By: Rusty Odom

This review is on the Canik TP-9 Elite Sub Compact 9mm in Tungsten grey. I purchased this pistol after hearing that it was optic ready, I had been looking for a small sub compact pistol that was optic ready and without having to have a slide cut or purchasing another slide, this pistol fit the bill. To start off with I was looking at several other sub compacts and had purchased a Glock 43x. With my aging eyes I have recently got into the optic red dot game on pistols. Before buying this one I looked for slides or having the slide cut on the 43X, it was going to cost me about the same price to purchase a new firearm and a red dot to boot. So I bought it, and who doesn't need a new firearm.

So I found this pistol on Palmetto State Armory’s website for $399.99. This pistol is around the same Size as the Glock 26 and the Springfield XD-S Mod 2, coming from the factory with a 12 round magazine and a 15 round extended magazine. It also comes with extra magazine floor plates, flat and pinky curved. The box that it comes in is a very nice injection molded box, with tools and screws for mounting the optic. The box also contained a holster that can be configured for OWB or IWB carry, the holster is not that bad, it is not on par with a lot of other high end holster makers but it will do for range use. The barrel has a Nitride finish and the slide is Cerakote over the Nitride. It makes for a very pleasing look, compared to some of the plain jane black brick looking pistols on the market. It really does set this pistol apart from the others. The box also has a second backstrap to change for your comfort. I am still running the one that came installed on it because it fit my hand naturally. The slide has front and rear serration, a loaded chamber indicator, ambidextrous slide release and a reversible mag release.

Specifications of this pistol: 9mm, 4.19” barrel, overall length 7.28”, height 5.27” and weight is 1.77 pounds. The pistol does feel a little heavier than a Glock 26, because it is. It is 7 ounces heavier, an overall longer length around ¾ of an inch. It is close to an inch taller and a ¼ inch wider.

Despite its size the gun is very concealable. I am carrying it in a Crossbreed hybrid AIWB holster with its optic cut. I have been carrying this almost everyday for over 2 months, it rides very well and with the proper gun belt you wont get any sag, or grip stick out, like you do with some larger pistols. The draw of the Canik is so natural, it almost reminds me of a 1911 style when you point. It just falls in place and the sights jump right out at you. All of the controls can be assessed with one hand manipulation. Also I am running the Swampfox Sentinel red dot that is a RMSc shield footprint. I have noticed that it is easier to get the dot on target with the sub compact size than it is with a Full size Glock with an optic. Like I said before it is a natural pointer.

Now if there is one part of this pistol that has to be praised and talked about, it has to be the trigger. It is a short reset single action that is crisp with little to no creep. I have numerous wonder 9mms and they all have the same problem, the triggers are terrible. The trigger ranks right up there with my Grey Ghost match flat faced trigger that I have in one of my Glocks, and the best part is I didn't have to buy it and add it in. The trigger breaks at about 4.5 pound, and the reset is great. You can hear and feel it when it does reset. It makes for very fast follow up shots. The one thing I always look for when buying a firearm is how the trigger feels and the sights. That brings us to the next part. The sights are factory Warren tactical with a red rear and green front fiber optic front. These sights are nice and crisp, they just stand out when you present the pistol into the shooting stance. When co witnessed with a red dot, it just makes this little sub compact that much more admirable.

I ran this pistol with Tula 115 grain FMJ ammo, before everyone gets in a tizzy, it is from Turkey which I believe is an old combloc country so it should be at home eating this. I would have preferred to run brass ammunition through it, but with the ammo shortage I was just glad to be able to pull the trigger and it go bang and I did not have to make the pew pew noise myself and have a child hit the steel target with a hammer for impact. I put a full 500 rounds in the pipe, at a range of 7, 10 and 25 yards. Running the dot on the pistol made for fast target acquisitions when drawing from the holster. The recoil is no different than that of a Glock 19, I was able to get a decent grip with the 12 round mags with the flat pads. When running the 15 round magazines it was even more pleasant to shoot. The set up reminded me of the FN 509 tactical that has the red dot and extended magazine. I had no malfunction, it ate the steel cased ammo and I didn’t even notice any shavings or wear in the extractor area.

The Cank TP-9 Elite sub compact is a game changer. I am not what you call a Glock fanboy but I am more invested in that platform then any other, so I would have to say that out of the box this firearm has everything you could want or need even more so than the Glock. There is no need to replace the trigger, change out the sights, stipple the grips or have the slide machined. It really does have everything you could ask for in a modern day carry pistol. I love the pointability of it, the sights are excellent, the optic cut great, and the fact that it rides well in a holster rounds out this little package. It comes with a plethora of items in the box for mounting an optic, changing the back strap, a holster, cleaning kit etc. So this would make a great starter pistol for someone looking to get into concealed carry, a range or home defense firearm. I forgot to mention that it does have an accessory rail to mount your favorite light, laser or bayonet to.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Sub-compact 9mm pistol

Target Market:

New handgun owners
Anyone wanting an optic cut pistol
Concealed carry

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

Optic cut
Great trigger
Small package
Snag Free
Interchangeable back strap in 2 sizes (small and large)
Blackout rear and phosphorous front white dot sight
Reversible magazine release
Accessory under-barrel rail
Tungsten Cerakote over nitride slide finish
Match grade nitride coated barrel
Small parts and internal components nitride or high-wear nickel-coated
Comes with two magazines: one 12rd + optional finger rest base plate and one 15rd with extended baseplate