![Springfield Armory EMP Micro-1911 .40 S&W - Range Report The Springfield Armory EMP is available in both 9mm and our test gun which is .40S&W. The “Enhanced Micro Pistol” designation is because the gun was made specifically for a smaller frame size, slide size, just for those cartridges.](/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/springfield-armory-enhanced-micro-pistol-1911emp-.40-sw-right-394x300.jpg)
The Springfield Armory EMP is available in both 9mm and our test gun which is .40S&W. The “Enhanced Micro Pistol” designation is because the gun was made specifically for a smaller frame size, slide size, just for those cartridges.
By Paul Helinski
Springfield Armory EMP
https://www.springfield-armory.com/emp
Sometimes the reviews here at GunsAmerica are driven by advertising, but not the way you have come to expect them to be in the print pubs. In the case of the Springfield Armory EMP Micro-Pistol, the first time an ad for it ran alongside one of our Digest emails, over 7,000 of you clicked on the ad, instead of one of the articles (ahem). This seemed to indicate that a lot of people were interested in the gun, so we asked Springfield for a test subject, in .40 S&W. The result was not only getting to shoot a genuinely nifty and useful firearm. It turns out that the gun is not just YA1911. (Yet Another 1911). Unlike all of the other 1911-style pistols in 9mm and .40S&W, the EMP was re-engineered to shoot these cartridges specifically. It is truly a “scaled down” 1911, and the components have been made to function reliably with both a smaller cartridge, and smaller barrel length, in the 1911 design. The grip angle is the same as the standard 1911 but the grip is thinner, and guts of the gun are smaller to work in a shorter space. We tested our EMP extensively, and it is both reliable and accurate. At a street price in the $1,200 range, this is not an inexpensive firearm, but with stock tritium night sights and custom shop grade parts, the Springfield EMP is a lot of gun if you want to carry a 1911 for personal defense. This gun has been available for many years in both 9mm and .40 S&W, but judging by how many of you clicked on the ad, there are still plenty of people who didn’t know about it.
![Springfield Armory EMP Micro-1911 .40 S&W - Range Report The gun comes with Trijicon tritium inserts in a Novak style low profile carry sight. These inserts glow in the dark without needing to be “charged up” by a light source.](/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/springfield-armory-enhanced-micro-pistol-1911emp-.40-sw-lsights-278x300.jpg)
The gun comes with Trijicon tritium inserts in a Novak low profile carry sight. These inserts glow in the dark without needing to be “charged up” by a light source.
![Springfield Armory EMP Micro-1911 .40 S&W - Range Report The EMP has an ambidextrous safety paddle. On our test gun it was crisp and not to stiff to operate like a lot of out of the box 1911s.](/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/springfield-armory-enhanced-micro-pistol-1911emp-.40-sw-safety-ambi-321x300.jpg)
The EMP has an ambidextrous safety paddle. On our test gun it was crisp and not to stiff to operate like a lot of out of the box 1911s.
The first question people usually ask about the EMP is if it has an alloy frame, meaning aluminum alloy. No it does not. The EMP .40 is carbon steel, with Springfield’s “Armory Kote” finish. The 9mm is alloy. On both guns the slide is forged stainless steel and comes with a satin finish. Overall, the EMP is 6.5” long and 5” high, and the .40 weighs 33 ounces empty. The 9mm is 7 ounces less. The magazines are stainless, made by Mec-Gar in Italy, and the .40 holds 8 rounds, while the 9mm holds one more. As with all Springfield pistols, the EMP comes with a hard lockable case with a holster, mag holster and lock. Our gun came with three magazines. Each has a “slam plate” that sticks out beyond the bottom of the gun. The grips on the EMP are South American Cocobolo (and very pretty as you can see in the pics) with machine-cut checkering and an SA logo. The sights are carry-style, with no snag points, and the tritium inserts are from Trijicon. The thumb paddle safety release is ambidextrous, and the trigger and hammer are skeletonized.
