The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > Hogan's Alley > Handguns: The Semi-automatic Forum

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old September 7, 2017, 10:09 AM   #1
psyfly
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 27, 2007
Location: Texas
Posts: 932
Micro 9 experience, likes/dislikes

Just adopted a used Kimberly Micro9. Interested in others' opinions. I haven't fired mine, yet. It's a pretty thing.
__________________
Show me the data
psyfly is offline  
Old September 7, 2017, 11:01 AM   #2
RickB
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 1, 2000
Location: Boise, ID
Posts: 8,508
If you'll accept general impressions of the SIG P938, I'll say that for a "1911 guy" looking for a very light, compact pistol with familiar manual of arms, it's an excellent design.

My only real complaint is that the design places an overabundance of importance on the ability to rack the slide with the safety engaged.
It's a feature, being a 1911 guy, that I don't expect and don't appreciate, but it renders the manual safety harder to reach and less positive in its function.
The rack-on-safe feature works only when the hammer is already cocked, so it's not like you can insert a mag, engage the safety, rack the slide, and save a step compared to other single action pistols.
You have to rack the slide or cock the hammer first, then engage the safety, then rack the slide again, to load.

While the Kimber and SIG are not mechanically identical, primarily the difference in the extractor design, so you can't expect the two guns to run identically, I ran 1000 rounds of handloads without issue, 50-100 rounds at a time, was absolutely overjoyed with the performance, then had three failures - two "why isn't hammer dropping?" and one failure to extract - in the span of 50 rounds. A subsequent 100 trouble-free rounds hasn't completely restored my confidence.

I prefer the Kimber's more 1911ish appearance to the SIG family, but not a big deal, either way.
I chose the SIG over the Kimber because all models of the former have ambi safeties, while only some Micro 9s do, and I didn't want to budget for adding an ambi to a Kimber.
__________________
Runs off at the mouth about anything 1911 related on this site and half the time is flat out wrong.
RickB is offline  
Old September 7, 2017, 04:48 PM   #3
GarandTd
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 15, 2016
Location: Rural PA
Posts: 1,639
Couldn't you cock the hammer, engage the safety, then rack the slide to chamber a round...as opposed to racking the slide twice?
__________________
22lr, 20 gauge, 8mm Mauser, 35 Remington, 30-06, 5.56x45/223, 9mm, 380acp
GarandTd is offline  
Old September 7, 2017, 04:50 PM   #4
PSP
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 2, 2006
Location: Bowling Green Virginia
Posts: 4,483
I really disliked the Micro 9. This is partly to my getting older I think but the overall recoil was punishing. On top of that the safety bothered the web of my thumb. I was very unimpressed with the trigger. Without saying anything to him, my son's first comment after shooting it was "I don't like it". I sold it a month or so after buying. Many people like it, but it's not a gun for me.

Good luck with yours.
PSP is offline  
Old September 7, 2017, 05:18 PM   #5
wild cat mccane
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 22, 2011
Posts: 3,552
Can I sidebar for a second? Whats the difference between the Micro 9, Solo, and II?
wild cat mccane is offline  
Old September 7, 2017, 07:06 PM   #6
mk70ss
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 12, 2008
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 1,591
Micro 9 is a single action that is similar to a 1911, the Solo is double action.
__________________
Say when.....
mk70ss is offline  
Old September 7, 2017, 08:28 PM   #7
Auto5
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 18, 2013
Location: Chicago suburbs
Posts: 662
Solo is striker fired.
__________________
At the young age of five, a bear told me that I was the only person who could prevent forest fires. Why I was chosen, I'll never know.
Auto5 is offline  
Old September 7, 2017, 11:45 PM   #8
Jim Watson
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 25, 2001
Location: Alabama
Posts: 18,453
Quote:
Micro 9 is a single action that is similar to a 1911
It is rather more similar to a Spanish Star Super than to a 1911. It does have a separate mainspring housing that the Star lacks and adds a firing pin obstruction that is liability driven these days. On the other hand, it does not have the Star's magazine disconnect.
Jim Watson is offline  
Old September 8, 2017, 12:26 AM   #9
psyfly
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 27, 2007
Location: Texas
Posts: 932
The Mustang is close to being a clone of the Star DK. Colt and Star were, (allegedly) working on some cooperative deal(s), which fell through. The Colt is not an exact copy. In addition to the differences noted by Jim, above, e.g., the star had an external extractor and a barrel link, which neither the Mustang nor the Micro9 have. There may be other differences, as well. Back to the Micro9, anybody else? Thanks, PSP for both the info and the well-wishes.
__________________
Show me the data
psyfly is offline  
Old September 8, 2017, 07:31 AM   #10
wild cat mccane
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 22, 2011
Posts: 3,552
Is the Solo smaller than the Micro 9?

