[TRaGiK]

So a few weeks ago, I went to a gun show looking for 1 of 3 guns. A Ruger 1911 (no luck), a S&W 329PD (no joy), and a EMP 9 (Found it!).

I hadn't spent the time to dig up internet reviews, but have wanted one since they came out several years ago, so I bought it after doing a little haggling with the guy. AFTER purchasing it, I spent the time reading reviews. :brickwall:

Took it home, cleaned it up, and went to the range with it. Fired 100 rounds of FMJ, and moved on to JHP. The FMJ functioned perfectly, but the JHP was crap. Fail to feeds every other round.

I only had 1 type of jhp with me, so chalked it up to the ammo. Went and picked up 2 more brands of jhp, and it didn't like either of those either.

Also, I noticed it had offset primer strikes that were very close to the edge of the primer.

A phone call to Springfield, and they emailed me a shipping label to send it back to them.

When I shipped the gun back, I included a letter explaining my problems, and also stated that I would like them to pin the ejector in place (why in the hell does a $1100 gun, have a GLUED in ejector?).

9 days later, and I had it back in my hands. They polished the feed ramp, changed the barrel link, and pinned in the ejector.

Straight to the range with it, and it now functions 100 percent with several types of jhp!

Now, about the reviews I read. After reading 100 or so of them, it seems as if you have about a 1 in 10 chance of getting a EMP that will run correctly right of the box. On a gun as expensive as this, this is unacceptable imo.

A glued in ejector, high failure rate (from what *I* have read), offset primer strikes, etc...on a $1100 gun? Absolute crap. Springfield seems to need to work on the QC a little bit it seems.

With that said, I love it! It carries well, is VERY accurate for a 3 inch gun, fairly light at 26oz's, and overall feels well built. I've only put a few hundred rounds through it so far, but really digging it.

I will be changing out the ambi safety for a low profile, single sided unit. Making such a small gun, why put such a wide ambi safety on it?

Also, I would like to send it back to SA for a melt job on the bottom of the mag well, have the front strap checkered, and have a trigger job done to it. The factory trigger is not bad at all as is (feels like 4.5 to 5 pounds), but I would like it slicked up just a little.

Would I recomend someone else to buy one? Maybe. If you don't mind forking out that much money, and EXPECT to have to send it in for warranty and don't mind doing such, sure...buy it. Springfield has EXCELLENT customer service, and will make it right...most likely on the first attempt (I've read a couple reports where it had to be sent back twice). Would *I* buy another one? Unlikely. As much as I love the thing, I HATE sending a new gun in for warranty work.

I've bought 4 new guns (including this one) that gave me problems right out of the box. This is the ONLY one I kept for more than a week after experiencing the problems. Usually a gun gets ONE chance with me and I'll dump it if it's NFG. Me keeping this one does say something about it, but I still don't think I'd buy another, unless springfield starts fixing them BEFORE they leave the factory.

 

[faawrenchbndr]

Seems a bit harsh,........sadly this is very true of MANY "production" guns

 

[TRaGiK]

Yeah, I know it sounds harsh. Like I said, I really do like it...but for the price of it, it should run, right out of the box.

I can name probably a dozen guns out there, for half the price, that will function perfectly right out of the box...

Is expecting a $1100 gun to function correctly, and NOT have parts GLUED into it, asking too much?

 

[Feanor]

Seems a bit harsh,........sadly this is very true of MANY "production" guns

I disagree that this is to be expected of firearms that are less then custom, any arms manufacturer for a about a grand should be able to ship a perfectly functioning pistol to market.

Unfortunately Springfield Armory is becoming well known for sub-par production quality, I recently had to send two different NIB 1911's back to them over the course of just ten weeks, both quite defective right from the box.

Happily for the OP they appear to have worked it out, I mean really, gluing the ejector, thats as low end chincy as it gets.

 

[faawrenchbndr]

It's just not Springer,......many have been having QC issues in the last five years!

 

[3rdgen40]

Less than 5 inches of slide on a 1911 = malfunctions. :whistling:

 

[faawrenchbndr]

Less than 5 inches of slide on a 1911 = malfunctions. :whistling:

I don't completely agree. However, I do believe the farther you stray from
a 5" 1911, the more issues you MAY have.

 

[mrsurfboard]

Less than 4 inches of slide on a 1911 = malfunctions. :whistling:

Fixed it for you. Commander size 1911s run fine. And I think you ment to say barrel, not slide.