The 3” barrel on the EMP does not have a barrel bushing in the front like a regular 1911. About the only unpleasant thing about the gun is that you have to use a special insert to take it down, or at least to take the barrel out of the frame. You lock the slide forward, then clip a little plastic piece to the guide rod. This prevents the guide rod from going back to full length, so you can pull it out. Lose that little part and you won’t have as fun a time taking down your EMP. Springfield 1911s also come with an internal locking system on the rear of the grip that uses special key, two of which come with the gun. This is a unique feature of their guns that you rarely ever read about.
![Springfield Armory EMP Micro-1911 .40 S&W - Range Report – The .40S&W mag holds 8, the 9mm holds 9. The mags extend below the grip, and we have not seen a flush mag in this proprietary design.](/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/springfield-armory-enhanced-micro-pistol-1911emp-.40-sw-safety-magazine-400x286.jpg)
The .40S&W mag holds 8, the 9mm holds 9. The mags extend below the grip, and we have not seen a flush mag in this proprietary design.
Everything on the EMP is smaller than a regular 1911, but it still feels like one. Springfield already made a compact .45ACP 1911 before the EMP. It is called the “Micro-Compact.” To go even smaller, the company had to limit the gun to smaller cartridges, and by doing so they allowed the EMP engineers to create a new gun that is not interchangeable with YA1911. The grip is 1.4/10ths of an inch smaller than a 1911, and this allows you to hold the gun a little bit tighter into your hand. It also allows some smaller-framed shooters to hold comfortably a 1911 where they can’t hold a standard size. As a side note,
![Springfield Armory EMP Micro-1911 .40 S&W - Range Report The grips are Cocobolo, and if you look at the grip safety, it has the bump for a more positive release in a quick draw and fire.](/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/springfield-armory-enhanced-micro-pistol-1911emp-.40-sw-safetygrips-400x264.jpg)
The grips are Cocobolo, and if you look at the grip safety, it has the bump for a more positive release in a quick draw and fire.
you could also use that thinner profile to add Crimson Trace grips while keeping the grip more like what you are used to with a standard 1911. The other smaller parts on the gun are the slide, firing pin and spring, plunger tube housing, trigger bow, extractor and even the magazine.
The EMP recoils pretty much like a standard 1911. In .40S&W, the relatively heavy weight of the EMP controls the kick so much that it isn’t uncomfortable at all. Muzzle flip, however, is almost always an issue for the .40 S&W and it is in the EMP as well. If you favor the 1911 design, the EMP will shoot for you “as expected.” I suspect that the 9mm will flip much less, and that it will be a pleasant gun to shoot for even the smallest of shooters. Because of the slightly extended magazine, the EMP is a three-finger grip for even the biggest hands. I have not seen a flush magazine available for the gun at the Springfield Store. Like all 1911s, the EMP is a holster gun, and besides the belt holster that comes with it, any standard 3 or 4” inside-the-waistband holster for standard 1911s will fit the gun perfectly.
![Springfield Armory EMP Micro-1911 .40 S&W - Range Report The frame is carbon steel on the EMP, not aluminum alloy, so it weighs 33 ounces empty. The weight helps tame the recoil, but this is strictly a belt holster firearm.](/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/springfield-armory-enhanced-micro-pistol-1911emp-.40-sw-left-366x300.jpg)
The frame is carbon steel on the EMP, not aluminum alloy, so it weighs 33 ounces empty. The weight helps tame the recoil, but this is strictly a belt holster firearm.
We shot the EMP with several types of ammunition to get an idea of what you should expect. At 10 yards, it repeatedly shot Hornady Critical Duty into about an inch of dispersal, rested. Federal Guard Dog, several bullet weights of Hornady Critical Defense and steel cased Tula .40 S&W averaged in the just over 2” range. There is no explanation of why the Critical Duty performed in the same range as some $3,000 1911 pistols out there, but the overall results were more in line with other production-quality 1911s by higher-end gunmakers. Hornady Critical Duty is a round specifically designed to meet the FBI barrier penetration tests. On the chronograph, all of the ammo we tested reflected a slight loss in speed due to the short 3” barrel on the EMP.
