Looking to buy another compact 1911 need opinions.

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Cobrageezer

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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 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.
 
I have 2 Colts compacts- a Defender Plus 45 and a New Agent 45- and 2 Springfields- a V10 Ultra compact 45 and EMP 9. I've had no problems with any of them. My son has had 2 Kimbers and had extractor problems with both of them. The only Para I've had was a LDA Companion and it ran ok.
 
wgp said:
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.
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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.
 
Of the ones you listed, Colt. I would also look at STI. The Escort is about the same price as a Defender or New Agent and adds front strap stippling. For a little more than that, the Shadow is a very good CCW.

Colt Defender
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STI Escort
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STI Shadow
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I love my Defender

Has been flawless and very easy to carry - Highly recommended by me!
 

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I purchased a Kimber SS Ultra TLE II in 45acp about 6mo ago and it has been flawless right out of the box. With only a 3" barrel it's very compact and easy to conceal. I have shot a variety of ammo through it using the factory mags with no issues. The only thing I have done to the gun is polish the feed ramp. I have put just over a 1000 rounds through it, and it has become my favorite CC gun.
 
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.
 
I have had three of the four you mentioned. The Defender and the 3.5 inch Springfield performed flawlessly, but I gave the colt to my son and the Springfield was stolen. I replaced them with two 3 inchers, a Kimber UC II and an STI Escort. The Kimber would not go completely into battery with the first round from a fully loaded mag. This was solved with two KimPro tec-mags, but Kimber wouldn't upgrade, so I had to buy them. I now have two useless standard Kimber mags [they don't work in the STI either] The STI had the same problem, but it happened more often. I sent it back, and they installed a stronger Recoil assy, and that fixed it.
 
Skylerbone said:
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.
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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'll often carry mine with a flush fitting mag in the gun, and one of the mags with the protruding base plate in my pocket as a spare.
 
I have 2 compacts, both Kimber and both outstanding guns. The one I'd really recommend is the Compact CDP as it's perfect and the one I carry.
 
I'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.
 
Yeah when I looked into it, the dimensions that matter in terms of concealability didn't seem that dramatically different for the EMP.

I have a New Agent which has been great for 900 rounds, I like the gutter sight fine. I carry it in a Ken Null shoulder rig under a dress shirt with no trouble.

I just bought a Baby Glock though. My ideas are shifting away from .45 :eek:
 
Skylerbone said:
I'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.
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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 this :D
 
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.
 
Skylerbone said:
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.
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While ballistically it's a good round, I kind of hate .40s&w :eek: Its recoil is... annoying. Not painful, just annoying.
 
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