It’s time for another confession. I think that 1911’s which have been “scaled down” to be chambered in 9mm are not a good idea. The original platform had been built around the .45 ACP and that’s where it has always been the most comfortable. However, there are a few manufacturers out there who are trying a different approach which I can get behind. In the case of the Springfield Armory EMP4 they have built a 1911 from the ground up specifically for the 9×19 cartridge. This seems to have solved a lot of these inherent complications.
You know what that means! Time to see what makes this gun tick.
A quick clarification first, however. Springfield has a whole range of 1911 EMP models. Going by the product description on their website the model which I am reviewing is the “1911 EMP 4″ Concealed Carry Contour Model” in Desert Flat Dark Earth. It’s also available in .40 caliber if you’d prefer.
The very first thing that I noticed when putting the EMP into my hands is that the grip is way smaller than the broader .45’s. This also means that it takes a smaller magazine which is built around the caliber. Previous doctrine involved adding a spacer or extra crimping to make the smaller rounds fit within a .45 spec body which can lead to additional problems. With the EMP, a smaller bullet and a smaller magazine means a smaller grip and it feels absolutely fantastic!
The slide is stainless steel while the frame is aluminum. The frame itself doesn’t have any form of accessory rail which makes for a more classic profile, something which I tend to prefer in a 1911. Slide serrations are only at the back and felt just right, not too many nor too few and without being too aggressive in texture. The grip width measures at 1.14″ though the ambi safety does add some extra bulk here. With the desert flat dark earth finish and blacked out G10 grips, controls, barrel, and guide rod, it also looks really sharp.
The slide engraving is another detail which I have been fond of with the EMP series. It’s sharp, simple, and modern looking and I feel it really dresses up the classic 1911 lines without overdoing it. Grip panels make good use of the G10 material and are aggressively textured top to bottom and back to front with only a subtle hollowed out channel behind the magazine release for the thumb. This deep texturing is also repeated on the back of the mainspring housing and the front of the frame, it’s grippy without being too rough.
Sights are a white two dot rear and an orange fiber optic front, a pattern which has been used on several other Springfield models in the XD line. I’ve always found these to be very functional and easy to pick up. The “concealed carry contour” model also has an angled cut at the back of the grip for an even smaller profile, a full length solid metal guide rod, and one heck of a thick bull barrel.
Seriously, the front of this barrel is nearly 0.7″ in diameter! I’m not sure why they chose to go this route instead of a smaller barrel and a bushing but it does help to make the pistol feel very balanced.
The all steel magazine is single stack and comfortably holds nine rounds, you won’t have to struggle to get the last one in.
Before getting into the range session there is one little quirk about the EMP which irritates me. The slide travels something like a quarter inch beyond where the slide stop engages which struck me as being somewhat excessive. Because the slide catch is also standard profile this has tripped me up numerous times when trying to manually lock the slide open. It’s pretty awkward.
My time on the range was curiously not all fantastic news. The EMP fits the hand well but there was something about the trigger which I really had trouble getting comfortable with. Sitting with an empty gun in hand it feels great while dry firing, but while out on the range the initial bit of take-up led to a break which somehow seemed heavier than it should have. I threw most of my shots when trying to get a grouping, even while sitting down with the gun in a rest.
The reset is short with a tiny amount of grit but the release is good and crisp. I’m not sure what happened out there! It’s possible that my lack of experience with 1911’s was more to blame than the EMP. After a couple of tries my best five shot group at 40 feet measures just shy of 2 inches. A more experienced shooter should be able to wrangle tighter groups out of this gun.
So at a fair distance I may have had some troubles with accuracy but I still consider the EMP to be a good handgun. The 9mm is the go-to cartridge these days and it makes zero sense to me to have the caliber in a gun which isn’t designed for it. The EMP shaves off a considerable amount of size and weight (it’s nearly nine ounces lighter compared to their Mil-Spec .45 model) while being true to the smaller caliber. Build quality, fit and finish are also excellent all around.
If you’re a 1911 kind of shooter yet happen to prefer the 9mm, or if you’d like something that would be easier for concealed carry, the EMP is definitely worth looking into. The more slender grip and single stack magazine also makes it much more friendly to shooters with smaller hands. You can find this particular EMP in our handgun rentals at the Richfield Range, come give it a try!
