LHshooter Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 Finally got to shoot my new DS9 pistol a couple days ago. Since some pistols can be tempermental, I had 11 different kinds of ammo to fire consisting of factory and reloads. I also chrono'd every type of ammo and fired 25 rounds each, for a total of 275 rounds with no issues whatsoever. The pistol shot great, no matter the ammo. I will say the A3 aggressive grip will not be for everyone. I ended up with a little bit of "road rash" on my support hand in the meaty part just below my thumb. I think that was due to me rubbing my hand on the grip as I was canting it. My firing hand was fine. The chart below shows the chrono results. I happened to chrono 6 of those ammo types through my Sig P320 X5 last week and the DS9 PF results were basically 3 to 5 higher for every ammo type. The temp was 5 to 10 degrees cooler than a week ago so the DS9 results would have been marginally higher had I shot it a week ago. This barrel is a nice step up from the X5 barrel, but then it should be. I shot an IDPA match today and put almost 100 rounds through it, again with no issues. I only forgot to release the thumb safety once - duh. I guess I'll learn. I will say, everyone that checked out the pistol just loved the slide. One guy described is as putting some oil between two sheets of glass and rubbing them. Also, just about everyone thought the grip was too aggressive, but I didn't have any hands issues today. I'm still glad I went with the A3 grip texture. Very happy with the pistol. Since I also bought a ported barrel with the pistol, my next plan is to chrono the same ammo with the ported barrel and see how the PF's compare ported vs non-ported. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davsco Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 Sounds like it's a keeper, congrats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
392heminut Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 Sounds like an awesome pistol! Glad it's everything you expected! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike21STI Posted February 7 Share Posted February 7 Nicely done! I am happy with mine too. The only minor gripe I had was that the barrel is slower than my DWX and Canik so I had to bump up the charge an extra .2grns to make minor with a comfortable buffer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LHshooter Posted February 7 Author Share Posted February 7 8 hours ago, Mike21STI said: Nicely done! I am happy with mine too. The only minor gripe I had was that the barrel is slower than my DWX and Canik so I had to bump up the charge an extra .2grns to make minor with a comfortable buffer. I have LOTS of 147 gr reloads which I know are not ideal for this pistol. I used them at my last match since I didn't have enough 124 gr reloaded yet. Someone replied that the slide was moving so slow. My plan is to use 124 gr Summit City bullets with 4.1 gr of N320. That gives me a PF of 133. I now have enough loaded to last me several matches. I haven't had a chance to run all those ammo loads shown in the table through my ported barrel to see which load will work best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racinready300ex Posted February 7 Share Posted February 7 I assume IDPA that's a Aluminum grip? I have a buddy that got one that's Aluminum for IDPA and it was supposed to be the aggressive one but it felt almost slippery. Your post makes me think they gave him the wrong grip TBH. Talon grips are more aggressive then his MPA grip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LHshooter Posted February 7 Author Share Posted February 7 Yes it is the A3 aluminum grip and it is very aggressive. At last weekends match everyone who tried it thought it was too aggressive. One guy told me i needed to sand it down. MPA may have given your buddy the wrong grip. There is no way my grip will slip in the hand. My hands sweat a lot in the summer and I was tired of coating them with white goop to keep them dry, that's why I opted for the A3 grip. I know two people with the A2 grip, and while I wouldn't call it slippery it is definitely less aggressive than mine. I have no idea what the A1 grip texture is like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racinready300ex Posted February 7 Share Posted February 7 4 minutes ago, LHshooter said: Yes it is the A3 aluminum grip and it is very aggressive. At last weekends match everyone who tried it thought it was too aggressive. One guy told me i needed to sand it down. MPA may have given your buddy the wrong grip. There is no way my grip will slip in the hand. My hands sweat a lot in the summer and I was tired of coating them with white goop to keep them dry, that's why I opted for the A3 grip. I know two people with the A2 grip, and while I wouldn't call it slippery it is definitely less aggressive than mine. I have no idea what the A1 grip texture is like. Slippery might of been a bit harsh on my part. I could for sure shoot his gun as is and I think I'd be fine. But I wouldn't describe it anything like what you're saying yours is. And he seemed really happy with everything about the gun but the grip. And it would suck to spend that much and something that major not be to your liking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truespode Posted February 7 Share Posted February 7 19 minutes ago, Racinready300ex said: Slippery might of been a bit harsh on my part. I could for sure shoot his gun as is and I think I'd be fine. But I wouldn't describe it anything like what you're saying yours is. And he seemed really happy with everything about the gun but the grip. And it would suck to spend that much and something that major not be to your liking. Has he reached out to MPA? I have a DS9 LOC on order and they have been very easy to deal with. I have seen many of their people at matches go out of their way to help people, even with guns that aren't MPA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racinready300ex Posted February 7 Share Posted February 7 31 minutes ago, truespode said: Has he reached out to MPA? I have a DS9 LOC on order and they have been very easy to deal with. I have seen many of their people at matches go out of their way to help people, even with guns that aren't MPA. I'm going to get up with him about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LHshooter Posted February 7 Author Share Posted February 7 Unless your buddy has alligator skin hands it sounds like he got the wrong grip. Maybe MPA can tell without him having to send it back. They have a good reputation for taking care of customers so worst case I'm sure they'll swap it if there is a mistake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wavebywave Posted February 12 Share Posted February 12 I have a DS9 Hybrid myself - it has been great! Excited to hear about your experience with the ported barrel and to see your chrono data for ported vs non-ported. Thanks for sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LHshooter Posted February 13 Author Share Posted February 13 2 hours ago, wavebywave said: I have a DS9 Hybrid myself - it has been great! Excited to hear about your experience with the ported barrel and to see your chrono data for ported vs non-ported. Thanks for sharing! I had hoped to fire/chrono the ported barrel by now but have been busy. Won't get to the range until next week unfortunately but I will post ported vs non-ported results. Glad you like your DS9 Hybrid. The only issue I've been having is that the corner of the thumb safety extends down a little and it is eating into my hand. This is my first thumb safety pistol and maybe I'm just not holding it right. I may have to remove it and file it down. Otherwise the gun is terrific. