{"id":414298,"date":"2023-12-26T17:00:23","date_gmt":"2023-12-26T23:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/?p=414298"},"modified":"2024-10-04T23:58:22","modified_gmt":"2024-10-05T04:58:22","slug":"grand-power-q1-9mm-handgun-a-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/grand-power-q1-9mm-handgun-a-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Grand Power Q1 9mm Handgun: A Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

Have you seen the new Grand Power<\/a> Q1 9mm handgun? If not, it\u2019s worth a closer look because it has a lot of things going for it. Grand Power made a name for itself in the US when it released the Stribog, a 9mm sub-gun-sized weapon. It grew in popularity because of its reliability and affordability. More recently, Grand Power released the SP10A3 10mm sub-gun and it\u2019s proving to continue that trend with some modern updates. But, if you didn\u2019t know it, Grand Power also makes some awesome handguns that are just as reliable and affordable.<\/p>\n

\"Grand
Grand Power Q1 9mm pistol. [Photo: Jason Mosher]<\/figcaption><\/figure>The Q 100 striker-fired series of handguns has been around for a while. They offer interchangeable grip modules, which were made popular in the US by Sig Sauer<\/a>. But Grand Power was doing this long before Sig and they have a reputation for thinking outside the box. Grand Power weapons are made in Slovakia with most of their firearms being exported to other countries. Global Ordnance is the importer of Grand Power weapons, which is marked on all US-imported Grand Power guns.<\/p>\n

One unique thing about the Q series of handguns is their rotating barrel, which helps reduce recoil. They are also fully ambidextrous, which is a must-have for left-handed shooters or those who practice shooting with both hands. There is a lot to cover with the Q1 9mm handgun, so let\u2019s jump right into it.<\/p>\n

Size and holster compatibility of the Grand Power Q1<\/h2>\n

Grand Power calls the Q1 a compact pistol. Determining the size of a gun depends on what you are comparing it to, I guess. While it\u2019s smaller than some of their full-size pistols, it\u2019s not what I would call a compact gun, but that\u2019s just me. I also don\u2019t consider the Glock 19 a compact pistol, even though it\u2019s compared to the G17. In today\u2019s world, we have so many small handguns for CCW that it has caused a wide range of what people call \u201ccompact.\u201d Guns like the Glock 43, Sig P365, FN Reflex, and others are much smaller than a Glock 19-sized weapon.<\/p>\n

\"Grand
Grand Power Q1 pistol with the Holosun P.ID tac light. [Jason Mosher]<\/figcaption><\/figure>The same goes for the Grand Power Q1, which is comparable to the Glock 19 in size. It’s so close that it fits in most of my G19 leather holsters. I was able to fit the Q1 in my Galco and Gould & Goodrich shoulder holster and my Falco leather belt holster. It didn\u2019t fit in some of the G19 polymer holsters I tried because of some differences in the shape of the slide. My Galco VHS 4.0 vertical shoulder holster worked perfectly with the Q1 pistol with the Streamlight TLR-1 and Holosun P.ID lights attached to it.<\/p>\n

What makes the Q1 so different?<\/h2>\n

Having a rotating barrel isn\u2019t rare, but it\u2019s not the popular design being used out there either. Beretta used a rotating design with their Storm, which never had much success. Grand Power uses this design but keeps the size of the slide and frame slim. The rotating barrel locks in place when fired and rotates to the rear of the gun as the shell is being ejected and a new one inserted. This is believed to help reduce recoil and accuracy compared to the tilting barrel design.<\/p>\n

\"Grand
The Q1 breaks down differently than most striker-fired guns. [Photo: Jason Mosher]<\/figcaption><\/figure>Another thing that is different with the Q1 than most traditional striker-fired handguns is how it’s disassembled. To fieldstrip the gun, you first pull down on the slide retention pins (like a Glock). But instead of the slide pushing off the end of the frame, the Q1 slide pulls off the back of the frame. The easiest way I found to do this is to grip the trigger guard and pull on the retention pins with the same hand (see photo below). While pulling down on the slide retention pins, pull the slide all the way back and lift.<\/p>\n

Ergonomics, trigger, and other features<\/h2>\n

At first sight, the slide on the Q1 looks a little like the CZ 75 slide. It\u2019s not a tall slide which keeps the weight down, helping with recoil. There are a few grooves on the front and back of the slide to help grip it when racking the first round. The block-style sights are removable, so they can be switched out with different sizes. A loaded chamber indicator on the back is easy to see, so you know there\u2019s one in the tube. I\u2019m not sure I\u2019ve seen a chamber indicator stick out so far before. But it doesn\u2019t get in the way, so I don\u2019t really mind it. In fact, it\u2019s starting to grow on me.<\/p>\n

The frame of the gun kind of transforms into the grip, which is a little different. There\u2019s not a lot of texturing around the grip area, making it feel smooth and somewhat slick. I would prefer this to grips that have too much texturing, but that part is a personal preference. Gripping the gun feels natural and almost makes me want to shoot it one-handed. People with smaller hands may prefer a more compact grip like the Q1S, but for medium to large hands, it’s pretty comfortable.<\/p>\n

\"Trigger
The Q1 can be purchased with a straight trigger, which I love on this gun. [Photo; Jason Mosher]<\/figcaption><\/figure>The Q1’s flat trigger is also a major upgrade. Some people like curved triggers better, but I\u2019ve grown to appreciate the flat trigger and shoot better with one. On the Q1, my Wheeler trigger gauge showed an average of 4 lbs after 10 trigger pulls. This model doesn\u2019t have a manual safety, but according to Grand Power, the trigger is equipped with a trigger safety mechanism that operates autonomously.<\/p>\n

Grand Power Q1 specs:<\/h2>\n