honest reviews and news on firearms
In today’s review of the Girsan MC1911 CT, I take a look at a classically designed .45 ACP pistol with modern updates including a red dot sight.
What might draw a lot of people in is the low price tag: only $661 at full retail.
With the standard features, the gun seems like a great bargain.
But, is it?
Stoeger Industries announced the further expansion of its compact 9mm pistol line. The new Stoeger STR-9 Compact is a variation of the original STR-9 pistol that rolled out at the 2019 SHOT Show. It follows the introduction of the optics ready model announced in January at the 2020 SHOT Show.
The new Compact model has a 3.8″ barrel and shorter grip frame. Standard magazines hold 13+1 rounds. If you are stuck in a reduced-liberty state, 10 round magazines are available.
As with the full-size pistols, the STR-9 Compact is a striker-fired handgun with a polymer frame. It weighs in at 24 ounces (unloaded.)
Stoeger uses a safety that is built into the center of the trigger. This trigger safety, popularized by Glock, helps to prevent accidental discharges. It is naturally disengaged when a shooter presses the trigger.
In addition to helping keep both cost and weight low, the polymer frame allows for the use of interchangeable backstraps. While often found on more expensive guns, Stoeger includes the feature on this pistol to improve the ability of the owner to fit the gun to his or her hand.
Drift adjustable, 3-dot sights are standard. However, the company offers tritium night sights as a factory option.
Additional features of the new Stoeger STR-9 Compact include:
As with the other guns in the STR-9 line, the Compact model has an affordable price tag. The suggested retail price is $329 for the standard model. If you wish to step up to the night sights, the price increases to $449. Keep in mind that these are suggested retail prices. Your dealer sets the actual price, which may be even lower.
Stoeger backs the STR-9 Compact with a 5 year warranty.
Concealable pistols continue to drive much of the firearms market, and the new FN 503 is an example of that trend.
FN America just announced the new 9mm handgun that will be direct competition for other single-stack, subcompact pistols like the Glock 43, Smith & Wesson Shield, Walther PPS M2 and the Springfield Armory XD-S Mod.2.
But, how does it compare? Will it build enough of a following to be a viable product long-term?
Let’s take a look at the pistol and what it may offer you.
Put simply, the FN503 is a striker-fired subcompact 9mm pistol that was designed for concealed carry.
FN states it took design cues from the FN 509 pistol, which was its entry in the US military’s handgun replacement program. But this gun is clearly built for concealment.
The company claims that the feel of the striker-fired system is “arguably the best in its class” with a crisp trigger break at an average of 5 pounds.
As with other striker-fired handguns, the FN 503 trigger has a safety built into the face of the trigger. Unlike many similar pistols, FN uses an all-metal trigger.
The gun is relatively small. It has a 3.1″ barrel with a maximum width of 1.1″. However, FN built the gun with large controls to make it easy to run – even under stress.
On top, the company uses metal 3-dot sights. They are dovetailed into the slide with a cut that matches that of the FN 509 pistol. That means the sights are large enough to be useable and can be replaced with fiber optics or night sights if you prefer.
FN developed a new grip texture that it likens to skateboard tape. That should provide adequate traction for controlling the pistol when shooting – even when your palms are sweaty.
| caliber | 9mm |
| magazine capacity | 6 rounds (flush fitting), 8 rounds (extended) |
| barrel length | 3.1" |
| weight | 21 oz unloaded |
| sights | 3-dot |
| finish | matte black |
| MSRP | $549 |
With a variety of other pistols on the market in this niche, is there a compelling reason to purchase it instead of the competition?
