There are few pistols that are perfect out-of-the-box. Sights, triggers and other parts are common aftermarket purchases. Better sights and triggers help with faster target acquisition and follow-up shots. The problem with customizing a pistol is that it can double the cost of the firearm, and aftermarket parts may create malfunctions. The Shadow Systems series of Glock-inspired handguns have the customizations many want without the cost or headache of aftermarket parts. The California-compliant MR920, for example, is about as close to an ideal polymer-framed handgun as a production model can get for restrictive states.
California Compliant
Any new semiautomatic handgun intended for California’s civilian market must abide by the Unsafe Handgun Act (UHA). Among the many requirements, the pistol must be safety tested by a state-approved laboratory. It must have a readily visible loaded chamber indicator (LCI). The pistol must also include a magazine disconnect, so that it can’t be fired without a magazine inserted. Per California Penal Code section 32310, magazine capacity is limited to 10 rounds or fewer. Outside of these features, the MR920 is the same as the model available to the free states.
From a manufacturer’s standpoint, one of the pains about California compliance is implementing the visual LCI. The slide design must be adapted to include a lever (the physical indicator) and text. The indicator must meet these conditions:
- Stand in color contrast to the firearm.
- Be visible from a distance of at least 24 inches.
- Explanatory text must be incorporated onto or adjacent to the indicator.
- The letters of the text must have a distinct contrast and have a minimum height of one-sixteenth of an inch.
- The text and graphics should inform an adult user that a cartridge is in the chamber without having to consult the manual or other source for its function.
At A Glance
First impressions reveal that the MR920 is more than a G19 clone. From the slotted 17-4 stainless-steel slide, spiral-fluted 4-inch barrel and textured polymer frame, the MR920 displays the touches one would want on a customized pistol. Although aesthetically pleasing, these improve its handling and performance versus a G19.
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The MR920 is chambered in 9mm and is similar in size to the G19, measuring 7.12-inches long, 4.75-inches tall and 1.2-inches wide. Digging deeper, we noted several customizations. The nitride-finished slide has been cut and lightened for great handling and fast cycling. The nitride finish is accomplished in-house. The forward-leaning serrations are deep, too, giving the slide a positive grip. The slide is narrower from the window to the muzzle, creating a pronounced ledge. The ledge allows the index and thumb to dig deeply into the slide for effortless press checks. Serrations are also found on the top of the slide. Whether the hands are gloved, wet or dirty, the slide is easy to grasp firmly without much finger pressure.
Optic Ready
For aiming duties, the MR920 employs a serrated, black square-notch rear sight and Tritium front dot punctuated with a green ring. Both are made from steel and are Glock-compatible.
The slide is red-dot ready and uses the two most common red dot screw spacings for mounting. The MR920 accepts a multitude of footprints including the Trijicon RMR, Leupold DeltaPoint Pro and Shield RMSc. The plate-less system allows the red dot to ride low enough to co-witness the stock sights through the red dot window. Included in the kit are three screw lengths, three spacers, and Loctite 243. By design, the screws are longer than most screws found in an optic kit. Shadow Systems wanted to beef up screw strength by making them longer, and they shortened the plunger to accommodate the screws. The spacers fill the gap between the rear sight and the rear base of the optic. When installed, they relieve some of the recoil forces going to the screws.
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Framework
The polymer frame shows many handling enhancements. The long beavertail reduces the chance of slide bite. The triggerguard has a unique undercut, allowing the hands to climb closer to the bore axis and improve recoil management. Ambidextrous recoil control ledges with stippled walls jut from the frame’s side. There are also thumb rests.
The grip is generously stippled with a removable backstrap. Three backstraps are included in the kit: Flat, medium and thick. What is unique about these is that they are designed to change the grip angle. The flat backstrap dips the muzzle; the medium is a neutral position; and the thick one raises the muzzle. Sitting at the base of the grip is a removable, flared magazine well.
Shadow Systems’ trigger features a safety blade bisecting the middle of the shoe. The pull weight for Guns & Ammo’s sample tested at 4 pounds, 5 ounces. The pistol features a stout magazine release, magazine catch, takedown lever and rail on the dust cover. Two 10-round Magpul PMAG 10 GL9-G19 mags were included, along with a soft carrying case. Fieldstripping is also Glock-like where the trigger must be pressed before the slide can be removed.
At the Range
Before the trip to the range, we swapped out the backstraps to see which provide a more natural point of aim. With the middle backstrap, the sights were dead on.
For testing, a Meprolight MPO Pro-F enclosed emitter pistol sight was mounted to the slide. The red dot offers a three-segment reticle, 3-MOA aiming dot, 33-MOA ring and dot, or a 33-MOA ring. The ring with the dot makes alignment on a round target a breeze at 25 yards.
For G&A’s test protocol, five different loads of range training and defensive ammo were used to evaluate the MR920. It took no time to get used to the pistol. Recoil was easily manageable, and the gun stayed on target shot after shot. The pistol functioned reliably with all test ammo.
Accuracy was acceptable at 25 yards for defensive scenarios. The largest group measured 3.3 inches, and the smallest grouped at 1.6 inches. Considering the many performance improvements, including the trigger and match barrel, one picky staffer expected better performance with at least one 1-inch group.
When running the gun, it loved to stay on target, and reloads were smooth and efficient. The 4-pound trigger has a light take-up and pressure wall. The reset was crisp and fast. Thanks to the grip texture, grip depth and thumb shelf, the pistol bobbed mildly when the trigger was pressed like a jackhammer. The flared magazine well provided a wide mouth for reloads, and the sights proved easy to acquire in day- or low-light conditions.
The Shadow Systems MR920 was tested for compatibility with four different G19 holsters and original Glock magazines. Afterwards, a SureFire XC3 ($299, surefire.com) pistol light was also used to confirm fit on the rail and in the tested holsters. While carrying the MR920 inside the waistband against bare skin, the grip texture did not chafe the skin.
An editor commented on the striking similarity between a customized Glock and the MR920. “It felt like I was holding my Glock,” he said.
His customizations included a slide with lightening cuts, a spiral-fluted barrel, a flared magazine well and a competition trigger. Only the aftermarket trigger was better than the MR920’s. The big difference? Price. The aftermarket parts alone cost as much as the complete MR920. If you’re a California shooter who likes pistol customizations, save yourself the money and get the MR920. Its parts are designed and produced to seamlessly work together. The result is a pistol that is easy and reliable to shoot. More importantly, you’ll be hard-pressed to justify any upgrades.
Shadow Systems MR920 CA-Compliant
- Type: Recoil operated, striker fire, semiautomatic
- Cartridge: 9mm
- Capacity: 10+1 rds.
- Barrel: 4 in.
- Length: 7.12 in.
- Height: 4.75 in.
- Width: 1.2 in.
- Weight: 1 lb., 5.5 oz.
- Slide: Stainless steel, nitride
- Frame: Polymer, black
- Safety: Trigger lever
- Sights: Tritium dot w/green ring, (front); U-notch, black (rear)
- Trigger: 4 lbs., 5 oz. (tested)
- MSRP: $1,140
- Accessories: Two 15-round magazines, cable lock, soft case
- Manufacturer: Shadow Systems; 469-458-6808, shadowsystemscorp.com
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