Canik TP9 Elite Combat Desert, a red-dot-ready 9mm pistol from Turkey

Canik was founded as an aerospace company in northern Turkey and takes its name from the mountains on whose slopes its plant is located. The collaboration with industry giants such as Lockheed Martin, Airbus and Boeing provided experience that in 2012 was for the first time applied to firearms. In that year, Canik in fact partnered with American Century Arms, and from their joint efforts the TP semi-automatic pistol was born, achieving a good success since the beginning especially on the US market. In a short time, the good reputation of Canik pistols reached Europe and in the meantime the Turkish company designed several variants of the standard model, from compact to long-barrelled models intended for sport shooting. In 2018 the Canik TP9SF Elite S pistol was adopted as a sidearm of the Turkish National Police replacing the Girsan Yavuz 16, a Beretta 92 copy manufactured in Turkey.

The Canik TP9 Elite Combat in a nutshell

The Canik TP9 Elite Combat is one of the top models in the catalog of the Turkish company. It is a 9mm polymer-framed semiautomatic pistol, manufactured in collaboration with American Salient Arms, a company that manufactures both complete firearms and popular customization parts for pistols and black rifles. On the new Canik pistol the adjustable rear sight and the red fiber optic front sight are made by Salient, as well as the Match type barrel and the magwell, cut at a 45° angle. The TP9 Elite Combat offers the possibility to mount a micro reflex sight on the slide. To do this, simply remove the plate on which the rear sight is mounted unscrewing two Allen screws, and mount the optic using one of four adapter plates supplied in the package.

Franco Palamaro, © F.PALAMARO

The Canik TP9 Elite Combat features the new CET trigger assembly with red anodized aluminum trigger blade.

The gun features a new CET (Canik Enhanced Trigger) assembly with straight trigger blade made of anodized aluminum in a bright red color, while the firing control components are nickel-plated. Trigger pull weight is 35.2 oz/1 kg. On the back slide cap we have a red-colored cocking indicator pin, while on the slide, at the edge of the ejection port, we find a loaded chamber indicator.

As we said before, the Match type barrel is 4.7”/120 mm long and is manufactured by Salient. The muzzle protrudes from the slide front and is 1/2x28 threaded, protected by a knurled thread cap. Its purpose is obviously to allow for the use of suppressors – a tacticool touch.

Franco Palamaro, © F.PALAMARO

The polymer grip backstraps can be replaced. In the picture, we see the 18-round extended magazine.

The frame of the Canik TP9 is polymer and the hold open is on both sides, while the magazine release is easily reversible. As the latest trends want, the grip backstrap can be removed and replaced with others of different thickness, so that the grip can be adapted to the shooter's hands. As can be expected, there is also a Picatinny rail on the dust cover for the mounting of accessories. The pistol comes with two magazines, a 15-round one and an extended magazine that brings the capacity to 18 cartridges. The photographed version has a “Flat Dark Earth” (desert tan) colored frame. The slide is the same shade thanks to a Cerakote coating that, besides matching the color, effectively protects surfaces from wearing and atmospheric elements.

The Canik TP9 Elite Combat is sold in a sumptuous  package that also includes a holster, a magazine loader and cleaning kit, at the price of around 950 euros.

Canik TP9 Elite Combat specs