It shouldn't come as too much of a shock to those who follow industry news that polymer-framed 9 mm pistols in subcompact sizes continue to dominate the defensive handgun market. Don't be surprised to see a few in 2025’s new-gun round up. The good news is revolvers are not dead, double-stack 1911-style models are gaining traction, some prices have gone down, and a few metallic frames are making their way to dealers’ shelves. As for “comped” pistol barrels, it looks like they are sticking around. Here are just a few of the new models to look for this year.
Century Arms Canik Mete MC9 Prime
Century Arms expanded its exclusive lineup of Canik Mete MC9 micro-nine pistols to include additional barrel and grip lengths near the end of 2024. I thought the company was done expanding the line for the new year. But they surprised me with yet another new model dubbed the Mete MC9 Prime which also bears the distinction of being the first Canik pistol made right here in the United States instead of being imported from Turkey.
The Prime borrows its external dimensions from the previously released Mete MC9 LS, which makes it similar in size to the Sig Sauer P365 XMacro carry pistol. Weighing in at 23 oz., the optics-ready slide houses a 3.6" long barrel, which is ported to reduce muzzle flip. The hand-filling grip frame accepts Canik's standard-size 17-round, double-stack magazines. As with other Mete series models, it arrives with a fully fleshed out accessory set including a universal G-Code holster, two 17-round magazines, three interchangeable backstraps, a magazine loader and cleaning kit all tucked into a high-quality storage case. This model is listed for $649.
EAA Girsan Witness 2311 BRAT
European American Armory (EAA) is getting in on the ground floor of the more budget-friendly 2011 semi-automatic market with the release of the new Girsan Witness 2311 BRAT series of pistols. Many 2011 double-stacks have price tags starting at around $2,000 that can easily slide up to $3,000. The BRAT series' listed pricing starts at $679 for the all-black version or $889 for the high-polish Titanium Nitride finished Golden BRAT shown here.
Sporting compact 3.4” bull barrels intended for concealed carry, customers can choose from models chambered in .45 ACP, with 11-round magazines, or the 9 mm configuration that takes 17-round magazines. The slide is topped with a set of Novak-style low-profile 3-dot sights. Other features include an accessory rail for lights and lasers, a skeletonized hammer and trigger, an extended beavertail grip safety and a removable flared magazine well extension. We are planning to post a review of the BRAT in the near future, so stay tuned!
Glock A-CUT Pistols with Pre-Installed Aimpoint Red Dots
Glock has teamed up with Aimpoint to provide what the company is calling the A-CUT series of semi-automatic pistols that ship with Aimpoint COA micro red-dot optics installed at the factory. The A-CUT style of slide cutout allows this optic to be mounted directly onto the slide without the need for adapter plates. In this case, the COA red dot has a ridge along the front edge of its housing which locks into a cutout in the slide for added support and stability.
The rear mounting plate, which secures the optic in place, also serves as a square notch rear sight so that the pistol has a set of iron sights to use should the battery run down at an inconvenient moment. From the side, the Aimpoint optic looks a bit chunky. But I had the opportunity to handle these pistols and the optics have been noticeably slimmed and trimmed when compared to other models. The first pistols out of the gate in this configuration will be the Gen 5 G19, G43X, G45, G47 and G48 with prices varying depending on the model selected.
Lipsey's Exclusive Smith & Wesson Ultimate Carry .32 H&R Revolver
We recently posted this write-up discussing the use of .32 H&R in small revolvers for self-defense. Potential benefits include being able to fit 6 rounds in what is usually a 5-shot revolver, and lower levels of recoil with performance on par with the .38 Special. The good folks over at Lipsey's, one of the country's largest sporting goods distributors, must have been listening.
New for 2025, Lipsey's has teamed up with Smith & Wesson to offer the exclusive 632 Ultimate Carry J-Frame 6-shot snub-gun chambered in .32 H&R. Thanks to its aluminum frame and a titanium cylinder, this 1.875" double-action only wheelgun weighs in at just 13 oz. This version is outfitted with an XS Sights night sight in the front, a dovetailed U-notch sight at the rear and compact synthetic grips. This model will only be available through participating dealers with a suggested retail price of $825.
Lone Wolf Arms Timberwolf Complete Pistols
Lone Wolf Arms has been offering a wide variety of Glock pistol upgrades for some time now. Among them has been their in-house custom Timberwolf series of frames. For 2025, this company is bringing back its factory-complete pistols, built around the Timberwolf frame, with a fresh take on the slide assembly.
The factory-complete, optics-ready Timberwolf pistols will be available in different sizes including Standard (G17) and Compact (G19) options along with a Compact slide on a Standard frame (G19X). Currently shipping with an all-black finish, additional slide and frame colors will be available. The features of this American-made pistol include a heat treated 17-4 stainless steel slide with a durable nitride finish, Night Fision night sights, a flat-face trigger and oversized controls for a listed price of $699.95.
