The video opens by defining what a compensated carry gun is and how it differs from simple porting. Using the Springfield Hellcat Pro Comp as a visual example, the hosts explain how gas venting upward through a compensator or slide cuts helps counter muzzle rise and keep the gun flatter under recoil. They introduce the Smith & Wesson M&P 2.0 Carry Comp, highlighting its integrated barrel and slide cuts, optics-ready slide with a red dot, Picatinny rail, and aggressive tactical serrations. The lineup also includes a Glock 45 on a 19-length frame with a Radian Afterburner attached compensator, and the Sig P365 X-Macro, which uses a shorter barrel and slide port cuts instead of a traditional ported barrel and is described as 50-state legal. Initial live-fire impressions note the M&P Shield Plus as snappy, the Hellcat Pro Comp feeling similar to the P365 X-Macro, and the Glock with the Radian comp shooting very soft with a dot that returns well to target.
The hosts run back-to-back drills with four compensated carry pistols: the Glock 45/19-style setup with Radian Afterburner, the Sig P365 X-Macro, the Springfield Hellcat Pro Comp, and the Smith & Wesson M&P 2.0 Carry Comp. They comment on recoil softness, how quickly the red dot or sights return to zero, and how each grip feels under rapid fire. The Glock’s dot tracks strongly back to the target, while the P365 X-Macro feels softer than expected but does not behave like a true comp gun. The Hellcat Pro’s grip is described as less comfortable with a snappier recoil impulse, and the M&P 2.0 Carry Comp impresses with its control and fast return to zero. Moving to the bench, they mention their Rumble channel and note that links to all pistols are in the description. Kenzie ranks the guns from worst to best as Sig, Hellcat Pro, Glock, and Smith & Wesson Carry Comp based on recoil and dot tracking, while Jason immediately places the Glock in fourth, saying its sights do not track back to zero as well for him, possibly due to grip size.
The discussion shifts to a more detailed ranking of the comped and carry-oriented pistols, focusing on recoil impulse, muzzle rise, and how consistently the sights track back to zero. The Glock-based comped pistol is placed last because its recoil impulse feels strange and choppy, making it harder for one shooter to predict where the sights will settle, which may be influenced by individual hand size and grip. The Smith & Wesson carry pistol lands in third place; one shooter finds it tracks very fast, but the other struggles to quickly reacquire the sights in its compact configuration. The Sig P365 variant, referred to as the 365 and AX Macro family, is ranked second. It appears snappy and is not considered a true compensated gun, yet it returns well to target thanks to a grip that feels closer to a full-size pistol. Surprisingly, the Springfield Hellcat Pro is chosen as number one. Despite criticism of its smooth backstrap and somewhat blocky feel, its grip texture, recoil system, and overall behavior make it shoot very flat and “laser-like,” outperforming both the Glock and Smith & Wesson in felt recoil for its size.
Later in the video, the host ranks the same pistols again but strictly by felt recoil impulse and slide behavior, intentionally setting ergonomics aside. In this recoil-only list, the P365 AXG Macro drops to fourth because its slide feels snappier and more violent when it hits the end of travel, even though the gun remains controllable. The Hellcat Pro Comp moves to third, described as only slightly softer than the P365 when focusing purely on how the slide cycles and returns. The Glock 45 with the Radian Afterburner comp rises to second place, praised for its soft recoil, excellent dot tracking, and clever design that effectively turns it into a Glock 17–length slide compatible with Glock 17 holsters. The Smith & Wesson comped pistol takes first place in this category, with the softest, least abrupt slide movement and minimal “wall-hitting” sensation at the end of recoil. The segment emphasizes that recoil feel is highly subjective, varying with shooter grip and preference, and encourages viewers to test these guns themselves rather than relying solely on rankings.
In the closing section, the hosts explain how ammunition choice affects compensator performance. Comps tend to work better with hotter loads, including lighter 90-grain and common 115-grain defensive ammunition, because higher pressure and velocity generate more gas to drive the compensator. They stress the importance of testing specific carry ammo in a compensated pistol before trusting it for defense, since some loads may not cycle as reliably or may change how flat the gun shoots compared to practice ball ammo. Viewers are strongly urged to train with their actual carry ammunition, or at least with loads that closely match the grain weight and recoil characteristics, to avoid surprises under stress. The hosts invite feedback, criticism, and personal experiences with the featured carry guns, encouraging discussion about preferred setups and results with different ammo. The video concludes with a plug for CFcontest.com, where viewers can enter to win various items, followed by a brief sign-off thanking the audience for watching.
Loading...