The Wilson Combat WCP320 Carry is one of the best 9mm pistols I’ve reviewed.
From its announcement as the new standard sidearm for the United States military, the popularity of the SIG SAUER P320 pistol seemingly exploded.
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.
Days ahead of SHOT Show 2020, Daniel Defense teased a new firearm – something that looked like it could be a PDW.
Well, that’s just what they released. Say hello to the new Daniel Defense DDM4 PDW.
Available in both pistol and SBR configurations, the AR-style weapon system was designed to be both compact and easy to transport. With a 7″ barrel, the pistol version has an overall length of 20.75″. The SBR is slightly longer at 21.0″. This suggests it should be able to fit into backpacks or specialized weapons packs like the ESS Stealth SBR Backpack.
At launch, the guns were only chambered for the 300 BLK cartridge. Over time, the company could introduce other cartridges depending on customer demand.
Pistol variants are equipped with a Maxim Defense CQB Pistol Brace in lieu of a rifle stock. SBR versions are NFA items, meaning additional paperwork and tax stamps, but you get a Maxim Defense CQB Gen 7 collapsible stock.
“I believe our new DDM4 PDW is the absolute best gun you can buy to protect your family. And protecting our families is the most important thing any of us can ever do,” said Daniel Defense President & CEO Marty Daniel. “It’s accurate, easy to shoot, and compact. I couldn’t be any prouder of this groundbreaking product.”
Additional features of these guns:
Daniel Defense shipped both versions of the DDM4 PDW starting in February 2020. They are both still in the company’s catalog at this time.
I don’t know about you, but the SBR with a suppressor looks like it would be a fun gun to run and worth the two stamps.
Last Update: September 22, 2021
The Stoeger STR-9 might just go down as the best new handgun under $400 coming out of the 2019 SHOT Show. It is also one that might be missed by a lot of people who don’t recognize the Stoeger Industries name.
Before the annual trade show, news about the 9mm pistol leaked out. I was immediately interested, as Stoeger had done a very good job producing the Cougar pistols. The Cougar was a Beretta design that had largely been abandoned as Beretta pursued new designs like the PX4 Storm and APX pistols.
Stoeger picked up the Cougar and continued the manufacturing of those pistols. Stoeger Cougars were widely regarded as being an excellent value in the self defense handgun market. Nevertheless, the guns seemed to take a back seat to the polymer-framed, striker-fired handguns like those from Glock and Smith & Wesson.
It seems that Stoeger has abandoned the Cougar pistol and has put all of its weight behind the new STR-9.
The STR-9 is everything that a modern defensive pistol seems to need for success. In fact, if there is a manufacturing checklist somewhere, I bet it has nearly every box ticked.
As a striker-fired pistol, the shooter has a consistent trigger pull from one shot to the next. Having shot and trained others to shoot traditional double action/single action (DA/SA) pistols, I can say that the consistency of a striker-fired pistol is much easier to learn. Every time you press the trigger, it feels the same. This is appealing to many people.
Polymer frames are a normal part of the shooting world. When done right, these frames are every bit as durable as a metal frame in most circumstances. I’m not talking edge case here – just average Joe self-defense guns. Once the manufacturing is set up, polymer frames can be much less expensive to make. This allows the company to keep the guns affordable.
Matching the tool to the user is an important concept. In the case of handguns, there have been a variety of methods developed to help do this.
Stoeger uses an interchangeable backstrap system to help get a good hand fit on the pistol no matter how large or small your hands are. I’ve got medium hands, but relatively stubby fingers. This makes proper finger placement on the trigger something of a challenge with pistols like the Beretta 92. But using small backstraps on a handgun like the STR-9 improves my trigger reach.
Left-handed shooters might be interested to know that the magazine release is reversible. With just a few minutes of work, you can move the push button release to the right side of the frame.
As we’ve seen in the past few years, the shooting public has come to appreciate the 9mm cartridge again. I saw the major shift to the “Wonder 9” semi-auto pistols in the 80s, then to the .40 S&W in the 90s. Now, the public seems to have shifted pretty quickly back to the 9×19 again.
It is a proven cartridge that has the largest base of active shooters in the US today. I’ve seen some of the ammunition sales numbers from a few of the major companies. If you make a gun or ammo, ignore the 9mm fans at your own peril.
Three dot sights aren’t my favorite, but they seem to be the default position for many companies. Stoeger selected them for this pistol. You can get a factory model that has three dot night sights for a little more money. If you like night sights, this might be the best option for you.
One of the features I do like about the sights is that the rear sight has a hard front edge. This allows a shooter to run the slide with only one hand in an emergency. Yes, I recognize this is an unlikely occurrence for an armed citizen. It is, however, a bonus that cost the company nothing to include. I appreciate it.
Adding a light or supplemental aiming laser is easily accomplished with the Stoeger STR-9. A reasonably sized accessory rail is available to the shooter.
For some this might be a deal breaker: the gun is made in Turkey. Ignoring politics for a moment, there are some good guns being made in that country. The quality of the manufacturing base in that country does not concern me.
| Caliber | 9mm |
| Magazine Capacity | 15 |
| Weight | 24 oz |
| Barrel Length | 4.17″ |
| Overall Length | 7.44″ |
| Action | striker-fired, semi-auto |
| Sights | 3-dot |
| Finish | matte black |
| MSRP | $329 base |
At launch, Stoeger is offering three different versions of the STR-9. Fundamentally, they are the same gun but with a few minor differences.
