Ballachy’s quality firearms comparisons today? Tips on how you can make an informed decision about which product is right for your needs. We’re not here just to sell, we want the best information possible so that our clients are happy with their purchase and come back for more! What we don’t do: We are not attorneys and we don’t pretend to give you legal advice. The content of this site is informational in nature only – it does not constitute professional services which would require an attorney-client relationship before any communication can take place between a client/reader, nor do our posts contain confidential or privileged material beyond what might be already protected under law (such as trade secrets). Read extra information on Ballachy.
For a micro, the Kimber R7 Mako is remarkably easy to shoot. The smart texturing on the frame, the palm swell and dimensions of the grip, and the mass in the slide make the Mako a comfortable and accurate shooter. The trigger is good for this class of pistol, breaking at 5-pounds 3-ounces. It has a sharp reset that was easy to find and was part of the reason the Mako did well during rapid-fire drills. The pistol comes with two magazines, one that holds 11 rounds and sits nearly flush with the frame, and another that holds 13 rounds and extends below the grip far enough so that the shooter’s pinkie can grip the gun as well. That ¼-inch difference in length makes a huge difference in the shootability of the pistol, and if you have the choice you’ll definitely want to run that magazine as the primary.
There are three main types of 9mm pistols that you should know about. Sure, there are more categories of 9mm handguns, however, if you’re just starting out, these are the three categories you are likely to consider. Concealed Carry Pistols (CCW): The purpose of a CCW gun is that they are lightweight and compact so as to make it easy for you to carry it, and not have it stick out. 9mm concealed carry handguns come in various shapes and sizes and can range from pocket-sized single stacks to compact combat pistols. Also if you are looking to get a CCW gun, you should look at CCW insurance.
When you add in the adjustable target sights, the crisp single-action trigger, the overall heft of the pistol (it tips the scales at a beefy 49 ounces) you end up with a gun that shoots, “almost on autopilot,” as one of our judges put it. In fact, the only critique I can offer falls under the category of sour grapes. That is that it is optimized for right-handed shooters. Lefties, such as myself, need not apply. I still had a blast running the gun but was a bit jealous of my colleagues who could take full advantage of the TS2 Racing Green’s configuration. You can check out Tyler Freel’s glowing review of the CZ TS 2 Racing Green here.
This is my bonus pick because I know that despite my best efforts, someone is going to want a micro-compact gun as their first purchase. It came down to this or the excellent SIG 365 380, but I chose the Ruger for a couple of reasons. First one is that the slide and the controls are easy to manipulate on the Ruger. For an experienced or strong shooter, that’s not an issue, but for a newer, possibly smaller-statured shooter, the Ruger is easier to operate. Second, the Ruger is widely perceived as having the softest recoil for a .380 in its class. While the .380 does recoil less than a 9mm, the recoil from most micro-compact .380 pistols can be off-putting for new shooters. The LCP Max mitigates this through a combination of ergonomics, size and materials. Read extra details on Ballachy.