Colt New Agent 9mm or Kimber Solo

[Rob Watson]

Need your thoughts, looking for compact 9mm. Have done a lot of research and have narrowed it down to either the New Agent or the Kimber Solo. Any thoughts to either of those Two?

 

[joshualee49]

I have not got to hold a Solo, but I have fondled a new agent at McDonald's Guns east of Marion. I have to say - I really like how the new agent feels in hand. Of course, there are no sights on it - it would be a pull-point-shoot type gun. I wouldn't mind finding someone who has one that would let me shoot, or a LGS that rented one...

 

[Rob Watson]

I haven't held a solo but I found a new agent at a gun shop and it did feel really nice. The one I was looking at though had sights on it.

 

[downzero]

The New Agent does not have sights. In other words, pass.

 

[Compuvette]

Got both.

Two different sidearms for different carry roles. The Solo is a great pocket pistol, but not much fun for a long range session. New Agent is an awesome belt gun when you need something easy to conceal. Very comfortable at the range. I can shoot all day with no "hand tingles". The Solo is a little finicky on ammo where the Colt will eat anything.

 

[Compuvette]

The New Agent does not have sights. In other words, pass.

Yes, it does. Trench sights. They work pretty well with a little practice.

 

[Hoosier45]

What about an EMP?

 

[Compuvette]

What about an EMP?

Looks like a nice piece, but uses non-standard mags. Big downer for me as I already have a 9mm Commander. Plus, when I got my New Agent the EMP's had a bad reliability reputation. My New Agent has been 100%. The Solo is very picky. It likes Federal HST, Winchester Ranger or NATO pressure 124gr. On mine, anything lower powered and it has issues.

 

[Hoosier45]

Looks like a nice piece, but uses non-standard mags. Big downer for me as I already have a 9mm Commander. Plus, when I got my New Agent the EMP's had a bad reliability reputation. My New Agent has been 100%. The Solo is very picky. It likes Federal HST, Winchester Ranger or NATO pressure 124gr. On mine, anything lower powered and it has issues.

I owned an EMP, but it was in .40. The EMP is non-standard because it's not a scaled down .45. It actually was designed around the .45 gap, so it was designed for the shorter cartridge. I liked my EMP, but sold it to buy something else. A buddy of mine has an EMP in 9mm that he has been carrying for years and he still loves it. I have heard good things about the Colt New Agent/Defender but haven't owned one. I handled the Solo, but have yet to shoot one. If it was me, I would go with the EMP or Defender.

 

[downzero]

The shorter mags are a huge benefit in the EMP, because the action length actually fits the cartridge length, which greatly increases liability. My EMP actually runs better than my fullsize/9mm 1911, which I'm not sure would run on any factory ammunition 100%.

I would not carry a full length 1911 action in 9mm. I prefer 9mm, but I would sacrifice capacity and recoil for the .45, because it would be more reliable and little 1911s are finicky enough.

 

[Compuvette]

Can't say a bad thing about the Defender either. I've got a 45 Night Defender and it runs great. Never had a problem with Springfield either. I'm sure they have worked out any bugs they had in the early days.

 

[Compuvette]

The shorter mags are a huge benefit in the EMP, because the action length actually fits the cartridge length, which greatly increases liability. My EMP actually runs better than my fullsize/9mm 1911, which I'm not sure would run on any factory ammunition 100%.

I would not carry a full length 1911 action in 9mm. I prefer 9mm, but I would sacrifice capacity and recoil for the .45, because it would be more reliable and little 1911s are finicky enough.

Maybe I'm a lucky guy, but my 9mm New Agent and my 9mm Commander (Satin Nickel built in the early 1970's) both run great. They eat anything.

 

[Hoosier45]

Maybe I'm a lucky guy, but my 9mm New Agent and my 9mm Commander (Satin Nickel built in the early 1970's) both run great. They eat anything.

If you have a Series 70 satin nickel 9mm Commander, then you are a lucky man!

 

[downzero]

Maybe I'm a lucky guy, but my 9mm New Agent and my 9mm Commander (Satin Nickel built in the early 1970's) both run great. They eat anything.

Everyone has different definitions of what this means. I suspect that if you have a 40 year old gun that "eats everything" and is not worn out, that it probably hasn't been shot enough.

My experience almost perfectly tracks Hilton Yam's:
10-8 Performance: SA 9mm 1911

I absolutely love shooting my 9mm 1911s, but self defense pieces they are not.

Not saying you're not welcome to a contrary opinion, but if someone tells me that a compact 1911 in a caliber other than .45 is brutally reliable, I am very skeptical (and I own more non-.45 1911s than .45s).

 

[Compuvette]

If you have a Series 70 satin nickel 9mm Commander, then you are a lucky man!

Yes, I am!

 

[Compuvette]

Everyone has different definitions of what this means. I suspect that if you have a 40 year old gun that "eats everything" and is not worn out, that it probably hasn't been shot enough.

My experience almost perfectly tracks Hilton Yam's:
10-8 Performance: SA 9mm 1911

I absolutely love shooting my 9mm 1911s, but self defense pieces they are not.

Not saying you're not welcome to a contrary opinion, but if someone tells me that a compact 1911 in a caliber other than .45 is brutally reliable, I am very skeptical (and I own more non-.45 1911s than .45s).

I also owned a Springer 9mm 1911. It wouldn't run reliably at all. However, I've shot a good 1k rounds through the New Agent with no issues. I figure I'm halfway through a spring replacement. Now, I have not shot the Commander much for obvious reasons, but it has also been 100%. Even with my carry load (Winchester Bonded Rangers).

 

[TWS]

If its down to the solo make sure you try to fire one first, my friend just got his, fired about six magazines through it and is looking to get rid of it. I shot it and its a smooth gun, flows good and feelsgood in the hand, but the recoil causes the gun to come back into the back joint on my thumb, its too small for me, and my big paws! Everyone is different though. After about 10 rounds i was done with it. To me its a great looking gun, feels good, but it wasnt fun to shoot. For what it is it serves its purpose. His was about 8 inches low and to the left with the ammo he was shooting as well.

 

[joshualee49]

Yes, I am!

MMmmm.. Colt Porn...

Dibs on the Mustang if you decide to sell!

 

[marinemom]

The 9mm New agent I have my eyes on has sights. The 45 didn't. the 9 is on my want list.