THE 9MM MOSSBERG MC2 COMPACT PISTOL & THE MOSSBERG MC2SC SUB COMPACT

It is a very well-known fact, that Mossberg manufactures outstanding military/police and sporting shotguns, as well as a line of rifles that are worth owning. When I first heard that Mossberg was producing 9mm pistols, I was curious if these semi auto handguns were just as well made and reliable as the other firearms that this company produces. I am here to report, that my curiosity was satisfied, when I field tested a 9mm Mossberg MC2c (compact) pistol and a 9mm Mossberg MC2sc (micro/sub compact).

            The first handgun that Mossberg produced was a four shot .22 LR semi-automatic safety pocket pistol called the Brownie. The Brownie was produced in 1919. Fast forward to the 21^st Century, when Mossberg once again entered the concealed carry handgun market, by producing the MC1sc, a 22 ounce (unloaded) 9mm sub compact pistol, that accommodated a flush fitting single column 6 round magazine, as well as a 7-round magazine. After the release of the MC1sc, a pistol that received excellent reviews, Mossberg produced the MC2sc, a high-capacity sub compact pistol and the slightly larger MC2c.

            To provide their customers with options that fit their individual needs, Mossberg offers several models in their inventory of MC2c and MC2sc pistols. These models include pistols with standard sights, Tritium night sights, a blackened DLC finish, a stainless side, a slide cut for a micro optic, as well as models with high-capacity magazines and more restrictive politically correct 10 round magazines.

                                                                FIRST IMPRESSIONS

            When it comes to evaluating firearms, I have always rated handguns, rifles and shotguns by my first impressions. In the case of the Mossberg MC2c I was VERY IMPRESSED. Before I even fired the Mossberg MC2c (Compact) I was impressed with these pistols fit and finish, excellent ergonomics, excellent weight and balance, the ease in which the slide can be manually retracted/racked, the very user-friendly flat striker fired trigger, its set of easy to acquire dovetailed three dot standard sights, a well-designed slide that is factory cut for micro dot optics and is manufactured using 416 stainless steel with a DLC finish.

            My impressions of this pistol catapulted to the “I want one level,” when I started field testing the MC2c and I found this handgun to be soft shooting, flawlessly reliable and very accurate. Clearly, the Mossberg MC2c is a premium brand compact pistol, that is ideally suited for concealed carry applications. In fact, even though the MC2c sports a 3.9 inch barrel, this pistol looks and feels a bit more compact than some of the competition. I credit this to the overall design of the slide and the frame. (The unloaded weight of the MC2c is 21 ounces. When loaded with 10 rounds of 9mm the weight of the MC2c is 27 ounces. Higher capacity models weight 29 ounces loaded.)

            The ease of operation, as far as the ability to manually retract the slide, is enhanced by the presence of angled serrations on the rear of the slide. Press checking the chamber, to confirm whether a round of ammunition is loaded in the chamber, is made easier by the presence of well executed angled slide serrations on the front of the slide. 

            As far as ergonomics are concerned, the Mossberg MC2c (compact) is also fitted with a high tensile strength glass reinforced polymer frame with a palm swell and perfectly executed grip texturing. The MC2c (compact) that I field tested was fitted with a set of standard snag-free three dot white sights. The operation of the MC2c under firing conditions is enhanced by this pistol’s well executed flat faced/profiled striker fired trigger, that has a very smooth trigger pull weight of 5.5 pounds.

            The Mossberg MC2sc (sub compact) that I field tested also proved to be a reliable performer, one that was a tad easier to conceal in certain applications than the MC2c (compact). All the features that are represented on the MC2c are also available on the MC2sc, with the exception, that the sub compact model has a 3.4 inch barrel and a slightly small frame/grip. The MC2sc that I field tested was equipped with a set of TruGlo Tritium Night Sights, along with a 14 and an 11 round magazine. If necessary, the MC2sc is available with 10 round compliant magazines. The unloaded weight of the MC2sc is 19.5 ounces. The loaded weight of a MC2sc with a 10 round magazine is 24.5 ounces. The weight of a loaded higher capacity MC2sc is 25 ounces.

            If you are looking for a pistol that can be utilized with or without a micro red dot optic, with optional Tritium night sights and with high capacity magazines where authorized, the reasonably priced Mossberg MC2c and the Mossberg MC2sc are ideally suited for personal protection and home defense.