![Springfield Armory EMP Micro-1911 .40 S&W - Range Report The EMP comes with standard Springfield case candy of a rudimentary outside the belt holster and double magazine holster, as well as three mags.](/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/springfield-armory-enhanced-micro-pistol-1911emp-.40-sw-box-224x300.jpg)
The EMP comes with standard Springfield case candy of a rudimentary outside the belt holster and double magazine holster, as well as three mags.
As you can see from the pictures, the EMP is a pretty gun. The fit and finish are meticulous, and it has little extras like a slightly beveled mag well and rounded edges on the ejection port. A lot of care and attention to detail went to into these guns, and as much as we love Springfield’s plastic pistols, you just can’t compare a well-made 1911 to any plastic gun at all. The EMP is a very mature design, made for elitists in the concealed carry world and gun nuts in general. I won’t be swapping the XD-S in my pocket for an EMP on my belt any time soon, but if I were of the gun nut variety that doesn’t think you are carrying unless you have a leather holster on your belt, I would probably carry the EMP (in .40). This is a gun that probably nobody has ever experienced buyer’s remorse over. That is why they make gun safes big and roomy — so we can all get one of each.
Very nice well done article.
Proud to say I saw them for what they were and I bought 3 in the 40S&W.
Only carry I will ever carry.
Wish Springfield Armory would wake up and do a re-run.
I would likewise wish Crimson Trace would also remake their laser grips.
I have had mine for four years, now. I like my EMP 40 as much as I like my Colt 45, Talo. Both guns shoot great and both guns are beautiful.
Very well written article! I appreciate that you did such a good job of answering all the questions I had about the pistol without being able to ask. I’love be looking into the EMP .40 cal soon!
I have had a 9mm emp for a couple years now and carry it exclusively, does anyone know if there are any 22 conversion kits on the market for the emp?
I carried for work for two years every day and shot at the range at least twice monthly or more and have never had he first hiccup with my emp .40. One fine 1911 and just as accurate as a custom made high end 1911 although the emp 40 is around a 1300.00 dollar piece and has many custom attributes. Highly rec ccamend for any LEO or citizen. S.A did their homework on this one.
For around 25 years I was hardcore Glock, and nothing else existed in my eyes, and wouldn’t even talk about anything else. A Freind of mine owns a small gunshop here in town and pulled out the EMP.40 just to mess with me. From the moment he opened the box I was in love. Needless to say I walked out of the shop that day with it, and other that work, and the gym my EMP.40 is on my side. Love the feel of it, so far I’ve ran maybe 13-14 hundred rounds of various brands of amo and has never gave me a problem. I am showing slight leather wear and some of the black Finnish is flaking off the slide release. I was actually online looking for replacement parts when I came across this. In a nutshell, I don’t know what to say about this gun other than WoW! Didn’t like the price, but by far the best gun I have ever owned.
