The CPX-2 from SCCY (pronounced Sky) firearms has gotten a ton of attention over the last year due to its’ size, price, and reported reliability. Here’s what I found since I’ve owned the gun:
Reliability
Reliability is the number one factor for me when it comes to firearms; if everything else about a gun is great but it’s not reliable then it’s not a gun I want to own. The CPX-2 has 100% reliable with everything from cheap steel cased Russian ammo to quality defensive ammunition to include Hornady Critical Duty (135gr standard pressure), Federal HSTs, and Speer Gold Dots.
Ergonomics
While the gun is relatively compact and light (weighs under 16oz unloaded) it does use a double stack, 10 round magazine so it feels better in the hand than most of the new single stack guns that have been so popular in the past couple years. It comes with 2 magazines, 1 with an extended finger rest base pad and one with a flat base pad. The width of the grip does help alleviate some of the recoil impulse generated from such a light gun by spreading the force across a larger area but the simple fact is the gun is still what some would call “snappy.”
Trigger
The CPX-2 has a long, DAO trigger. It breaks around the 8-9 pound mark so it’s certainly not designed to be a target gun. But, with practice, it can be an accurate pistol at self defense distances.
Miscellaneous
The gun comes in two basic configurations, the CPX-1 which has a thumb safety, and the CPX-2 which does not. Both have a MSRP of $319 and can be found for less in most gun shops and online retailers. Both the CPX-1 and CPX-2 are offered in a variety of finishes and frame colors so the end user can pick whichever configuration suits them best. The pistols come with very usable 3 dot sights that are pretty nice considering the price of the pistol.
There’s a couple things I’d like to see offered on future generations of the pistol should SCCY choose to come out with a “CPX-3″ or “CPX-4.” I’d like to see the addition of a light rail on dust cover of the frame. The pistol is marketed as a “do all” type of gun that can serve in a concealed carry role as well as a home defense role and I think the addition of a 1913 rail would broaden its’ appeal to the home defense market. Additionally, if it’s possible within the design parameters to lighten the trigger pull while still keeping reliability I think that would improve the performance of the pistol in most shooters hands. If the consumer didn’t feel comfortable with say a 5-6 pound pull then they could opt for the CPX-1 with the external safety for added piece of mind.
All in all, I think the popularity of the pistol will continue to rise. For the money, getting a gun that is reliable and is backed by a lifetime warranty for around the $300 mark is tough to pass up for a lot of people looking for a “just in case I ever need it” type of gun.
http://concealednation.org/2014/09/firearm-review-sccy-cpx-2/