1911EMP &EMP 4 for CC who likes it

[AABigRick]

Hey guys looking for a new concealed carry option. I shot the Hellcat today, no offense to Springfield, but the total package of it as is, just isnot for me. I will say that u can definitely acquire a sight picture very quick on it which is great for self defense, combined with the high capacity.

Anyways im now looking at something slightly bigger possibly the 1911 EMP or EMP 4 for concealed carry. As Im aware they are larger but what do you all think of them for a concealed carry. Emp still concealable enough, emp 4 too beefy? Or prefer to have the emp 4 due to better accuracy via barrell length?

Any other thoughts?

 

[southtex]

The EMP Contour is a great gun especially if you are looking for something bigger. I would suggest a Crossbreed or MTR Leather if you are looking for IWB and a Versacarry for OWB. I will confess I don't carry mine daily since I am now in shorts daily. This is mine with custom Kote and Indian Ebony grips

 

[AABigRick]

The EMP Contour is a great gun especially if you are looking for something bigger. I would suggest a Crossbreed or MTR Leather if you are looking for IWB and a Versacarry for OWB. I will confess I don't carry mine daily since I am now in shorts daily. This is mine with custom Kote and Indian Ebony grips
View attachment 7431

Thanks for the info, i definitely will be looking for iwb as it keeps it tighter to my body.

 

[JohnHimes]

I carry an EMP 4 CC daily. It is a comfortable carry and easy to conceal even in the Texas heat. I've had one for 6 months. I've put 2400 rounds down range. The only problem I had was that it doesn't like Critical Defense JHP, other JHP no problem.
My wife shot mine and now she has her own for EDC.

 

[AABigRick]

I carry an EMP 4 CC daily. It is a comfortable carry and easy to conceal even in the Texas heat. I've had one for 6 months. I've put 2400 rounds down range. The only problem I had was that it doesn't like Critical Defense JHP, other JHP no problem.
My wife shot mine and now she has her own for EDC.

Are you having feeding issues with the Critical Defense, or extraction? just curious

Have you shot federal JHP through it? or do you have a JHP preference for it. Thanks

 

[SATRP]

Hi AABigRick,

I began the quest for the best (for me) concealed handgun many decades ago. I bought a Model 60, which was then the definitive off-duty gun. It is an excellent gun. However, it's critical limitations cannot be ignored. It is the quintessential belly gun. I call it a neck and up gun. At the distance it was intended to be deployed, if a bad guy's CNS was not incapacitated, it would've been likely that I'd have taken rounds. It is a one bad guy gun. Bad guys rarely commit bad acts alone. Reloading it requires a lunar cycle. Under stress, it would require two ;-)

If feasible, I'd carry my Springfield Armory TRP .45 ACP everywhere. It is my wilderness handgun. It's too big for urban carry.

I've never been a huge fan of the 9MM. It is a decent self-defense cartridge. When matched with a perfect self-defense handgun, the 9MM becomes more than sufficient.

After a lot of research, I bought a Springfield Armory EMP 3 9MM. I've had zero buyer's remorse. With help of Springfield Armory's excellent Law Enforcement Customer Service (especially the most wonderful Lexi), I have the Holy Grail of urban self-defense handguns. Loaded with 10 rounds of 147 grain Fed HST LE (standard pressure) with a spare mag, it's the ultimate self-defense handgun. Because it's a 1911 design, there would be no muscle memory conflict.

I have a friend who owned (he wisely sold it) a reputable brand (not SA) shorty 1911-A1 .45 ACP. I watched him and another friend fire 230 grain ball ammo out of it. Recoil caused its muzzle to point at their ceiling, which isn't good unless bad guys are parachuting. From my research and watching videos of the EMP 3 9MM during actual firing, my worry about controlling a shorty 9MM firing 147 grain rounds was substantially reduced. After firing a box of duty ammo through it, I was astonished at the ease that I could keep my EMP 3's muzzle on target. Requiring sight picture after each round fired is a severe tactical disadvantage. A gun's muzzle must always remain on target. With 147 grain duty ammo, I experienced no difficulty keeping my EMP 3's muzzle on target.

There are many excellent concealed carry self-defense handguns available to survivors. Hand gunners would be hard pressed to find one that's superior to the Springfield Armory EMP 3 9MM.

One last point: I have complete confidence in my EMP 3 9MM. It is completely reliable and unbelievably accurate.

If you're in the market for an easily concealed self-defense handgun, my recommendation is the Springfield Armory EMP 3 9MM.

 

[OkiePewPew]

The Hellcat is certainly not for everyone, no gun is, and many folks with larger hands find a better fit with the compact XD, EMP, or XDE. I have long but not thick hands so the Hellcat works for me. I’m not a 1911 guy but I do carry an XDM compact which is very close in size to the EMP. The Xdm compact is my every day carry, although I do wear looser fitting clothes.

 

[KillerFord1977]

Side note : rent guns and travel to a range that will rent a gun. Find a friend who will let you shoot theirs if its one you are interested in.

amazes me folks will sit on a sofa. lay on a bed or test drive a car forever before purchasing, but will buy a gun after Only 1 or 2 dry fires at the counter.

not pointing fingers... just observation

 

[Cudda]

I bought myself the EMP3 back before the 4" and Contour was available. I did my due diligence between the feel, the weight, concealability and then ran a few hundred rounds through a rental.

It isn't for everyone (as stated above) but it was right for me. The only updates I've made to it are a throated and polished feed ramp (it's angle is a little steep and had issues with some defense rounds before the update), added a CT green diode laser grip (preferences there, not necessary), and just replaced the trigger (not the whole assembly, just the trigger) the same length ... fitting it properly. The old trigger had the slightest loose play even with the hammer back but after polishing and working the actions it's tight and smooth.

Nothing done that needs a Smith unless you aren't very tool savy.

Hope this helps anyone. Good luck to anyone finding their personal preference in the best carry gun!

 

[JohnHimes]

Are you having feeding issues with the Critical Defense, or extraction? just curious

Have you shot federal JHP through it? or do you have a JHP preference for it. Thanks

I do carry JHP in my EMP, I just don't carry Hornaday Critical Defense JHP. I found that it doesn't like those very much and have had a couple of failure to feed. It has done well with every other JHP I've put through it.

 

[southtex]

I do carry JHP in my EMP, I just don't carry Hornaday Critical Defense JHP. I found that it doesn't like those very much and have had a couple of failure to feed. It has done well with every other JHP I've put through it.

I carry JHP's in mine also although not Hornady. I use Federal HST 124gr, Black Hills 115gr +P, and Barnes 115gr +P Tac-XP. My gun cycles these without issue.

 

[Cudda]

I do carry JHP in my EMP, I just don't carry Hornaday Critical Defense JHP. I found that it doesn't like those very much and have had a couple of failure to feed. It has done well with every other JHP I've put through it.

This is why I throated the chamber and semi-regularly polish the feed ramp. I really like the HCD but after about 10 mags of even clean plinking ammo the residue causes random FTF issues with the HDC. This is AFTER polishing the feed ramp.

I believe the distance between the frame bevel just below the feed ramp and the tip of the feed ramp plus the tight angle of the ramp cause those points to catch between them. If they were perfectly mated I feel like it would feed anything like butter.

I'm looking at the stats and many ballistic videos out there to find a good replacement for the Hornady Critical Defense in my EMP but I will continue to use it in my other defense handguns as they have not had any issues.