Finding my new carry gun Part 3 - Springfield Armory 1911 Range Officer

Before I get into my visit with the 1911, I wanted to confirm what some said about the H&K USP having a decocker. Indeed, it does have a decocker that activates when pressing down a second time. This really bumps up the USP for me because I can have the best of both worlds. A gun with a safety and a decocker.First thing a thought about when I picked up the Springfield Armory 1911 Range Officer was the weight. The only non-steel part that I saw was the wood grips. Fully loaded, I'm not sure I'd want to carry it around on a daily basis. The only other thing I didn't like about it was that it was SAO. I really want a DA/SA so I can have the hammer down. Besides those two things, everything else was great.I really liked the trigger. I never felt like the trigger was pivoting. It was more like sliding back into that frame. There was very little slack before I hit the wall. There was no mush with a nice, crisp break. I think this helped with my accuracy. After my first five shots, my groupings really tightened up. The controls were nice also. I could activate the safety with ease without moving my thumb. The slide release was just at the tip of my thumb but still easy to use. The placement of both made good spots to place my thumbs while shooting. I really liked how it felt in my hand. I felt like my hand was really high and tight under the beavertail. The grips themselves were really nice and provided a good tactile response if that's the right phrase. And speaking of grip, being the first single stack I've ever shot I liked how I could get a little extra hand around the grip. I think it helped me control the gun better. The sights were nice with a fiber optic front and an adjustable rear. The mag release was in the grip and functioned as expected with my thumb.Overall, I can see why people like the 1911 style gun. Solid construction, easy to shoot, and easy to control. While it made my ever growing list of guns I want to own, it'll be far down on my carry list. This is primarily due to the weight and SAO capability. It did open my eyes to getting a single stack though.If there's something I didn't cover and you want this amateur's perspective, let me know.Updated list as of today:1.) H&K USP 9 (now with confirmed decocker)2.) CZ P-073.) Springfield Armory 1911 Range Officer via /r/CCW https://ift.tt/2N9TzrQ