First Shots: The Canik Mete MC9

I shot a Canik pistol for the first time in 2018 and was immediately impressed by the trigger. Since then, I’ve owned some, shot even more, and have recommended them to friends. They’re so easy to shoot that I often use a Canik (TP9SA) for new shooters as a confidence builder. When the Canik Mete MC9 hit the market, I was very interested in it but didn’t shoot one right away. Some users of early models were reporting issues with them, so I waited for them to get ironed out. This past week, I put a couple of boxes through the gun, and here are my first shots impressions.

Who is Canik?

Canik may not be as well known to US consumers as companies like Glock, Sig, or Smith & Wesson, but they are becoming more well-known every day. This Turkish manufacturer makes firearms for the military and civilian markets. The brand has become very popular over the past few years because of its triggers and the number of features packed into the guns. The exchange rate makes the prices on Caniks very affordable. As I mentioned in the review of the Canik SFx Rival, their guns give shooters the opportunity to enter the world of competitive shooting at a more affordable price.

Some people have qualms about buying the brand because they are from Turkey.  I do not. If we’re being honest, most consumers send a lot more money to China and they’re way more objectionable to me. Just my opinion here. Disagree if you like. It’s cool.

The Specs

The Canik Mete MC9 is a sub-compact polymer-framed, striker-fired 9mm. The MC9 comes optics-ready. For comparison, I chose 2 other optics-ready guns in the same size class, the Glock 43X MOS and the Springfield Armory Hellcat OSP:

Metric	Canik MC9	Glock 43X MOS	Springfield Hellcat OSP
Overall Length- inches	6.1	6.5	6
Barrel length- inches	3.18	3.41	3
Width- inches	1.12	1.1	1
Height- inches	4.52	5.04	4
Weight- ounces	21.27	18.55	17.9
Capacity	12	10	11

As you can see, the MC9 lands between the other two, although not much larger than the Springfield Armory Hellcat OSP.

The Canik Mete MC9 ships with 2 magazines, a 12-round flush fit and a 15-round magazine that adds a little extra height. The pistol is optics-ready, cut for the common Shield RMSc footprint. I did not test the pistol with a red dot, Instead, I used the excellent sights that come with it. The front sight had a white dot and the rear sight was blacked out. It’s worth noting that Canik beefed up the rear sight and gave it an angled face, just in case the user needed to run the slide one-handed. Canik also says that because of their deep optics cut, most red dots sit low enough to co-witness with the iron sights. Personally, this isn’t a concern for me, but some people really worry about that.

The frame also has a very usable Picatinny rail underneath, allowing you to attach a light if you want. This rail is larger than the ones found on the Glock or the Springfield.

I don’t hide my admiration for Canik’s triggers. The trigger was everything I expected a Canik trigger to be. I didn’t have my gauge with me, but most tests I’ve read put it at around 4.5 to 5 pounds. The trigger breaks very cleanly and the reset is very short. It is a marked difference from the Glock trigger. It’s possible to shoot this gun very quickly and accurately.

The Ergonomics

At first glance, the MC9 looks like a chunky gun. It does, however, feel different in the hand. Looking at the gun, I expected it to feel a little slick because there is a lot of non-textured space on the grip. But when you begin to shoot it, you realize the texture that is there is in the right places. While I do think the texture on the Hellcat OSP is better, I feel like the Canik texture is better than the Glock’s.  

There is a good undercut under the trigger guard and the beavertail is streamlined, but still gives a nice high purchase on the grip. One thing I particularly liked was the slide release. Unlike the small, easier-to-miss releases on the Hellcat and 43X, the MC9 has a long, bar-shaped release, similar to Walther. This feature is also ambidextrous. The magazine release is reversible as well. The gun does not have a manual safety. It does employ internal safeties, as well as a trigger safety.

Shooting Impressions

I took the MC9 out for a spin. I shot just over 100 rounds of 115-grain FMJ, a mix of Blazer Brass and Magtech ammo. Shooting the MC9 was almost boring. It shot fantastically and there was really no learning curve. The trigger was clean and predictable. The gun was very accurate, and I had no malfunctions. Recoil was easy to manage and when I started shooting it, I started to appreciate the texturing more. Some users have said the Canik pistols are designed for 124-grain NATO rounds and that they have problems with 115-grain ammo. I’ve not experienced this. I shoot 115-grain ammo almost all the time, running 124-grain only when I get a better deal on some.

One other feature worth mentioning is that the MC9 accepts magazines from other Caniks. That means the 18 and 20-round magazines from my TP9SA will work in it. This would allow you to put a 12-round flush fit in the gun and carry a bigger mag as a reload. That’s a lot of ammo in a small package.

Not Perfect

The gun isn’t perfect, but it’s on the right path. I would like to see a bit more texture on the gun. I also think the slide serrations could be a bit deeper or cut to be more usable. But neither one of those ‘complaints’ would stop me from recommending this gun. I’d also like to see a fiber optic front sight, but that would add to the price.

Would I Carry the Canik Mete MC9?

Based on my experience with it so far, I would say yes. As long as I put 500 rounds through it and saw no reliability issues, I’d trust it. The MC9 packs a lot of features and a lot of ammo into a small, affordable package. Currently, Palmetto State Armory is selling the pistol for under $400. That’s a lot of gun for the price. I’d still be interested in this gun at a higher price. It shoots great.

If you are looking for a small, concealed carry pistol that shoots like a bigger, more expensive gun, then the Canik Mete MC9 is worth a look. If you’d like to learn how to shoot it better, contact us. We’d love to help.

Some other articles you may find interesting:

The Truth About the Springfield Armory Echelon

First Shots: Smith & Wesson Shield Plus

Is the Ruger Security 380 a Good Gun?

The Smith & Wesson Folding Pistol Carbine: Gimmick or Gem?

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