Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns a new 1911 built around the 9mm as opposed to the 45

Looks comparable to a 19x in size

no bushing
shorter than 4.25" barrel
external extractor
for a "custom" pistol, it over $1k cheaper than anything else from Ed, and Wilson Combat
no MIM parts, all machined

Introducing the KC9, the first model in the new Evolution series from Ed Brown. The KC9 pays homage to the Kobra Carry, which took the industry by storm nearly 20 years ago, and has now become the iconic standard for a high end custom 1911, with its revolutionary Ed Brown Bobtail®, stainless steel base, and Snakeskin treatment.

Optimized for the 9mm caliber, the KC9 inherits those same characteristics, yet is smaller, thinner, and lighter. The KC9 retains 100% 1911 controls and handling characteristics, and makes use of standard 1911 magazines, and standard 1911 grips with the Ed Brown Bobtail® cut, which are now a standard offering among major grip makers. Some parts were completely re-designed to take advantage of modern improvements such as the new external extractor, easy-to-change front sight, smaller "Tactical Edge" rear sight, fluted bull barrel, and a flat wire recoil spring system. The re-engineered slide has been shortened to 4", thinned substantially for weight reduction, and includes a unique 7-top custom cut, with special front and rear serrations. A recessed slide stop completes the package, making for the perfect custom 9mm 1911.

Completely hand built with fully machined parts, and backed by our Lifetime Warranty, with all the quality you expect from Ed Brown, but with a ground-breaking price tag of only $1895, fully equipped!

Caliber: 9mm
Barrel Length: 4"
Overall Length: 7.500"
Overall Height: 5.350"
Slide Thickness: .860"
Weight: approximately 34 ounces with an unloaded magazine inserted
Capacity 9+1

While Ed Brown staples, like the company's Snakeskin texture treatment and Bobtail design, are incorporated into the new KC9, consumers will notice that this new pistol is more-compact, thinner and lighter than previous designs. That's because the Ed Brown team optimized this 1911-style platform for the 9 mm cartridge rather than shoehorning the 9 mm into a gun designed for the .45 ACP.

The resulting Ed Brown Evolution KC9 preserves standard 1911 controls and even feels similar to the 1911 frame, thanks to the fact that the design allows for the use of standard 1911 grip panels. However, keen-eyed 1911 enthusiasts will note some improvements on the new gun, such as the new external extractor, easily changed front sight, smaller U-notch rear sight complete with a ledge-style front face, bull barrel and a flat-wire recoil spring.

The slide is cut down to an overall length of 4 inches, and excess material has been machined in order to reduce weight on the new platform. Stand-out features on the slide include a multi-faceted custom cut along the top with seven different flats. Specially designed serrations are located at the front and rear of the slide, allowing for maximum manipulation capabilities.

The gun measures 7.5 inches in length, 5.35 inches high and 1.36 inches wide. With an unloaded magazine inserted, the gun weighs 34 ounces. One of the priorities in the production of the new Ed Brown Evolution Series KC9 was to streamline production in order to offer the pistol at an affordable price. To achieve this goal, several custom features, like the recessed crown and recessed slide stop, are included with every gun, and no custom options are offered.

Since each gun is produced in a batch, the Ed Brown team is able to squeeze extra efficiency out of the process, reducing the total cost to the consumer by more than 30 percent. As part of the company's Evolution line, though, different batches of the KC9 will be produced with different features, so enthusiasts can wait until a desirable configuration emerges in the company's line. With this new process in place, the suggested retail price on the Ed Brown Evolution Series KC9 is $1,895.

Great looking gun, but Wilson beat him by several years with their Compact.........................

Wilson's gun was not built exclusively as a 9mm though, but damn nice in that chambering.

MM

That's flippin' nice.

I have to admit though that I really like shooting a "full size" steel 1911 in 9mm... There's like... no recoil. And much accuracy.

