Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
The 1911 TRP 4.25” CC is the newest addition to the Springfield Armory (SA) TRP series. Unlike other TRP pistols, the CC (Carry Contour) has a bobtail frame. I imagine you are not allowed to say Bobtail at SA because Ed Brown invented the Bobtail 1911 over 20 years ago and trademarked the name in 1911. Carry Contour is SA’s version of the bobtail. Other 1911 manufacturers refer to it differently, too. Smith & Wesson calls it a round butt.
Table of Contents
A bobtail modification consists of removing about half an inch of metal from the rear backstop and bottom of the mainspring housing. The modification addresses concealed carry issues with a 1911 by reducing weight and printing when carrying concealed. That sharp edge of the butt on a full-size frame of a 1911 is gone, so there is less printing.
Available on GunsAmerica Now
Bobtail 1911 Tradeoffs
A drawback to the design for some shooters is that there is less backstrap and main spring housing to grip, and you lose the leverage the bottom edge of a full-size frame provides. In practical use, that means a bobtail 1911 might twist more in your grip during recoil than a standard full-size frame, which can interfere with follow-up shots. Reloading any 1911 takes finesse since the single-stack magazine is just slightly smaller than the magazine well opening. With a bobtail, the mainspring housing is rounded. That flat piece of metal on the mainspring housing is gone, so it can’t be used as a contact point if your reload is a bit sloppy. These were some of the things I was paying attention to as I ran the TRP 4.25” CC.
Springfield Armory TRP 4.25” CC Details
The TRP 4.25” CC differs from other TRP models due to the frame modification. It also uses a GI-style bushing with a single recoil spring. Most of the full-size TRPs I’ve used have a recoil guide rod to smooth out the cycling of the pistol.
The Grip
The CC is built on an aluminum frame with an accessory rail and still only weighs 27.3 ounces unloaded. That’s light for a commander-size 1911. The VZ Hydra G10 grips have a raspy texture. Between them and the toothy 20-lpi checkering on the front grip strap and the main spring housing, I had no doubt the CC would be glued to my hand during recoil. The TRP 4.25″ CC felt as if it was zip tied to my hand. I expected the texture to be abrasive during extended shooting. I surprisingly didn’t experience any abrasion even after running through multiple boxes of ammo.
The Slide and the Sights
It uses a Series 70 mechanism, and in my opinion, that system has a cleaner and smoother trigger. The top of the slide is serrated, and SA equips it with Tactical Rack 3-Dot Tritium sights that are practical and user-friendly. These sights have a ledge allowing the shooter to rack the slide one-handed using the edge of the holster, table, or whatever is available. I used it on the bench edge just to check that off my list. The 3-dots are stoked with tritium for night time use and the front sight is dovetailed into the slide. The rear sight is serrated on the user-facing side and can be adjusted for windage. Sights were dead on. I. liked these sights because they offered a nice sight picture that was fast to acquire.
There are angled slide serrations forward and aft that offer plenty of traction to perform a press check or racking the slide. It uses a GI-style muzzle bushing and single recoil spring. Take-down does not require a bushing wrench.
The Trigger
The trigger and hammer are skeletonized. The beavertail has a generous speed bump and nice upsweep. The ambi thumb safety clicked on and off confidently and easily using your shooting hand thumb. The magazine release protrude the standard height. There was about 1/8-inch take up on the trigger then you hit the wall and from there a 5.2 pound press is required to fire the pistol. The trigger, though a bit heavy, was crisp.
You can get a TRP 4.25” CC in either Black or Coyote Brown Cerakote finish. The controls on the Coyote Brown guns have a black finish.
Springfield Armory TRP 4.25” CC Review: Test Fire
The Bullets I Used
I ran both training and defense ammo through the TRP 4.25” CC. For training ammo, I used Armscor 230-grain FMJ ammo, Blazer 230-grain FMJ with aluminum cases, and 230-grain FMJs from Remington UMC. Defense ammo was Hornady Critical Duty 45 Auto+P with a 220-grain FlexLock bullet. After I was done shooting and tabulated the data across all ammo accuracy averaged 2.8 inches for five shots. And there were zero hiccups. The CC ran strong out of the box.
Groups
The smallest 5-shot group was with Remington UMC and measured 1.83 inches; average was 1.94 inches. Blazer ammo had a best of 2.11 inches and an average of 2.55 inched. Armscor had a best of 3.35 inches and average was 3.37 inches. The best group for the Hornady Critical Duty +P was 3.41 inches; average 3.60 inches. The TRP has decent accuracy for a defense pistol.
