Firearm: Heckler & Koch CC9 (MSRP: $699)
Taken out of context, the gun we’ve chosen for today’s “I Carry” episode might not seem all that earth-shattering. Micro-compact, double-stack 9 mm pistols have been a staple for quite a while now; the SIG Sauer P365 hit the scene some seven years ago, and many other models have been introduced with comparable specs. While Heckler & Koch’s CC9 is the latest entry in this marketspace, it’s more than just another micro-compact pistol. It’s the first H&K manufactured here in the U.S. at HK USA. That’s a big deal.
There are a lot of things one can say about Heckler & Koch handguns. Some were ground-breaking, like the first polymer-frame 9 mm on the market, the VP70Z released more than a decade before anyone had heard of Glock. Some are renowned for military service, like the Mark 23 chosen by USSOCCOM for its to-hell-and-back reliability, not to mention its … ahem … large size. And some, like the VP9, are known for excellent ergonomics, shootability and general overall ease of use. Until now, however, “concealable” hasn’t been something associated with Heckler & Koch handguns.
The CC9 changes all that. With a 3.3-inch barrel, 6-inch overall length and 4.9-inch height, the CC9 is on the smaller side of the micro-compact 9 mm category. A surprisingly comfortable grip holds the flush-fitting 10-round magazine, with a slightly extended 12-round version also available, adding more room for all three fingers of the firing hand. Weight is a very light 18.4 ounces unloaded, meaning that the CC9 won’t add a lot of extra weight to your everyday gear.
Where the CC9 really shines, though, is on the range: While this is a smaller pistol, it doesn’t shoot like one. A selling point for the CC9 is that it has the same dimensions from the grip to the trigger as the larger VP9 – so you won’t have to contort your trigger finger to reach the trigger. The CC9 is a small gun that shoots like a larger gun, so you’re more likely to practice with it more than once a year or so. Round all this out with a price tag that’s squarely in the middle of the micro-compact 9 mm pistol class, and the Heckler & Koch CC9 is definitely worth consideration.
Holster: DeSantis Slim-Tuk (MSRP: $52.99)
One downside to brand-new guns is that the accessory market often takes some time to provide gear for them. One holster manufacturer that bucks this trend is DeSantis Holsters, which offers several different holsters for the new H&K CC9. We’ve opted for the Slim-Tuk, having used this holster for numerous other pistols and finding it to be well-suited for subcompact and micro-compact size pistols.
Constructed of a single-sheet of kydex in a taco-style arrangement, the Slim-Tuk features a tuckable polymer belt clip that can be positioned in a wide variety of angles to best suit the needs of the concealed carrier. Tension is adjusted via single screw, and the entire holster can be swapped to fit both left- and right-handed shooters. The Slim-Tuk is the kydex holster boiled down to the very basics, and represents an excellent value for a sturdy holster.
Accessory: MeproLight MPO-DS red-dot sight (MSRP: $209.99)
Since the H&K CC9 comes with an optics cut for an RMSc-footprint optic, we’ve added the Meprolight MPO-DS red-dot sight to round out today’s kit. The MPO-DS is a study in simplictity: Brightness is automatically managed by the sight, while a power-saving “sleep mode” turns off the unit when not in use, but turns it on instantly when motion is detected. This gives the MPO-DS a claim of 30,000 hours of run time on a single CR2032 battery. The battery is located on the bottom of the unit, which means it will need to be taken off the handgun to change.
The MPO-DS is constructed of 6061-T6 aluminum and has an IPX7 rating for water resistance. It’s shock- and fog-resistant as well, making it an excellent choice for a small gun that’s going to be carried close to the body. The 3.5-MOA aiming dot is crisp and easy to pick up in the diminutive window, and Meprolight even includes a number of different screws intended to work with different manufacturers’ optics cuts. All this for slightly more than $200; that’s a definite good deal.
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