{"id":1132,"date":"2012-04-04T13:42:07","date_gmt":"2012-04-04T17:42:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/?p=1132"},"modified":"2014-03-26T21:23:32","modified_gmt":"2014-03-27T01:23:32","slug":"diamondback-db9-long-term-test-and-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/?p=1132","title":{"rendered":"Diamondback DB9 Long Term Test and Review"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/0o8rGw5UAw8?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p>In January of 2011, I was walking through the static vendor booths at <a title=\"Media Day 2012\" href=\"http:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/?p=149\">SHOT Show\u2019s Media Day at the Range<\/a> and saw a familiar pistol that somehow looked off-kilter. It was a stretched Diamondback Firearms DB380 pistol.\u00a0 No.\u00a0 It was something new.<\/p>\n<p><a title=\"Diamondback Firearms\" href=\"http:\/\/diamondbackfirearms.com\/\">Diamondback Firearms<\/a> makes striker-fired polymer framed pistols and (soon) <del><a title=\"Diamondback Shotgun\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gunsholstersandgear.com\/2012\/01\/19\/diamondback-rts-shotgun\/\">shotguns<\/a> <\/del><a title=\"Diamondbacks at NASGW\" href=\"http:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/?p=3151\" target=\"_blank\">AR -15&#8217;s<\/a> in Cocoa, Florida.\u00a0 After successfully marketing a micro-compact .380 ACP pistol, the company began producing a 9mm version.\u00a0 This was the gun I saw on the table.<\/p>\n<p>I handled the unloaded gun in the booth.\u00a0 It looked very promising, however, for its diminutive size, I worried about how it would actually handle in the hand when touching off 9mm primers. \u00a0 I would find out six months later.<\/p>\n<p>I took delivery of a <a title=\"Diamondback DB9\" href=\"http:\/\/http:\/\/diamondbackfirearms.com\/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=74\">Diamondback DB9<\/a> in July 2011.\u00a0 It arrived in a black plastic case with an owner\u2019s manual, one six-round magazine, and a padlock and trigger block. After perusing the manual, I fieldstripped the DB9.\u00a0 It easily disassembled, without tools, much<!--more--> like an Austrian-designed polymer pistol so popular in this country.<\/p>\n<p>Compared to their steel counterparts, polymer pistols can feel less substantial. Diamondback Firearms promotes several of their features that bolster the gun&#8217;s strength and reliability:\u00a0 a steel trigger, steel magazine catch, Finite Element Analysis designed slide and barrel, and corrosion resistance coating to the slide, barrel, and internal parts.<\/p>\n<p>Spec-wise, the DB9 is quite small at .80\u201d in width, 5.6\u201d in length, and 4\u201d in height. \u00a0 The barrel is fully three inches.\u00a0 One of its most attractive attributes, from a concealed carry standpoint, is the DB9\u2019s weight of just 11 ounces unloaded.\u00a0 This is around 2 ounces above some .380 mouseguns and an ounce or two below the lightest .38 Spl. revolvers and competitors\u2019 9mm poly-pistols.<\/p>\n<p>My initial trip to the range with the DB9 was in August of 2011 at SWAT training.\u00a0 To begin, I shot a hundred rounds of Speer 124 grain TMJ and Speer 124 grain standard pressure GDHP, which is our issued 9mm ammunition.\u00a0 There were about 10 failures to feed, which most commonly were double feeds.\u00a0 This stopped after the first hundred rounds.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/IMG_2007.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1137\" title=\"IMG_2007\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/IMG_2007.jpg\" width=\"1300\" height=\"972\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/IMG_2007.jpg 1300w, https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/IMG_2007-300x224.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/IMG_2007-1024x765.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1300px) 100vw, 1300px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/IMG_2013.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1138\" title=\"IMG_2013\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/IMG_2013.jpg\" width=\"1200\" height=\"975\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/IMG_2013.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/IMG_2013-300x243.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/IMG_2013-1024x832.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/a>It was a very hot August day at the outdoor range and my hands were sweaty.\u00a0 My poor grip on the gun may have accounted for a few of the double feeds.\u00a0 Even standard pressure 9mm is a handful in a gun this light.\u00a0 Despite aggressive grenade-style texturing on the front and back straps, I found I had to have a death grip on the little pistol.<\/p>\n<p>A fellow SWAT teamer and I put about 300 rounds through the gun.\u00a0 I was glad he was willing to pull the trigger a few times.\u00a0 Ultra-light handguns are made to be carried comfortably, but shoot\u2014ah, not so much.<\/p>\n<p>Several days after SWAT training, I took the DB9 out to a civilian range for some more fun.\u00a0 I put another hundred or so rounds through the gun.\u00a0 I found that if I relaxed my hand even slightly, I could provoke a failure to feed.\u00a0 I tried a string of fire wearing a Nomex glove.\u00a0 Yes, I got some skeptical looks.\u00a0 Even rapid firing, the glove helped lock the gun in my mitt and resulted in trouble-free bangs.\u00a0 I was now sure that some of the earlier failures were due to my hold and not the gun itself.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1139\" style=\"width: 1310px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/IMG_2005.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1139\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1139\" title=\"IMG_2005\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/IMG_2005.jpg\" width=\"1300\" height=\"1035\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/IMG_2005.jpg 1300w, https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/IMG_2005-300x238.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/IMG_2005-1024x815.