Until I’ve had this gun on the range for a full testing and review, I can’t say for sure. However, here is how the gun’s numbers stack up against the competition:
FN 503 | SA XD-S M.2 | |||||
| caliber | 9mm | 9mm | 9mm | 9mm | 9mm | 9mm |
| capacity (flush fitting magazine) | 6+1 | 6+1 | 6+1 | 7+1 | 7+1 | 6+1 |
| barrel length | 3.1" | 3.4" | 3.0" | 3.1" | 3.3" | 3.2" |
| weight (unloaded) | 21.0 oz | 18.0 oz | 15.9 oz | 19.0 oz | 21.5 oz | 19.4 oz |
| width (thickest portion) | 1.1" | 1.1" | not given | 1.0" | 1.0" | 1.0" |
| MSRP | $549 | $589 | $460 | $374 | $586 | $449 |
You should not buy a defensive firearm solely on specifications. However, specs can help you narrow down your choices. All of the guns in the table above – save the new FN 503 – are currently in my possession. The Walther is my favorite with the Shield and G43 being close runner ups. It will be interesting to see how the new FN pistol will compare once I have one in hand.
While the gun might be a little late to the party, it has the styling and features to put it on par with its contemporaries.
Assuming the gun is reliable, I think it will carve out a place for itself with many gun owners. How large of a market share it can pull remains to be seen.
Market share is important as it will be a key factor for obtaining third party support such as FN 503 holsters.
One of the runaway hits for Ruger has been its 9mm rifle. Building on that success is the new Ruger PC Charger Pistol chambered in 9mm.
Based on the company’s PC Carbine, the new PC Charger Pistol has a wealth of features that will make it a great candidate as an SBR or the addition of an arm brace.
Here’s a quick look at the new pistol.
Quick Note
I’m a fan of the original Ruger PC Carbine. It proved to be an excellent shooter and had the feeling of being a quality build.
While the PC Charger Pistol is likely to be more of a niche gun, I fully expect it to be an excellent shooter.
At the 2020 SHOT Show, Palmetto State Armory announced a new 9mm pistol called the PS9 Dagger.
With its combination of features and price, the new gun stands to make quite a splash in the industry.
Let’s dive in with all of the details including pricing, shipping times and holster compatibility.
As of right now, the PS9 Dagger is now available for sale. It can be purchased by clicking here.
I’d recommend getting an order in early – the first few runs will sell out quickly.
The short story is the new PS9 Dagger is a Glock clone. I don’t mean that in a disparaging way, but instead as shorthand for a polymer-framed, striker-fired pistol that takes 9mm Glock 19 magazines.
Palmetto State Armory (PSA) will make several variations of the gun, but the basic model is the one that will ship first. It has many parts that are compatible with the Gen3 Glock pistols including the magazine and trigger group. PSA ships the PS9 with Magpul P15 magazines, but you can use your existing G17, G19 and other 9mm magazines with the gun.
Obviously, the gun differs from the Glock pistol in a number of ways. One of the things that Glock is often criticized for is the use of plastic sights. PSA elected to use metal sights on the PS9 Dagger. The metal sights use a 3-dot arrangement and are far more durable than standard polymer sights.
Additional features include:
Palmetto State Armory states the PS9 Dagger will be backed by a full lifetime warranty.
PSA PS9 |
|
|---|---|
| caliber | 9mm |
| capacity | 15+1 |
| barrel length | 4.0" |
| trigger | PSA hinged |
| trigger pull weight | 5.5 lbs |
| sights | nitrided metal three dot |
| grip frame | glass-filled polymer |
| finish | matte black |
| MSRP | $299 |
Customer demand will ultimately drive variations of the basic PS9 pistol. However, Palmetto State Armory does have a number of variations already in the works.
Future releases will offer suppressor-ready versions that include threaded barrels and suppressor-height sights. Also, there will be options for optics ready PS9 Dagger pistols.
Another version the company is working on is a G17 sized slide/barrel on the PS9 frame. This would increase the sight radius for improved accuracy and goose the bullet velocities.
PSA also suggested that custom pistols might be available also.
A final variation will be the grip assembly alone. It is completely compatible with Gen3 Glock parts, so you can build a completely custom 9mm or even a .40 S&W or .357 SIG gun.
According to a PSA rep, the guns will be compatible with some Gen3 Glock 19 holsters.
