Ok, I have been looking for a carry 9mm in a sub compact. I like these 2 guns. The kimber Solo @ around $700 and the Sig P290 @ $649. Both fine guns in my estimation, both 9mm and around the same price. The big difference is the Sig is DOA, hammer fired and the Kimber Solo is a single action, striker fired with a thumb safety. I need opinions from people more familiar with the two guns. Which would you buy and for what reasons?
I can't give an expert opinion on either of the two but I've handled both in gun shops and the Kimber Solo ... out of those two choices ...would win hands down, IMHO.
I was interested in the Sig after doing some shooting with a friends full size Sig ...and shooting quite well with it ...but after checking out the P290 in my local gun shop ....I was immediately turned off by the Sig. ...after racking the slide the very first time ...as well as the second and last time I racked it. I can imagine having some serious damage to your hand in the web area between thumb and forefinger if your not extremely careful how you grip the gun while shooting it. There is simply not enough of a 'beavertail' built into the P290 to satisfy my comfort/safety concerns. I'm not sure if it was the slide itself ...or the hammer pinching my hand when I racked the slide ...but it was definitely not good.
I currently have a Magnum Research Micro Desert Eagle .380 (which I'm planning on selling) ...which had a similar caution about the slide's recoil but I have had no problem with it while gripping, racking, and firing it.
The Sig also did not really 'feel' that great in my hand!
Good luck with your decision but after being heart-set on a Solo for myself for awhile now ...I have recently decided to go with either a Kahr CM9 or PM9. They are not nearly as good looking as the Solo (which is quite stunning looking, IMO for such a small CCW handgun) but not a bad looking gun at all ...but more importantly they get nearly unanimous high praise from their owners!
