I've always liked the MEUSOC concept, just like I've always like Jeff Cooper's "only what you need, nothing you don't" concept, and others. The problem is there never was really a standard for the type, and variants abound, so I never really had a desire to work one up on my own. The Colt M45-A1 CQB pistol had a rail and was the last "official" iteration of it, so the Springfield is certainly a legit interpretation of it.
I got my son a Marine Corps Operator for a college graduation present and he loves it, we just shot it this weekend. Springers are G2G out of the box in my experience, but because it was a life milestone for my son, I went a little nuts. I don't want to open the MIM can o' worms here, but because it was a gift, I sent it to John Harrison before he retired, and he did a new trigger with all his parts, and installed a WC bulletproof slide release and one of his square-bottom FP stops for me. I later hand-fitted one of the Bunker Arms radial bore barrel bushings in it. It ended up, IMNSHO, about 98% of a WC or Nighthawk 1911 at about half the price, all in.
If I were doing it again, I'd get the Springer again. Ours was when they still marketed one as Marine Corps Operator (I don't think they do any more), black slide green frame. Highly recommended.
