[full_width]
The SCCY CPX 2.
[/full_width]
Read more: https://www.sccy.com/
Buy one, or a couple, on GunsAmerica: https://www.gunsamerica.com/Search.aspx?T=sccy
I really wish this SCCY were blue. Blue SCCY. It would seem less ominous, euphemistically speaking, than the black SCCY I’ve got in-hand. This is, after-all, a very optimistic gun.
The appeal of the SCCY is easy to see. It all has to do with price–$225 new-in-box. That alone could sell this gun, but it also shoots straight. If it didn’t, we wouldn’t be reviewing it. So the price is right, and it functions well. For some of us out there, that’s enough. If that’s all you’re looking for, you can stop reading now and click on the GunsAmerica link above.
Is it the thinnest 9mm? It is not. It is also not going to win any bulls-eye competitions–no one ever said it would. It doesn’t offer the most generous capacity. The SCCY isn’t much to look at, either–in my considered opinion. But $225 new-in-box, right?
But it is the perfect gun to keep under the seat of your truck. It is an ideal 9mm for a tool-box. You aren’t likely to cry if you drop it in a lake. They’re easy to replace.
Up until very recently, SCCY had a tremendous replacement policy. They’ve had to rescind it because of criminal abuses. You can read more about that here: https://www.gunsamerica.com/blog/sccy-will-stops-replacing-stolen-guns-thanks-to-bad-apples/.
The CPX line still has a life-time guarantee.
The CPX-2
- Barrel: machined from bar stock with 7 lands and grooves having a 16‐1 right hand twist.
- Receiver: 7075‐T6 aircraft grade heat treated aluminum alloy, machined from bar stock.
- Grip/Frame: Made from Zytel polymer, with ergonomic finger grooves and an integral “RECOIL CUSHION” on the back‐strap.
- Recoil Spring System: all steel, fully encapsulated for ease of disassembly and reassembly.
- Slide Lock/Release: steel with a Zytel over molded polymer extension for ease of operation.
- 3 dot sight system: steel rear sight, adjustable for windage only with locking screw.
- Hammer firing system: double action only, internal hammer with inertial firing pin to prevent accidental discharge if dropped.
- Double action trigger: specifically designed for shooter comfort and accuracy by designing the system to have a smooth effortless, consistent 9 pound trigger pull.
- Magazine: included with (2) double stack, 10 round capacity magazines with finger extension base installed and 2 flat magazine bases included.
- Trigger Guard Lock: custom designed to properly fit and be child resistant. Includes 2 keys.
- Barrel Length: 3.1″
- Height: 4″
- Length: 5.7″
- Width: 1″
- Weight: 15oz
[full_width]
The DAO SCCY has a hammer, but it isn’t exposed enough that you could cock it with your thumb.
[/full_width]
The CPX line has two main variants. The CPX-1 has a manual safety. The CPX-2 (which we have for review) doesn’t. They come in a myriad of colors. Too many to name, actually. Trust that if you have a favorite firearm shade, the CPX will likely have a frame color that comes close. Slides come in less vivid shades, but there’s more there than the typical black.
The trigger is the weak link in the chain. But, because of the price, we make allowances.
So why isn’t the SCCY more popular than it is? Fair question. The way I’ve been talking about it so far, it would seem to be the somewhat of a wonder-gun. But there are some points about the CPX that some people don’t like.
The first would have to be the trigger. SCCY’s specs state that the trigger has “a smooth effortless, consistent 9 pound trigger pull.” The 9 pound pull is right, but I’m not going to sugar-coat it. The trigger is rough. The take up is long. The one I have stacks before the break and has a longer reset than I’d like. I will note that the SCCY is far from the worst trigger I’ve felt on a compact 9mm. And $225, right? Some triggers cost almost that much, and don’t come with a gun attached.
Does stacking or reset really matter for a defensive handgun? The take-up, not so much. The heavy pull plays into accuracy. The reset is more important for those accustomed to a short reset for follow-up shots in rapid succession. If you ride it back, but don’t get far enough for the reset, you’re in trouble. But I’d suggest that this is something you can address by training with the SCCY. And since you will only be out $225 for a new gun, you can afford to buy some practice ammo.
The other complaint is less important. The grip is boxy. The whole gun feels slightly over-built. As the rest of the market continues to produce willowy single-stacks, and more efficient double-stacks, the SCCY remains, unapologetically, boxy.
Shut-up-and-shoot
The gun shoots. There’s nothing I could do that would make it jam. There was no failure-to-feed. No failures to eject. The gun performed. And I’ve shot it in moderate, dry conditions, and in the icy snow. No problems.
