Skip to main content

Kimber's Micro 9 ESV (MC) (TP) CCW 9mm Pistol: Review

The Kimber Micro 9 ESV (MC) (TP) has easy to conceal and a joy to carry and shoot!

Kimber's Micro 9 ESV (MC) (TP) CCW 9mm Pistol: Review

Affiliate Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We earn from qualifying purchases.

There was a time when a compromise needed to be struck to carry a handgun. Typically, if you wanted a feature-rich pistol, you had to accept that it was going to come with a certain amount of size and heft. Conversely, if you wanted something small, you’d have to understand that it wouldn’t be a whole lot of fun to shoot. The latter is a larger problem than first meets the eye, as lack of practice means that it (and you) will be entirely ineffective in a gunfight. Kimber America’s Micro 9 is built to thumb a nose at these two concepts with the ESV (MC) (TP) being the extreme example that small guns can also be a lot of fun. So, the official name is quite a mouthful; let’s get that out in one shot, so I can abbreviate it from here on in. Formally, the gun in question is the Kimber America Micro 9 ESV (MC) (TP). The Micro 9 part is self-explanatory, but that alphabet soup that comes afterward stands for Enhanced Slide Variant (mini compensator) (TruGlo Pro). In short, it’s the absolute most tricked-out version of Kimber’s tiny 1911-ish, concealed-carry semiauto. These tricks include a tiny compensator that takes all of the sting out of shooting a tiny handgun and a set of ultra-premium night sights installed straight from the factory.

kimber-micro-9-esv-carry-pistol-02
The “TP” in this pistol’s name relates to the TruGlo Tritium Pro Night Sights that come standard on this package.

As “Enhanced Slide” is right in the moniker, let’s start there. In this pistol, the slide features lightening cuts where forward cocking serrations normally would be. By going straight through the slide, movement-hindering weight is eliminated while allowing more skin to meld into this area when racking it to the rear during an emergency. This increase in purchase can be a lifesaver if your support hand becomes injured or has been compromised. These are joined by a rearward pair of conventional slide cuts to ensure that there are plenty of gripping surfaces available when you need to grab hold of the slide. Working to the top, we find a pair of TruGlo Tritium Pro Night Sights dovetailed directly into the slide. Built from solid steel, the manufacturer advertises the forward edge as a “cocking ledge,” meaning they feel that their system is so strong that you can use it to fight back the recoil spring if needed. Aside from being tough as nails, the sights feature a trio of tritium lamps that bookend and fill in a U-notch rear sight, making them extraordinarily fast to acquire regardless of lighting conditions. While these features are impressive, nothing defines this gun better than the mini compensator hanging off the end of it. This three-port device channels exiting gasses from the fired cartridge through the sides and top to reduce muzzle flip and recoil. These devices are so effective at what they do that installing one on a competition pistol puts you in another class to offset the unfair advantage it gives you over the other shooters.


Moving down to the frame, it’s evident that Kimber wants you to shoot this thing a lot. Several of the gun’s features can back up this statement, but I feel none are more profound than the wraparound Hogue grips. This soft rubber addition does a great job of filling out the hand, and although I have mixed feelings about finger grooves, it was comfortable. When it comes to these contours, they’ll either fill the gaps between your fingers or pry them apart, so it really comes down to the user. For what it’s worth, I’m somewhere between a medium and large glove size, which comprises a good chunk of the human population. This grip was complimented by an extended magazine base that adds another groove for your pinky and bumps the capacity up to 7+1. One feature that I thought was particularly well thought out was the textured panel installed into the backstrap. It’s rather important to add some grit to this area of the gun; however, going too high will irritate the sensitive web between your thumb and forefinger. Kimber cut it short to avoid this and left us with a gun that feels good when you wrap your fingers around it. Something else interesting in this area is the elimination of the traditional grip safety that is commonly found on 1911-style pistols. I’m a fan of this, as it’s one less feature between drawing and putting lead on target. Hey, not everything in life is perfect, so if I need to get rounds downrange with a less-than-perfect grip, it’s nice to know that is going to happen. One thing this lefty didn’t appreciate is the absence of any ambidextrous controls, but I have learned to live without those for my entire shooting career. On the bright side, that also marks the elimination of an entire set of snag points, so that’s one compromise that I can swallow.

kimber-micro-9-esv-carry-pistol-03
The extended magazine base adds another finger groove, making this little pistol easy to grip.

I found the fire control group of the Micro 9 ESV (MC) (TP) to be polished and well worth the price of admission. Kimber built this pistol with a skeletonized hammer to reduce lock time and increase reliability but opted for a solid trigger to ward off the possibility of it getting filled with lint or other debris. I measured a clean break right around 6 pounds with a reset that was short and snappy but not so much that it becomes a liability should you have to use it in a public setting. What fascinated me the most was the fact that this handgun is built with quasi-80 series components and employs a firing pin block. This system is notorious for creating lousy triggers, but Kimber pulled it off. In my opinion, drop safeties are important on carry guns because guns have a propensity of hitting the ground during an altercation.

