Like most durable goods, the concealed carry handgun market seems to go in waves, offering variations of products that result from manufacturer innovation and follow consumer demand. Over the years we’ve seen the exponential growth of polymer pistols, newer and more reliable three-inch barreled 1911’s, the re-return of snub-nosed revolvers (did they really ever leave or diminish?), a wave of new .380’s, and more. Currently, polymer-framed single stack nines seem to be quite popular. In this category, Diamondback offers its appropriately named DB9.

Carry-Ability

A very compact, thin, and lightweight pistol offering 6+1 of 9mm is nothing new; many manufacturers offer a variation on this theme. The Diamondback DB9, however, really emphasizes the thin and light while offering a design that fills the hand better than many other similar designs.

Jul 12, 2019  Most, if not all, of the above negative comments are not true of my DB9 gen4. Reliability (of mine) has been 100%, gen4 sights are much better than previous generations and the gen4 now has the last round hold open feature. FWIW, G42 & G43 front and rear sight are fully compatible with the gen4 DB9.

With a slide width measuring 0.8 inches and an overall weight of 11 ounces, the DB9 theoretically should be easy to conceal and carry all day. Its 4-inch height and 5.6-inch length, while small, are not as small as other guns. The width of the stocks (from frontstrap to backstrap) offers comfortable purchase, but at the cost of some compactness. As such, whether the DB9 is truly a pocket gun remains to be seen.

Caveats

Designing, engineering, and manufacturing a firearm is a complex matter. Designing, engineering, and manufacturing a “micro compact” firearm is even more complex; in most cases, the potential for problems goes up as the physical dimensions go down. In the case of the DB9, Diamondback publishes a few caveats regarding this pistol’s use.

Break-in Period: The DB9 product manual calls for a 50- to 100-round break in period—an exercise that other firearms require to help all the parts play well together and that results in reliable, accurate firing.

Bullet Weight: In addition, the DB9 should not fire 9mm rounds with bullet weights that exceed 124 grains.

Hot Loads: Further, the DB9 should not fire 9mm rounds that are rated +P, +P+, nor should it fire reloads or non-SAAMI spec ammunition.

While these rules may sound limiting, plenty of 9mm target and self-defense rounds exist that meet the requirements.

Beyond its thin slide, light weight, and cartridge restrictions, the DB9 offers some key design features: The steel trigger moves dual connecting bars and provides a smooth pull, front to back. The steel magazine catch securely holds the metal magazine. Field stripping is easy, requiring no tools, and internals—as well as the barrel and slide—are corrosion resistant. All the moving parts move well, feel good, and exude confidence.

Made in the USA and offering a limited lifetime warranty, the Diamondback DB9 is available for around $400 or less.

Watch this space for Part 2—a full range report and a detailed evaluation of how it carries. The questions I’ll seek to answer will include the following:

— What will the recoil be like in such a small and lightweight gun?
— Is pocket carry feasible or is the gun too tall?
— How reliable and accurate will it be?

If you have a Diamondback DB9, what’s your experience?

The 9mm Diamondback DB9 G4 is an affordable striker-fired micro-compact that is small enough for pocket carry. (All Photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

A pint-sized 9mm carry pistol that can be stored almost anywhere or worn with almost anything, the Diamondback DB9 Gen 4 brings a lot to the table.

The micro-framed DB9 Gen 4, with an unloaded weight of just 13.4-ounces, while maintaining a 3.1-inch stainless steel barrel that gives an overall length of 5.73-inches, is described by Diamondback as the “smallest and lightest” 9mm on the market. With a flush-fit magazine shoe installed, its height is 4-inches flat. The maximum width is 0.89-inches. This puts it a hair larger than “mouse gun” semi-autos in .22LR, .32ACP and .380 Auto, but more than, say a J-frame .38.

The DB9 stacks up a skosh bigger than the mouse guns out there, while coming in smaller– and slimmer– than a snub-nosed .38 and way shorter than compact 9mms.

About the closest 9mm micro-compacts we can find of a similar size are the Kahr CM9, SCCY CPX-2, and Ruger EC9S, all of which are an ounce or two heavier. The Kel-Tec PF-9 runs lighter when unloaded is a tad longer than the DB9.

