Many firearms manufacturers make a wide variety of guns. The same company will often make pistols, carbines, rifles, shotguns, and whatever else they can fit into the product line. No criticism there. Many of those manufacturers make quality guns across all of their product lines.
There are some manufacturers, though, that specialize on just one type of firearm. Often, when you hear of a manufacturer doing this, it’s because they are specializing in either pistols (think Glock) or in AR type guns.
The company that we’re talking about today is one that has made a name for themselves specializing in AR type firearms, but, now, they’re branching out into non-AR pistols with a model called the H9. From the Daniel Defense website:
Aside from being thin and sitting low in your hand, the H9 provides a natural feel and “pointability.” The gun has been described as a striker-fired pistol meets a 1911, and it points and feels precisely like that. If you’re used to shooting 1911s but have been interested in crossing over to a striker-fired handgun, this is the handgun for you. If striker-fired handguns are what you’re comfortable with but you’ve been looking to expand into a 1911-style pistol, the H9 provides the best of both worlds.
The Daniel Defense page continues:
The H9 has a low bore axis, which means it sits low in your hand and there’s less gun protruding up above your hand than handguns with a higher bore axis. With less gun sitting above your hand, more of the gun’s recoil drives straight back into the meaty part of your hand, which helps reduce muzzle flip. Handguns with a higher bore axis tend to have more muzzle flip because, when recoil drives the gun back into your hand, your hand serves as a fulcrum and the muzzle flips up.
It may be basic physics, but it definitely makes a difference. More muzzle flip means your sights jump farther off target, which means it takes more time to reacquire your sight picture, resulting in slower follow-up shots. The Daniel H9 was designed to minimize muzzle flip, allowing you to reacquire your target faster and make accurate follow-up shots quicker.
Now, in case you think that the low bore axis claim is more hype than reality, the reviewer in the video below clearly disagrees.
Even with the features that both Daniel Defense and reviewers are bragging about, including an aluminum (not polymer) frame, fast cycling, and straight-pullback trigger, which many people will appreciate, with an MSRP of $1,299, this isn’t a pistol that is aiming for the budget market.
On the other hand, if you’re more the type of person who is willing pay more for the value, and you like the specific features that Daniel Defense focused on with the H9, this may be a pistol to consider.
Looks like a Hudson design. Same design concept and basic lines for sure. They even used the same model name as Hudson used with its one design that was manufactured, H9. They did increase the price, in 2018 the Hudson H9 was selling for $850. Now DD is selling basically the same pistol for $1299. Okay, inflation, I get it, but DD has never been known for selling anything at a lower price. 50% price increase? Don’t know if it’s justified until the gun has been thoroughly tested and reviewed. The original Hudson was an excellent performer. Will its successor follow the same path? Only time will tell.