Shadow Systems Subcompact CR920P – The Mag Life

Shadow Systems, the Texas-based pistol maker, has expanded its 9mm offerings to include a subcompact pistol with an integrated compensator with the CR920P. This is an upgrade from the CR920 pistol and features a self-locking, self-indexing compensator.

The CR920P does not have a threaded barrel, instead, it has the built-in patent pending compensator. This is to help skirt any issues where end users are forbidden from having a threaded barrel. One of Shadow Systems’ goals with the CR920P was to make use of the space in the attachment with the compensator, without a threaded barrel, that would allow the CR920P to fit into a Glock 48 holster. Thus, the subcompact 13+1 capacity CR920P was born.

The CR920P is built on the CR920 frame and has a slide that features directional serrations in the front, rear, and top of the slide. On the top of the slide sit steel sights featuring a tritium front with the patented Shadow Systems multi-footprint optic cut. The cut allows for direct-to-slide mounting of many brands of mini-red dot sight optics.

Shadow Systems also wanted reliability with its integral compensator design. Using standard-weight factory springs and many different bullet weights, the company tested samples of the pistol over thousands of rounds without cleaning, noting no loss of reliability or carbon lock-out. On top of that kind of performance, the compensator was still just as easy to remove at the end of the testing as it was in the beginning.

Inside the slide is a match-grade, spiral-fluted barrel attached to the machined carbon steel compensator, both with a black nitride finish. The CR920P also features a stainless-steel guide rod and flat-faced trigger. The trigger is also drop-safe and has a 4.5-5.0-pound trigger pull with a crisp and tactile reset.

Noting that recoil reduction can be subjective, Shadow Systems reports that its test shooters reported a 40% reduction in muzzle rise, thanks to the compensator that doesn’t have side ports eliminating the blast being directed at bystanders. The CR920P ships with two magazines, one 13+1 magazine and one 10+1 flush magazine, with magazine extensions available for purchase, and a zipped pistol rug.

The CR920P should arrive in spring 2023, and along with it will be a better idea of pricing as none has been mentioned by Shadow Systems. Some reports have the price near $1,100.