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[FROM SHOOTING TIMES]
SPRINGFIELD MODEL 1911A1 MICRO-COMPACT .45 ACPBy Mike Venturino
 Springfield's Micro-Compact Bi-Tone in .45 ACP is designed for legal concealed-carry, self-defense use.
Springfield Inc. has introduced a special downsized version of the old 1911A1. It's called the Micro-Compact and is available in two versions: the Mil-Spec Micro and the Bi-Tone Micro. The Mil-Spec is an all-steel version with Parkerized finish and black soft rubber grips. The Bi-Tone has an anodized aluminum-alloy grip frame, a satin-finished steel slide, and attractive checkered cocobolo grips. I tested the Bi-Tone Micro-Compact for this special report. As its name implies, the Micro-Compact is intended as a self-defense, concealed-carry pistol. It has a three-inch barrel and an abbreviated grip frame just about 2/5 inch shorter than a standard Model 1911. This necessitates a special magazine with six-round capacity. Weight is only 24 ounces. As befits a handgun that will be carried concealed, the Micro-Compact .45 ACP has all edges "melted." Springfield refers to this as its "Extreme Carry Bevel Treatment." Simply stated, there are no sharp edges to hang up on clothing, and the hammer is an unobtrusive burr type for the same reason.
Machine-rest testing and offhand shooting showed that the Bi-Tone Micro-Compact .45 ACP is an accurate, easy-to-shoot 1911-style pistol.
The beavertail grip safety of this little pistol is plenty ample to protect the web of the hand from hammerbite. The mainspring housing is flat and is serrated, as are both sides of the ambidextrous manual safety. The rear of the slide is grooved to aid in grasping when it is retracted.
A serrated ambidextrous thumb safety is just one example of the attention to detail that Springfield put into the design of the Micro-Compact.
Novak three-dot night sights are standard issue on the Micro-Compacts. Both front and rear sights are dovetailed into the slide and are adjustable for windage but not elevation. Although these sights are low profile, they give a good sight picture. Barrels are Springfield's hammer-forged, tapered, bushingless, bull style. Slides are forged, as are the frames on the all-steel versions. I measured the trigger pull on my Bi-Tone shooting sample with Lyman's Digital Trigger Pull Scale, and 10 sample readings averaged 6 1/2 pounds. There was no creep, but I felt about 1/8 inch of slack before the actual trigger pull started. That's typical for many military-type firearms.
Operation and function of the Springfield Model 1911A1 Micro-Compact models are the same as standard Model 1911A1s. To load the pistol, a magazine of cartridges is inserted into the grip frame. The slide is then pulled rearwards its full length and released. As it moves forward, the first cartridge is chambered, and the hammer remains in its fullcock position. The trigger is pressed to fire the pistol, and then the pistol cycles and is ready to fire again. Unless the grip safety is depressed for firing, such as when the palm of the shooting hand is wrapped around the grip, the hammer cannot fall. This design feature was incorporated by John M. Browning because the Model 1911A1 was originally intended for use by horse soldiers. Shooting The Micro-Compact After machine-rest testing, I fired the Micro-Compact on paper targets from a standing two-handed position. With 230-grain FMJ factory loads its point of impact was centered and perhaps an inch or so low. As might be expected of a handgun of such large caliber and light weight, recoil was noticeable but not objectionable.
For shooters wanting a light and easily concealed handgun that has considerable stopping power, the Springfield Micro-Compact .45 ACP pistols should be considered. |
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