[Related Spec-Check: Comparing the Diamondback DB9 Against Other Common Carry Guns]

Carry

In short, if you can carry a wallet or mobile device, you can pocket carry a DB9 comfortably.

Is that a DB9 in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?

If a gun is over 4-inches in height or over an inch thick, you can hang it up for pocket carry– or deep carry for that matter. Many of the lilliputian guns hitting that stride include the Beretta Pico, Ruger LCP/LCPII, AMT Backup, Kel-Tec P3AT, S&W Bodyguard and Kahr P380– but the thing is all of the preceding are .380s. Notably, the DB9 lives in that range but runs on 9mm, which is a bonus.

At about a pound, you get a holstered 9mm with seven rounds on tap.

Weight, with seven JHP rounds loaded and the DB9 stuffed into a Hunter leather pocket holster, hit 17.4-ounces on my postal scale. A pound of prevention, more or less. There are, for sure, drawbacks to such a carry technique. For instance, drawing from a front pocket is hard while seated, making back pocket carry more ideal if you spend lots of time on your keister– but you have to train for it. As with anything, your mileage may vary.

Such carry may not be ideal for everyday use, but I did find it great for going to the gym as I find it weird to wear a belt with track pants. Likewise, while kayaking in shorts or doing yard/housework, the Diamondback in pocket carry was a good fit.

The DB9 was great for “gym carry” and other activities where you may find yourself sans belt but still with pockets.

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For those who want to go “deeper” the DB9 is small enough to work with Paris Theodore’s old-school (circa 1974) Seven Tree’s groin holster or today’s newer DTOM or Smart Carry line, however many are cautious about having a hog leg directly over their peas and carrots.

We also spent a lot of time with the DB9 in a FoXx hybrid IWB holster with good results

For belt carry, the DB9 works fine in the 3-to-4-o’clock (personal preference) or appendix (if you are into that sort of thing) provided you get a decent holster. Using a FoXx hybrid IWB holster the DB9 carried fine on the belt, although after spending most of the past couple decades with various Glock, Smiths and SIGs in that position, the Diamondback had a notably lighter footprint. This also lends well to use as a BUG to a larger handgun.

At the Range

Although snappy with +P rounds, the DB9 is controllable

The replaceable (Glock pattern) steel sights include a red front post with green rear dots while night sights are readily available. Note the front and rear slide serrations and fenced slide stop lever

Shooting 7.5-pound single-action first round with a reasonable reset on the trigger, the pocket pistol has good sights for a gun its size, especially when compared to other guns in the same class (looking at you, LCP/EC9). This allows for decent accuracy.

At practical accuracy under 25 yards, the DB9 holds its own.

Further, it is reliable.

The DB9 is not finicky when it comes to 9mm ammo. The closest thing I had to a malfunction in over 1K rounds fired was short stroking the slide on two occasions during loading drills with a closed slide.

The DB9 ate a wide-array of ammo from various manufacturers including both FMJ and JHP loads.

With that, keep in mind that the recoil spring is super stout on this palm-sized pocket pistol, especially when over a full magazine, and you must go about charging a DB9 with your game face on. This could put the gun as something of a training issue for those with low hand/grip strength. Such an issue is overcome by locking open the empty pistol and inserting a full magazine, then releasing the slide.

Although reliable and accurate, the DB9 was not a fun gun to shoot.

With big mitts, there is the occasional snakebite. See what we did there?

While you can fire 50 or 100 rounds at a time through the DB9, after that you are just kind of beating yourself around. In other words, the gun is great for monthly (ideally) practice but if you are going to go to a week-long 1,500-round tactical handgun course, you may want to leave this one at home and reach for something more comfortable.

Closing thoughts

Whether it was at the gym or kayaking offshore, the DB9 was an easy companion that gave peace of mind– even in pocket carry without taking up room in clothing options that were outside the norm. Able to be stored almost anywhere or worn with almost anything north of a banana hammock without printing, Diamondback’s palm-sized 9mm works across the board as a self-defense handgun in several situations.

Plus, did we mention they are American-made and only run about $225 bucks?

Besides, a 9mm you will carry with you is worth more in real terms than a heavier or bulkier one you leave at home, right?