I'm hanging in there with my 45's for carry, but that 9mm... My goodness, what a pleasure to shoot.

I'd give one of these Brown 9's a try if my wallet wasn't already tasked.

Guy

If/when it's time to Pistol Whoop somethang...I want Grock capacity.

Converted most of my 1911's to Marvel Unit One's and they are simply fhuqking AMAZING.

Hint.................

Marvels are skookum.

MM

Beautiful...and at a great price...but since my Commander in .38 Super weighs less loaded than this one does empty and it has a checkered frontstrap it will be a no-go for me...

Here is the aluminum lighter version


The EVO CCO Lightweight is the ultimate carry gun! Our smallest, thinnest and lightest 1911 offered to date. Optimized for 9mm, the EVO-CCO9-LW retains 100% 1911 controls and handling characteristics. Built on our lightweight aluminum compact (Officer's) frame, and combined with a round butt housing and concealed carry grip safety for maximum concealability. Includes modern improvements such as the new external extractor, easy-to-change front sight, smaller "Tactical Edge" rear sight, bull barrel, and a flat wire recoil spring system. The slide is shortened to 4" and thinned substantially for weight reduction, and includes a unique 7-top custom cut, with special front and rear serrations. A recessed slide stop and slim grips completes the package.

Completely hand built with fully machined parts, and backed by our Lifetime Warranty, with all the quality you expect from Ed Brown, fully equipped for just $2295.

Caliber: 9mm
Barrel Length: 4"
Overall Length: 7.5"
Overall Height: 5"
Slide Thickness: .860"
Weight: approximately 27 ounces with an unloaded magazine inserted

Not really...they are QUITE a bit better than that.

They'll humble naysayers on the average,which is why I scope them.

Hint................(grin)

Why?

Because folks "think" a heavy 1911 9mm,with halfa Grock capacity,is "viable".

Bless their hearts.

Laughing!...........................

I agree.

Why not scale the grip and mag to 9mm?
Or, design a semi staggered mag that would fit a normal grip.
Adding a few rounds.

It's called a BHP.

Hint.

Simply beavertail a BHP and you DUMB fhuqks are there...with 50% capacity increase and OEM mags.

Hint...............

Wilson edc x9 is an option too...
Sort of a 1911
No grip safety but still hammer fired and holds 15

Like dating Bruce Jenner. Congratulations?!?

You "lucky" kchunts.

Hint.......................

9mms are Browning P35s, CZ75s and Berettas.

9mm 1911s? It is heresy.

But.....why?

Ed is an unpleasant person to deal with, so if you buy one and have to send it back, don't expect much, and he'll likely be nasty to you on the phone to boot. That was my experience, and he refused to fix the problem I sent it back for (unreliability). He kept telling me to stop limpwristing it, despite the fact that I had owned and been shooting 1911s for decades by then, and had several, all of which operated with perfect reliability. A couple of hundred rounds after getting it back from Ed (no note of explanation, and on calling for one, he told me nothing was wrong with it, so he did nothing to it), the extractor hook sheered off while shooting it, rendering it completely inoperable. Rather than suffer with having to deal with Ed again (he's that unpleasant), I just researched how to tune an extractor, bought one, tuned it, and installed it. It's been 100% reliable ever since, and this occurred around twenty years ago.

My advice: Buy a Les Baer.

PS I love my Kobra Carry, but Les Baer makes nice guns, too, but without being a-holes.

My Kobra Carry:

The dude is psychic.

Read on.

I've heard that about Ed from multiple sources. I've also read glowing reports of customer service, even one posted today on the 1911 forum. All that being said, Ed retired a few years ago, I'm not sure he actually goes to the shop anymore. I've emailed them at least 5-6 questions in the last 2 weeks and have received responses within 2 hours or less.
They hired John May from Wilson Combat to run Sales and maybe he has impacted their "customer experience", no clue honestly.

It's good feedback though, I always like to hear the good and the bad and yeah I really like the Kobra Carry.