Dan Wesson Specialist .45 ACP vs Springfield Armory 1911 TRP .45 ACP

Both are full-size single-action .45 ACP 1911s with 5.0" barrels, forged frames and slides, tritium night sights, ambidextrous thumb safeties, beavertail grip safeties, G10 grips and two magazines. Neither is listed as optic-ready. The Dan Wesson Specialist .45 ACP holds one more round (8 vs 7), breaks 0.8 lb lighter (4.0 lb vs 4.8 lb) and uses forged stainless steel rather than forged carbon steel. It is 0.15" longer (8.75" vs 8.6") and wider (1.5" vs 1.25"), but 0.2" shorter in height (5.5" vs 5.7") and within 0.3 oz of the Springfield Armory 1911 TRP .45 ACP (42.3 oz vs 42.0 oz). MSRP is $2,012 against $1,648, a $364 gap.

Pick the Dan Wesson Specialist if:

• You want 8 rounds rather than 7 and the lightest trigger of the two at 4.0 lb
• You want a forged stainless frame and slide under the matte black duty finish
• You want VZ Operator II G10 grips and green/amber tritium sights, and the extra width does not bother you

Pick the Springfield Armory 1911 TRP if:

• You want the narrower gun for carry at 1.25"
• You want low profile combat 3-dot tritium sights and Cerakote over carbon steel
• The $1,648 MSRP against $2,012 saves $364 for near-identical weight, 42.0 oz vs 42.3 oz

Weight is effectively tied at 0.3 oz apart, so this is capacity, trigger and frame material against width and price: one more round and a 0.8 lb lighter break for $364, or less width and the savings.