Range Test: SCCY CPX-2 — An Affordable 9mm

A few years ago, when SCCY introduced the CPX 9mm handgun, I found the piece to be reliable, well designed, and offered at a fair price. The early versions with a frame-mounted safety sometimes suffered from the safety moving to the on position during firing though. While SCCY has corrected the issue, and the shooters thumb contacting the safety may have caused some of it, I recommend the version without a safety. A pistol with a 10-pound double action only trigger may be carried without a manual safety.

SCCY CPX-2 pistol in case — The CPX features a spare magazine, flat magazine bases, gun lock, and instruction manual.

I wished to test a new model SCCY CPX 9mm in order to see if there were any improvement in the pistols performance and finish. The stainless slide and polar white frame version tested is clearly more attractive than the all black pistols I had previously tested. I recall a reliable handgun from previous testing, and the new pistol follows this line closely. Perhaps the most attractive feature of this handgun is its price. At $227.63 (at present) the SCCY CPX-2 is priced at almost exactly half the price of the Smith and Wesson Shield or Glock 43. While they are different handguns, this is an important frame of reference.

For this modest outlay, you get a locked breech action, self-loading pistol with a double action only trigger mechanism, 3.1-inch barrel, stainless steel slide, well designed sights with three dot inserts, two 10-round magazines, and a trigger lock with two keys. The CPX is light enough for constant carry at 15 ounces. A heavier and more powerful handgun might be left at home, as I often say, and there is little excuse not to carry the SCCY.

While affordable the CPX-2 9mm is also reliable.

The trigger both cocks and drops the hammer. The action is not reset by the slide. The trigger may be pressed repeatably in practice with a triple-checked unloaded pistol. This is an advantage for those wishing to master the trigger action by dry fire practice. The pistol is hammer fired. The CPX-2 is only 6.0 inches long, 4.6 inches high and a little over an inch thick. The grip fits most hands well.

The pistol is supplied with finger grip extensions on the magazine. There are flush fit flat baseplates supplied. I think that a good program is to deploy the flush fit magazine for concealed carry—particularly pocket carry—and use the finger grip magazine for the backup load as the finger grip makes for good leverage when grasping the magazine.

The leverage of the trigger is such that the 10-pound trigger compression feels lighter. The magazine release is positive and keeps the magazine in place but also drops the magazine smartly when pressed. The slide lock features an overmolded extension. The slide lock is easily worked quickly.

The pistol isn’t designed to handle +P ammunition. In a handgun this size, +P would be difficult to control. Slide velocity might outstrip the ability of the magazine to feed properly. +P loads would also cause excess wear on the small parts of the action if used extensively.

Slide stop on a white SCCY CPX-2 pistol — The CPX-2 features a slide stop with an extension.

I selected a standard practice load that has consistently given good results, the Fiocchi 115-grain FMJ loading. I also fired a smaller quantity of the Fiocchi 124-grain FMJ. As an example of a quality defense load, I included the Fiocchi 124-grain EXTREMA and the Fiocchi 147-grain JHP. The pistol is comfortable to fire without excess recoil. The long double-action trigger provides good control.

As you press the trigger to the rear, allow the pistol to reset during recoil, and then as soon as the sights are back on target fire again. Reset wasn’t as fast as some pistols, but the action is consistent and reset was smooth. I fired the pistol extensively at 5, 7, and 10 yards. At 7 yards, the most likely defense range, I was able to put the entire 10-round magazine into a space the size of a hand. That is life saving accuracy. None of the loads were difficult to manage, but the 147-grain JHP seemed most pleasant. I would most likely carry the 124-grain JHP as a defense load. The final result of any defensive encounter depends upon the gunhandling and determination of the defender. The SCCY is plenty accurate for most defensive encounters.

Firing such a handgun at long range for accuracy isn’t relevant, but it is useful in gauging the ability of the shooter and the pistol. After all, we do not wish to be helpless if confronted with a threat a longer range. I took the time and made the effort to fire the SCCY CPX-2 from a braced barricade firing position at 15 yards.

SCCY CPX-2 pistol and Fiocchi ammunition box — The SCCY CPX-2 and Fiocchi 9mm loads are a good combination.

Using the Fiocchi 124-grain XTP EXTREMA, I carefully fired three 5-shot groups. The time I took to do so isn’t relevant to personal defense shooting, but I took the measure of the pistols accuracy. I fired a group that measured 3.5 inches at 15 yards. The largest of the three groups measured 4.25 inches. Based on my experience with the SCCY CPX-2 9mm pistol and Fiocchi ammunition, the piece is capable of striking a threat in the chest at 25 yards. That is a lot of reach for a 15-ounce 9mm.

The pistol is intended for personal defense and that means close range. This isn’t a field pistol for dusting off coyotes or pests. Home defense would also entail close range use and gunhandling is as important as marksmanship. The pistol handles well and offers 10 shots fast to save your life. The pistol is compact and has been carried in a Blackhawk! pocket holster during most of the trail. The CPX-2 hasn’t failed to feed, chamber, fire, and eject in several range sessions totaling over 250 cartridges. The SCCY is a neat little pistol with good performance for the price.