy round to shoot in a full-size 1911 and generates a decent amount of energy.

During my field testing, I found the TRP to be very controllable when firing doubletaps and controlled pairs. Weighing in at 39 ounces, unloaded, the all-steel TRP soaks up a lot of recoil energy.

Also aiding in control is the TRP’s excellent trigger. Its short and firm reset helped me achieve some of the fastest doubletaps I’ve ever fired!

The TRP AOS: A Sum of Its Features

Springfield Armory’s latest TRP is a production gun featuring many custom features that savvy 1911 shooters desire. My test sample produced exemplary results in terms of accuracy and possesses flawless reliability and just plain looks great!

If you’re a dedicated shooter looking for a serious sidearm that will stand up to plenty of hard use, do yourself a favor and start your search with the TRP line.

Springfield Armory TRP AOS Specs

Performance