NRA Gun Of The Week: Springfield Armory Garrison

by
posted on September 16, 2022
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **

Springfield Armory is no stranger to the M1911 platform, having offered some of the best commercial variants on the market, from the company’s entry-level Mil-Spec models to elite custom guns with hand-fit components and top-tier features and performance. In recent years, Springfield has focused on incorporating as many custom-grade features as possible into affordable packages. The Garrison is one of the company’s latest takes on an heirloom-quality gun. Watch the video above to see the .45-cal. Garrison M1911 in use on the range.

Man shooting silver stainless steel Springfield Armory Garrison pistol M1911 .45 acp


Each Springfield Armory Garrison is built with a forged frame and slide that comes fitted with match-grade 5" barrel, which is also a forged unit. There’s a U-shaped cutout at the rear of the barrel hood, which allows users to easily see whether or not the chamber’s loaded at a glance. A traditional M1911 barrel bushing, guide rod and checkered recoil-spring plug is provided, too. Topping the matte-finished slide are a set of low-profile sights for a traditional three-dot sight picture.

shooting range springfield armory garrsion stainless steel silver m1911 pistol in hands


The Garrison's frame provides a single-sided, extended thumb safety, as well as an extended beavertail grip safety with a raised memory bump. While traditionally styled, there are some welcome upgrades on the Garrison, such as the skeletonized hammer and a three-hole trigger. The sample provided for NRA Gun Of The Week is constructed entirely of stainless steel, but Springfield also offers a carbon-steel model, complete with a hot-salt blued finish. Both guns come with Springfield’s checkered thinline grips and are outfitted with a finely checkered mainspring housing.

left-side view m1911 pistol garrison springfield armory


On the range, the Garrison performed like a premium product, even though it’s a very affordably priced gun. While it’s available in the classic .45 ACP, of course, there is also a 9 mm Luger model that’s available in a stainless steel or blued finish. We appreciated the matte finish at the top of the slide, which reduced glare in bright light and made the sights easy to see. In today’s world double-stack magazines, polymer frames and accessory-heavy platforms, there’s something refreshing about heading to the range with a pure M1911 that has all the right updated touches without taking anything away from the essence of the original Browning design.

Specifications
Manufacturer: Springfield Armory
Model: 1911 Garrison
Action Type: recoil-operated, semi-automatic, centerfire pistol
Chambering: .45 ACP
Frame: forged stainless steel
Slide: forged stainless steel
Sights: drift-adjustble, low-profile, three-dot
Stocks: Thinline wood
Magazine: seven-round, detachable box
Overall Length: 8.6"
Height: 5.5"
Weight: 37 ozs.
MSRP: $899

Latest

Making Keltec Pr57 1
Making Keltec Pr57 1

Making The KelTec PR57 In Wyoming

To make its PR57 handgun, KelTec invested in an entirely new manufacturing facility located in Rock Springs, Wyo. "American Rifleman Television" headed out for an inside look at the company's efficient production process.

Taurus 66 Combat: A New "Fighting Revolver"

First introduced in the 1970s, the Taurus 66 Combat is a medium-frame revolver that has seen several evolutions in its lifetime, and the latest update creates what the company considers "the final word in fighting revolvers."

Review: Taurus GX2

From cars to cellphones, as a product gets more sophisticated, it usually also gets more expensive. And, as modern handguns get more modular and optic-ready, their prices tend to go up.

Rifleman Q&A: A Garand Puzzlement

"We are a father-and-son NRA member tandem in search of an answer regarding the branding of an M1 Garand rifle. We own an M1 rifle that has markings indicating it was a “lend lease to England,” and it also has a .308 barrel/sleeve."

$160K Raised For HAVA At SIG Sauer Event

SIG Sauer hosted its 9th Annual Honored American Veterans Afield (HAVA) Charity Golf event early last month and raised more than $160,000 to support disabled veterans.

Scout The Trail To A General Purpose Rifle

The search for a universal longarm—one suitable for both hunting and defensive scenarios—is a trek that involves a bit of doubling back.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.