kimber-micro-9-esv-carry-pistol-04

Staring at a gun on my workbench is fun, but it’s only the foreplay to a solid range session. Gear considerations are minimal for a pistol test, but as this one wears a compensator, I thought about my ammunition selection a little more carefully. For these to function, they need gas to work with, so paradoxically, harder-hitting ammunition is going to create less recoil than loads built to be mild. To test this, I selected Doug Koenig’s 110-grain competition fodder and Nosler’s newer 115-grain ASP (Assured Stopping Power) load. Both feature a jacketed hollowpoint profile and are stuffed with enough powder to quickly dispatch whatever seeks to do you harm. As a control, I added Federal’s 147-grain American Eagle ammo into the mix, as in most guns, its heavy bullets moving at subsonic speed is exceptionally light on the wrists.I carried the ESV to the range in the 7 o’clock position in one of those crappy “universal” holsters that you get at gun shows (I’m not proud). Although I wouldn’t use them in real life, they’re excellent for testing a gun to and from the range. While a compensator obviously adds a little overall length, I still found it cozy to wear while driving and could likely appendix carry it. I conducted a formal accuracy test at 15 yards and took on an army of steel that I placed at 11 yards. As this gun has excellent sights, I figured why not stretch it out, but at the same time, I wanted to engage targets at a realistic distance for what it was designed for.

kimber-micro-9-esv-carry-pistol-05
The trigger broke at around 6 pounds with a quick reset. It’s ideal for a carry gun.

I started by getting a feel for the trigger while testing out the effectiveness of the compensator. Starting with the 147s, I felt that the gun’s recoil was on par with other pistols of similar size and weight when firing this ammo. Taking things over to the other two rounds quickly showed me what the comp was capable of. Ripping controlled pairs off in .18 of a second didn’t take much effort, and most if not all were confined to the A-zone on my steel IPSCs. Moving over to my rested shooting position, I found that the diminutive barrel was quite capable and tuned for the ammo that runs the comp best. Good results were had overall. However, nothing was more impressive than the sub-inch groups with the Nosler ASP rounds. For a little pistol, it sure shot like it was several inches longer, and I attribute that entirely to the sight system. Overall, I thought it was an excellent crossover piece that satisfies the roles of personal defense and range proficiency equally. It ran flawlessly, was simple to operate, and was deadly accurate, all without beating up the person behind the muzzle. I can give this handgun my highest recommendation to anybody who is looking for an improved carry piece or a shooter who is just dipping a toe into the realm of compact handguns

kimber-micro-9-esv-carry-pistol-06

Kimber Micro 9 ESV Specs

  • Type: Recoil-operated, semiauto
  • Cartridge: 9mm Luger
  • Capacity: 7 rds. 
  • Barrel: 3.45 in. 
  • Overall Length: 7.09 in. 
  • Weight: 19 oz. 
  • Slide: bead-blasted, stainless steel
  • Frame: Aluminum 
  • Trigger: Single-action
  • Sights: TruGlo Tritium Pro Night Sights; fixed front, adjustable rear
  • MSRP: $1,005
  • Manufacturer: Kimber 



GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Recommended Articles

Recent Videos

The Mossberg 500 Pump Action Shotgun is one of the most popular home defense shotguns on the market. Joseph Von Benedikt...
Guns

Browning X-Bolt Mountain Pro

The Mossberg 500 Pump Action Shotgun is one of the most popular home defense shotguns on the market. Joseph Von Benedikt...
Guns

Taurus TX 22 Competition

The Mossberg 500 Pump Action Shotgun is one of the most popular home defense shotguns on the market. Joseph Von Benedikt...
Gear

Federal FireStick Precharged Loads

The Mossberg 500 Pump Action Shotgun is one of the most popular home defense shotguns on the market. Joseph Von Benedikt...
Gear

Remington Core-Lokt Tipped

The Mossberg 500 Pump Action Shotgun is one of the most popular home defense shotguns on the market. Joseph Von Benedikt...
Guns

Walther PDP

The Mossberg 500 Pump Action Shotgun is one of the most popular home defense shotguns on the market. Joseph Von Benedikt...
Learn

Hodgdon Shooting Powder

The Mossberg 500 Pump Action Shotgun is one of the most popular home defense shotguns on the market. Joseph Von Benedikt...
News

A World Record Attempt: Practice Round and Media Day

The Mossberg 500 Pump Action Shotgun is one of the most popular home defense shotguns on the market. Joseph Von Benedikt...
Learn

How to Aim with Iron Sights

The Mossberg 500 Pump Action Shotgun is one of the most popular home defense shotguns on the market. Joseph Von Benedikt...
Learn

SHOOT 101: Know Your Handgun Types

The Mossberg 500 Pump Action Shotgun is one of the most popular home defense shotguns on the market. Joseph Von Benedikt...
News

Interview with Israeli Defense Forces, Part 1

The Mossberg 500 Pump Action Shotgun is one of the most popular home defense shotguns on the market. Joseph Von Benedikt...
Guns

Custom Mossberg 500 at the Range and Live Turkey!?

Shooting Times Magazine Covers Print and Tablet Versions

GET THE MAGAZINE Subscribe & Save

Digital Now Included!

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Give a Gift   |   Subscriber Services

PREVIEW THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

Buy Digital Single Issues

Magazine App Logo

Don't miss an issue.
Buy single digital issue for your phone or tablet.

Get the Shooting Times App apple store google play store

Other Magazines

See All Other Magazines

Special Interest Magazines

See All Special Interest Magazines

GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Get the top Shooting Times stories delivered right to your inbox.

Phone Icon

Get Digital Access.

All Shooting Times subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets.

To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine.

Get Digital Access

Not a Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

Enjoying What You're Reading?

Get a Full Year
of Guns & Ammo
& Digital Access.

Offer only for new subscribers.

Subscribe Now

Never Miss a Thing.

Get the Newsletter

Get the top Shooting Times stories delivered right to your inbox.

By signing up, I acknowledge that my email address is valid, and have read and accept the Terms of Use