Enter to WIN a Gun Friday! IWI’s soon-to-be released Masada Slim Pistol and Caldwell Emax Shadows Pro! Close (Photo by Alex Landeen). What do you do when there is a good thing? It makes it even better! Kimber’s Micro 9 pistol is a great example of this. The Micro 9 was introduced in 2016 and quickly became a popular model. Kimber has released many variations of the Micro 9 over the years to keep the line current. Kimber has now introduced the Micro 9 Rapide Black Ice. RELATED STORY FIRST LOOKING: The Kimber R7 Makro Micro-Compact Delivers Serious Bite The Kimber Micro 9 Rapide Black Ice. I was given a sample of Rapide Black Ice by the company in November 2020. It comes with a cosmetics package that rivals its lightweight conceal carry gun appeal. Let’s first look at the Rapide Black Ice. It is a small pistol, but it doesn’t weigh too much. It has the same 18-degree grip angle as the 1911, which is comfortable and familiar. (Photo by Alex Landeen). Although the gun is not a miniature 1911, all controls, including the thumb safety, slide release, and magazine release are located in the Browning-inspired locations. The Micro 9 is intuitive for anyone who has ever used a 1911. It’s all in the Details The Micro 9 is a single action semi-auto that fires from a locked mouthpiece and is safe to be carried cocked and locked. This is done with the chamber loaded, the hammer cocked, as well as the manual thumb safety. It has a single stack magazine. The Micro 9 has a capacity 6 + 1, while the Rapide has 7 +1. (Photo by Alex Landeen). The Micro 9 does not have grip safety. The Micro 9 does not have a grip safety feature. However, the frame has a beavertail-style contour. It protects even the most meaty hand from hammer bit. It is almost impossible for the reciprocating slides to contact a large hand. The vertically placed disconnector is located under the left side grip panel. The trigger bar stops the bar from engaging with the sear when the slide has gone out of battery. It rests on the disconnector. When the slide is in battery, the disconnector rises to a notch inside the slide. This allows the trigger bar to contact sear. The Micro 9 also has a firing pin safety. The firing pin safety prevents the inertia-style firingpin from moving forward unless the trigger has been pressed. Kimber uses a standard plunger-style firing block, but in an unusual arrangement, the tip of the Ejector activates it when the slide has been charged and there is no pressure on the trigger. The trigger is pulled and the ejector rotates in the opposite direction. This allows the spring-loaded plunger firing pin block to fall, clearing the mechanical block, and allowing the gun fire. The Micro 9 has a better slide lock than the 1911. The safety can be engaged and the gun can be loaded or unloaded. Performance & Beauty The Rapide has dramatic stepped cocking serrations forward and aft. There are also ports on the slide to reduce its weight. Kimber claims this is to reduce lock times, but it isn’t quite correct. Although the slide’s weight doesn’t have anything to do with the fire suppression system, the lighter weight can help improve slide velocity. The ports are cool and add an additional dimension to the gun’s top, as the DLC-coated black stainless-steel barrel is visible through them. Kimber finishes the slide in stainless-steel with silver and gray KimPro II to highlight the multiple cuts. Kimber makes the Micro 9 Rapide’s frame out of aircraft-grade aluminum alloy to reduce weight. The gun weighs just 15.6 ounces when empty. The pistol has ambidextrous manual thumb safetyties and a mainspring housing with oblong cuts that complement the slide cuts. Attached to the bottom is a flush-fitting magwell. A seven-round, extended magazine with an attached base pad is also available. It adds enough length to ensure that the shooter’s pinky does not ride under the gun. Kimber machined the frontstrap with Stiplex texture to give it control. The G10 grip panels have relief cuts similar to the slide’s and frontstraps to finish off the gun’s aesthetics. Fieldstripping The gun is easy to remove and does not require any tools. Once the magazine is removed and the chamber empty of contents, slide back until the rear end of the slide stop aligns to the slide’s disassembly hole. Slide the slide off the frame by pushing the slide stop out from the frame. The recoil spring guide, spring, and spring can be removed. Next, lift the barrel off the slide. This is all you need to do to disassemble the gun for routine cleaning or maintenance. (Photo by Alex Landeen). Reassemble the gun in reverse order. Be sure to push the pivoting ejector down far enough to allow the slide to be run onto the frame. The ejector will be bent or broken if you ram the slide onto the frame like you would with a 1911. This will require a trip to Kimber for repair. Remember that the pivoting ejector allows for the firing pin block to fall out of engagement when pressure applied to the trigger. A slight bend or misalignment in reassembly can result in your gun being disabled. The Rapide is a fighting gun, so a Fighting Gun Kimber went to great lengths in improving its cosmetics. TruGlo TFX Pro Day/Night sight are included to increase hit probability. The fiber-optic rods are able to glow in the dark and with ambient light during daylight. A piece of tritium can make the rods glow in the dark so that the shooter