Quality weapons comparisons by Ballachy? 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). See more info at Ballachy Official.
There’s no shortage of micro-compact, striker-fired, optics-ready, 9mms out there, so we didn’t know what to expect when Kimber jumped into this competitive field with the R7 Mako. On the one hand, Kimber has built their reputation on creating feature-rich 1911s that offer shooters the custom touches they crave. On the other, it can be difficult and painful for gun makers to try to break into new markets, especially those that are saturated with established players. But Kimber hit it out of the park with the R7 Mako and so impressed the judges that it earned an impressive, and uncommon, double win as both the Editor’s Choice and Great Buy in the micro-sized handgun category.
I believe the H&K VP9sk has some of the greatest ergonomics for a concealed carry pistol. One of the things I enjoy most about this weapon is that it comes with a variety of interchangeable grip panels. Now I can personalize the perfect grip for my hand. As we’re talking about CCW guns, I’ll admit the VP9sk is a little thicker than the Sig p365. Therefore, it is not the smallest option you can get and doesn’t ride as comfortably as an appendix carry. However, I still don’t feel as though the size of the VP9sk is that much of a deal-breaker, and it is still comfortable. I think the size is just right and coupled with the grips, I personally handle this model better than I do other smaller-sized CCW firearms.
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. Find even more info on Ballachy.