Is the Solo not being sold anymore?
wild cat mccane is offline  
Old September 8, 2017, 07:58 AM   #11
JMag1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 25, 2015
Posts: 173
Quote:
Originally Posted by wild cat mccane View Post
Is the Solo smaller than the Micro 9?



Is the Solo not being sold anymore?


The Solo has been discontinued, but there are still available in places.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
JMag1 is offline  
Old September 8, 2017, 08:29 AM   #12
Jim Watson
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 25, 2001
Location: Alabama
Posts: 18,453
Just to clarify, the Star Super series are cam track guns, not link.

I know a guy who has a Micro and I hope to get to the range with him and it Real Soon Now. I like the concept, my Kahr is not much larger but the DAO is not my kettle of fish.
Jim Watson is offline  
Old September 8, 2017, 11:35 AM   #13
RickB
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 1, 2000
Location: Boise, ID
Posts: 8,508
Quote:
Couldn't you cock the hammer, engage the safety, then rack the slide to chamber a round...as opposed to racking the slide twice?
Yes, however you want to go about cocking the hammer, it has to be cocked for the safety to be applied.
Some people think it's a great feature, being able to load and unload with the safety engaged, and if you think it's a great feature, then you'll really like it, but I've been using "slide lock safeties" for over 40 years, and just keep my finger out of the trigger guard when loading and unloading.

Designing the safety lever so that it's clear of the slide when engaged, means it's harder to reach and harder to disengage than it would be without the rack-on-safe feature.
Cylinder & Slide makes/made safeties for the Colt Mustang/P238/P938 series with larger, easier to operate levers, but they seem to have discontinued most of them.

Quote:
The Mustang is close to being a clone of the Star DK. Colt and Star were, (allegedly) working on some cooperative deal(s), which fell through. The Colt is not an exact copy. In addition to the differences noted by Jim, above, e.g., the star had an external extractor and a barrel link, which neither the Mustang nor the Micro9 have. There may be other differences, as well. Back to the Micro9, anybody else? Thanks, PSP for both the info and the well-wishes.
I've owned a couple of Star PDs, which, internally, are quite similar to the Mustang/PX38/Micro series. I think Colt did sell some .380 "Ponies" that were based on a Star design, and may have actually been "made" in Spain and then sent to the U.S. for finishing. That pistol was then made or imported by another company; after the Gun Control Act of '68, the gun may not have been importable, as it didn't offer enough "sporting" features to pass muster. EDIT: It appears that the gun was made/sold as the Star Model D, Colt Pony, FIE Pony, and Iver Johnson Pony. Very similar to the current Colt/SIG/Kimber pistols.
__________________
Runs off at the mouth about anything 1911 related on this site and half the time is flat out wrong.

Last edited by RickB; September 8, 2017 at 11:43 AM.
RickB is offline  
Old September 9, 2017, 09:20 AM   #14
wild cat mccane
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 22, 2011
Posts: 3,552
Why was the Solo killed off if it's smaller than the Micro 9...
wild cat mccane is offline  
Old September 9, 2017, 07:36 PM   #15
WWWJD
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 9, 2011
Location: Central KY
Posts: 552
I like my Micro 9...

..I like it A LOT. Bought the CDP version back in the spring, and have shot it quite a bit. It's now my EDC, in a N82 Tactical Pro holster.. between the size of the gun and the fit of the holster, it conceals very well, even with my 280 lbs and T-Shirt habit.

I keep 124gr HSTs in it, and shoot a spread of ammo weights in it regularly. No problems whatsoever after getting used to the "tiny" of it. I still felt like I wasn't getting a good grip on the gun, even though I am. So, to polish it off I threw on some Stoner CNC grips the other day. It's a handsome little feller.



The Solo ran for 5 years or so; they had some problems early on, and I don't know if they ever got all of the gremlins out of it. That being said, I'd still be interested in having one. The Micro's had some growing pains too, mostly extraction issues as far as I know. (no problems here though).
__________________
~Mark

NRA Endowment FTW
WWWJD is offline  
Old September 9, 2017, 08:10 PM   #16
Joe_Pike
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 30, 2010
Posts: 1,581
Has anyone tried a P938 magazine for function? I know they fit because I put the Micro 9 magazine in my P938 and it fit. To me, the only difference between the two seems to be the roll mark.
__________________
Stay Groovy
Joe_Pike is offline  
Old September 9, 2017, 09:29 PM   #17
wild cat mccane
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 22, 2011
Posts: 3,552
The Micro 9 looks more similar to my more expensive SAS variant of the P938 -the melted slide version of the P938 that Sig has stupidly discontinued but still uses as the main image of the P938 on the Sig website.

