The Canik METE MC9 Prime Everything…At a Great Price

Article, Reviews

By Will Dabbs, MD

The Canik METE MC9 Prime is an American-made, mid-size subcompact concealed-carry gun imported and marketed by Century Arms. Most Canik pistols come from Turkey. The MC9 Prime comes standard with all the bells and whistles for which you’d typically have to pay extra.

It comes with two matching 17-round magazines and a pro-grade polymer G-Code holster that can be configured for either inside or outside the waistband carry. In addition to the whiz bang features, the gun arrives in a rugged waterproof case that looks like it would survive uncontrolled exo-atmospheric reentry.

In the interest of full disclosure, I’m kind of a Canik pistol superfan. I was an early adopter with one of their first offerings back in 2009—a blocky pseudo-Walther P99 clone that inexplicably sported a cavorting dolphin on the side. Since then, the Canik family of pistols has evolved into something fairly extraordinary. The new METE MC9 Prime is the apex predator of the company’s extensive line.

The best way to understand where the METE line of pistols falls in the Canik hierarchy is to use an automotive analogy. The contemporary stable of pedestrian Canik guns is like Toyota cars. They are robust, reliable and reasonably priced firearms for the masses.

By contrast, the METE line is like Lexus. The parentage is obvious at a glance, but these pistols are a cut above in every way. It is obvious that the METE MC9 Prime is the end result of a great deal of insightful engineering. It also runs at least a C-note less than its competition.

Details of the METE MC9 Prime

The METE MC9 Prime occupies roughly the same footprint as a SIG P365XL or a Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro. However, unlike those two uber-popular conceal-carry hotrods, the METE MC9 Prime comes with bilateral slide stops, an integral compensated barrel and 17-round magazines. The ports bored into the barrel and slide redirect the gas upward and do a brilliant job of counteracting muzzle flip. The magazine catch is readily reversible, and the gun is packed with stylish particulars.

There are deep gripping grooves on the slide both front and rear. The back of the slide is naturally cut to receive a micro red-dot optic, and the dust cover features three Picatinny rail slots. There is a tactile loaded chamber indicator, and the generous manual slide stops are perfectly mirrored on both sides. There is a svelte magazine funnel surrounding the magwell that helps speed up reloads. The gun comes standard with a superb set of night sights.

The wide flat-faced trigger is the stuff from which dreams are forged. Featuring a smooth, weightless take-up and an authoritative yet diaphanously lightweight break, this trigger will make you weep for the lesser sort in more mass-produced guns. The wide trigger face is refreshingly different amidst a crowded field of skinny-triggered guns. It is indeed exceptionally comfortable.

The grip texturing is both aggressive and meticulously thought out. It is grippier on the front and backstraps while being incrementally smoother on the sides. There are little rough parking pads for the trigger finger on the sides of the frame to give shooters a place to chill when not actively unleashing chaos. The METE MC9 Prime is an unusually well-executed concealed-carry tool for the gunman of refinement.

Trigger Time

The METE MC9 Prime shoots straight, every single time you squeeze the trigger with any conceivable 9mm Para ammunition. Test rounds ranged from lightweight 100-grain Black Hills HoneyBadger buzzsaws up to heavy subsonic 147-grain solids with plenty of high-end jacketed hollowpoints in between. Honestly, don’t fret the details. All modern combat pistols are reliable and accurate. Fail to meet those metrics, and the Internet will attack.

Where the MC9 Prime really shines is in the nuances. This thin gun is indeed comfortable to carry despite its prodigious 17-round magazine capacity while remaining as fun to run as a full-sized service pistol. The compensator nicely tames recoil and muzzle flip, while the optimized particulars keep things fast and smooth.

I added a custom Deathgrip brass backstrap from Taylor Freelance to add a little flare. This beautifully executed accessory is a drop-in fit, feels great and adds an air of refinement to an already-refined smoke pole. The added weight mitigates felt recoil as well.

Ruminations

I always try to find at least a little something objectionable about any new gun design. After all, nobody’s perfect. However, that’s tough in this case. The METE MC9 Prime really is a top-flight design. If I had to gripe, I might say that the 17+1 magazine capacity renders the grip long-ish. The chassis is as thin as physics will allow, and the grip length fits my big mitts nicely. However, 18 rounds is both heavy and a bit voluminous. Regardless, I packed the gun comfortably underneath my surgical scrubs at work without undue fuss. I’ve also never known a defender who complained about having too much ammo.

The Canik METE MC9 Prime from Century is a top-end custom gun at a production price. It really does reflect the current state of the art. Additionally, when compared to its competition, the MC9 Prime leaves a little extra cheddar in your pocket for ammo. It comes with two mags, a magazine loading tool, three interchangeable backstraps and a cool gun-shaped wrench with optics mounting screws as well as top-end particulars for $649.

This same gun with this same feature set from a mainstream manufacturer would be considerably more. If you are in the market for a bespoke carry gun and you’d just as soon hang onto as much of your money as you possibly can, the MC9 Prime will get you there.