Is the Prodigy a 2011 for the working man?
Today, September 1, 2022, Springfield Armory announces a new product for them, the Prodigy, and I got my hands on one of them two days ago. It is a modern 2011 pistol, completely made here in the United States. For those not aware of what a 2011 is, it is a 1911 platform that has a double stack mag and is chambered in 9mm.
Currently the Prodigy is available in two sizes, 4.25″ and 5″ (the 5″ model is pictured here in my hand). Both sizes come with two mags, the flush fitting 17 round that is shown in the picture, and an extended 20 rounder. The stippling on the grip is fantastic and promises to not slip loose from your hand, but not so aggressive that it hurts. The trigger is a typical 1911 trigger; short travel, clean break with almost no overtravel and a short reset. Best of all, the Prodigy pistols are all optics ready. The good news is that Springfield includes one red dot adapter plate with the gun, but the bad news is it only fits their Hex brand Dragonfly optic. Plates for other, better optics are already in production, but you will have to cough up some cash and wait a bit to get your hands on one.
How Does the Prodigy Compare?
If you are into guns, you have probably heard of Staccato. They make a fantastic 2011 pistol. This new Springfield is very similar to the Staccato, just not quite as refined. The gun store I work at, Boise Black Rifle, is also a Staccato dealer so I got to play with the two guns side by side. The Prodigy is marginally heavier than a similarly sized Staccato, which is not necessarily a bad thing as this is not remotely designed to be a pocket gun. The trigger is also a bit heavier than the Staccato trigger. That said, the base price for the Springfield is a full $1,000 less than the least expensive Staccato. The Prodigy starts at $1499, which is not cheap, but then again, there is no such thing as a cheap 2011.
Talking about comparing it to the Staccato, I am happy to report that the magazines are cross-brand compatible. The Staccato mags work in the Springfield and vice versa. The best part is the Springfield mags are significantly less expensive than the Staccato mags, coming in at about half the price, and Springfield is offering them in three flavors, 17 round, 20 round and 26 round.
For someone wanting to get into the 2011 world, this is a fantastic way to do it without spending two months worth of mortgage payments. I have wanted a Staccato for a long time, but the price tag is a choker. The price tag on the Springfield is more doable. In fact, I had a very hard time talking myself out of bringing the 5″ Prodigy home from the store with me. I decided to let the first one go since I know we have several more on their way, but I am pretty sure one of those from the next shipment will find its way into my safe.
Now, if Springfield would just produce some more SA-35’s as I have been dying to bring one of those home for myself and they have been vaporware for the last couple months.
