Cobrageezer
Member
Para vs Springfield vs Colt vs Kimber. I'm just looking for feed back. The good, the bad, the ugly. All are welcome.:banghead:
I'm with you on the EMP. 9mm is absolutely the right cartridge for an aluminum officer's frame 1911. The EMP is one of those guns that just gets everything right to the point where it's more than the sum of its parts. It's well worth the asking price.I don't own a Kimber, can't help there.
Several Colt Commanders, no Colt compacts.
I do have a Para Carry 9 (9mm) and a Para Carry 12 (.45 ACP). Both have been very good and completely reliable (I had an ammo-related issue with the 9 at first, it was solved). The Carry 9 is more accurate for me. My only real criticism of the Carry 12 is that with 12 rounds of .45 in a steel pistol, it's heavy to carry. I solved that by making it my bedroom pistol (night sights and hi-capacity, seemed like a good choice).
My favorite is my Springfield EMP 9mm. Beautifully made, 100% reliable so far, great to carry, plenty accurate. Not cheap, but to me worth it. I love the idea of down-sizing the 1911 platform proportionately to the 9mm cartridge, not just shortening the barrel.
I note that you did not specify .45. The above is just my experience with compact 1911s in both chamberings.
While the EMP does use proprietary mags, they're made by Mec-Gar (so mag issues are non-existent), they're reasonably priced, and the gun comes with 3 to start with. A guy over on the 1911 forum, Logman, will convert them as you say for $20 a mag, iirc. That includes shipping back to you, so if you order new mags directly to him (and have him then mod them and ship them back), you're only paying an extra $20 total a mag to have them converted. Not a bad deal.I'd choose the Colt or STI. The EMP uses proprietary magazines (note the pics on SA's site of all those extended bases) that bump the grip length back up a notch. It can be remedied but it will require modification and at the expense of -1 round for a flat base mag.
Well, if the EMP used universal fit mags, it wouldn't be the EMP. It would simply be an officer's frame 1911 chambered in 9mm The EMP can't use standard mags because it's a little shrunk down and has various nonstandard parts. But you know thisI'm aware of the log man EMP mags., just wanted to make sure the OP is aware that in standard form the EMP is really no more compact than a Commander. Springfield does tend to save a bit up for their EMP and TRP lines and IMO it shows with happy owners' posts. I do however favor the idea of universal fit magazines, not a deal breaker but a bookmark.
While ballistically it's a good round, I kind of hate .40s&w Its recoil is... annoying. Not painful, just annoying.Or chambered in .40 S&W. And I know you know that;-). Not arguing too strenuously against, just wouldn't be my preference. Then again, I'm treating my government models to all new 7 rnd. magazines after hunting season is over. Call me old fashioned.