Just got one in yesterday, and it looks pretty good overall. Just under $500 shipped.
The flashlight and optics are both NcStar. Both appear to me to be of reasonable quality. Not great, but considering the price they're ok. The finish the safety extension for the barrel is a bit darker than the pistol. The extension and flashlight mount looks anodized, while the pistol is Parkerized.
A few not so awesome welds but they appear quite functionally fine:
Fit and finish seem pretty good overall. Mags click in and drop out positively and easily. An aftermarket paddle release is available.
The sight is the D4B model.
- 33mm lens
- 7 brightness settings
- 4 reticle patterns (1-crosshairs w/circle, 2-large circle around small dot, 3-small dot, 4-crosshairs w/small dot )
- Comes with a sight cover
- Extra battery
40 (or 35 depending on who you ask) lumens, 1 watt. Quick release weaver mount, ambidextrous sliding switch to turn it on. The switch ends up right at trigger fingertip when you put your finger alongside the pistol body. If you're a lefty though, you'll have to use a different finger, as your trigger finger will turn the light off; not useful if you want it on.
I'm not sure you could use the bottom rail for much besides a flashlight as it can wiggle back and forth about 4mm. I guess a laser might be reasonably accurate at close ranges, but you could probably get a low profile laser on the top rail, mounted in front of the sight.
See the gaps above that let it move a little on the back end next to the guard.It's a heavy sucker! 5 lbs unloaded with all accessories. Well, that will keep recoil low and the sights on target. And of course the bolt is huge, which will absorb a lot of the recoil.
You can buy MOST pieces of this separately from MPA. The pistol can be bought with the top rail mounted. And you could by the scope elsewhere too.
Lets price it out separately. Prices are from the MPA website.
MPA930SST-A Pistol, sidecocking. $499.95
Mini 9 Flashlight rail, flashlight, and Barrel Extension. $89.95
NcStar D4B. $40+ from various places, MPA doesn't sell it separately. If they did, it might be a bit more.
The MPA930-SST-X is $630.95 MSRP.
Strangely, the total price adds up to about what you'd pay for the package deal. I suppose you save a tiny bit, plus a little shipping.
Overall, I'm pretty happy with it.
Next: Documentation included? And how about that warranty fine print?
I've been contacted by someone at the company regarding the review, and he said it was a fairly accurate review. I might get the ugly welds addressed, he said they should look better than that. I don't know if he plans to do anything about it, or just point out the fact that they should be better. :)
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