I agree with the author of the review that the EMP 40 is more of a holster gun than a CC pistol. At 33 ounces empty & a full mag of 165 gr. Federal Hydra-Shoks the pistol tends to tug heavily at whatever clothing you have it attached to especially if it’s hot outside and you’re wearing light garb. I could have probably had a better choice of holster as I used a Uncle Mike’s IWB made for 3″ 1911’s that wasn’t ideal. That said I did carry it as my primary EDC for over a year until I obtained a Springfield XD-S in .45 ACP. which is infinitely easier to carry even with the extended 7 rd. mag. The EMP 40 is snappy as stated but not at all hard to handle and it’s extremely accurate. In the 7-10 yard range I can consistently put rounds into 2-3 inches with a flyer here and there. The gun is too good looking for everyday carry as I can be hard on my CC weapon and I don’t want to have mine end up looking like my old S&W model 27 that I carried for years. My XD-S is perfect for CC and is the very first polymer pistol I’ve ever owned. I had only put about 50 rounds through my XD-S at a range when someone told me about the recall. That was in August and I shipped it back to SA in early September of 2013 and I had it back just before Thanksgiving. I am more than satisfied with SA’s customer service as I own several of their firearms. The one gripe I have about the EMP was the fact that the front strap is completely smooth and it’s a $1200 pistol. For the money I thought the front strap should have had some checkering to match the back. My grip still feels firm and secure on the pistol as is but I believe the checkering on the front strap would have made it even more so. SA wants $140 for 30 LPI checkering on the front strap which isn’t much but should have been a feature for the price. I suppose one day I’ll let someone do some work on it. I admired the work I saw on Harrison’s website and may send it to him one day but I still think it’s a downright gorgeous pistol right out of the box.
I meant to say the EMP 40 is more of a OWB holster gun than a IWB holster gun. I could see a plain clothes cop wearing one on his hip all day long without any discomfort. But it’s more problematic when you’re concealing it. I suppose you can probably find a good shoulder rig to fit it but that requires wearing a jacket which I rarely do in this south Louisiana climate. I also have had only one hiccup after about 500 rounds through it. That was a FTF with a Winchester PDX1 165 gr. HP that got caught up at the feed ramp. I thought all HPs might be a problem since I read that some EMP owners did have that problem frequently with some of the first ones to hit the market. SA took care of that by polishing the feed ramps and some other stuff I don’t recall but after that I never had another FTF even with the same ammo. I feel confident enough in the reliability of the pistol to not have to send it in for the extra work although when I do get some custom work done I will have them polish the feed ramp at the same time.
to the gentleman that wants to sell, I am a BUYER!
GREAT GUN!!!!!!
what is the price of the emp 9mm with wood grips
Another testimonial for the .40 EMP. Carry Glock 27 and while EMP rides much heavier, far more controllable and follow up shots can be done far more quickly. Bought used, and ran 700 rds so far of various reman ammo as well as red/white box and Fed hydrashock HP and 80 rds of Corbon DPX. Only issues were with LAX (reman) ammo, but 2 different Glocks suffered same 1 in 75 ratio FTE’s too, so don’t think it was the EMP. I ran thru so much ammo so quickly because it was too much fun not to. Really easy to shoot. Send me a .22 version, I’m going broke!
The 9mm is CA compliant but the .40 is not. I managed to get a .40 with PPT for a very good price.
I am buying a .40 emp for myself after shooting my friends 2, yes 2 9mm emps! I don’t know why you would need 2, but each to their own. His 2 emps had 200 rounds put through them with no problems and both guns had never been shot, new out of the box. They may seem to be high priced but the workmanship is excellent, so is the accuracy. they may be high priced but they were very nice.
In 2010 I purchased the 9mm version after admiring it at my LGS. The fit and finish are fantastic! After 5,000+ rounds I can count the failures on one hand, it cycles whatever ammo is used. I made the mistake of letting my wife shoot it. Now it is her CC, so I replaced it with another EMP in .40 SW. The 40 is indeed heavier to carry but the weight controls the recoil quite nicely. So far stoppages are very rare. The fit and finish is the same as the 9mm. Both triggers break crisply at a hair over 4 lbs. Logman does fine work making the magazines more suitable for carry. Springfield Armory has a winner here.
also like I previously stated that the recoil spring doesn’t NEED that silly TOOL. After I had fired roughly 500 Rds the spring tension lightened enough to where I could push the backing of the spring forward just a tad; enough to clear the barrel and lift upwards and it pulls clean out. Wo the tool. Then remove the spring bushing and slide the barrel out. Simple as a field strip on any other 1911.
The grooves are the same on the 40 as on the 9. They are there to ensure you HAVE TO BUY EMP magazines. That’s why. No universal fit with other 9mm mags to attain a shorter more concealable mag. To do that you need to send them to a user named LogMan and he cuts them down and it loses a round but makes the mag fit flush. If you so desire.
