Announced this week, the new Prodigy series of double-stack 9mm single-action pistols from Springfield Armory include an Agency Optic System. 

Catching up on the 2011 craze in a big way, the optics-ready Prodigy guns have been the subject of much rumor and leaks over the past few weeks and on Thursday the company made it official by debuting the four-model series. At launch, the variants include both standard 5-inch barreled models and more Commander-sized 4.25-inchers, with each offered with optional HEX Dragonfly optics already installed. Using a polymer grip module on a forged steel receiver, all models use a 17+1 flush fit magazine while 20+1 and 26+1 capacity mags are on the table. 

Springfield currently offers six different AOS plates with 23 assorted red dots listed as being compatible. Odds are, if you have the sight, they have the plate. On the downside, they cost $60 a pop and are listed as "expected to ship in October."

Other standard features across the line are an ambidextrous safety, Picatinny accessory rail, match-grade bushing-less stainless steel bull barrels, and a two-piece guide rod system. The front sights are fiber optic while the forged carbon steel frame and slide are black Cerakoted. 

"The new Prodigy 9mm, the first in our new family of 1911 double-stack pistols, takes everything that shooters love about the 1911 platform and enhances it with increased capacity and a host of performance features,” says Steve Kramer, Springfield's VP of Marketing. "Combining cutting-edge capabilities with all the proven benefits of the 1911, the Prodigy is a must-have addition for any handgun enthusiast’s collection."

MSRP for the new Springfield Armory 1911 DS Prodigy is $1,499 for the optics-ready models and $1,699 for those that ship with the Dragonfly. The pistol ships with one 17 and one 20-round mag.

And, to answer everyone's top question, Brandon with Texas Plinking stacked a new Prodigy against a $4K  Staccato XC, for obvious reasons.