Shadow Systems MR920

Many popular handguns have been copied, cloned, and flattered by makers who thought they could either sell the pistol cheaper or make it better. Examples include the Llama pistols on the cheap end of 1911 clones, the middle of the road Kimber, to top-end Les Baer handguns. The new wave of striker fired clones are coming as well. Some are foreign produced and others are domestic designs. Improvements from the factory and from custom makers have come slowly and incrementally to the Glock, now in its fifth generation.

Glock has started offering a retro Glock reissue of the original first generation, a sure sign of a brand’s popularity. Aftermarket parts were first offered in the form of sights, then trigger groups, barrels, modified frames, and new production slides. The Glock is among the most popular handguns in the world. The hallmark of the Glock is reliability. Human engineering or ergonomics could stand improvement but reliability is not an issue.

Practically every striker fired polymer frame pistol on the planet shows some type of Glock influence. The Glock design sometimes limits a shooters best efforts at accuracy. Pistols with a steel slide and polymer frame are sometimes slide heavy. Not everyone likes the factory grip design and feel the balance of abrasion and adhesion is far from ideal. Many shooters like the Glock but prefer the 1911 grip

This barrel may be fitted to a Glock 19 as well. angle. I have noticed 1911 shooters once favoring the Browning High Power have now almost universally adopted the Glock. A desire for improvements led to the Shadow Systems MR920, a popular Glock clone the same size as a Glock 19. It could be considered a semi-custom upgrade. Shadow Systems began their manufacturing with Glock upgrade parts like Wilson Combat did with 1911 handguns.

They manufacture slides, barrels, and internal parts and eventually began manufacturing the MR918 as a complete handgun and upgraded to the MR920. The MR920 comes standard with upgrades such as a tritium front sight and a highly modified frame. Shadow Systems pistols feature changeable grip inserts, including one that closely mimics the 1911. With the addition of an elongated grip frame formed into a beavertail type tang, this is easily the best handling Glock frame I’ve fired.

The standard Glock frame and slide dimensions allow Glock holsters to fit. The MR920 frame is manufactured from a different type of material than the Glock and it doesn’t flex as much. The trigger guard is undercut toward the rear, atrick used by 1911 makes to lower the bore axis. The grip frame finish offers excellent abrasion and adhesion. The slide is a nitride finished steel unit with custom cuts and flats.

The barrel features a standard rifled bore instead of standard Glock polygonal rifling, allowing use of hard cast lead bullets without difficulty. There have been problems with aftermarket triggers in issue firearms and I am completely against the addition of an aftermarket trigger to a pistol destined for personal defense. Shadow Systems triggers are superior to the Glock in many ways.

Being a factory handgun, this trigger is standard issue from Shadow Systems so there is no concern the pistol has been tampered with. It is superior to the Glock trigger action but not terribly different and certainly not too light for personal defense duty. The Shadow Systems trigger system operates in the same manner as a Glock Safe Action and seems to use the a Generation Three trigger bar with a connector from Taran Tactical. The aluminum trigger shoe has a flatter face and operates

in the same manner as the Glock. The slide is racked and the striker is only partially cocked. As the trigger is pressed the striker is forced to the rear. The striker breaks and springs forward, firing the pistol. A safety lever in the trigger face prevents the pistol from firing by lateral discharge.

The trigger action broke at 4.9 pounds when I first got it and in the manner of a true custom grade handgun, the trigger has since settled at 4.5 pounds after more than five hundred combined dry fire and live fire repetitions. Glock triggers were once set at 5.5 pounds on average, of late those I have examined tested from 5.8 to 6.0 pounds. Pre-travel of Shadow Systems trigger unit is slightly shorter than the Glock. The MR920 features a standard Glock type rail for mounting optics.

One of the complaints concerning the Glock is the plastic guide rod. The Shadow Systems pistol features a steel guide rod. The rear sight is The lip on the bottom of the grip sometimes may need a bit of modification for maximum comfort. a well-designed ledge-type combat sight. The front sight is a green Tritium night sight. The MR920 is supplied with an optional use magazine well that offers real speed in reloading.

Since the pistol uses magazines with a slight base pad, this magazine well doesn’t add to the footprint when carried concealed. The lip on the well may be uncomfortable for some grip styles but the shooter may easily adjust. There was an unwelcome sharp edge on this magazine well; perhaps four minutes of sanding cured it. Since the grip design is different, other makers of aftermarket magazine wells will not adapt to the Shadow Systems pistol.

As you add the features up it would be difficult to modify a stock Glock to this standard at anywhere close to the price of the MR920. If you have these pistols come into the shop there are several differences between the Shadow Systems pistol and the Glock that must be understood. These are not merely modified Glocks, consider them "Americanized" Glocks factory made to tighter tolerances.

MR920 take down is accomplished by the usual Glock-type lever, however, the slide only needs to be slightly moved out of battery to disassemble. Clear the magazine and triple check the chamber first to be certain the pistol isn’t loaded. Pull the trigger to decock, pointing the muzzle in a safe direction. Then take the slide out of battery slightly. The levers are pressed down. When the pistol is field stripped you will see a pistol that American Gunsmith Reader Services 1.

resembles the Glock as the parts appear the same. There are no parts interchangeability issues, from the sights, to the barrel, or internal parts, so sustainability will be good in the long run. The maker should prosper with this product, but like the many 1911 clone makers now out of manufacture, the Shadow Systems pistol will be supported by parts, magazines, and barrels for many years to come whether or not the maker continues in business.

This is in contrast as an example to the demise of unique designs such as the Hudson pistol. Break In A difference between the Shadow Systems pistol and the Glock 19 is that the factory tells us the MR920 demands a two hundred round break in. This is a consid- The sights may be changed out for any Glock aftermarket sight. The one supplied with the pistol is the only choice. eration especially in the midst of a current ammunition shortage. The pistol also demands greater lubrication.

The Glock needs only a drop of lubricant on the trigger connector while Shadow Systems recommends lubricating the slide rails and barrel. In the case of my test pistol, it came out of the box running and has never failed to feed, chamber, or eject with standard pressure or +P ammunition. Just the same, you may be asked to examine a pistol that has short cycled or failed to feed. It would be wise to ask if the break in period has been completed.

When I initially opened the Shadow System’s box, I found a good quality gun rug, gun lock, cleaning rod, and several back straps. There was also a small bag with a tiny part that did not look like any other internal part I have Far examined and it wasn’t. It is the magazine well attachment pin. The MR920 features grip inserts that Shadow Systems refers to as the NPOA (Natural Point Of Aim).

Each backstrap is marked, with the Hinsert for those preferring a muzzle high attitude similar to the Glock, the Ninsert is neutral or mid range, and the Llow insert similar to the 1911 and good for shooters with smaller hands. I find these backstraps superior to the Glock inserts, especially when the extended tang is taken into consideration. The backstrap is changed by pressing a pin out, either right or left, and pressing the back strap down, then replacing a backstrap and re-inserting the pin.

The magazine well isn’t difficult to install. First, choose the preferred backstrap and press it into place without inserting the stabilizing pin. The small metal part with a pin supplied in the plastic bag is the magazine well attachment. Insert the magazine well connector into the grip frame and then attach the magazine well by driving in the standard grip strap pin and the supplied magazine well attachment pin.

I filed the detachable magazine well slightly to make it smoother but some shooters would not have noticed. This is a simple set up that is easily changed out depending on the shooter’s preference. The Shadow Systems pistol is very similar but not identical to the Glock so treat it as a unique pistol. AG