You might have recently read Michael Irwin Collins’ review of the Canik Prime 9mm on this site. You might even be wondering why we’re running another review of a Canik pistol hot on its heels. Well… they’re different guns. This review is about a factory-stock, 3.1-inch-barreled carry pistol, the MC9L. This little thing is pretty amazing!
I am continually amazed at the number of smaller 9mm pistols currently available on the market. Then again, maybe it’s not so surprising… For a number of years now, compact-size or smaller 9 mm pistols have been the rage among concealed carriers.
I own, or have owned, a bushel basket full of 9mm pistols. Some are duty-size, and a couple will fit into my pocket. The one common thread between all of them is their chambering in 9mm. I had wanted, for a couple of years now, to review the Canik MC9-class of pistol, since I’d seen most of the other ones. I contacted the company and arranged to get an MC9L. They are made in black, FDE, or a two-tone mix of the two.
So, when the MC9L arrived, I opened the hard-shell case, not expecting what I saw… The gun features a 3.1-inch barrel, which places it in the micro class, and also comes with two 17-round magazines. I was not expecting that. Sure, I knew the guns’ specifications beforehand, but seeing was believing. What really cinched it was when I picked it up. It fits my hand perfectly. It’s almost–not quite, but almost–small enough to fit in a pocket, but its high capacity is usually found on larger duty-type pistols (such as the Glock 17). This little gun is pretty amazing. But why did they name it “Mete”?
“Mete”?
I was curious about the term “mete”. In English, if you mete out justice, you dispense justice. But, Caniks are made in Turkey, so I looked it up. I was correct in assuming it means something different. Here is the reason they named this line of pistols Mete, according to Mr. Google…
Canik named their pistol line “METE” after a legendary Turkish hero, reflecting the line’s meaning of “evolution of superiority” and the firearm’s role as an upgrade to their existing TP series pistols. The name also pays homage to Mete Khan, founder of the Xiongnu Empire, and means “king” or “nobleman” in ancient Turkish, fitting the firearms’ esteemed status as the next generation of Canik pistols.
And, you pronounce it like “MEH-te”, with both e’s short, as in “bed”.
Now we know where the “Mete” name originated. Once a teacher, always… sorry!
What’s In The Box?
Before we examine the gun, let’s take a look at the case it came in.
In the case, in addition to the gun:
- a dual-clip IWB RH holster; (I guess I could use it backwards, as a LH OWB holster…)
- two extra backstraps;
- a cleaning brush and jag-tipped plastic rod;
- a punch;
- an extra 17-round magazine and loader;
- a lock;
- an owner’s manual;
- and, last but not least, a screwdriver, with bits, in the shape of a tiny pistol. Cute!
The Mini-Me! Bits are in the “grip”.
Now, The Gun…
My usual photos. They were taken on my MTM High-Low Shooting Table, hence the gray, pebbly background.
The southpaw that I am appreciates the ambi slide release. It’s stiff, but it works. As for swapping the mag release, that’s fairly involved, so I’ll probably leave it where it is.
The grip’s texture is really good. It’s not too slick, nor too aggressive. It keeps the gun planted in your hand. The only complaint that I have heard about the texturing is that it doesn’t go high enough on the frame, but that’s an individual, subjective issue. It works fine for me. Notice that even the magazine base pad is textured.
Very clean slide machining!
Dual-wound, captive recoil spring and modified Browning link barrel. Ensure the spring is fully seated when reassembling the slide to the frame after cleaning.
Sights
Here we have the front and rear sights. You have a white dot front, with a U-notch rear, similar to what Springfield Armory and Ruger are currently putting on their pistols. The gun is also cut for a modified RMSc-footprint red dot.
(If you want a front night sight, you can get a set directly from Canik. For $108, you can order these sights.)
This shot of the rear sight also shows the cocked-striker indicator. It protrudes when the striker is cocked and disappears when the trigger is pulled. Don’t mistake it for a loaded-chamber indicator… there’s one of those, also, just behind the barrel hood.
