Video: Springfield Armory Custom Shop Gems

There's more to Springfield Armory than just off-the-shelf XD pistols. Its custom shop is more than capable of turning out heirloom-quality firearms.

There are few things that measure up to putting your very own custom gun in your safe. Maybe bringing home that first kid from the hospital. But even there the gun arguably might have the advantage. After all, it will never soil a diaper.

With the image of a firearms manufacturer for the workingman, Springfield Armory isn’t typically the first gunmaker that pops to mind when the discussion turns to custom guns. But there’s much more to the Illinois company than its wide selection of off-the-shelf 1911 and XD pistols and M1A rifles.

Luke Hartle gets a first-hand look at one of them at the 2018 SHOT Show in Las Vegas and the gun in question is a real gem. Gun Digest’s Editor-in-Chief combs over a decked out 1911 Series Pro Model, tinkered to perfection and pretty enough to make the hardest-hearted gun cynic drool. With hand fitted everything, an in-house Black T finish, not a machining mark detectable and each of the front-strap checkering gone over with a loop, it’s nearly enough to make John Browning blush. Little wonder, as Springfield’s Jeremy Sides proudly points out, this is among the most popular guns customers request of the shop.

Striking as the spotlighted Pro Model is, the results are of little surprise given what Springfield boasts in the way of gunsmiths. In all, 12 craftsmen man the company’s custom shop and, by Sides’ estimations, put 200-years of firearms expertise at a customer’s beck and call. Given the money any tailor-made gun demands that's peace of mind the job is going to get done right and down to the smallest detail.

Springfield’s custom shop has been quiet in its abilities overall, but it more than appears to have plenty to crow about.