The Springfield Ronin 9mm 4” 1911 is an excellent choice for a concealed carry gun. It is lightweight, reliable, and is easy to conceal. The Springfield Ronin 9mm 4” also has a good trigger and is very accurate. The Springfield Ronin 9mm 4” is a good choice for self-defense, range use, or whatever.
This isn’t the first EMP 1911 I have owned, so I suspected this one would be good. EMP stands for Enhanced Micro Pistol.
It is important to note that there are EMPs that are Ronin’s, and there are Ronin’s that are not EMPs. This gun in particular is a Ronin EMP. The 9mm 4.25″ Ronin (also a commander style 1911) is not an EMP. A full list of the Ronin series can be found here and the full list of EMPs can be found here.
Very few parts of the EMP will work with a traditional 1911.
Review of the Springfield Ronin 9mm 4″ EMP model
This 1911 pattern handgun is scaled down to work specifically with the 9mm cartridge.
The frame is also made from aluminum, making the handgun lighter and easier to carry. However, the recoil is still plenty manageable.
The magazines are proprietary, making them a little more expensive and harder to get. However, they are made for Springfield by Mec-Gar, a magazine manufacturer with a good reputation in the firearm business. So, at least they are of good quality.
This firearm only came with one-10 round magazine, so I did have to get some more to go with it. Also, keep in mind that the original EMP magazines will not work in this gun, neither will magazines from the Springfield Ronin 4.25″ (it isn’t an EMP).
The stainless steel bull barrel is pretty nice and accurate. There is a loaded chamber indicator on the top of the barrel.
What I like about the Springfield Ronin 9mm 4″
I actually really like that it is scaled down, especially since it makes the grip smaller. Not only does it fit my hand better than the typical 1911, it is just that much smaller for concealed carry. The grips are pretty slim too.
There is no stippling on the front of the grip but the mainspring housing has some aggressive stippling, which helps with gripping the 1911.
You get a few more rounds with the Springfield Ronin over a traditional 1911, which is nice.
Additionally, being a right handed shooter, I like that the Ronin EMP does not have an ambidextrous safety selector. Those are nice for lefties, but as a right-handed shooter, I find it annoying. The thumb safety has a positive engagement in both directions, and it is very wide and easy to manipulate.
After a couple of outings and several boxes of ammo, I had no failures with this pistol. Springfield 1911’s, in all of the variations I have tried, are extremely reliable right out of the box.
True to the 1911 design, the trigger is quite nice and light.
The front sight is a fiber optic which gives you a great sight picture during day time and in good lighting. The rear sights are also solid and have a ledge for racking the slide against a hard surface with one hand.
I also really like the two tone look and the bluing on the slide is top notch. Overall, the fit and finish of this 1911 is well done. The barrel, slide, and frame are all forged, which is also very good for longevity and quality.
What I would change about the Springfield Ronin 9mm 4″
I would like to see it with a steel frame personally. Just because I would like for it to last me a long time and be able to shoot it a long time. I am sure the aluminum frame is pretty decent. Maybe a steel slide is overkill, but I wouldn’t mind the extra weight personally.
Night sights would be nice, considering most shootings take place in low lighting.
I’d also like to see a rail for mounting a light on the front of the gun.
One-10 round magazine is just pretty weak. I don’t understand why a gun would ever come with less than 2 magazines, especially when they are proprietary and difficult to find.
I’d also like if one of the two magazines that came with the gun was flush, especially if I decided to carry this gun concealed. You can get those magazines, but they do not come with the gun.
Conclusion
The Springfield Ronin 9mm 4″ is a great little 1911. It’s accurate, reliable and easy to conceal. If you are in the market for a new concealed carry gun, I would highly recommend giving the Springfield Ronin a look.
For me, I probably wont be carrying it much but as someone who really enjoys shooting a 1911 at the range, it is perfect.