can see the sights in all light conditions. It’s a great solution for an age-old problem. (Photo by Alex Landeen). (Photo by Alex Landeen). I received my Rapide in the second week. Southern Arizona is stunning at this time of the year. As I unloaded my car, it was already warm enough to need my jacket. The temperature had reached the 60s by the time I set up my DOA Tactical shooting benches and PACT chronograph. It was now in the 70s with a 5 mph breeze an hour later. It was a perfect day for shooting, and the Rapide delivered. Range Time I fired all groups using a seated position. A Millett BenchMaster was used to place the Rapide’s dust cover. This allowed me to maintain a steady sight image while applying pressure to the trigger to end the shot. Everything worked flawlessly, using both common range-type FMJ ammunition and hotter defense rounds. You’ll also notice that I used the Hornady American Gunner+P load and that the Rapide never shattered. The Kimber manual states that +P ammo is not rated for the gun, but that continued use could accelerate gun wear. This ammunition should be checked to ensure it works properly. However, you can practice with standard pressure loads to make sure it is working correctly. Performance My test sample pulled a smooth 5.5 pounds. These small groups were easy to shoot at 15 yards thanks to the TruGlo sights. The field exercise was where the pistol really shined. I set up my MGM BC C Zone target at 15 meters and fired double taps. This is one sight picture plus two very fast trigger pulls. My fastest split, or time between shots, was 0.18 seconds, and my average was 0.20 seconds. It was amazing. This is the same as what I can do using a full-size, steel frame 1911! It is amazing to me that a lightweight sub-compact pistol can match these times. I wish I could say that the Kimber Black Ice performed flawlessly, but it is not the case. The gun’s mechanical design is flawless, but I had trouble with the thumb safety. The gun was difficult to shoot with my right thumb on top the left-side thumb safety. My first knuckle would knock the right side safety up and into engagement under recoil. If I had the gun, I would send it back to Kimber to have them install a single strong side thumb safety. This is because the original Kimber Micro 9 I tested in 2017 has a single strong-side thumb safety. It works flawlessly for me. Wrap up If you are a 1911 fan like myself but don’t like the bulk and weight of the bag, the Rapide Black Ice may be the right choice for you. It is small, lightweight, concealable, and concealable. This makes it a great choice for concealed carrying or as a backup. The Rapide is a top-of-the-line defense gun. It has all the reliability and accuracy you need. There are 16 variations of the Micro 9 available from Kimber. If the Rapide Black Ice does not meet your needs, there will be another. KimberAmerica.com has more information. Kimber Micro 9 Rapide Black Ice Specs Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.15 inches
Overall Length: 6.9 inches
Weight: 15.6 ounces (empty).
Grips: Gray G10
Sights: TruGlo TFX Pro Day/Night
Action: SA
Finish: Kimpro II
Capacity: 7+1
MSRP: $911 This article originally appeared in the Personal Defense World Gun Buyer’s Guide February/March 2022 issue. Subscription is available in print and digital editions at OutdoorGroupStore.com. Or call 1-800-284-5668, or email [email protected]. Get the Personal Defense World newsletter today! Sign up for our newsletter I have read and understood the Terms of Use, Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy and I hereby accept them. Athlon may collect, store, process, and transfer my Personal Data and Non Personal Data for the purpose of signing me up for the email newsletter. Next 3 steps on how to report a lost or stolen gun before it’s too late. by Personal Defense World / May 9, 20,22 WATCH RELOADINGZONE: Season 2 TrendingIdentifying and clearing pistol malfunctions10 ways to improve your pistol shooting skillsThese 7 Pistol night sights will help you get on target fast in low lightReal talk: What are some solid, less-than-lethal self-defense methods? Kimber Micro 9 Rapide black Ice has fire in its lungs and ice in its veins. What do you do? It can be made even better! Kimber’s Micro 9 pistol is a great example of this. The Micro 9 was introduced in 2016 and quickly became a hit. Kimber has offered a variety of Micro […] variations over the years to keep the line current.
Identifying and Clearing Pistol Problems
TESTED: Is JMB Classic Hi-Power a Perfect Match for the Springfield SA-35
SAR USA Launches The SAR9 CompactX EDC Striker Fired 9mm Pistol
Real Talk: Take a look at 5 of our favorite movie guns over the years
SCCY is the Limit for the Budget-Friendly DVG-1RD Concealed Carry
Standard Manufacturing Switch-Gun.22 Mag Pocket Pistol Quick Defense
SK Customs MANA 1911 in Stainless Steel and Matching Knife
SCCY Firearms Updates its CPX Line to GEN3 With Welcome Additions
CZ TS2 is now available in.40 S&W for an increased scoring advantage
8 Tips and Tricks to Trap & Sket Shooting Athlon Outdoors Network – Life 2022 steel Challenge Results: A Year of Records Ballistic Magazine REPORT : ‘Rust Crew’ Willfully Violated Safety rules in Shooting Death Skillset Magazine How To Train for a Marathon: Forrest Gump Can… Ballistic Magazine The Wicked Ridge Raider 400 is a quiet way to get on Turkeys.