The right side, showing the extractor, ambidextrous slide release, takedown tab, and textured pad for your trigger finger or support thumb. I really like the extended slide release… this is similar to what H&K put on their pistols. My left-handedness appreciates its duplication on the right side of the gun. Additionally, there should be no confusion regarding the caliber of the pistol it shoots…
Specifications
- Weight 22.2 oz
- Capacity 17 Rounds
- Front Sight White dot
- Rear Sight Blacked-out dot, U-notch
- Cartridge 9mm Luger
- Magazine Type Canik sub-compact size magazine
- Magazine Included 2 X 17 Round magazines
- Trigger Pull Weight 4 lbs. even (my measurement)
- Finish, Color Nitride, Black
- Frame Material Polymer
- Overall Length 6.27”
- Barrel Length 3.18”
- Height 5.43”
- Width 1.14”
- MSRP $499
- Warranty Limited Lifetime, original purchaser
Take-Down
The gun comes apart easily. Here’s how:
- Pull the magazine and empty the chamber.
- Retract the slide by about half an inch and pull the takedown tabs down.
- Pull the trigger and move the slide forward approximately one inch.
- Pull the slide up, off the frame – it doesn’t come off the front of the frame.
- Separate the barrel and recoil spring/guide from the slide, then clean them.
Putting it together is easy – just reverse these directions. Ensure the spring is fully seated under the barrel. The slide is placed on the frame and pressed down an inch or so ahead of the frame guide rails and then ridden back. Test for function.
Range Time
Some auxiliary equipment makes shooting a lot easier. The above photo shows:
- The shooting table I mentioned above.
- A Birchwood Casey filled shooting bag;
- The MTM Casegard Tactical Range Box. This thing is awesome… it even has “ears” that you can insert into slots that will hold a rifle for cleaning, or whatever. It is very roomy and it works well.
Black Hills Ammunition has recently blessed me. They are supplying ammo for my reviews. I just got a shipment of their 115-grain FMJ ammo, and before that, I had received some 124-grain JHP loads.
This is really good ammo. It’s made in South Dakota – it’s reliable, and it’s accurate. They make ammo for the military and for law enforcement, and they ship ammo to firearms manufacturers, as well. You can read more about them here. It comes in 20-round boxes.
Anyway, here is a sample 20-yard target from the Black Hills ammo. This was typical of the shots I took. The groups were very well centered, which means you won’t have to mess with moving the sights. (I used a center hold.)
A sample Black Hills 115-grain FMJ target
Let me say right now that this pistol performed very well… it did better than my skills allowed. The trigger has about a half-inch of take-up, but then the break is very pronounced and clean. Reset occurs very quickly, with the trigger only having to move a fraction of an inch forward.
The sights are eminently usable, and remember that you can mount an RMSc red dot, if desired. The gun can be shipped from the factory with a MeCanik M01 red dot installed, if you prefer. This is an optional upgrade for $655. Or, you can order this red dot directly from Canik for $250. You save about $100 if you buy the gun and sight together.
One thing a few reviewers mentioned about this gun’s predecessor is that the lower-capacity frame was very short and hit them in the palm of their hand, causing some discomfort. With the MC9L, the longer frame required because of its 17-round capacity has seen that complaint nullified. The gun sits very nicely in the hand.
I only have one ‘ding” about the MC9L, and that concerns the slide serrations. They are pretty shallow. I feel they could be a bit deeper and sharper. I don’t want to bleed when I rack the slide, but a bit more traction would be helpful.
At any rate, I liked the gun, and it won’t be going back.
Summing Up
I mentioned above that I’ve had experience with a boatload of small 9mm pistols (with a few PCCs thrown in, too). I could count on the fingers of one hand those pistols that really, truly worked for their intended purpose. One such gun is the Springfield Armory Hellcat. I have the RDP version of that gun, and it works very well. Another Springfield Armory pistol that is almost in the same size category as this one is the Echelon Pro. Mine performs very well and is a pleasure to shoot. Of course, its barrel is a bit longer, and I should rightly compare it to the longer-barreled Canik, the MC9LS with its 3.6-inch barrel. But… hopefully you get the point.
The MC9L is very popular among concealed carriers and generally gets good reviews. This reviewer was impressed, at least. It’s worth a look if you want a shorter-barrel-longer-grip 9mm. Other pistols in this category include the Sig Sauer P365 X-Macro and the Diamondback DBAM29. There are not that many sub-compact pistols offering a 17+1 capacity, which makes the Canik deserving of a look. It offers a unique feature set, is a good shooter, and is very reliable. If you’re in the market for such a pistol, you might want to check one out.
Where To Buy
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