I Carry: Smith & Wesson M&P9 Compact Carry Comp Pistol in a Tulster Holster

Firearm: Smith & Wesson M&P9 Compact Carry Comp Performance Center (MSRP: $799)

Trends are notoriously difficult to predict, but easy to spot once they get rolling. One such trend in the handgun world currently is the addition of ported barrels and compensators, and Smith & Wesson has added the M&P9 Compact Carry Comp to the M&P line in its Performance Center. While distinct grooves both fore and aft grace the slide for administrative handing, the most eye-catching and unique part of this new pistol is the integral compensator at the muzzle with Power Port to direct gasses away from the line of sight and optic.

Sizewise, the Carry Comp M&P maintains the dimensions of the standard M&P Compact: Overall length is 7.25 inches, with the 4.22-inch barrel; height is 5 inches and width is 1.4 inches, mainly with the ambidextrous slide release levers. Weight is 25.4 ounces, and magazine capacity is 15 rounds, although versions exist for people living in states where capacity is restricted. Four backstraps are available to fit the Carry Comp to the shooter’s hand, and the grip keeps the standard M&P 18-degree grip angle, which some prefer due to its similarity to the 1911 grip angle.

Up top is Smith & Wesson’s CORE optics-mounting system, which offers a number of polymer plates to match a wide variety of optic footprints along with two sets of screw holes to mount the optic directly to the slide. The various plates and screw combinations are identified in the Smith & Wesson owner’s manuals, which are also available online, making it simple to attach an optic. Since the slide of the M&P has two sets of screw holes that cover just about all optics, only one set of screws needs to be tightened down to hold the optic in place.

Lastly, of course, is the integral compensator at the end of the Compact Carry Comp. With a single port facing the top of the slide, muzzle blast is directed upward to help reduce muzzle rise. It is also designed to divert gases away from the optic, ensuring a clear sight picture even during firing. Lightening cuts in the slide add style as well as weight reduction to offset the potential weight of an attached optic, while the Performance Center slide serrations allow ample purchase for administrative operations. There’s a lot of value packed into the Compact Carry Comp for the concealed-carry practitioner.

Holster: Tulster Range+ (MSRP: $54.99)

We’ve opted for the Tulster Range+ outside-the-waistband paddle holster for the Smith & Wesson M&P9 Compact Carry Comp pistol. With cooler temperatures upon us, cover garments are more plentiful and allow more discretion in how one carries a pistol concealed, and outside-the-waistband carry adds more comfort to your EDC in addition to not requiring extra room inside the waistband. Tulster’s Profile+ is designed to carry your mid- and full-size pistol, complete with optic, both securely and comfortably.

Constructed of .093-inch thick kydex in a single-sheet, taco-style configuration, the Range+ is rugged, yet simple, with single-screw retention to help keep your firearm secure. A split-paddle belt-attachment system allows the user to quickly put on or take off the rig, while allowing for adjustments in cant. Range+ holsters are available for right- and left-handed shooters, come in a variety of colors and offer a multitude of fits. For a coordinated inside-the-waistband option, Tulster offers the Profile+ holster with similar construction.

Optic: Meprolight MPO-DF red dot (MSRP: $189.99)

Rounding out our utilitarian kit today is the Meprolight MPO-DF red-dot sight, which is new for 2024. Meprolight, long known for its tested-in-combat M21 carbine sight that uses a red fiber-optic pipe for daytime illumination and tritium for low-light sighting, has expanded its product line to include traditional, battery-powered red-dot sights like the MPO-DF. This sight is a standard open-emitter sight that uses the popular Trijicon RMR footprint, which allows it to be added to a number of pistol slides already milled for the RMR and compatible sights.

Offering a 3.5-MOA red dot, automatic brightness detection, shake-awake technology to extend battery life and a side-mounted battery tray for easy replacement, the MPO-DF has much to offer. Meprolight claims 15,000 hours or more of battery life on the single CR1632 battery, and the unit is IPX7-rated for water resistance. The kicker? How about an MSRP under $200? Looking through the MPO-DF, the dot is one of the crispest I’ve seen, and while I haven’t run a ton of rounds through a pistol with an MPO-DF attached, it’s held up well so far. The MPO-DF offers a solid dot from a trusted manufacturer at a baseline price. That’s a great option.