Test: Daniel H9, an all-metal striker-fired pistol with low barrel axis

Every now and then, a manufacturer decides not to produce "its" striker-fired pistol exclusively with a polymer frame. For some time now, there have been variants with steel frames, such as the Canik Rival and the Walther PDP Steel Frame or Black Ribbon. However, some manufacturers use aluminum instead of steel. For example, the world-renowned Smith & Wesson with the offshoots of its polymer M&P9 M2.0 model series, as well as lesser-known companies such as Arsenal Firearms, which supplied its Strike One with an aluminum frame over ten years ago. Around 2017, a Hudson H9 appeared on the US market, but soon disappeared from the market with the little-known manufacturer. Daniel Defense took over the business and is now introducing a heavily revised version, the Daniel H9, a pistol built with an aluminum frame. Many will ask themselves "why"? The answer is simply target group orientation. Because professional gun carriers hardly ever use their pistols, but they carry them around with them all day, or the whole shift. It therefore makes perfect sense to equip officers with a handgun that is as light as possible.

The frequency of use of the handgun is different for sport shooters. Although some associations have disciplines for striker-fired pistols, including for special configurations, the material of the grip frame is not discussed. This is because sport shooters only carry their pistols in a holster in a few disciplines, but shoot much more frequently than professional gun carriers. A few hundred grams more mass to reduce recoil is therefore a great advantage, especially in dynamic disciplines. Firing striker-fired pistols with an aluminum frame now seem to be a sort of compromise. Aluminum instead of polymer as frame material does not add much weight. A polymer-framed Walther PDP Compact weighs around 700 grams, the steel-framed version around 1,100 grams. Depending on the manufacturer of roughly comparable pistols, the weight increase from polymer to aluminum frames is only 50 to 100 grams. This product is therefore aimed at people who want it neither "quite" so heavy nor "quite" so light.

The Daniel H9 all-metal pistol in detail

In the USA, Colt M1911A1-style frames seem to have a sales-promoting effect. This is specifically pointed out. The slide of the Daniel H9 is made of AISI 4340 steel and is protected with a matte black DLC coating. This extremely hard coating is particularly suitable where components make contact and move relative to each other, causing wear on the friction surfaces. The "aircraft grade" 7075 aluminum rounds off the very attractive quality of the materials used. The slide has a milled cut to accommodate red dot sights. The testers were pleased to note that the cover plate is secured with T-15 Torx screws. Fortunately, the days of microscopically small hex socket screws that are quickly unscrewed seem to be over. As with most firing striker-fired pistols, the only external safety is the one in the trigger blade. As the slide stop is ambidextrous, the Daniel H9 can be used by both right- and left-handed shooters after the magazine release button has been repositioned. A cut-out on the grip backstrap at the bottom of the magazine well allows a lanyard to be attached using a cross pin. The Picatinny rail on the underside of the dust cover and the green fiber optic insert in the front sight round off the image of a purpose-built defense gun.

The U-shaped rear notch in conjunction with the front sight is somewhat irritating, but not decisive. Probably based on the fact that most users prefer a red dot sight, the manufacturer has dispensed with the usual white dots or fiber optic inserts in the rear sight. On the other hand, at defense-relevant distances of around and under five metres, shooting tends to be somewhat coarse and aimed as quickly as possible. The safety lever, which runs the full length of the trigger, was a positive feature. It is hinged at the bottom of the trigger, visually aligned with its contact surface and gives the impression of being cast from a single mould. The gap between the slide and the frame of the Daniel H9 is significantly narrower and therefore less susceptible to the ingress of dirt than that of many established competitors. With a little effort, the slide can be moved slightly horizontally and vertically on the frame, but only marginally compared to other striker-fired pistols. The barrel can't be persuaded to move at all when locked.

With the Daniel H9 all-metal pistol on the shooting range

For people with Colt M1911 experience, the grip of the new Daniel H9 feels familiar. The texture of the G10 grips in combination with the strong cross grooves on the grip front and backstrap ensure a twist-free fit in the hand, even when shooting fast. The wide grip spur counteracts muzzle flip, as does the relatively low bore axis above the wrist. Thanks to the 1911 design, the grip is ideal for medium-sized hands at best. If the glove size is larger, it becomes cramped for the holding hand. The grips of the Daniel H9 can be unscrewed, but despite the visual similarity, 1911 grips and therefore many widening options do not fit.

A positive surprise was the very good trigger characteristics already noticed during the dry-fire test. The trigger mechanism of the H9 shows a clear take-up point behind which the striker releases with almost no creep compared to many other triggers of this type. The small diameters of the five-shot groups fired with open sights at 15 meters can probably be attributed to this, in addition to the other qualities of the pistol. There were no hiccups or malfunctions during the entire test. The pistol also functioned perfectly when shot with a weak hand, in which the grip was deliberately "slack" from time to time. The fairly wide case ejection indicates sufficient functional reserve. The 15th cartridge can only be loaded with great effort into the magazine, which lacks a loading aid.

Daniel H9 technical specifications and price  

Conclusion on the Daniel H9 pistol

Some things about the Daniel H9 look familiar, some things are different and some things are new. On the whole, the US development made a successful debut, covering a small but existing market segment. That leaves the price, which everyone should consider for themselves. In the US, the recommended retail price is $1,299.