TFB Review: Springfield Armory 1911 TRP AOS 4.25” Carry Contour 9mm

In an announcement earlier today that many of us never saw coming, the legendary and long-tenured TRP (Tactical Response Pistol) has some new brethren in the family. Springfield Armory has introduced the 9mm cartridge to the TRP series of handguns as well as the Agency Optics System of mounting red dots (AOS). The FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team was the original motivator or impetus for this design, and now flash forward 20+ years and we find ourselves here today looking at a sharpened and evolved 1911 handgun. So, today we are going to take a look at the Springfield Armory 1911 TRP AOS 4.25” Carry Contour 9mm to see how it truly performs. Let’s dive in!

Springfield Armory @ TFB:

• TFB Review: Springfield Armory Model 2020 Boundary 7mm PRC
• TFB Review: Springfield Armory 1911 Operator AOS 5” .45 ACP
• TFB Review: Springfield Armory Echelon 4.0C 9mm
• TFB Review: Springfield Armory 1911 DS Prodigy Compact 3.5” AOS 9mm

Specifications - Springfield Armory 1911 TRP AOS 4.25” Carry Contour 9mm

With the Springfield Armory 1911 TRP AOS 4.25” Carry Contour 9mm that we are reviewing here today, much of the specs you are familiar with will carry over from models of years past. You have a forged slide and frame, Cerakote finish, Match-Grade barrel, tritium night sights, and it's all culminated together into a bulletproof package. 

• Cartridge: 9mm
• Color: Coyote Brown
• Barrel: 4.25" Forged Stainless Steel, Match Grade, Fully Supported Ramp, 1:16
• Slide: Forged Carbon Steel, Coyote Brown Cerakote®, Optics-Ready
• Frame: Forged Aluminum Alloy, Carry Contour, Coyote Brown Cerakote®
• Sights: Tritium Front, Black Serrated Rear
• Recoil System: Commander Length GI Style

While we are looking specifically at the 1911 TRP AOS 4.25” Carry Contour 9mm model today, Springfield Armory has 8 new offerings in this 1911 TRP AOS series. Again, for clarity, we are playing with the Springfield Armory 1911 TRP AOS 4.25” Carry Contour 9mm (SKU: PC9127LRCB-CCAOS). The other offerings are listed below:

5" TRP AOS Models

• Coyote Brown 1911 TRP AOS 9mm | PC9129LRCBAOS | MSRP $1,999
• Black 1911 TRP AOS 9mm | PC9129LRAOS | MSRP $1,999
• Coyote Brown 1911 TRP AOS .45 ACP | PC9125LRCBAOS | MSRP $1,999
• Black 1911 TRP AOS .45 ACP | PC9125LRAOS | MSRP $1,999

4.25" Carry Contour TRP AOS Models

• Coyote Brown 1911 TRP AOS 4.25" CC 9mm | PC9127LRCB-CCAOS | MSRP $1,999
• Black 1911 TRP AOS 4.25" CC 9mm | PC9127LR-CCAOS | MSRP $1,999
• Coyote Brown 1911 TRP AOS 4.25" CC .45 ACP | PC9124LRCB-CCAOS | MSRP $1,999
• Black 1911 TRP AOS 4.25" CC .45 ACP | PC9124LR-CCAOS | MSRP $1,999

As always, in the rare event that you should ever need service for your firearm, Springfield Armory has a Lifetime Warranty that stands behind all of their firearms. While I have never experienced any issues with the Springfield Armory TRP models I have reviewed in the past, it is nice to know that you have that safety net and support from Springfield.

A Word from Springfield Armory on the 1911 TRP AOS 4.25” Carry Contour 9mm

This is a pretty exciting announcement for Springfield Armory on multiple levels. So, they absolutely have a lot to say about it, and you can catch their full statement via their press release below:

“The slim profile of the 1911 TRP™ is now complemented by a lightweight aluminum Carry Contour frame and a 4.25” barrel. Finished in Coyote Brown Cerakote®, the bobbed portion of the frame reduces potential printing while maintaining a comfortable grip. Typically reserved for custom firearms, the TRP features 20 line-per-inch (LPI) checkering for a firm grip as well as top slide serrations for reduced glare and faster sight alignment. Now enhanced with the Agency Optic System (AOS), the TRP supports a wide range of popular optics, including RMR, Shield, Delta Point Pro, and Docter. Each AOS plate integrates a black serrated rear sight that ensures optimal optic height and an intuitive sight picture, enabling visible co-witnessing in nearly all configurations.”

What’s in the Box?

