What Is The Best Comp’d Carry Gun?

Comped carry gun lineup and how comps work

The video opens on the range with the team discussing compact carry pistols that use compensators or similar slide cuts to reduce muzzle rise. They explain that a traditional compensator involves cuts in both the barrel and slide so gases vent upward as the gun fires, pushing the muzzle down and helping control recoil. Ports are described as simple holes that work on the same principle. The hosts introduce four pistols they consider realistically carryable: the Springfield Hellcat Pro Comp, the new Smith & Wesson M&P Carry Comp, a Glock 45 built on a Glock 19-size frame using a Radian Afterburner add-on compensator, and the Sig P365 X-Macro, which uses slide ports and a shortened barrel rather than a true barrel comp. They note that the Sig and Glock configuration remain 50-state compliant while still offering some compensator-like effect.

First shooting impressions of all four pistols

On the firing line, each shooter runs the four pistols back to back to compare recoil, muzzle rise, and how quickly the red dots return to target. The M&P Shield Plus is mentioned as a baseline snappy carry gun before moving to the comped models. The Hellcat Pro Comp and Sig P365 X-Macro feel similar in recoil to one shooter, with the Sig described as surprisingly soft. The Glock 45 with the Radian Afterburner impresses with how consistently the dot returns under recoil. Another shooter, who occasionally carries a P365 X-Macro, finds it a bit more “flippy” than the Glock but still manageable. The Hellcat Pro Comp is tried for the first time and recognized as clearly behaving like a compensated gun. The Smith & Wesson M&P Carry Comp stands out to one tester as tying closely with the Glock for controllability and fast dot return.

Ranking from Kenzie: M&P Carry Comp vs Glock vs Hellcat vs Sig

Back at the bench, the hosts compare notes. Kenzie ranks the four pistols based on felt recoil and how reliably the red dot tracks back to zero. In fourth place, she puts the Sig P365 X-Macro, arguing that despite the slide cuts it does not feel like a true comped gun and remains relatively snappy. Third place goes to the Springfield Hellcat Pro Comp, which she finds a bit sharp in recoil, possibly due to the smaller porting. Second place surprisingly goes to the Glock 45 with the Radian Afterburner, even though she is not usually a Glock fan; she notes that it was fun to shoot and returned to zero well. Her top choice is the Smith & Wesson M&P Carry Comp, which she had only zeroed before the test. She praises its consistent, quick return to zero and feels Smith & Wesson executed the compensated carry concept effectively on this compact platform.

Jason’s rankings and recoil observations

Jason offers a very different ranking, focusing on how the sights track, how the grip fits his hand, and the character of the recoil impulse. He places the Glock 45 with Radian Afterburner in fourth, saying the sights do not track fully back to zero for him and describing the recoil as a strange, rolling “chugga” motion, despite the weapon light not meaningfully affecting performance. Third place goes to the Smith & Wesson M&P Carry Comp; he finds the dot harder to pick up quickly, especially on a compact frame, and believes the design might shine more on a full-size grip. In second, he ranks the Sig P365 X-Macro, insisting it is not a true compensator but acknowledging that, in his hands, it returns to target well and feels like a full-size grip with good capacity. His number one is the Springfield Hellcat Pro Comp, even though he dislikes its smoother grip texture. He finds the blockier feel and porting combine to give excellent traction, flat shooting, and repeatable performance.

Debating felt recoil, grip size, and slide impulse

The group compares their differing impressions and tries to explain why each pistol felt the way it did. They discuss how grip size and hand size can change perceived recoil, with Jason suggesting that the P365 X-Macro’s full-size feeling grip and compact slide help it track better for him, while others still find it snappy. The Hellcat Pro Comp’s unexpectedly flat behavior leads to speculation about its spring setup and port placement working efficiently together, even though some dislike the smoother backstrap compared to other Hellcat textures. The Glock 45’s recoil impulse is debated, with questions about whether hotter ammunition might make the compensator work more effectively. Throughout, they emphasize that all four pistols track acceptably and allow accurate shooting, but subtle differences in muzzle rise, slide speed, and grip ergonomics drive their personal rankings of the best comped carry gun in this lineup.