How do 9mm micro 1911s run?

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BLB68

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I know that sub-4" barrel 1911s are hard to get to run right, and at least one maker won't make them for this reason. But what about 9mm 1911s in the smaller format?
 
Most of the 1911 companies that live and die by thier Name Brand Reliability won't make 1911's with barrels shorter than 4".

I wouldn't mind trying a DW Guardian. I allmost picked up STI's little 9mm. But the reviews on it are 90% terrible.
 
EMPs seem to be getting good reviews. However, one of the customer service representatives at Kimber told me their 9mm pistols are their most problematic line. FWIW, all of the custom 1911 builders with whom I have spoken didn't seem to think the subcompact 1911's in 9mm would be a good idea.
 
EMPs seem to be getting good reviews. However, one of the customer service representatives at Kimber told me their 9mm pistols are their most problematic line. FWIW, all of the custom 1911 builders with whom I have spoken didn't seem to think the subcompact 1911's in 9mm would be a good idea.
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The EMP is the only one that's actually designed for 9mm. The others are just rebarreled 45's. Whether that makes any difference in reliability, I have no idea.
 
My SA Ultra Compact 9mm (The gun discontinued in favor of the EMP with its higher price.) took some gunsmithing to make it right. But I do not think it related to barrel length.
The integral barrel ramp had to be recontoured to make it work as a FEED ramp with hollowpoints. The titanium firing pin and short stiff ILS mainspring had to be replaced with conventional parts to avoid ugly flattened and smeared primers. It now shoots like a champ.
 
Recently got to shoot a guys SA EMP 9mm quite a bit (had my own suppy of 9mm factory ammo)---neat little pistol---will propbaly own one when the right deal comes by...
 
Thanks for the info guys. Seems like the consensus is that the EMP runs well, because it was designed around the 9mm, but the other smaller 9mms have the same (timing?) issues as the .45s.
 
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