Springfield Armory 1911 TRP AOS 4.25” Carry Contour 9mm

One of the most common and recurring questions I receive reviewing firearms is, “What’s in the box?” Meaning, what do you all get with your purchase. This is important because what you do and do not get will dictate what type of accessories you need to additionally buy depending on what you want your end-product or weapon system to look like. All this being said, this is everything that your will receive:

• (1) One 1911 TRP AOS 4.25” Carry Contour 9mm handgun
• (3) Three 9-Round Magazines
• (1) Coupon Code for a FREE AOS Mounting Plate of your Choosing
• Not Displayed So Ya’ll Wouldn’t be Tempted to Steal It
• (1) One Slide Cover Plate
• Cardboard Box & Double Zipper Nylon Case
• Owner’s Manual, Cable Lock, Red Chamber Flag

 ***Trijicon RMR Red Dot NOT Included with normal purchase***

What’s the Upsell to the Springfield Armory 1911 TRP AOS 4.25” Carry Contour 9mm?

Another frequent question that I receive when something new hits the market is: “What’s the upsell? What’s the 30-second elevator pitch to this product?” Hopefully, throughout this review I will answer that for you in-depth so you can decide for yourself whether or not this is a handgun that you want to add to your arsenal. For now, these are the highlights that Springfield Armory truly wants you to take home with you:

• Hammer Forged 4.25" Stainless Steel Barrel - Manufactured from hammer forged stainless steel, the pistol features a match-grade 4.25” barrel for both durability and performance.
• Carry Contour - The Carry Contour of this TRP™ offers greatly enhanced concealability while not impacting the ergonomics of the pistol.
• Agency Optic System - The AOS-equipped TRP supports a wide range of red dot sights, delivering an intuitive sight picture and proper co-witness.

Agency Optic System (AOS) for Mounting Red Dots

The coolest part about these new 1911 TRP AOS handguns is their ability to easily, and with a low profile, mount your favorite micro red dots. With your 1911 TRP AOS, you have a cover plate with iron sights - and when removed - you can add on a list of different AOS plates to mount the most common red dots on the market today.

As mentioned earlier, Springfield provides you with a coupon code in the box. So, you can choose what optic plate you want to fit a red dot you may already own or want to deploy.

Range Experience - Springfield Armory 1911 TRP AOS 4.25” Carry Contour 9mm

So, let’s get down to business. How did this pistol actually perform at the range?... I have been selling TRPs for 15 years at my gun shop, but I actually don’t have a lot of experience behind TRPs shooting them.

To test the Springfield Armory 1911 TRP AOS 4.25” Carry Contour 9mm, I ran a bunch of Federal Premium’s Gold Medal Action Pistol 147 Grain Full Metal Jacket (FMJ). I’ll gladly give Federal a shout-out quickly because the last 6 handgun reviews I’ve completed for 9mm pistols I’ve been running this ammo and it’s been reliable, clean, and consistent. All good attributes you’d want and expect from your range ammo. So, thank you to Federal for providing that ammo.

• Gold Medal Action Pistol 9mm Luger 147 Grain | SKU: GM9AP1 | MSRP $32.99

The group above is 5 shots, slow-fire after I was probably 100 rounds into this review. To achieve that with no benchrest, freehand, and coming from me - a supremely average shooter - I was impressed. There are innumerable stacked tolerances of why that could be better and it's not the pistol. I’m merely a mortal; not a Jedi.

Other elements that I liked were the 20 LPI (lines per inch) frontstrap checkering and the VZ Grips Hydra G-10 grip panels. They might be a bit aggressive for some people’s tastes, but I loved them! It fit my hand like a glove and it gave you great dexterity and control while shooting.

Overall, I pushed close to 500 rounds of 9mm through this pistol in a single range session which was primarily the Gold Medal Action Pistol, but also some other random 9mm ammo I had as well. All of it cycled flawlessly and I simply got to enjoy calling my hits on steel, rubber discs, and paper targets.

Final Thoughts

So, what are my final thoughts on the Springfield Armory 1911 TRP AOS 4.25” Carry Contour 9mm?... Overall, it performed exactly how I had hoped and expected - it was perfect. The only piece of constructive criticism I can attempt to pull out of thin air is the price. For some, $2K on a handgun is a lot (which it is), but quality comes at a price. Are there cheaper 1911s on the market that you can put a red dot on? Yes. Are they going to be this accurate, tight, and have been fielded by the FBI? No. That’s the separating factor. Springfield has been making 1911s since 1974 and they have been crafting the TRP since 2004. This isn’t a bandwagon. This is what they do.

In closing, I want to say thank you to Springfield Armory for allowing TheFirearmBlog and myself the opportunity to try out their new Springfield Armory 1911 TRP AOS 4.25” Carry Contour 9mm pistol. That is greatly appreciated. Also, we would like to know what all of you guys and gals think? Do you believe that the Springfield Armory 1911 TRP AOS 4.25” Carry Contour 9mm pistol is something worth spending your money on? Would you potentially deploy it for EDC (everyday carry)? Shoot a league or competition? As always, let us know all of your thoughts about Springfield Armory and their 1911 TRP AOS 4.25” Carry Contour 9mm pistol in the Comments below! We always appreciate your feedback.