Stealth Arms Platypus: Not Your Average Semi-Aquatic Mammal

When I first heard the word “Platypus,” my mind, like many of yours, immediately conjured images of a certain crime-fighting, fedora-wearing semi-aquatic mammal from a beloved children’s cartoon. My kids and I spent countless hours watching Perry the Platypus foil Dr. Doofenshmirtz’s nefarious schemes. So, imagine my absolute shock when I discovered “Platypus” in the firearms industry was something entirely, gloriously different. It turns out, a company called Stealth Arms, right in my home state of Ohio, had created a double-stack 1911 that, to my utter disbelief, took Glock magazines. Yes, you read that right. My inner firearms enthusiast did a little jig of joy.

A Dream Pistol: Too Good to Be True?

The moment I heard about the Platypus pistol, my hopes soared higher than a suppressed round leaving a threaded barrel. A 2011-looking pistol? Check. A phenomenal trigger? Check. Takes Glock magazines? Double check! And to top it all off, it’s reasonably priced. It just sounded too good to be true, like finding a unicorn that dispenses free ammunition. Did I mention that the Stealth Arms website allows you to fully customize the Platypus? When I say “fully customize,” I mean down to the serial number. You can personalize everything from the color of the frame to the texture of the grip. It’s like building your ultimate firearm LEGO set, but with far more exciting (and louder) results.

My Platypus: A Stealthy, Prickly Perfection

My journey to Platypus ownership began on the Stealth Arms website, where I meticulously crafted my ideal pistol. I decided to keep a more subdued look, opting for a classic straight black finish. I’m an absolute sucker for flat triggers, and thankfully, Stealth Arms offers that option. I promptly included it in my build, setting it to a crisp 2.5-3lb pull. Optics cut for my Holosun 507Comp? Naturally. I also like an aggressive grip on my pistols, and Stealth Arms doesn’t disappoint with their prickle grip texture. This isn’t just for show; I’ve put this grip to the test in conditions that would make a less dedicated shooter question their life choices. I’ve used the Platypus in the freezing snow of an Ohio winter, the sweltering humidity of a North and South Carolina summer, and during rainstorms so intense I wondered if I was suddenly part of an amphibious assault team. Through it all, the grip has not failed me once. The entire building process on the Stealth Arms website is nothing short of brilliant. It dynamically shows your pistol as you make changes, from the smallest spring to the most audacious color scheme. Seeing my selections come to life in real-time, especially with the myriad of color options available, was genuinely cool. It’s a testament to their user-friendly design.

Range Day Revelations: Suppressed Smiles and Flawless Feeds

As I took my newly minted Platypus to the range for its inaugural firing, I was a bundle of conflicting emotions – excited beyond words, but also incredibly nervous that it wouldn’t live up to the sky-high expectations I had built up. As those first few shots echoed through the air and I zeroed my optic, I was instantly pleased. The minimally felt recoil and the overall comfortable feel of the pistol were immediately apparent. The Platypus tracked beautifully shot to shot and, to my immense relief, fed flawlessly through the five magazines I put through it. Did I mention I also selected the threaded barrel option? Well, I did, and I promptly tossed my TiON Grenadier 9mm suppressor on it. I had loaded some custom subsonic ammo using 147gr Berry’s projectiles, Hodgdon Titegroup powder, CCI primers, and my trusty RCBS Rock Chucker press. Not only did it sound fantastic, but the Platypus proved to be an exceptional pistol to run suppressed. The first 100 rounds of suppressed fire flew by, but the Platypus kept eating, never once complaining. I then put another couple hundred rounds of suppressed fire through it with my normal reloads (same components, just a bit more powder), and the Platypus just kept on going. While this was just a fraction of the rounds this pistol will undoubtedly see, it was an incredibly promising first outing, showcasing the Platypus’s versatility both suppressed and unsuppressed.

The Magazine Magic: Why Glock Mags are a Game Changer

At some level, I can hear some of you asking, “Why the obsession with a firearm just because of the magazines it uses?” If you shoot competition, you already know the answer. You’re constantly replacing magazine springs, and sometimes even the entire magazine body, over time. And if you’re anything like me, you like to have 10+ magazines for every firearm so you can go to matches with them all pre-loaded – especially crucial when your fingers are numb from the cold. If you’re shooting a traditional 2011-style pistol, an extra magazine can set you back upwards of $100 or more, depending on the capacity and the manufacturer. Compare that to Glock magazines, where you can find 33-round extended magazines for around $18 each. Even factory Glock magazines are significantly more affordable, and you can still accessorize them with fantastic options like TaylorFreelance basepads.

This is where the Platypus truly shines. I’m going out on a limb here and saying that almost anyone in the Second Amendment community likely has a stack of Glock magazines. Whether it’s for their trusty Glock 19 or one of their pistol caliber carbines, those ubiquitous plastic fantastic mags are probably lurking in a safe or range bag. I am absolutely one of those people, with a veritable mountain of Glock-style magazines ranging from factory Glock to aftermarket KCI versions, in every round count imaginable, some even sporting those snazzy TaylorFreelance extensions. Here’s the kicker: I tried every single Glock-style magazine I owned in the Platypus, and there wasn’t a single one that didn’t work flawlessly. The Platypus performed admirably with magazines of all types, both unsuppressed and suppressed

Holster Hunt and the 2011 Revelation

When it comes to holsters for the Platypus, I’ve found it to be a bit “touch and go” whether your current 2011 holster will work without modification. For the most part, I’ve had to open up my existing holsters just slightly, and the Platypus fit perfectly afterward. However, some companies have already started offering Platypus-specific holsters, or they recommend their “duty” holsters, which are typically designed with a bit more room to begin with. It’s a minor hurdle, but one easily overcome.  As you can likely imagine my ANR Design holster worked great with my Stealth Arms Platypus.

I own multiple 2011 pistols and have had the pleasure of shooting even more. The 2011-style pistol is, without a doubt, one of my absolute favorite platforms to shoot. My only “want” in the past was the option for Glock magazines. My initial assumption when I first heard about the Platypus was that I would have to compromise one of the things I loved about 2011-style pistols to gain the use of Glock magazines. I can now say with unwavering confidence that if you’re one of the many shooters who have been patiently waiting for a Glock magazine-based 2011-style pistol, then the Stealth Arms Platypus is precisely what you’ve been dreaming of. Other companies have attempted or are attempting to replicate the Platypus’s unique blend of features, but the original stands tall, offering a level of customization and a combination of features that no one else can match. The Platypus can be built to be a formidable carry gun, a laser-accurate competition pistol, or just a plain old fun plinker for a day at the range.

If you’re in the market for a new pistol and desire a firearm with a fantastic trigger, a rock-solid grip, the option for a flat trigger, a threaded barrel, and, most importantly, the ability to feed from ubiquitous Glock magazines, then look no further than the Platypus from Stealth Arms. It’s a platypus of a different feather, and it’s truly a marvel.