Springfield Armory 1911 Loaded MC Operator OD Green 4.5 ACP

The Springfield Armory 1911 Loaded MC Operator OD Green 4.5 ACP pistol is the custom shop tactical handgun with features like three-dot tritium night sights and an extended lightweight trigger available right from the factory. A precision-fitted barrel bushing combined with a 5″ service-length match grade barrel ensures tack-driving accuracy, while deep slide serrations front and rear make the gun fast to run.

The G.I.-style recoil system is proven in more than a century’s worth of hard service. The forged steel precision-machined frame is cut like a match gun and features an integral Picatinny accessory rail on the dust cover. The black Cerakote slide against the OD frame delivers an attractive and effective finish. Octo-Grip™ checkering on the front strap ensures the optimal interface between pistol and shooter. 

It was a basic 1911 from the mid 1980s, when Springfield Armory first started turning out 1911 handguns. Since then, I haven’t had one single problem with any of their 1911s. One SA 1911 that always eluded me was their MC Operator, and I still remember the first one I saw. It was a magic moment in a gun shop in Boise, Idaho around 2007 or 2008. I wanted that pistol in the worst way, but I simply couldn’t afford it and wasn’t writing about guns at the time, so there was no chance of getting a loaner for testing.

For years, I longed for an MC operator, and finally ordered one for this article. The guys at my local gun shop had never seen an MC Operator. They are a bit hard to come by, and that’s putting it mildly. Here’s a quick look at the specs of the MC Operator, plus a little history. This is a full-sized 45 ACP 1911 with a steel frame with intergral accessory rail under the dust cover. 

The steel slide is black “Armory Kote” finish, and the steel frame is OD green Armory Kote. The two-tone look is very tactical. The 5-inch barrel is stainless steel and match grade. The mainspring housing is flat, the hammer is a lightweight Delta speed hammer, and it has a beavertail grip safety. The thumb safety is ambidextrous and extended. The long match-grade trigger on my sample had a pull weight of 4.5 pounds, although Springfield’s specs call for 5 to 6 pounds. 

This pistol comes in a beautiful carrying case, which holds the gun, two 7-round magazines, a holster, and magazine pouch. The MC Operator was spec’d to what the Marines wanted, right down to the Pachmayr grips. So there ya go. The MC stands for Marine Corps, but keep it a secret. Not many folks know this.