Some companies have miniaturized the famous M1911 semi-automatic platform in order to manufacture pistols intended for smaller calibers and more comfortable concealed carry. This is by no means a new practice, but it is a good one. Back in 1984, Colt's Manufacturing offered the sleek, sub-compact, all-stainless steel Colt Government Model chambered in .380 ACP. My wife picked one up while we were dating in the 1990s just before they were discontinued. We both liked it for its size, the light, clean single-action trigger, and the fact that it’s still among the most accurate pocket-size pistols I've worked with over the years.
By the mid-2010s, gun companies were looking to satisfy customer demand for subcompact pistols that were not much bigger or heavier than the pocket .380s but chambered in the more potent and popular 9 mm cartridge. Kimber would join in the fray with the release of the Micro 9, a series of diminutive M1911-pattern 9 mm pistols, in 2016. Nearly a decade later, Kimber's catalog includes no less than 14 variations of the Micro 9 with listed prices from $579 to $1,006, depending on the finish and features selected.
It's interesting to note here that these little single-stack M1911 pistols still draw a loyal following. We are currently living in what might be considered the golden age of polymer-frame, striker-fired "Micro Nine" pistols with double-stack magazine ammunition capacities of 10 to 15 rounds. Nevertheless, in 2025, TriStar Arms began importing a Turkish clone of the Micro 9 dubbed the Protégé X. Manufactured by Kral Arms, it has a listed price of $549, which is translating into real-world prices closer to $450. Let's take a look at what this gun has to offer.
The Protégé X is a recoil-operated, centerfire pistol that unmistakably borrows its design and feature set from the Kimber Micro 9. Chambered in 9 mm, it is available in half a dozen Cerakote finishes, including the black and olive drab two-tone version shown here. Each pistol ships with a pair of seven-round magazines with extended polymer bases. Both bases serve as finger rests, but one of them is longer and more deeply curved than the other for added support.
The round-top steel slide is 5.3 inches long and just 0.85-inch thick. The metallic, low-profile three-dot sight system is dovetailed into the slide. The front sight's dot has been painted dark red with a pair of white dots set to either side of the square notch cut into the rear sight. It’s a useful and quick to acquire sighting system, even though a bright orange or green dot up front would be a bit easier to see. The slide also features an oversized internal extractor claw, a beveled ejection port and canted cocking serrations at the rear.
Although the Protégé X design leans well into M1911 territory, it is not a clone of that classic platform. Removing the slide from the frame reveals key changes. The 3.2" barrel bells out slightly at the muzzle, in place of a barrel bushing, and the top of the chamber has a small witness hole. The base of the chamber does not have an M1911 link but a bean-shaped port cut milled into an integral extension. The recoil assembly consists of a single flat-wire spring supported by a full-length guide rod.
An aluminum frame contributes to this pistol's unloaded weight of 18.9 ozs. with an empty seven-round magazine inserted in the grip. The dustcover and trigger guard are both rounded in traditional M1911 fashion. The single-action trigger is made of aluminum with a curved, grooved face. It exhibited just a hint of takeup before a short, clean break with 4 lbs. 14 ozs. of trigger pull. The other external controls include a slide stop lever and a finely checkered, round-button magazine release, both of which are on the left side of the frame, and a Commander style loop hammer.
The relatively small thumb safety lever is ambidextrous. My concern that this safety might be either too stiff or too loose for reliable operation proved to be unfounded. It worked properly and smoothly moving into and out of the Safe position. This pistol omits the grip safety just like the Colt .380 ACP mentioned earlier. The grip's front and back straps are left untextured. The black polymer grip panels, along with the aluminum mainspring housing, feature straight grooves to lend some purchase. The magazine well is lightly beveled for easier magazine swaps.
Like other Turkish pistol brands, Kral Arms strives to provide a more complete package of accessories with their pistols. The Protégé X arrives in a hard-sided carry case sporting a custom cutout foam interior. With the pistol, you'll find the typical trigger lock and a pair of magazines, along with a wipe-down cloth, cleaning brush, bore brush, bore mop and a patch handle.
Subcompact and pocket-size 9 mm semi-automatics have yet to garner a reputation for being "soft-shooting" pistols. In truth, they can be quite snappy with regard to felt recoil, even when using standard pressure ammunition. Among the pistols I've worked with in this class, the Protégé X offered a greater sense of control than some models. This is due in fairly equal parts to its M1911 heritage, including the short trigger pull, and the extended magazine baseplates that support the little finger of the shooting hand.
This pistol experienced one failure to feed in the course of firing the first 20 rounds through the gun. After that, there were no pistol-, magazine- or ammunition-related issues using a variety of 9 mm ammunition, including practice and defense-grade options. The formal bench-rested accuracy testing was conducted by firing five, five-shot groups, using three different loads, into paper targets set at a distance of 7 yards.
A Garmin Xero C1 Pro was on hand to measure bullet muzzle velocities for 10-shot strings. The practice-grade, full-metal jacket ammunition included Federal's American Eagle 147-grain and Sovereign Ammo's 124-grain loads. Covering the defensive ammunition option was Hornady's Critical Defense 135-grain FlexLock jacketed polymer tip round. Here are the results:
Polymer-frame compact and subcompact-sized pistols chambered in 9 mm with double-stack ammunition capacities currently rule the concealed-carry roost. Is there still a place at the table for a single-stack, M1911-pattern subcompact like TriStar's new Protégé X? Keep in mind the undying devotion to the M1911 platform in all of its various sizes, configurations and calibers. A pocketable aluminum-framed pistol like this one, especially with its more attractive price point, is going to do just fine in its segment of the marketplace.
TriStar Arms Protégé X Specifications
Importer: TriStar Arms
Manufacturer: Kral Arms (Turkey)
Model: Protégé X (#85714)
Action: single-action; recoil-operated; centerfire semi-automatic
Caliber: 9 mm Luger
Finish: Cerakote 2-Tone Black/OD Green
Grips: grooved black polymer
Sights: dovetailed 3-dot; low profile
Barrel Length: 3.2"
Overall Length: 6.15"
Height: 4.60" to 5" (depending on grip base)
Width: 0.85" (slide); 1.15" (grip)
Weight: 18.9-oz. with empty 7-round magazine
Capacity: 7+1 Rounds
Twist: 1:10 RH
Rifle Grooves: 6
Accessories: foam lined carry case, two magazines, cleaning brush, cloth, bore brush, bore mop, patch handle, trigger lock, owner's manual
Suggested Retail: $549
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