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ddc Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 (edited) 1 hour ago, LHshooter said: I had hoped to fire/chrono the ported barrel by now but have been busy. Won't get to the range until next week unfortunately but I will post ported vs non-ported results. Glad you like your DS9 Hybrid. The only issue I've been having is that the corner of the thumb safety extends down a little and it is eating into my hand. This is my first thumb safety pistol and maybe I'm just not holding it right. I may have to remove it and file it down. Otherwise the gun is terrific. Which thumb safety, left or right, and where is it hitting your hand? Edited February 13 by ddc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LHshooter Posted February 13 Author Share Posted February 13 Don't know how to answer "which safety". As far as I know all MPA DS9 pistols have the same ambi thumb safety. It is for a RH shooter since the safety is wider on the LH side of the pistol. It's hard to tell in the photo I uploaded but the back corner of the safety on both sides extends just a hair beneath the beaver tail and feels like a "spur" when I grip. The safety is chamfered (looks like a shadow in the photo) but when I press my hand into the beavertail I can feel it. You can see where it hits my hand in the other photo. Looks worse since I have been dry firing every day doing maybe 50-100 draws while releasing the safety. Don't know if I should remove the safety and file it down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ddc Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 (edited) Sorry, I meant "which safety" in the sense of "right side" or "left side". And now I see. Thanks. Edited February 13 by ddc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrewM Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 Wait, is that all stock? They didn't blend the safeties enough to be flush/smooth? Yikes, that is a strange over-sight on their end, especially at that price point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LHshooter Posted February 13 Author Share Posted February 13 It's weird, everything is smooth and chamfered but when I press the web of my hand against the beavertail it seems to wedge between those tangs at the back of the safety and the grip and get pinched as shown in the photo of my hand. But then, the more I've been dry firing, I'm starting to feel it less. I'm gonna see some shooting buddies at a USPSA match Sunday and have them grip it to see what they think. The whole thumb safety thing is new to me. I know Atlas Gunworks makes an ambi safety for LH shooters that has the wider "ledge" on the right side of the safety so I can manipulate and rest my shooting hand thumb on it. I may swap it out for the Atlas one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOGRIDER Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 15 minutes ago, LHshooter said: It's weird, everything is smooth and chamfered but when I press the web of my hand against the beavertail it seems to wedge between those tangs at the back of the safety and the grip and get pinched as shown in the photo of my hand. But then, the more I've been dry firing, I'm starting to feel it less. I'm gonna see some shooting buddies at a USPSA match Sunday and have them grip it to see what they think. The whole thumb safety thing is new to me. I know Atlas Gunworks makes an ambi safety for LH shooters that has the wider "ledge" on the right side of the safety so I can manipulate and rest my shooting hand thumb on it. I may swap it out for the Atlas one. Assuming you bought the Hybrid Black - IDPA edition........I wonder if IDPA rules allow the use of extended ambi safeties? Do they have to fit in a "box" for Carry Optics Division? If not, I'd check to see if anyone offered a shielded ambi for lefties! Really like the Double Tap RH shielded safety on my LOC....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LHshooter Posted February 13 Author Share Posted February 13 Yes, this DS9 is designed to fit the box with the ambi safety. The left side is wider than than the right side. As a LH shooter I would prefer the opposite but MPA doesn't offer that option. Atlas offers both RH and LH ambi safeties both shielded and unshielded. They also offer IDPA shielded and unshielded safeties but I would have to verify that they would fit the box if I decide to swap it for the one I have now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOGRIDER Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 4 minutes ago, LHshooter said: Yes, this DS9 is designed to fit the box with the ambi safety. The left side is wider than than the right side. As a LH shooter I would prefer the opposite but MPA doesn't offer that option. Atlas offers both RH and LH ambi safeties both shielded and unshielded. They also offer IDPA shielded and unshielded safeties but I would have to verify that they would fit the box if I decide to swap it for the one I have now. Understand........... I've never shot IDPA; but if their allowed, would recommend the Atlas IDPA Shielded for LH! https://atlasgunworks.com/product/shielded-idpa-lefty-thumb-safety-dlc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrewM Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 Honestly if it were me, I'd almost be raising hell with MPA, I can't believe they would release a gun like that. As for aftermarket, being a lefty you're kinda screwed in the amount of options available in the market, but don't be afraid to file one or both sides down to whatever dimensions you like and then spray bomb it after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhowert33 Posted April 1 Share Posted April 1 Love reading stories like this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
howardiii Posted April 9 Share Posted April 9 I have the same A3 grip on my MPA, I took a old leather belt and used it like sandpaper to knock off the sharp edges. It worked great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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