The last time I had a situation like this was, as my records show, around 1998. It was a time of great changes for me and people close to me. Amid the madness, a package arrived at the licensee’s address for me. It contained a “Box of GLOCKs” – as the story that followed was titled.
It must have been okay; the editor actually used my headline – that time.
I can’t be absolutely sure of the year – as an internet “source” has one of the guns in question not being around until 1999, but it’s the same era. As I recall, the guns that shipped were the GLOCK 27, GLOCK 29 and GLOCK 33 – two “baby” GLOCKs (40 S&W and 357 SIG) as well as a “compact” in 10mm.
What reminded me of that? Notification of three pistols arriving from the same maker at the same time – these are the FOUNDATION series pistols from Shadow Systems.
I’ve had nothing to do with the so-called “Gucci” style modern striker-fired pistols (MSFP – as people like to add initials where they’re not needed), but when Shadow Systems elected to pursue the more-or-less standard line (in terms of features and pricing), I knew they’d be reaching a wider audience.
I’d asked only for a sample, one of the three styles in the line, for my edification and for the information to my readers. Over-achievers, they sent all three.
Great.
This piece will compare the guns in general terms; the shooting aspect will follow but I anticipate they’ll be similar in handling and function.
The Shadow Systems “system” is based principally on size/capacity; the DR920 (“duty ready”) is the ‘service size’ pistol with 4 ½” barrel and a 17-round capacity. The XR920 is the same but with the “compact” slide (4” barrel and 17-round capacity) – a “crossover,” so to speak. The MR920 (“multi-role,” as in “duty” and “concealed carry”) is the truncated slide and barrel (4”) with a fifteen-round capacity. Think “service-compact.”
Starting at $679 MSRP, that puts them in the neighborhood with the mass-produced “bigs” as far as pricing and feature set goes. Made to fit “Gen4” holsters for the G17 (DR920) and G19/G19x (MR920, XR920) and taking GLOCK magazines (they ship with the MAGPUL product), it’s clear that they intend to fit in with a range of existing aftermarket support.
Specifications follow:
MR
XR
DR
The guns have the same frame as the upper-end Shadow Systems pistols, with wrap-around grip texture (remarkably grippy without being abrasive) – getting high marks for comfort and control – with three interchangeable backstraps (and no, you don’t remove the trigger housing pin to get the backstrap out …) The backstraps serve to change the angle of the bore relative to your hold, not to change the size of the frame – an interesting concept.
The slide has pocket-cut serrations and the patented Shadow Systems optic cut – allowing a direct mount of most major optic brands “with the longest and strongest screws in the industry.” The sights are steel, with a plain black serrated rear and white dot front. They’re high enough to allow a lower 1/3 co-witness with most optics. The optics cut cover plate is polymer on the Foundation series guns.
The barrels are match-grade, smooth finish (not fluted like the upscale guns), nitrided and conventionally rifled. The muzzles are not threaded.
The inside of the guns reveal a carbon steel guide rod (it’s stainless in the pricier guns) and a polymer trigger shoe. It has the drop safety tab in the face of the trigger, which is set to press through at 4.5-5 pounds of pressure. The reset is tactile and crisp; seems to be a strong return spring inside, a good thing.
The guns ship with two magazines (MAGPUL) and the guns feature Shadow Systems’ “Limited Lifetime Warranty.”
They advertise the guns as having “simply the essentials.”
We’ll see.
-- Rich Grassi