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1300px) 100vw, 1300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1139\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">DB9 and 380 Bodyguard<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The DB9\u2019s next foray to the shooting gallery was during department qualifications in October 2011.\u00a0 Our off-duty and back up gun Qual is to shoot the same course of fire that the State of Florida mandates for our duty guns.\u00a0 This consists of 40 rounds at distances between 15 yards and 3 yards. Only hits in the center of mass four and five zone, or \u201ccoke-bottle,\u201d of a blue NRA B21 target count as hits.\u00a0 I scored a 39 of 40 with the DB9.\u00a0 Many of our officers do not qualify as highly with their issued Sig Sauer P226R\u2019s.<\/p>\n<p>The Diamondback DB9 has real three dot sights, the rear of which is drift-adjustable for windage.\u00a0 This is a tremendous advantage over the flat, machined post and channel found on some other pistols in this class.\u00a0 Trijicon night sights can be purchased as an option for the pistol, though they are currently on backorder.<\/p>\n<p>Some of the guys were interesting in the DB9, so I gladly let all-comers drop the striker.\u00a0 There was positive feedback from the cops who fired the gun.\u00a0 Several hundred more rounds were clocked in on the pistol.\u00a0 Still, I found the gun reliable.<\/p>\n<p>My last outing was back to the civilian range.\u00a0 No issues there yet again.\u00a0 My DB9 has about 850 rounds on the odometer.\u00a0 It has passed through the four hundred rounds I feel need to be fired through a self-defense pistol to earn a place in my holster.\u00a0 I even sprung for a second magazine to round out the carry package.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/DB9.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1134\" title=\"DB9\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/DB9.png\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/DB9.png 500w, https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/DB9-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/DB9-300x300.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/a>Since I have found mine to be reliable, how about accuracy?\u00a0 It passed the state duty gun qualification course.\u00a0 I can drill a paper plate sized target at 15 yards. This is a good approximation of high center chest or pelvic girdle, depending on your needs. I think this is fine self-defense accuracy.<\/p>\n<p>I would caution you to practice one-handed shooting if you are going to carry this pistol. Because of its punishingly snappy nature, a straight wrist and vise-like hold are absolutely necessary for the gun to cycle.\u00a0 I can tell you from experience, if you are out of alignment with this, it will hurt.<\/p>\n<p>The DB9 should not be fired with 9mm bullets over 124 grains, rounds marked NATO, or with +P or +P+ ammo. \u00a0 All will void the warranty and may not be safe.\u00a0 Diamondback Firearms offers a free on-line gun safety course on their website.\u00a0 I went on it and found it to have good baseline information!<\/p>\n<p>I paid less than $380.00 for my DB9.\u00a0 At a local gun shop this morning, I saw a new one for sale for $401.00.\u00a0 Internet prices are a good bit lower.\u00a0 Diamondback has also added different finishes to the slide such as nickel, nickel boron, and stainless.\u00a0 Frames can also be bought in black, orange, pink, and teal.<\/p>\n<p>I talked with Diamondback Firearms Founder and CEO Brad Thomas at SHOT Show.\u00a0 In passing, he told me that they were working on a full-sized pistol.\u00a0 And he would say nothing further.\u00a0 Ooooo.<\/p>\n<p>It is now April 2012 and my experience with the Diamondback DB9 pistol has been very satisfying.\u00a0 I have carried it as a back-up on duty and while on my off duty hours.\u00a0 With the proper break-in and user&#8217;s practice, the DB9 is well suited to repel any boarders.<\/p>\n<p>Randall<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">3\/26\/2014:\u00a0 <a title=\"Diamondback DB FS Nine Pistol\" href=\"http:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/?p=7463\" target=\"_blank\">Click here<\/a> for information and many photographs of the New Diamondback DB FS Nine full-sized pistol.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In January of 2011, I was walking through the static vendor booths at SHOT Show\u2019s Media Day at the Range and saw a familiar pistol that somehow looked off-kilter. It was a stretched Diamondback Firearms DB380 pistol.\u00a0 No.\u00a0 It was something new. Diamondback Firearms makes striker-fired polymer framed pistols and (soon) shotguns AR -15&#8217;s in Cocoa, Florida.\u00a0 After successfully marketing a micro-compact .380 ACP pistol, the company began producing a 9mm version.\u00a0 This was the gun I saw on the table. I handled the unloaded gun in the booth.\u00a0 It looked very promising, however, for its diminutive size, I worried about how it would actually handle in the hand when &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/?p=1132\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[34,6,663,33,4,3,10],"tags":[211,198,212,209,210,208],"class_list":["post-1132","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-concealed-carry","category-firearms","category-florida-companies","category-off-duty","category-officer-safety","category-shot-show","category-street","tag-9mm-pistol","tag-back-up-gun","tag-concealed-carry-gun","tag-db9","tag-diamondback-db9","tag-diamondback-firearms"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p28xkp-ig","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1132","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1132"}],"version-history":[{"count":39,"href":"https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1132\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7481,"href":"https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1132\/revisions\/7481"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1132"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1132"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thinblueflorida.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1132"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}