You’ve seen our coverage of the TP9 DA, TP9 SA Mod 2, and TP9 SF Elite. Now it’s time for the long-barreled TP9 SFx. Modeled as a competition-grade gun with a 5.2″ barrel, enlarged controls, and ready for optics with four included mounting plates and a neat little charging handle that threads into the mounting plate to permit quick racking.
It’s no secret that the TP9 series is an alternate-universe version of Walther’s P99/PPQ Family. I reviewed and loved the Walther Q5 Match, so when I got a chance to try the Canik TP9 SFx from Century Arms I couldn’t resist. Imitation is the highest form of flattery and the TP9 SFx does flatter the Q5 Match but has enough of its own features to still be considered its own gun. Take a look at what comes in the box and the construction quality of the Canik in the tabletop video below.
Canik was smart to lighten the slide a bit. Those ports aren’t just for good looks, they also help increase reliability. When an optic is mounted it ads weight to the slide. Sometimes that weight is just enough to rob energy from the cycling process and cause reliability issues. Taking weight off the front also helps with speedy target acquisition as the front of the pistol swings easier. If you run the gun without an optic you’ll experience a smoother recoil impulse as the weight of the slide slamming to and fro has less impact on your wrist.
In the past, some of the Canik models arrived in the US built for 124gr NATO loads. In an effort to improve shooter experience that meant a stiffer recoil assembly. While I’m sure those using 124gr NATO loads appreciated it, many Americans feeding their guns budget 115gr loads experienced short strokes and stovepipes. Naturally, I was curious how the TP9 SFx would arrive. Would they reuse the old springs from before or smartly lighten the load not only for Americans but also for the increased weight of the longer slide?
I hit the range for the standard GBGuns test battery. Full magazine +1 for magazine and handgun basic functions testing. Next up is the popular, “What’s for Dinner?” test in which I feed the gun a variety of loads weighing from 165gr down to 65gr. Aluminum, brass, and steel-cased ammunition, hollow points, and full-metal jackets. The intent there is to find the operational limits of load and chamber acceptance. From there the test wraps up with a quick practical-accuracy test with a group of five shots from seven yards using Nosler 115gr Match ammunition.
See the results in the video below:
Canik smartly made this gun to run any load without question. In the opening of that video I was not specifically trying to hit the steel, yet 21 out of 21 times I rang the steel from 20 yards while firing at a moderate cadence. The sights simply bounced back to where they were before the shot each and every time. I’m sure I could have grouped tighter at the end had I not tried, but I don’t do retakes.
In short, the TP9 SFx is easy to operate, a pleasure to shoot on the range, accurate, and will eat anything you feed it.