You have to buy them anyway, because they are shorter front to back, making other 1911 mags not fit. So where/how is this pistol narrower?
I love my two. They are a tad on the heavy side, but they fit the hand well.
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I bought my EMT in 9mm when they first came out. It fit’s my small hands perfectly, and it is extremely accurate. BUT, I hate to clean it, because you have to use a small metal pin to break it down, or you can use a paper clip, they say. I’ve never lost the pin that came with it so I’ve never tried the paper clip. I wish there was someway they could make these small pistols with the old barrel bushing type like I had in the Army. We could field strip it anywhere, and didn’t need any type of tool to break it down. I’m not crazy about haveing to carry some kind of tool to break any weapon down, it’s to easy to lose! All in all, I love the little bugger, because it’s so light and doesn’t print when carrying concealed. Also, it’s extremely easy to control, when you squeeze the trigger. I load my EMT with either hollow points or the hydra shoks when I’m carrying. I’m happy with it!
So if it is narrower, why does the 40 magazine have grooves in the side? It seems that they could have made the frame even narrower, and only the 9mm mag would have the grooves.
Really. Have you shot both. The recoil on a 9 mm is much less despite the ALLOY FRAME BUDDY. I have shit them both in tandem and the muzzle flip and felt recoil are totally diff. The steel frame is garbage… I own the 9 and it has had its share of feeding issues Bc I bought one of the very first batches. Before they made improvements. And I can attest to SA’s attention to cust service and response time. As well as making notation if what probs there were w the first runs and chging them and fixing those probs. hands dwn the best 9mm ultra compact 1911 out regardless of PRICE… They’re not cheap.
Also the take down is just as simple as any other 1911. I don’t use the included piece. Just slide the recoil spring off the barrel a bit and lift up. Then remove the piece that hold the spring In place and pull the barrel just like any other 1911. Shoot more rounds through it and you’re spring will become a lil easier to do this with. Not as stiff. It’s quite easy w/o the tool actually…
Danny and Rich D. I thank you both for your kind words as well as this is my primary carry piece. Once I put it through its proper paces and made sure of no FTF’s or FTE’s before hand. Around 1k down the pipe and I am solely a 1911 person from full built race guns to UNFIRED series 70 Govt in nickel w pearl grips. Still in orig goose grease. But I have to say I just dropped a bundle just north of 2k on a completely one off Glock as that is the only way I’d own one. Also looking forward to the 2lb trigger it’s going to have. No 1911 ever achieved that. Nor would I want it in a carry arrangement. I’d shoot my d&$@ off…
Pardon shot them both in tandem. Not shit. Sry. Big fingers lil keypad…
I purchased two EMP .40s earlier this year after seeing the ad in GunsAmerica. I carry one and the other is locked away. Being retired law enforcement I really like my EMP and it is my preferred carry gun, even though I shoot better with my XD-s .45. The EMP is just so pretty I can’t help want to carry it.
Do you or your readers know if my 2nd EMP .40 can be EASILY converted to 9mm? With the heavier frame of the .40 it should shoot the 9mm ammo better than the EMP 9mm.
I do know for a fact that the 40 cannot be converted to 9mm without extensive modification such as extractor and mags as well as barrel being and I don’t even think its actually a conversion. Diff dimensions on the barrel hole. And recoil springs as well as spring for firing pin. It’s almost worth it to buy a 9mm from an auction like GB and have a third one all together. Prime number of EMP’s!!! Sounds waaaay cooler to me.
I’ve had my EMP 40 for 5 Years now and my brother has the 9. I was curious to see is it was as easy as doing a barrel swap and to my amazement it worked flawlessly. I ran about 100 rounds without any issues….. I did have to use the the 9mm mags though. The only issue now is finding an extra 9mm barrel. The heavier frame of the EMP 40 made the 9mm barrel swap a dream to shoot.
