The double-stack 1911 used to be a custom-shop proposition. Staccato owned that space, and the entry fee started north of $2,500. Springfield brought the Prodigy to market and dropped the barrier considerably. What ships in the box is a forged carbon steel frame and slide, a match-grade 5-inch barrel, and a single-action trigger that breaks at 4 lbs. That trigger is why the gun exists. Owners consistently describe the break as glass-rod clean, with the reset practically touching the break point.

At 33 oz, the Prodigy is the heaviest full-size 9mm in the category. That mass pays dividends in recoil management. The steel frame soaks up the 9mm impulse so thoroughly that reviewers note the gun stays flat during rapid strings. The trade-off is that 33 oz is not a carry weight. At 8.50 inches overall and over two pounds unloaded, this is a range gun, a competition gun, and a nightstand gun. The 20-round magazine, optic-ready slide, and Picatinny rail make it match-viable as shipped.

Early 2023 production had documented feeding issues, mostly traced to aftermarket magazines and tight-fitting new guns that had not been broken in. Later production runs resolved this, and current guns with factory 17-round and 20-round magazines run reliably after a 200-300 round break-in. That break-in is standard for any tight-fitting 2011 and not a defect. Store the Prodigy with the thumb safety engaged and a round chambered for fastest access if using it for home defense.