Chances are if you’re new to guns — particularly handguns — a budget 9mm seems like a good place to start. And this SCCY 9MM is just that.

A budget handgun, that is.  Budget in every way.

Is the SCCY a good place to start? Find out below whether the SCCY CPX is a good representative of what a 9MM pistol should be.

Let’s look into a full review to see whether the SCCY meets my seal of approval.

SCCY CPX-series 9mm

~$249.99

at Brownells.com

See Latest Price

Reliability: F
Customization: C
Accuracy: C
Ergonomics: F
Value: F

Final Grade: F

SCCY CPX-2 9mm: A Pistol Under Fire

At first glance, the SCCY CPX-2 handgun looks like it could be a strong candidate for those looking for a cheaper option when it comes to handguns. It’s a sleek-looking pistol which seems to have improved from the major design complaint (the manual safety) of its predecessor–the SCCY CPX-1. The SCCY weighs in at right around 15 oz. and measures out to just above 5″ making it relatively comfortable as a carry gun.

But… that doesn’t necessarily mean that SCCY CPX pistols hit the bullseye as you’ll see later on.

A horrible trigger and serious reliability issues make this gun less than optimal. At any price point, a gun should not sacrifice its basic purpose: to provide the shooter with a safe and and reliable way to fire a gun.

 

GUN Specs

Firing Mechanism Double Action Only
Caliber 9mm
Weight 15 oz
Barrel Length 3.1″
Sights 3 Dot Sights

SCCY CPX-2 Key Features and Changes

1. Double Action Trigger

The trigger pull of the SCCY CPX is around 9lb and although long and heavy, it is relatively smooth.

2. Removal of Manual Safety

The Manual Safety was removed from CPX-2 after complaints against the previous model’s safety placement.

3. Internal Hammer Firing System

The SCCY CPX is equipped with a double action firing system. The hammer is a semi-internal component coupled with an inertial firing pin to prevent accidental discharge in the event of dropping.

SCCY CPX 9mm Pistol – Our Take

Here’s a quick summary: Based on our testing, we do NOT recommend the SCCY CPX 9mm pistol. If you’d like to see a review of a budget pistol that we liked, check out our Canik TP9SF Review

What we liked about it: We loved the idea of a budget handgun. Despite what you might see/read online, not everyone needs the best handgun for ccw, home defense, or range use. Sure, a nicer handgun is better (to a point) but not everyone can afford $500’ish and up for a handgun.

So, we purchased and tested a SCCY CPX in 9mm hoping that it would be a great budget option. More on this below.

We also liked the color options – we purchased a bright orange frame with a stainless steel slide because we thought that the CPX, as a budget gun, might be a great gun to pack away in an emergency kit and the high visibility and corrosion resistance might come in handy.

Believe it or not, the gun was decently accurate.

What we didn’t like: This is the worst trigger we’ve shot on a handgun – especially one that is supposed to be for ccw/defensive shooting. Sure, a long and heavy double action trigger isn’t normally desirable but we were willing to overlook these qualities because there are other good pistols with these features and because of the price point of the gun. Also, the SCCY seems to be for new shooters so the heavy trigger might (repeat, might) be a little safer for those that haven’t had proper training.

Our big problem with the SCCY 9mm trigger was the reset. It is super easy to “short stroke” this trigger by not allowing it to return all the way forward. This is because it has to go so far to reset, because there is NO audible nor tactile reset indication, and because the return spring is so weak that the trigger doesn’t easily jump back to its reset position – more than once we had merely contact pressure on the trigger and that was enough to keep it from resetting. The only way we could get the trigger to reset was to completely remove our finger from the trigger after every shot. And, because it is so weak, we could easily see a bit fo dirt/grime giving enough resistance to prevent the weak trigger return spring from doing its job.

Despite the bad trigger, there is another major problem with the SCCY pistol we tested: it wouldn’t function for more than a couple rounds in a row! That’s right, we had more than one malfunction for every magazine we fired using factory 9mm Magtech ammunition that we use in every other gun we test without a problem.

Ergonomics – the gun looks ergonomic but it was uncomfortable to shoot.

Finish – Simply taking the gun out of the box on delivery to inspect it and then opening the box one week later on range day resulted in rust on the “stainless” slide. This is unacceptable for a pistol. We’re not sure if it is actually stainless steel or if it is just a color.

 

We really wanted to like this gun as a budget option for those that can’t afford something nicer. If we didn’t have any hope for it, we wouldn’t have purchased it.

However, after our testing of the SCCY CPX pistol, here’s our advice: stay away. We understand that you might be tempted by the price point but a gun that doesn’t work reliably is dangerous.

If you’re looking for a budget firearm, take a look at the Canik instead – it is the same/similar price and it is a great firearm.

SCCY CPX-2 Pros and Cons

Inexpensive

Comes Available in Many Colors

Trigger Reset

Doesn’t work!

Report card

Reliability It can’t even make it through one magazine.

F
Accuracy Decently accurate for a pocket pistol

C
Customization Not much you can change.

C
Ergonomics Horrible – it actually hurt to shoot.

F
Value Horrible. It’s cheap, but it doesn’t work.

F

Final Grade: F

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SCCY CPX vs Canik TP9sf

There’s nothing wrong with purchasing a budget gun.  Budget guns are a great way to get affordable protection or get started in the lifestyle.  However, not all guns are forged alike.  That’s why if given the option… I would check out the Canik TP9sf.  It’s a reliable and accurate gun that puts the SCCY CPX to shame.

SCCY CPX-2

$249.99
BUY IT NOW

Canik TP9sf

$279.99
BUY IT NOW

Problems with the SCCY CPX-2

Now, you might be thinking that I’m rare isolated case. Well, it turns out that there are actually many other gun owners who have experienced multiple issues with the SCCY. Here’s another example of a concerned owner.

As you can see in this video, the problem may lie with the Quality Control performed at SCCY itself.

Our Top Upgrade Picks for the SCCY CPX-2

With the SCCY CPX-2, there is quite a bit of room for improvement. If you do own the CPX-2, here are our top picks for upgrade:

Best Trigger for SCCY CPX-2

CPX Short Stroke Trigger– This CPX trigger replacement from Galloway Precision is your best bet for improving your trigger. It claims to reduce trigger pull by up to 25% and fine tune your trigger.

Best Concealed Carry Holster for SCCY CPX-2

Muddy River Tactical Tuckable Inside the Waistband Water Buffalo Holster– Muddy River Tactical’s holster are made out of soft, durable suede that is comfortable to wear. And since nobody’s body is exactly alike, the holsters only come partially formed so you can properly fit it to your body.

Moving forward from the SCCY CPX 9mm

Now, you can read and watch many stories such as this all over the internet. And one thing remains constant… SCCY will send you a replacement no questions asked. Which is pretty cool.

But… It shouldn’t be necessary. You shouldn’t have to overcompensate your customer support due to poor Quality Control.

You should not have to worry if and when is your gun going to work properly. You should be able to fully trust in your equipment at any given moment in time–especially for an emergency carry firearm.

If you’re looking for a better alternative than the SCCY, go check out my review on the Canik TP9sf. It is hands down the superior firearm, and it falls within the same budget range as the SCCY.

Check out these two articles for more on this situation:

SCCY CPX-2 Blows Up While Shooting

SCCY CPX-2 Issues