Micro 9 experience, likes/dislikes

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psyfly

New member
Just adopted a used Kimberly Micro9. Interested in others' opinions. I haven't fired mine, yet. It's a pretty thing.
 
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.
 
Couldn't you cock the hammer, engage the safety, then rack the slide to chamber a round...as opposed to racking the slide twice?
 
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.
 
Micro 9 is a single action that is similar to a 1911
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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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
Couldn't you cock the hammer, engage the safety, then rack the slide to chamber a round...as opposed to racking the slide twice?
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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.

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.
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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.
 
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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.

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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).
 
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.:)
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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