The Boberg XR9-S is one of the most interesting concealed carry pistols on the market. A rather unusual handgun that utilizes a bullpup design, it has its ejection port seated towards the rear and a magazine that entirely appears to be backward.

As we prepared our Boberg XR9-S review, the untrained eye would believe that this handgun is an unnecessarily complex piece of hardware. However, the Boberg XR9-S is actually an ideal concealed carry handgun in the modern-day market. The Boberg XR9-S has been around for a few years, but it is still as effective today as it was when it first released.

Made in the USA

Entirely built within the United States of America, the frame is made of Dupont Zytel™ polymer. The slide itself is stainless steel. As for coating, there are a few choices to pick, including a black-matte style or platinum. The grip itself is made with comfort in mind, while the sights are Novak style white three-dot.

The Boberg fires the 9mm round and houses a 7 round magazine. However, one has to look beyond the specs that seem to come standard with most handguns in this category to truly see where the Boberg XR9-S shines. Because of its rear feeding magazine system, there is no need for a feed ramp within the gun. Its careful design allows the barrel to be slightly longer than competing guns like the Glock 43 or the Smith & Wesson Shield, and is a design that still doesn’t compromise the overall shape and feel of this micro-handgun.

Boberg itself states that this design enables 9mm +P ammunition to have a boost of about 100fps in velocity over its competitors. As this handgun is designed for close-range defense, such an improvement is dramatic in regards to the competition. The Boberg XR9-S simply doesn’t fail in this regard.

This design also allows extreme accuracy, as the design of the barrel is made to limit any feeling of torque. A six-pound trigger weight helps to allow a smooth transition between aiming and firing, while simultaneously helping the shooter to keep the gun trained on target even when fired.

Slim Fit

The XR9-S particularly shines in how slim it is. It is only 5.1 inches long, under an inch wide, and just over four inches high. This pistol is absolutely tiny, simply disappearing in a pair of loose-fitting jeans. This particularly means that the Boberg XR9-S is good for anyone looking for a good gun to pocket-carry.

The XR9-S was also made with people with a lower upper body strength in mind. Allowing for uncannily smooth usage for anyone in close-quarters. In fact, this gun’s accuracy and ease of use help the average joe to utilize this gun to its fullest capacity.

The Boberg XR9-S is only comprised of around fifty parts. Why is this significant? Fewer parts and a simpler design mean that this handgun is subject to easy maintenance and repairs should it be needed. One would be first led to believe that this handgun houses a complicated build that would be difficult to repair, but the gun’s small stature is only complemented by its few parts.

In plain terms, the Boberg is one of the most overlooked pistols in the concealed carry market. It is incredibly small, easy to use, and gets the job efficiently. However, there are still some cons to be noted about the Boberg XR9-S.

Importance of Quality Ammo

First of all, it requires quality ammunition to function correctly as specified by the manufacturer. Utilizing quality ammo in a defensive arm should be a given anyway. Anyone who has been in this long enough knows that a concealed carry becoming jammed could be a death sentence to the user.

While attempting to rack the slide on a fresh magazine, it can also be easy to accidentally lock up the action. Although this is most commonly reported on older models, Boberg appears to swear that this is simply a user error. However, even longtime users have noted that on occasion, they too can lock up the action.

As mentioned previously, this is not something that you want to happen. If worse comes to worst and you’re caught in a particularly dirty, rainy, or simply wet situation where racking the slide properly in the midst of an ongoing firefight is the least of your worries. You might just find yourself with a locked up action. The only way to remedy this, of course, will be to practice with the pistol repeatedly at home and at the range to avoid any sort of user error that could result in the above scenario.

Boberg has offered users replacement parts and such in the past to prevent this from happening, while a little bit of user maintenance and proper ammunition usually does the trick. This has not fully stopped the complaints but has curbed it significantly. In short, Boberg stands by their creation and has aided numerous users in the past with resolving this problem.

Conclusion

Finally, the XR9-S is also very expensive and can reach up to or over a thousand dollars per weapon. Whereas there are many competing quality concealed carry pistols available for much less.

All things considered, the Boberg XR9-S is a concealed carry handgun that is incredibly small, compact, and potent. For its purpose, this micro-gun is perfect for its market. For self-defense purposes, its smoothness and ease of use are unmatched while its practicality is notable.

It is exceptionally designed and fits the bill for a concealed carry handgun while surpassing the competition in many important aspects. The Boberg packs a heavy punch while simultaneously giving the user precise control over its usage. It keeps you safe and prepared for whatever emergency situation arises within the ever-changing climate of today’s world.

It’s difficult to understand the Boberg XR9-S’s power unless you wield one yourself. However, if you do decide to go for this weapon, you’ll have the comfort and knowledge that you and your loved ones will be protected no matter the situation that arises. Nestled in your pocket, the Boberg XR9-S will go completely unnoticed.

Alex Joseph is an avid bow hunter and father of two boys. Originally from Tacoma, Washington. Alex now resides in California.

His article first appeared in Gun News Daily.

Image: Wikimedia.