https://www.sigsauer.com/products/fi.../pistols/p938/

I think the melted slide on the Kimber should be a consideration to future P938/Micro 9 buyers. Even the SAS model is a bit square in package.
wild cat mccane is offline  
Old September 9, 2017, 10:59 PM   #18
Bill DeShivs
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 7, 2006
Posts: 10,963
The Star DK is the granddaddy of the Colt/SIG/Kimber/RI .380 pistols.
The original Colt Pony .380 deal fell through very early in production. This was in the mid-1970s. All of the Colt/F.I./Iver Johnson frames were made in the US. They were never imported. The Star was not imported after 1968.
Just for the record.
__________________
Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler
www.billdeshivs.com
Bill DeShivs is offline  
Old September 9, 2017, 11:01 PM   #19
Ibmikey
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 1, 2013
Location: Now relocated to Texas
Posts: 2,943
I love my Sig P 938 as well as my three P 238's, the Sig and Micro pistols are quite similar in design and all took the Star Model D as it's base. The history of Interarms, Star and all the models they imported is interesting, Colt had nothing to do with the Pony design as Firearms International (not FIE) made the frames in steel and imported the parts kits from Star. The Colt prototype pistols were made by FI, the slides roll marked with Colt provided dies and when Colt decided they would not market the pistol returned most completed guns to FI. I have one of the pistols that had the Colt markings scrubbed and FI engraved.
My Micro 380 is a neat little pistol that shoots just fine but having several 238's on hand already I have become partial to carrying them.
Ibmikey is offline  
Old September 10, 2017, 03:49 PM   #20
Ibmikey
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 1, 2013
Location: Now relocated to Texas
Posts: 2,943
Wild cat, I was unaware Sig discontinued the SAS as that is what I have and love the look and way it shoots and fits my paw.
Ibmikey is offline  
Old September 10, 2017, 05:29 PM   #21
wild cat mccane
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 22, 2011
Posts: 3,552
SAS has been gone for 2 years now. Weird huh? I bought two during Christmas time when they were $450.

Makes me think the current price is a bit steep for the most entry level.

There are still a few SAS versions (if labeled correctly) on slickguns.com, but you are going to pay for their rarity.
wild cat mccane is offline  
Old September 20, 2017, 08:53 PM   #22
lwestatbus
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 13, 2008
Location: Cocoa Beach, FL
Posts: 114
A Gun For All Reasons

After doing a TON of research, including a lengthy thread here on the FL Forums, I selected a Micro 9 as an upgrade to my .380 PPKS. I'd wanted the same features with more power and got most of them except for DA/SA.

I love the feel of this pistol. I'm a 1911 shooter from way back with medium size hands. A full size 1911 fits my hand perfectly while any double stack 9mm is too big. The Kimber fits in nicely.

Big Suggestion: Buy the 7-rd extended magazines. You get one more round than the standard AND you get all fingers on the grip. I have no trouble fitting the pistol in my pocket with the extended mag.

I think the rack-on-safe feature is goofy and just don't use it. Take off safe, load, put on safe.

Sights and trigger are crisp. This thing shoots where I aim it.

One problem I've had is having the pistol go on safe while shooting with a Weaver grip. My standard grip puts the knuckle of my thumb close enough to the safety that recoil can force safety on.

I love how light this thing is. (I have the stainless steel model.) The recoil doesn't bother me at all.

This is easy to carry. I live in Florida and dressing around a pistol, especially in work clothes without a jacket, can be troublesome. This fits in slacks pockets (though with significant print on thin slacks). I have a fabric pocket holster for it and a Fobus paddle holster which are my usual carry modes. But I found that this fits nicely in a very old Bianchi X15 size small shoulder holster I got really cheaply on eBay. But I have a MacDaniel II IWB holster on order from Andrews Custom Leather (it will be my 5th MacDaniel from Andrews).

I love the power of a 9mm in such a compact package. I'll always have a .45 if I can reasonably dress around it but having something I can just slip in a pocket on a trip to the grocery is priceless.
lwestatbus is offline  
Old September 21, 2017, 07:54 AM   #23
Fishbed77
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 23, 2010
Posts: 4,862
Quote:
Why was the Solo killed off if it's smaller than the Micro 9...
Probably because it was expensive and had a reputation for unreliability. Those traits make for poor seller in the world of CCWs.
Fishbed77 is offline  
Old September 21, 2017, 08:29 AM   #24
Jim Watson
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 25, 2001
Location: Alabama
Posts: 18,453
Quote:
One problem I've had is having the pistol go on safe while shooting with a Weaver grip. My standard grip puts the knuckle of my thumb close enough to the safety that recoil can force safety on.
That is a deal breaker. You have to get that fixed, change your style, or change guns.
Jim Watson is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:01 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.11618 seconds with 10 queries