From what I can see all the Micro .380s (Colts Mustang, Browning 1911-380, Kimber Micro, Llama Micromax, Sig 238) all have the magazine release in the same place and of the same size.

That platform may not fit your hand.

 

That's very possible. I've taken the mag release button out of the gun and a couple things could make it less likely to happen. First, the mag isn't a snug fit and has a little play. Second, the catch or "ledge" on the mag release button is fairly shallow. Third, the contour of the mag release button doesn't tightly contour the mag so it isn't catching as much of the mag cutout as it could. Lastly the spring isn't terribly tight making the mag release button somewhat easier to push in than my full-sized 1911s. Add all this together and the magazine releases at about 1/3 of the total depth of movement of the button press making it more likely a small amount of pressure turns into enough to release on the recoil impulse.

I'll see if I can use a full size 1911 spring or not. It looks like it. I may have to cut a couple of coils. I'm also going to call Kimber and find out if they'll send me another mag release assembly and focus on one with a "deeper" lip.

I found another thread where a lot of people complained of dropped mags and I suspect they are riding the button and triggering the release on the recoil impulse.

Perhaps my second Kimber isn't as good as I had hoped -- at least in terms of attention to the small details. If I can fix this it's still a keeper as otherwise is a fine shooter.

 

Looking at my Colts, Browning, Kimber, and Llama (I sold the Sig) I would say that #1 and #4 are about the same on them all. I can't see the "ledges" or the contours well enough (since I haven't taken them out) to discuss their similarities or differences.

I can say that I have never accidentally dropped any mag on any of my Micro 380s (or any other gun I've shot for that matter). Must be my hand shape, size and grip.

I hope you get your gun sorted out.

 

I ordered a 6-round factory kimber mag and I did the unthinkable... I stretched the spring in the mag release ever so gently to firm it up. I shot 100 rounds today out of the 6 rounder and didn't have a single dropped mag or mis-feed. The mag release is certainly firmer now which may be the fix. I won't know until I can get back and shoot it with the 7 (I forgot it when leaving the house). I'll report back when I do but the 6 rounder doesn't really seem any tighter in the mag well than the 7 so I suspect, as I mentioned above, the very easy press and my grip were responsible.

Today I shot some fiocchi FMJ and some federal hollowpoints. Zero malfunction.

 

I don't think a small
carry gun with a safety is the way to go

 

How do you figure that? Seems the best option to me.

 

I don't think a small carry gun with a safety is the way to go.

Small carry guns without safeties are called snub-nosed revolvers.

NOOSE:
Try e-mailing some custom grip makers & tell them your difficulty. Maybe for not TOO much money, they can devise a set of grips that will keep your fingers away from the magazine release, without making it difficult to use when/if needed.

If you're having a problem with it, it's likely that other owners are, too. You could end up with grips that solve your problem, and the grip maker could end up with a product that really sells. No bad deal, right?

 

I'll reach out to a couple of makers and see what I can come up with. Honestly with the slightly stretched spring, it has quite a bit more resistance to push it in than it did before. Last 100 rounds no issues. I've got to get some more carry ammo, though, and run through more rounds to be sure. You are right, however, and something that shrouded the release a bit would probably be good.

I've read about people dropping mags in the kimber, the colt mustang, and the sig p238 so I suspect that's a pretty common issue -- i.e. small gun, big hands, pressing the release...

 

Nah no safety on my pocket guns. DAO striker fired is for me

 

May you never need more.

 

My 2 cents. I recently bought a Micro Carry Advocate. The trigger pull measured about 8 lb, a little heavy but not bad. The slide fit very tight. I stripped, cleaned and lubed everything, per the manual. I shot 100 rounds 95 gr Fiocchi. No problems. Then I shot 100 rounds 92 gr Sellier (had it laying around from the days when any ammo was hard to get). No F2F but the slide didn't lock back on 3 mags mags. I am guessing it is the ammo. I cleaned and lubed and will be back at the range with 100 rounds Winchester ammo to verify. After 200 shots the slide is ever so slightly loosened but still tight. Trigger has little take-up and almost no over travel and breaks cleanly. So far so good.

Question for the smart guys out there. With no barrel bushing, any experience with number of shots before slide to barrel interface gets sloppy? The manual mentions spring replacement but is mum on anything else. I do clean often and am sloppy with the CLP I use.

 

Shot 100 Winchester 95 gr rounds, 4 rounds per mag. I had one F2F and at the end of that mag the slide did not lock back. Otherwise flawless performance. I've got 300 rds thru it.

 

I've put another 150 or so down the pipe. It doesn't care for the magtech "truncated cone" bullets that are someone flat on the end. I got 3 or 4 that the nose wouldn't climb the feed ramp. I shot some freedom munitions reloads which have a longer rounded somewhat pointy nose much like 9mm and they fed perfectly due to more bearing surface. I've also shot a total of about 75 of the fiocchi extrema hollowpoints and they have all fed without a problem which is also my carry round.

I've not dropped a mag again since I stretched the spring. I'm going to keep searching for a harder spring instead of stretching a stock one. I know some people like easy and some don't on the mag release. I'm in the don't camp. I want it to take a firm press to release the mag so I don't accidentally drop the mag in a panic situation. I consider it extremely unlikely that I'll need to pull my carry weapon. Even if I do, I consider it even less likely I'll need a reload. I carry my micro with the 6 rounder (for size in pocket) and one in the chamber so I have 7... If I need more, well, I'm truly screwed.

 

I must not expect as much as most of you. As long as I do my part 6 rounds of 90 grain XTP onto a 6" Paper Plate at 25' is all I expect out of a Backup with rudimentary sights.

My LCP with the 9 lb Gen 2 (Not LCP II) Trigger does this just fine.

Control of a long double action trigger takes practice. I learned by holding a sight picture and balancing a penny on the front sight while dry firing. The right hand squeezes the trigger and the left hand aims the gun (opposite if your a Lefty).

For single hand practice I generally extend the hand forward (using elbo joint) as I squeeze as I find it tend to pull low right less than with a stationary hand and believe it is a more likely scenario if you don't have time to take a normal grip.

 

My LPC II was a fine weapon. Probably the best ultralight polymer pocket pistol on the market. I had two issues with it: First, it's extreme light weight makes it very snappy and getting it back on target for a quick double-tap is tough. The second issue I had with mine was though the trigger was pretty easy to pull -- perhaps 7 lbs -- it flexed on the pull. It felt as if the trigger was bending toward the rear on the pull which made for a very awkward trigger pull. A metal assembly or metal trigger to make that part solid would probably have improved things a bit.

All that said, these two aren't really comparable. The LCPII is a no safety carry in chamber ultralight with a decent trigger. The micro 1911 platforms are heavier and recoil MUCH less, are far more accurate, but are a bit heavy in the pocket. I've gotten used to it but I'll admit I miss the 10 oz pistol in pocket...

 

best small pocket carry IMHO Sig P938, I've had mine for about 18 months, shoots everything, never had one FTF, FTE, etc

 

Yeah, but that little dude is about 3 ounces heavier than the Kimber .380 when both are loaded to full capacity. It may not seem much but when I went from 10.6 (LCPII) to 13.4 (Kimber Micro .380), the front pocket weight difference is very noticeable and, to me, borderline too bulky. I'm 6' 175lbs and don't have a lot of "nooks and crannies" to hide stuff.

Any more mass and I'm not carrying front pocket. If I can't carry front pocket, I'm unlikely to carry when I'm in a rush. As the saying goes, I rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it...