I would urge caution with any hard fit options like Kydex as small dimension differences may impact how well it fits. I would expect that leather rigs would work without much problem.
Even if you aren’t impressed by the features of this gun, the price might get your attention:
$299.99
Yes, that’s correct. A Glock 19 compatible pistol for less than $300. With shipping and transfer fees, I estimate the average person should be able to get one out the door for about $360-370.
Assuming that these guns run as reliably as a Glock pistol – and only time will tell us that – a $299.99 defensive pistol is a major value. The price alone will sell many of these pistols.
If you want a model with a slide cut for an RMR sight with suppressor height sights and a threaded barrel, the pricing remains unbelievable:
$349.00
According to PSA staff, the PS9 grip frame alone should sell for $100.
It also makes you wonder what Glock’s margins look like.
The PS9 Dagger is now shipping. Click this link to buy one.
What are your thoughts about the new Palmetto State Armory PS9 Dagger? I’m cautiously optimistic about them. A $300 Glock clone would be huge in the marketplace.
Special thanks to Paul Carlson of the Safety Solutions Academy for helping with the photos and additional details. Paul’s a good friend and one of the best trainers working today. You should check out his availability and try to book time with him.
Diamondback Firearms announced the new DBX pistol at SHOT Show 2020. The new gun is chambered for the 5.7×28 cartridge and has a variety of interesting features that might grab your attention.
So, let’s not dally about and jump right in.
The new Diamondback DBX is in the general style of an AR pistol, but it should be readily apparent that it is not as simple as that.
Diamondback Firearms manufactured this semi-automatic pistol as a locked-breech design with a dual-piston gas system. I’m looking forward to getting some time with this gun to see how the system is designed.
Unlike some of the alternatives, this is a bottom feeder with the magazines inserting in the AR-standard position. The gun runs on FN Five-seveN 20-round magazines. However, the company has also announced that a second gun that will feed from the Ruger-57 pattern magazines will also be released. One magazine is included.
The 8″ barrel is threaded. It comes fitted with the company’s new DBX muzzle device.
Up front, the forend has M-LOK attachment points on the left, right and bottom for a wide range of accessories. Included with the gun is a Magpul handstop kit. For a gun this short, I like that the company includes this as a standard accessory.
Diamondback includes a side folding arm brace with the pistol. It attaches to the Picatinny rail on the butt end of the gun.
Here is a breakdown of the Diamondback DBX specifications:
Diamondback DBX |
|
|---|---|
| caliber | 5.7x28 |
| capacity | 20+1 |
| barrel length | 8" |
| overall length | 16.1" without brace |
| height | 7.3" without sights |
| weight | 3 lbs with empty magazine, without brace |
| frame | 7075 aluminum |
| finish | hardcoat anodized matte black |
| MSRP | TBD |
The new Diamondback DBX is one of several new guns recently announced for the 5.7×28 cartridge. Additionally, there have been some new ammo additions like the Speer Gold Dot self-defense load.
Why the sudden surge of interest in this cartridge?
I don’t have any inside information, but I believe all three guns were developed independently. This suggests that the sales and design teams at three different companies reached the same conclusion on the market data they had. That conclusion: there is enough market demand for guns chambered for the cartridge to make the projects financially viable.
So, what happens when three companies move to satisfy the same demand?
In this case, I believe it will work out well for all of the companies.
Starting with the Ruger-57, there has been a lot of discussion surrounding the cartridge. When CMMG announced its own rifles and pistols (along with AR conversion kits) in 5.7×28, even more people took notice. With a third company jumping into the pool, it will make a lot of people ask “What am I missing?”
Will those people turn into buyers? I think a lot of them will. With the support of premium ammunition for self-defense, target shooting and small game hunting, the cartridge suddenly has a life I did not expect to see.
I look forward to a Diamondback DBX review, but what do you think? It is hard to carry concealed – after all, you can’t slip it into a Ruger-57 holster, but for a home defense weapon, it might be a great choice. Are you interested in this cartridge and/or pistol?