Test 4: “Snubbie Bill Drill”: 5 shots, 5 yards, on full piece of paper.
I shot the last test on the B-8 repair center and collected time and score. I ran three guns on the first go-around, with the MC1SC bringing up the rear. I collected some interesting data.
First, I found that the Mossberg sample did not like Winchester “USA Forged” steel case range ammo. I’ve fired lots of this ammo from other 9mm pistols and this is the first time I’ve seen chronic failures to extract – a good reason to do the slow-fire distance drill first, to ensure everything’s working. I changed to some Hornady Critical Defense I happened to have handy and the MC1SC returned to its previous trouble-free function.
Next, I found that I hit low on the first shot at fifteen yards, tracked up and went a little high. While shooting on the coarse accuracy standard afforded by the old FBI “Q” target, you may not notice, but on the 5 ¼” bull of the B-8 repair center the variation becomes apparent quickly. I finished with a score of 93/100, not my finest outing but fired with a subcompact 9mm pistol – using the short magazine which had given me fits before.
I then shot the Five-yard Round-up (the par for each string being 2.5 seconds) and ended with 96/100. The course was fired in time and there were no malfunctions of shooter nor iron.
The HiTS Super Snub Test is an enhancement of The Test popularized by Ken Hackathorn and Larry Vickers. The ten yard stage was fired just in time with only a fraction of a second to spare. I finished the course with 147/150, doubtless aided by the short-action trigger and the excellent sights. Finally, the “Snubbie Bill Drill” – five rounds, full-tilt, from low ready, yielded 2.09 seconds fired on a B-8 with a score of 49/50 – I’m taking that.
While the course was devised around DA revolvers with short barrels, it wasn’t quite a walk in the park with truly small autos. I actually fired the Mossberg better in some tests than more expensive guns and that says something for the human engineering of the piece.
When you get yours, check out the function with both magazines – as you should anyway. For service, carry premium ammo. Likewise, high quality practice ammo pays dividends too. The gun scores high in handling (for size), accuracy – due in part to trigger and sights, and overall build quality. Simply stated, it’s a nice heater.
Those elements and the fact that there’s cross-compatibility with holsters and magazines for the products of other makers, give the Mossberg MC1SC a great deal of weight in the subcompact defense pistol market.
- Rich Grassi