Rost Martin RM1C Comped Pistol
Last year we started to see more concealed-carry pistols outfitted with compensated barrels. This design approach is intended to reduce muzzle flip by milling gas ports into the barrel and slide. Although this trend has not picked up as much speed as optics-ready slides, it's still gaining some traction in the market place.
Rost Martin is now on board with the compensated defensive configuration with the release of its RM1C Comped 9 mm pistols. Rather than milling multiple ports into the barrel, like some models, this company has opted for the also popular single large port with the front sight installed just behind the opening. This port is angled slightly forward in order to keep hot gases and debris from blowing back into the lens of a micro red-dot if one is installed. Look for this version of the RM1C to be available for a suggested price of $489, and, you can read a full review of the non-comped version of this pistol here.
Savage Stance XR Pistol
Back in 2022, we took a closer look at the original, single-stack version of the Savage Stance micro-nine pistol. That model holds either 7+1 or 8+1 rounds, depending on the magazine used (see the review here). For 2025, Savage has brought the Stance into the double-stack micro pistol market with the new XR version. With a slightly wider grip, it can hold 10+1-rounds with a flush fit magazine or 13+1-rounds with an extended magazine.
But Savage didn't stop there. This robust 9 mm semi-automatic is now optics-ready thanks to the company's Quick Release Optics (QRO) plate which allows for a micro red-dot to be easily removed or swapped out. Other features include a 3.2" stainless steel barrel, a vented slide, various frame colors and models that ship with a Crimson Trace CTS-1500 red-dot optic installed at the factory with suggested prices ranging from $469 to $659. We have one lined up for a T&E evaluation, so keep an eye out for the post.
Smith & Wesson CSX E-Series Pistols
In January of 2022, Smith & Wesson introduced its CSX Series of concealed-carry 9 mm pistols. Shaking free of the preponderance of black polymer frames on the market, the semi-automatic CSX micro-nines are built around an aluminum alloy frame. Since that time, the company has been working to refine the design with upgrades and additional features. The result is the new CSX E-Series.
These pistols are still aluminum framed micro nines but with some notable changes. Customers can now choose from a 19.7-oz. 3.1" barrel model or 23.5-oz. version with a 3.6" barrel. They will ship with a 12-, 15- and 17-round magazine or state compliant 10-round magazines. The slides are optics-ready and utilize Smith & Wesson’s ClearSight cut which diverts gasses away from an optic's lens. Other features include a modular grip adapter, improved trigger, interchangeable back straps, ambidextrous controls and white-dot sights for a suggested retail price of $699.
Stoeger STR-9 Thinline 9 mm Pistol
A couple of years ago, I had the opportunity to work with one of Stoeger Industries' budget-friendly and feature-rich compact pistols, the STR-9SC. It proved to be a solid option for concealed carry and home defense. If it had a short coming it was that, like many double-stack compacts at that time, it was a bit on the chunky side for concealed carry. Since then several companies have redesigned their subcompacts to have thinner profiles so as to better compete with the micro-nine pistol category.
With this in mind, Stoeger has launched the STR-9 Thinline crossover pistol. This version is only 1" wide with a micro-nine length barrel of 3.3”. However, the grip has been lengthened just enough to accommodate a 14-round flush-fit magazine along with a second extended 16-round magazine. The black nitride hardened slide is ported just in front of the barrel in order to act as a compensator to reduce muzzle rise. Prices for this new series start at $529.
Taurus GX2 Pistol and Concealed Hammer Revolver
Taurus has set out to prove that it's possible to build a better budget pistol with the new GX2 9 mm subcompact semi-automatic. Although it is not fancy or frilly, this model incorporates features typically reserved for higher-priced pistols that have been subjected to extensive internal testing procedures and multi-day endurance testing by media members at Gunsite Academy. Weighing in at 19 oz. unloaded, this pistol sports an upgraded 3.38" Sharp Shooter barrel, a redesigned grip frame for improved purchase and comfort, an accessory rail, industry standard interchangeable sights and a 13+1 ammunition capacity. As for the price, it's listed for $309.99. This is translating into real-world prices closer to $260, which means it's among the most affordable offerings currently available.
On the concealed-carry revolver side of the house, Taurus recently released what is, to the best of my knowledge, the company's first double-action-only small-frame wheelgun with a fully enclosed hammer. Consisting of the Model 650 and Model 850 series, this “hammerless” frame configuration provides the dual benefits of giving the gun a sleek, no-snag profile while protecting the action from dirt and debris build up common to pocket-size handguns.
The Model 650 is a 5-shot chambered for .357 Mag. and .38 Special +P ammunition. Available in all-stainless steel or blued carbon steel, barrel lengths include 2" or 3" options with a pinned front sight, milled-in rear sight and compact synthetic grip. The Model 850 series includes essentially the same guns but chambered in .38 Special only. Pricing for these revolvers starts at $454.99