I def recommend the 9 as I own; and have shot both the 9 and 40: Bc the alloy frame will quickly become you’re fav EDC piece as mine has been for several years now. Mine is serial number 715 and that goes to show I bought one of the very first. 2005 I believe… Very HUGE fan of this piece. My father and I own a collection of over 40 long and short with around 20 short pieces incl the Dirty Harry nickel and some other interesting toys like the H&K G91 with less than 100 rounds through it WITH a .22lr Conversion Kit that was purchased at the same time in the ’70s and hasn’t even had the wrapping paper taken off. I’ve been told that it’s worth more than the gun itself! And that’s a VERY desirable weapon due to the ability to convert it to a full police style sniper rifle or easily chg the trigger pack to make it FA. But remember Fed Regs as I didn’t do that mod just Bc I didn’t want to have to register it.
When will the Springfield EMP in .40 S&W be available to us in California?
I don’t think the clip for break down is that unusual. Kimber uses a little L shaped piece (or a paper clip when you lose it) that fits in a tiny hole to hold the guide rod in place–and there are available replacements which are, in fact, the same as the little clip that Springfield uses. The only real issue with this design, tome, is that it is difficult to remove the spring from the guide rod when it comes time to replace it. (The spring on the Kimber, for example, is a 21 lb Wolff)
I carry the micro-compact 45 acp. for about 8 years now. it is starting to look worn from the carry but it is by far the most enjoyable pistol i own. I suspect the EMP will be a pistol loved by many.
i bought an EMP 40 7 months ago. it is a fine gun. i have several guns but i have never seen a semiauto i could not ratchet till i got this one. i called springfield and they told me i would have to shoot it 350 to 400 times to make it rachet easier. this redicolus. does anyone know of a lighter spring for this gun. if not i will be getting rid of it…JR
I acquired an EMP 9mm in March of 2007. Though I usually prefer Colt 1911’s, owning twelve, the EMP has become my carry gun 24/7. It’s accurate, reliable and comfortable to carry.
Where can I see your prices and are all your sales on the web? I’m in California; or can i see your products in a typical gun show?
We don’t sell anything. The EMP should be able to go to Cali I think. Chime in Cali guys?
1911 EMP Compact PI9209L / Alloy, Steel is the only one currently on the “list” -Roster of Handguns Certified for Sale
Thanks. That would appear to be both guns, but 2011? Ugh who knows if it has to be renewed every year and doesn”t come until two years later. Glad I don’t live there.
The 9mm is CA compliant but the .40 is not. I managed to get a .40 with PPT for a very good price.
Ron,
How do you like your .40 EMP?
Chuck
Nice write up. The Emp is still my favorite 1911 since I added it to my collection two years ago.
I’m a fairly big guy (6’1″@240lbs) with small hands. I fell in love with the EMP the moment I picked it up. Mine is in 9mm and it does have an alloy frame. I found it to be quite accurate in my hands using Federal HST in 124gr. After shooting and carrying it for a year I sent it to pistolsmith John Harrison in Kennesaw, Ga. John installed his Harrison Design ignition system and short trigger. For carry, he rounded the heel, opened the mag well and beveled the slide. He then dolled it up with arrow pattern serrations on front and back straps and top of slide and flush cut the barrel with reverse crown and polish. While I have several micro pistols in 45 ACP this EMP is far and above my favorite for EDC.
How about a couple of pics of your tricked out EMP?
I don’t believe I can add a pic to this site, but you can see John’s work at the address below. In the upper right corner of the gallery is an EMP similar to mine (note his slide stop) and the lower left is one he did for his daughter. Beautiful!
http://www.harrisoncustom.com/Gallery.aspx
Awesome report. I love anything springfield
The 9mm is an alloy frame and the recoil is about the same as the 40 due to the lighter frame!
Yes, it is an interesting point on this gun thanks. 7 ounces would make a big difference in a gun that small.