Dear Springfield.  How are you doing?  I missed you at SHOT SHOW, but I ran into your man Robby L at the Media Range Day.  Great guy.  He still does the bulk of his shooting with a 1911… Wouldn’t it be a good idea to transition him to an XDM full time and maybe make a Signature Edition XDM based on his customizations?  I think it would be a great idea.  Didn’t see it in the Catalog I just downloaded, so, you know… Just sayin… Think it would be a great idea.

You know, Springfield… I looked through the gun case of all the .45’s we have at the shop.  I have to tell you… I really like your 1911’s.  But we sell more Kimbers… even though I consider the Kimber to be a lesser gun.  They move.  They just have that Curb Appeal, you know what I mean?  Something about the look.  The tones and hues.  They look good.  I think your 1911’s look great too, don’t get me wrong.  But Kimber has the Cosmetic thing down.  Now when someone asks to see a Kimber, I’m sure to pull out a Springfield.  I gotta represent, know what I’m saying?
In the hands, between the two, most customers tend to say “I’ll take that one” and select the Kimber.  Generally the reason is that they feel better in the hand.  I can’t disagree with that.
You see, and please don’t take this personally or get offended… because I love you, Springfield, I really do.  I only want what’s best for you.  It’s just that… you come off as being too sharp.  Your edgy.  No, I’m not saying you need a Melt Job on everything… but maybe just a bevel on all the outside edges.  Around the trigger guard, the front dust cover, around the grip and muzzle… Just to break that sharp edge.
We got in one of your new compacts last week.  A small stainless unit.  Really thin.  I like it.  But it’s sharp edged.  And to make matters worse the Media Blasted Matte finish on the front strap and the top of the slide… I know why you did that, but the media blasted finish is very rough.  It feels abrasive.  I thought one would do this to take the shine off of a Stainless gun.  This looks and feels like it will wear out your leather in a month.  It’s too tough.  And as I mentioned before, it’s too sharp.  So you have this rough abrasive with sharp edges.  And that’s just the frame and slide.  The Ambi-Safety lever is sharp enough to draw blood… and it’s hooked.  This isn’t anything I want to shove down my pants.  Nothing wrong with this same lever on some of your other 1911’s.  Just not ideal for a CCW gun.  Not only that, but CCW guns don’t need extended Safety Levers anyways.  Ambi, maybe, but extended, not at all.  It kind of defeats the whole point of compactness when you have a great big lever on the side.  You know what I’d do with this gun if I got it?  I’d take the wood grips off, pull out the extended levers and replaced with a slightly rounded GI type lever.  I’d do a slight melt to radius and contour all the edges to get rid of the sharpness.  Maybe throw some 25 LPI checkering on the front strap.  Then I’d do your Armory coating on it.  Now to make it interesting, I’d brush the black and OD green coating off the flat sides.  Not polish them… Brushed.  Brushed Stainless looks good, has a matte finish.  Better for a defensive gun that polished flats.  Isn’t it?  Now, after all this… those wood grips again?  You know, I think I’d throw some slim profile Aluma-grips on it, simple black ones.  That would jazz it up.  There you go.  The Signature Mad Ogre Edition.  Yeah, I know you can Custom Shop this, but this should be Production.
I love your M1A rifles, Springfield.  But where is your own custom stock option?  Like a Sage EBR or a JAE?  I think you are missing out on some potential profits by not at least having one as a factory option or edition.
Anyways, I gotta roll now.  Nice talking to you, Springfield.  I’ll be sure to say Hi at SHOT next year.  Cheers!   Much Love, The Ogre.