Girsan MC14T Review

I’m a big fan of tip-up guns. Most come from Beretta, but Taurus and now Girsan have gotten into the tip-up game. I snagged a Girsan MC14T, thinking it was nothing more than a Beretta clone, but I walked away surprised that the MC14T was no clone. 

The Girsan MC14T Background

Girsan is a Turkish firm that produces a wide range of handguns. The Turkish firearms market has steadily grown in the last few years, and the company has moved from shotguns to handguns. The Girsan series of guns has always been surprisingly solid for its budget price point. What drew me to the Girsan MC14T was the tip-up barrel design. 

I’m a sucker for tip-up barrels, and I assumed right off the bat this was just a Beretta clone. Specifically, it was a clone of the Beretta Model 86 Cheetah, which, like the Girsan, was a .380 ACP pistol with a tip-up barrel. Upon further inspection, I was happy to find a double-stack magazine. It seems like Girsan copied the 86 and added a dash of the double stack model 84. 

The Girsan MC14T also comes with an accessory rail. This rail wasn’t found on the original Cheetahs, and it’s a welcome upgrade for defensive purposes. The MC14T is smaller than most full-sized guns, but not by much. It’s a big gun, but its size has its benefits. 

The Girsan MC14T is built for defensive use and specifically for shooters without the strength to work a slide. With the press of a button, the barrel pops upward, exposing the chamber. The user can load or clear the gun without manipulating the slide. The MC14T offers you 13 rounds in the magazine and one more in the chamber for a total of 14. 

You have a projectile with the right ammo and a 4.5-inch barrel that can move fast and hit hard. It lags behind the 9mm, but not by much. The Girsan MC14T appears to be a capable defensive pistol, but there is only one way to know for sure. 

Girsan MC14T Features

1 Ambidextrous Safety

Novak sights are good quality and work well out of the box.

2 Picatinny Rail

Angled serrations at rearward portion of slide for smooth racking.

3 Tip-up Barrel

Rounded, serrated hammer to avoid snags and provide purchase when manipulating it

4 Double Stack Magazine

Extended beavertail to encourage a high, tight grip.

5 DA/SA Action

G10 grips for a firm hold during live fire even with wet or sweaty hands.

Other Models

The Girsan MC14T – What’s Old Is New 

The Girsan MC14T uses a simple blowback system. It’s the simplest way for a semi-auto firearm to function and the only way a tip-up barrel pistol can effectively function. Due to the tip-up barrel design, the gun doesn’t have an extractor or ejector. It relies solely on the blowback action to extract and eject empty cases. 

The blowback action also creates a stiff recoil. It’s not painful or uncomfortable, but it’s stiff. The gun doesn’t have much muzzle rise, but I’d compare the recoil to that of a compact 9mm. The flat shooting nature of the gun makes it easy to shoot quickly and accurately, and the lack of muzzle rise makes it easy to control and keep on target. 

The Girsan MC14T has a fairly pronounced beavertail that allows for a comfortable, high grip without the fear of a slide or hammer bite. People of all sizes and statures will not be too challenged to handle the gun.

Ringing Steel 

The Girsan MC14T features a set of simple metal three-dot iron sights. Nothing fancy, but the sights are easy to see. The trigger surprised me a fair bit. I didn’t expect such a smooth double-action pull. It’s long and heavy but grit-free and incredibly smooth. The single action has a fair bit of take-up, but it’s light and sweet. 

The gun’s accuracy surprised me. I started at 15 yards and made tight little groups. I took it back to 25 yards and consistently rang a 10-inch gong. Just for fun, I stepped all the way back to 50 yards and aimed at a steel IPSC target. I didn’t expect much at fifty yards, so imagine my surprise when I hit more than I missed and consistently hit more than I missed. 

The fixed barrel likely helps with accuracy, and the nice sights and trigger also help. It’s also a fairly large gun with limited recoil. The grip fills your hand and allows you to keep the sights from moving as you squeeze the trigger. I’d love to see what a red dot could do on this gun! 

Getting a Grip 

In terms of controls, everything is well-placed and easy to access. The ambidextrous, frame-mounted safety is easy to engage and disengage. It clicks up and down with a satisfying tactile feeling. The barrel release sits on the right side, and the trigger finger naturally falls on it. Just press it down, and the barrel pops upward. 

The slide release sits on the left side of the gun. You can reach it with your thumb and easily drop it while committing a reload. The thumb can easily activate the magazine release without breaking your firing grip. 

The grip is large enough to fit my entire hand, but only just. The front and rear straps are textured, and the plastic grips are fine. They are nothing fancy, but they are textured and feel decent in the hand. 

Worth the Price

The Girsan MC14T ate through everything I put through it without a problem. The gun never failed to fire, extract, eject, or cycle. It’s a reliable little gun, and that surprised me. I don’t always have the highest expectations from Turkish firearms. I’m always happy to be wrong when my expectations are low. 

Price-wise, the gun seems to retail for around 450 dollars. I paid a lot less, but I have a tendency to find deals. At 450 dollars, it’s facing stiff competition from practically every American company. Honestly, the S&W EZ series cost less and are softer recoiling with a smaller overall profile. If you’re like me and you like tip-ups, the price doesn’t seem so bad. 

Pros and Cons

My Preferred Ammo

Upgrade and Accessories Options:

1. TLR-7 HL-X

1,000 Lumens 22,000 Candela Ambi Controls

Check Pricing

Important Links and Manuals for Girsan MC14T

Are you looking to pick up a Girsan MC14T but need a bit more info?  Or maybe you’ve just misplaced your user’s manual?  Either way, check out the links below.

• Girsan MC14T Manual