How It Shot
I like running Failure Drills when running new pistols. The TRP 4.25” CC allowed me to fire at speeds on my outer limit while still being surgical when I needed to slow down to hit the small A-zone head shot. The texture ensured I could hang onto the pistol as I cranked through 45 Auto cartridges. It cycled like a typical GI 1911. Not super smooth like 1911s with a recoil guide rod. An enhancement might be to swap out the single spring for a nested dual spring to help mitigate recoil.
Since the CC as such sticky texture, it was slightly slower to twist it and press the mag release. The speed groove in the left grip is helpful and the magwell is slightly beveled to aid reloads. I used a variety of magazines and had no issues. The TRP CC didn’t really care what brand magazine I stuffed into it. I do have to say I would swap out the 7-round factory magazine and use a 8-round magazine that has been proven reliable in the gun if I concealed carry with the TRP 4.25” CC.
Learn more about Springfield Armory 1911s: Double the Rounds, Easy to Conceal: Springfield 1911 DS Prodigy Compact — SHOT Show 2025
Concealed Carrying and the Holster I Used
I used a Black Point Mini WING IWB hybrid holster made with Kydex and leather. This minimalist holster features a slender Kydex shell and two leather “wings” that flex to your body’s contours, keeping it flat against your body. It allows various carry locations, from the front to behind the hip. It offers easy on/off clip options—a bonus for concealed carry. Retention is adjustable, and it comes with or without a sweat guard. The sweat guard’s cant and ride height are customizable by adjusting the clip height. For a month, I carried the TRP 4.25” CC using the Black Point holster. It made carrying the commander-size 1911 comfortable and convenient. Available in numerous finishes, the Black Point Mini WING IWB is a great concealed carry choice.
Is The Springfield Armory TRP 4.25” CC Worth It?
The TRP 4.25” CC has the TRP reputation to uphold, and in my opinion, this pistol offers a lot of performance in a concealed carry 1911. Not only does it look good and is equipped with lots of features, but it is also reliable out of the box and ready to go.
Visit Springfield Armory for more information.
*** Buy and Sell on GunsAmerica! ***
Robert A. Sadowski is an American writer and journalist.
He has written about firearms and 2A issues for decades, and has trained with some of the country’s finest firearm instructors in handguns, rifles/carbines, shotguns and long-range shooting. He has also had the opportunity to interview numerous individuals deeply involved in protecting our 2nd Amendment.
He a is a frequent contributor to numerous gun-enthusiast publications, a few of which include:
- TheArmorylife.com
- TheTruthAboutGuns.com
- GunsAmerica.com
- GunBroker.com
- Gun-Tests.com
- Shooting Illustrated
- SHOT Business
- Gun Digest
Sadowski is also the author of numerous gun books, including: “9MM — Guide to America’s Most Popular Caliber” and “Book Of Glock,” both of which were #1 new releases on Amazon. He also wrote the popular DIY gun book series: Shooter’s Bible Guide to Firearms Assembly, Disassembly, and Cleaning Volume 1 and Volume 2. Other gun books authored by Sadowski include “50 Guns That Changed the World,” and edited “The M16A1 Rifle: Operation and Preventive Maintenance”originally published by the U.S. Department of the Army. He also edits the annual “Gun Trader’s Guide” to firearm values.
Sadowski is also the Treasurer/Secretary of the GLOCK Collectors Association, a non-profit organization with the mission to educate and preserve: Educate the public on the models, variations, and commemoratives built by GLOCK, as well as provide members with information on GLOCK serial numbers, importation, and other facts unique to GLOCK pistols.
A note to Mr. Robert Sadowski concerning my Springfield Armory 4. 25 TRP. I purchased mine last July 2024. I was hoping it would be my new EDC. What I got was a completely unreliable firearm. It came with 3 SA 7 round mags. I added 4 seven round Wilson & 3 Wilson 10 rnd mags.
All mags either failed to chamber the first round or the last round. I had several ( greater then 12x) rounds jam in the ejection port.
When I contacted SA I was told there is a “break in” period and my issues would clear by themselves. Well I have since been able to run in excess of 700 rounds thru the gun. It still does not feed on either the first or the last round as well as jamming on a regular basis.
This is not a reliable firearm and I would caution anyone considering one as a primary defensive weapon.
Slide return spring does nothing to “mitigate” recoil. It’s sole function is to return the slide and barrel to battery along with loading a new round. The spring is at rest or close to on firing, a double guided spring may “feel smoother” but also does nothing to “mitigate” recoil.
Very nice. Great article!