Gun Report

Springfield Armory Loaded Champion Stainless Steel .45 ACP

Read Gun Tests Rating and Recommendation

Best with heavier bullets, this is one fast-shooting midsize 1911. Features and finish make the Loaded Champion Stainless Steel look more expensive than its suggested retail price.

Springfield Armory Loaded Champion Stainless Steel .45 ACP

Gun Details

Manufacturer
Model Name
Model Number
Home Defense
Concealed Carry
Recreational
Price
Caliber/Gauge
Caliber Plus Cartridge
Capacity
Weight Unloaded
Warranty
Overall Length
Barrel Length
Sight Radius
Overall Height
Front Strap Height
Back Strap Height
Maximum Width
Grip Thickness Max
Grip Circumference Max
Frame Material
Barrel Material
Grip Material
Trigger Pull Single
Trigger Span Single

Take the safety off the rest of Gun-Tests.com now, free!

Get complete access to this firearms comparison, and weekly members-only newsletters.

That's just the beginning of your free exclusive benefits.

You're only one click away.

Log In

Forgot your password? Click Here.

Already subscribe but haven't registered for all the benefits of the website? Click here.

Finished with the sides of the gun polished and the upper and lower surfaces frosted, Springfield Armory refers to this treatment as "matte rounds and polished flats." Novak night sights are among the many extras that were standard equipment.

The first step in field-stripping the Champion was to lock back the slide and apply the clip to capture the outer spring and guide -rod plug. Step two, shown here, is to let the slide forward in order to align the breakdown notch and remove the slide stop.

Read Gun Tests Rating and Recommendation

Editorial

Downrange: Did You Know?

Did you know that a retired associate justice of the United States Supreme Court had penned a New York Times op-ed entitled, “John Paul Stevens: Repeal the Second Amendment”? In his op-ed, Stevens (nominated by a Republican president) praises the work of the March for Our Lives organizers and urges the group to “seek more effective and more lasting reform” via a “repeal of the Second Amendment.” He calls the Second Amendment a “relic of the 18th century.” Read More

Resources

New Handguns and Ammo for 2018

Gun Tests reporters and editors on the scene at SHOT Show 2018 in Las Vegas scoured the show for new pistol and handgun accessory entries for our readers to consider this year. Amazingly, a handgun made of steel with a design more than 100 years old — the fabled 1911 — still drives the market. A third of the new guns that follow are based on this legendary platform, followed closely by pocket pistols, and it’s clear the revolver is not the antiquated firearm many assume. In fact, when it comes to handguns, 2018 is a good mix of old, new, plastic, and steel, with a wheelgun or two thrown in for good measure, along with loads for defensive handgun use to feed these new beasts. Here’s a rundown on a few new handgun and ammunition choices for 2018 that our staff thought were notable and which we’ll be looking to include in future issues. Read More

Firing Line

Bad Luck with Ammunition

Reader Mike says he’s the guy who gets all the duds when he buys ammo. We should thank him for his great public service. Also, Reader Bill thinks the M1 should have won a recent test. Read More

Firearms Prices

Gun Tests has been independently reviewing firearms since 1989. This website contains many older reviews. Unless otherwise noted, these reviews carry the guns' prices at the time of the original review