Springfield Armory All-Black Emissary 1911 ($1,378)

Springfield Armory’s pistol engineers are apparently satisfied with their polymer pistol work and are shifting focus on shaking the 1911 market up a little bit, or maybe a lot. Built on a durable foundation of forged steel in its barrel, slide, and frame, the Emissary offers a defensive pistol with a look and feel of custom refinement. The pistol is offered in a beautiful two-tone or the new-for-2024 all-black finish shown here (our preference) — both receiving a unique squared-off trigger guard. A “Tri-Top” cut to the slide gives the pistol custom-grade styling, while a meticulously fit heavy-profile bull barrel delivers maximum accuracy and reduces felt recoil.

This pistol hits way above its weight class, offering a series of features and a level of refinement that makes this sub $1,400 pistol an incredible steal. So much so that we are definitely purchasing our test sample, which should speak volumes. It’s available in both .45 Auto and 9mm and in 4.25 and five-inch barrel lengths. A 42-ounce 9mm? Yes, please. See it at your dealer, or for more information, contact Springfield Armory; Tel.: (800) 680-6866; Web: www.springfield-armory.com