The accuracy isn’t anything to write home about. At this point in the review, I’d typically show a target riddled with holes. There wasn’t ever a point during this review when I thought I’d gotten the best out of the gun, so I didn’t run the camera. The results were not stellar. I blame that on the trigger. But from 7 yards, I consistently hit in a 5″ circle without trying. At that distance, I’d really like to be able to make one ragged hole. I couldn’t get that level of accuracy, but I’d have no difficulty using the SCCY for defensive purposes.
As for the power, the SCCY has a 3.1″ barrel. So you will loose a hair of velocity off any of the 9mm specs you see on the box, but it is still smokes the .380. And I ran the full smattering of 9mm flavors through the gun with no issue. Steel cased Tula ran well, as did +P loads.
[one_half]
The texture isn’t as aggressive as some, but it is easy enough to hold onto.
[/one_half][one_half_last]
The double-stack mags hold 10 rounds. They sacrifice capacity for a shorter grip. A flat mag base can replace the pinky extension for a shorter grip length.
[/one_half_last]
How does it handle?
I’ve already mentioned that it is large in the hand. The texture on the gun is sufficient. Nothing spectacular there. You could stipple the frame, if you wanted to. But it isn’t slick, either. It works. The finger grooves help add some grip to the boxy grip. All-in-all, I find recoil is easy enough to control. My split times are not as fast as they are when I’m shooting my GLOCK 19, but I think that is due to my familiarity with that platform.
As for the controls, they are easily accessed. The slide drop is easy enough to reach, yet not so obtrusive that it will get caught on clothing. In fact there’s nothing that’s likely to hang up on either the frame or slide. The mag drop works well and the mags drop free. And the mags are steel.
[one_half]
The steel rear sight is adjustable and has a locking screw.
[/one_half][one_half_last]
The angles cuts on the slide make the sights even more pronounced.
[/one_half_last]
The 3 dot sights are typical for this price range. You don’t get fancy combat sights, or a front shelf on the rear for one handed manipulation, but they work–and the rear sight is steel, which is more than you can say for some compact 9mms. I feel like I keep coming back to that mantra–it works. The trigger works. The magazine works. The sights work. The SCCY works.
[one_half]
The fit of slide to frame is solid. There’s no rattle in this gun.
[/one_half][one_half_last]
The gun is an even inch wide.
[/one_half_last]
And that’s the takeaway. The SCCY works. If this were a much more expensive gun, I’d be inclined to bitch about the trigger. I’d likely try to change out the sights to fit my very particular needs. But this isn’t an expensive gun. I frequently spend more on ammo for a single range trip than I would on this gun. That means something.
You can buy a SCCY, a holster (and there are hundreds of available options), practice ammo and carry ammo for the price you’d likely spend on most other compact 9mms.
So what is this gun’s role?
For some–those who are hamstrung by a lack of funds–the SCCY may very well serve multiple roles. Though it is less ergonomic than a lot of the compact double stacks, the SCCY can be concealed easily enough that it serves the concealed carry role. In the appendix position or the small of the back, the SCCY hides well–even under something like a bowling shirt. I wouldn’t try to conceal it under a t-shirt, or carry it strong-side–even in an IWB holster–though it could be done.
The flip-side to this, though, is that the gun is big enough for open carry. Where some micro guns hide well, they are too small to make the visual impression that comes from full-sized, or even compact guns. And that size carries over to the range, too. The SCCY is not so hard on your hands as the tiny 9mms. In fact, it is a relatively easy gun to shoot.
The SCCY is a crazy good gun for what you pay for it. Look at the potential. It isn’t going to be an heirloom. It is hardly ever precious, unless you get attached to one of the color schemes. For those of us who have much more elaborate–and expensive guns, the SCCY offers knock-about potential. Where could you safely store a gun for an emergency? That’s where I’d keep a SCCY.
[one_half]
The front sight isn’t adjustable.
[/one_half][one_half_last]
SCCY. The logo on the slide is hardly garish.
[/one_half_last]
[one_half]
The extractor is external.
[/one_half][one_half_last]
No rail. Practice with a hand-held light.
[/one_half_last]
[one_half]
The steel mag. Simple design, durable and easy to maintain.
[/one_half][one_half_last]
The grip, only an inch wide, lacks the ergonomic curves of the new grips coming out of Germany, but you have more than enough to hold onto.
[/one_half_last]
[This is an interactive dealer locator map with the dealers who have the SCCY CPX-1 or CPX-2 available. IF YOU DON’T SEE A MAP, CHANGE THE ZIP TO A MAJOR METRO AREA NEAR YOU.]