 

[Cochese]

Less than 5 inches of slide on a 1911 = malfunctions. :whistling:

The EMP is purpose built and scaled for 9/.40 so that argument doesn't really hold true here.

I am one of the lucky 1/10 I reckon.

No issues with mine. It is as accurate as my $3,000 Springer Professional. :shocked:

 

[Wolfdad]

I'm curious as to whether the EMP40 has the same problems

 

[buckhorn_cortez]

So let me see if I understand this. You purchased a used EMP at a gun show and had to send it back to Springfield because it wouldn't feed hollow points?

Based on your experience buying a used gun, you find it unacceptable that some unconfirmed number of new owners may have had trouble with their guns based on Internet anecdotal information?

I guess I don't get it. You have no idea the ratio of people who bought EMPs who had no trouble to those who actually had to send back their guns. And yet, you're upset about this...wow, sounds to me like you're simply looking for something to complain about.

I too have an EMP with over 1,200 rounds through it of all types of bullet weights and shapes with no problems at all from day one.

Has it occurred to you that more disgruntled people post on the Internet than happy people because they like to complain, vent, or want somebody to comiserate with them?

 

[TRaGiK]

Sounds like you got your panties in a twist because you don't like what I said about the EMP.

And where in my post did you read I bought it used? You do know that you can buy NEW guns at gun shows, don't you?

What is there not to get? I bought a new gun, it didn't work properly, and I was/am not thrilled with having to send an $1100 gun back to the factory. I don't really know how to dumb that down anymore.

I gave *MY* report/review of the gun. Just because my experience has been less than 100 percent great with it, does not make me wrong.

Geez.

ETA: If you notice, I DID say I loved the gun, and will keep it since SA DID fix it...which is more than I can say about about the 3 other problem guns I owned.

 

[never enough]

I purchased my emp 9mm BNIB and took it to the range the next day.Before leaving the house I cleaned and oiled it.I also left the slide locked back overnight and racked the slide about 100 times or so. I fired 50 rds,44/50 would not eject so I sent the gun back to springer and got it back 8 days later. Now functions 100%.They said they replaced the extractor

 

[Cochese]

I've never heard of all of these issues.

Weird.

I carry mine everywhere. Love it. Even fits in a DeSantis Nemesis and I'm fat big enough to pocket carry it.

 

[slick64]

I absolutely loved mine. Never had an issue with it, with the exception of it running dry and not locking open. Even had logman modify 2 flush mags for me.

Only reason I sold it was for a slightly smaller, similar Ms.Sentinel that I can outshoot the EMP with. I would not hesitate to buy another though.

 

[Cochese]

I absolutely loved mine. Never had an issue with it, with the exception of it running dry and not locking open. Even had logman modify 2 flush mags for me.

Only reason I sold it was for a slightly smaller, similar Ms.Sentinel that I can outshoot the EMP with. I would not hesitate to buy another though.

Never heard of this. Looks sweet. Does it come in men's?

 

[polizei1]

Less than 5 inches of slide on a 1911 = malfunctions. :whistling:

That is completely untrue. Apparently you haven't reviewed my "dirty test" nor anything I've wrote about my EMP. Granted, mine is slightly different from your standard EMP, but still.

It was true that mine also had failures to extract, but they certainly weren't every single round. However, instead of sending mine to SA, I chose someone else. The only thing that was done to my EMP to effect the extraction issue was to tune the extractor. After that, I've yet to have a related problem.

While I agree it's sad to have to send back a new pistol, I would bet 99% of the issues are with the extractors, they are not properly tuned. In the reports I've read, MOST of them seem to all have two things in common: "polish the barrel throat and tune the extractor."

SA had their chance to make it right from the beginning, and they've failed. All I have to say is make way for the DW ECO.

 

[TRaGiK]

While I agree it's sad to have to send back a new pistol, I would bet 99% of the issues are with the extractors, they are not properly tuned. In the reports I've read, MOST of them seem to all have two things in common: "polish the barrel throat and tune the extractor."

The more recent reviews (within the last year-ish), seems to be a mix of tuning the extractor, or polishing the feed ramp. Mine needed the feed ramp polished, but the offset primer strikes and GLUED in ejector also needed attention.

JHP's on my particular EMP were hanging up on the feed ramp, long before it got anywhere near the extractor.

 

[clancy]

Pardon my ignorance, but just what is a "melt job"?

 

[bac1023]

Yeah, I'm not a big fan of 1911s or 1911-style pistols with barrels shorter than 4".