The base model comes with one magazine and only one backstrap. It has a suggested retail price of $329. Since it doesn’t have multiple backstraps to try out at home, you definitely want to check this in the store before you put your money down. If this works for you, I’m betting you can get this for less than $300 at many gun shops.
Next up the list is the same gun, but with three magazines and three differently sized backstraps. This is the model for me, as I like to have multiple mags for every gun I own. The MSRP is $389, but I bet I pay less than $350 when they arrive locally.
If you want night sights, you have one option, and it has a full retail price of $449. At that price you also get three magazines and backstraps. So, it is only a $60 jump for tritium sights.
Not everyone who wants a pistol for self-defense can afford a SIG SAUER or HK, never mind an artisan gun from Nighthawk Custom or Cabot Guns. Frankly, a new Glock or M&P is a bit out of reach for some people who want to exercise their right to protect themselves.
Guns like the Stoeger STR-9 offer options to people that have historically had few. Fortunately, there are a growing number of good guns in the sub-$400 market. I look forward to testing one of the STR-9 pistols and letting you know how it performs. If you get one before me, please leave a comment below with your experiences shooting it. If these are good or bad, let’s share that information and help each other out.
Last Update: October 16, 2022
Ahead of the 2019 SHOT Show, Mossberg announced a new pistol: the MC1sc.
The Mossberg MC1sc is a subcompact 9mm handgun that is designed for the concealed carry and self-defense markets. It offers a range of features that make it worth considering.
One hundred years ago, O.F. Mossberg & Sons opened its doors and started selling firearms. The first gun it offered was a handgun called the Brownie – a .22 caliber pistol with four barrels that looked similar to, but operated differently from, some pepperbox pistols of the era.
Fast forward from 1919 to 2019 and Mossberg has become the 6th largest firearm manufacturer in the United States. Even though the company is better known for its shotguns and rifles, it returned to its handgun roots with the new MC1sc pistol.
The MC1sc is a striker-fired, polymer-framed handgun that is an obvious candidate for concealed carry duty. Three years of development and testing suggest the engineers have had ample opportunity to work all of the bugs out of the new design.
Shooters may wonder if the “sc” in the name stand for “subcompact.” It does. Using this naming convention makes one wonder what else may be in the pipeline. Also, this gun is chambered in 9mm only. Other caliber options may also be in the works.
The MC1sc or MC1 subcompact is relatively small and lightweight. It has a 3.4″ barrel, and with an empty magazine, it weighs a little more than one pound.
Today’s shooter has a broad selection of subcompact pistols from which to choose. Mossberg seems to have recognized this as the company attempts to differentiate itself with a number of features such as:
Mossberg includes two magazines with each pistol: a flush fitting 6-round magazine and an extended 7-round magazine. Additional features include 3-dot sights, an oversized trigger guard, reversible magazine release button and forward slide serrations.
CONFIRMATION: A Mossberg representative confirmed that the MC1sc will feed from Glock 43 magazines.
At launch, there are five different versions of the MC1sc that can be purchased.
| Caliber | 9mm |
| Magazine Capacity | 6 (flush), 7 (extended) |
| Weight | 19 oz |
| Barrel Length | 3.4″ |
| Overall Length | 6.45″ |
| Action | striker-fired |
| Sights | 3-dot |
| Finish | matte black |
| MSRP | $421 |
A variation of the basic model is a version with a cross bolt safety. This safety is located on the frame and directly behind the trigger. I wonder how well this configuration works as it looks like a shooter’s trigger finger may activate or deactivate the safety simply by grasping the gun. This variation is otherwise identical to the basic MC1sc pistol.
If the standard 3-dot sights aren’t ideal for you, Mossberg offers two other aiming options. The first has a set of Truglo Tritum Pro sights installed.
The second optional sighting system leaves the basic 3-dot sights in place, but adds a Viridian E-Series laser unit. This unit attaches to the front of the trigger guard and uses a red aiming laser.
The final variation is the Centennial Limited Edition MC1sc. Recognizing the company’s 100th anniversary, this is a limited run of 1000 pistols with sequential serial numbers. It features 24k gold accents on the engraved slide and a titanium nitride finish on the barrel and other metal parts.
Mossberg aims to keep this gun affordable. The basic models have a suggested retail price of $421. This beats the wildly popular Smith & Wesson M&P Shield 2.0 by more than $50. It is, however, priced more than $100 above the Ruger EC9s pistols.
Stepping up to the model with the Truglo Tritium Pro sights, the suggested retail price increases to $526. If you opt for the Viridian laser sight with standard 3-dot sights, the price is $514.
As one might expect, the limited edition gold plated pistol is the most expensive at $686.
When the gun launched, several companies announced concealed carry rigs that are made for the guns. Since then, more companies have announced fits. See our full list of Mossberg MC1sc holsters here.
It will be interesting to see what the public’s response to this new gun will be. A gun designed for personal protection must be reliable. For it to be a commercial success, however, it has to feel good in the hand and look good enough to catch people’s attention.
The use of “sc” to indicate “subcompact” certainly suggests that a MC1 or MC1c might also be in development. If this gun sells well enough, Mossberg may have an entire line of pistols on the market by this time next year.
In my experience, Mossberg makes quality firearms. So, I have high expectations for how well this gun performs. Time will tell.
Last Update: October 16, 2022