When I first started in the outdoor industry, I attended a conference hosted by the Southeastern Outdoor Press Association and met industry icon and Mossberg Director of Media Relations Linda Powell.
I learned a lot talking to Linda – about the industry, about women’s role in it and about her progression from the medical field to the outdoor industry. Her story was and still is inspirational – learning how to shoot and hunt in her late 30’s while proving herself in a role at Remington. Flash forward and she’s hunted on multiple continents and in multiple countries, as well as planned and organized hunts. At that conference a few years ago, Linda introduced me to Mossberg firearms, specifically to their first pistols. Mossberg and I have both made strides since that time and early this year I had the opportunity to work with the 9mm optics-ready MC2sc at Gunsite Academy as part of the SIRENS group. Linda put this group of women together several years ago to get female feedback, to learn, to have fun, and of course to generate content. I was lucky enough to be invited this year and a new world opened to me.
While we did work with both Mossberg’s MC2sc pistol and 940 Pro Tactical shotgun, it was the pistol that really struck me. It was comfortable to hold – more so than many other guns I’ve held, and had small pads on the sides with extra friction for my fingers. Included were simple three dot sights, but the gun was optics ready. The ones we used were equipped with Riton auto-adjusting red dots. I wasn’t a huge fan of this particular red dot only because it didn’t seem to keep up with the changing light conditions, though I do appreciate red dots with manual brightness adjustments.
When I looked at Mossberg’s first pistols years ago, I didn’t know enough about pistols to offer an educated opinion. Since that time, my experience has expanded beyond competition rifle shooting into all sorts of things, particularly concealed carry.
Gunsite instructors Il Ling New and Mario Marchman ran our small group through a variety of drills. All of our work was done working from an OWB DeSantis Kydex holster and I learned about wearing a gun belt for the first time. We focused on defensive drills at short distances and walked through several simulations designed to test situational awareness and ability to draw and shoot quickly.
Though none of this was done drawing from concealment, the MC2sc is designed for concealed carry. This double stack has an 11-round flush and 14-round extended magazine, for an 11+1 or 14+1 capacity. I, like most everyone else, preferred the extended magazine and sliding cover that extended the grip. This made a comfortable gun even more comfortable with a space for my pinkie to rest. The pistol weighs 19.5 ounces empty and approximately 25 ounces loaded, still very manageable. The stainless-steel barrel measures 3.4” and the flat faced trigger has an approximately 5.5-pound pull – purposely on the heavy side.
Some models come with TRUGLO sights and/or a manual safety – the one I used just had three white dots. Out of the hundreds of rounds we all fired, I don’t know of any malfunctions, though our instructors had us practice how to handle one.
One of the most innovative features of the MC2sc is the safe-take down system. The first step is to remove the magazine and lock the slide open, ensuring the chamber is empty. Push the button on the rear slide plate and slide it down to expose the striker assembly. (The rear of the assembly is bright yellow for easy identification.) Gently pull the slide to close the action and the slide will push the striker assembly towards the rear. From here you can easily remove it without ever needing to pull the trigger. Pushing the slide forward even further will slide it off the frame.
I spent a lot of time with this gun. For a few days it was my near constant companion and I became both extremely comfortable with and fond of it. Most people still look at Mossberg as a shotgun company. I know some who are hesitant to try anything different, but I was duly impressed, as were members of my family when I had a loaner gun on hand.
This gun’s greatest asset is its grip angle and how comfortable it is to hold, especially for female hands. Some will say comfort doesn’t matter. I argue that it does. Mental management is a huge part of shooting, especially under stress. I’d prefer to shoot something I feel good about. Also, although many carry guns look the same, I’ve seen first hand that all feel just a little bit different. The moral of the story? Never be afraid to try something new, especially from a reputable brand, and ensure that whatever you’re carrying, you’re comfortable with. It makes a difference.
All photos by Serena Juchnowski.
About the Author
I started shooting in 8th grade, competing in monthly cast bullet silhouette matches at Tusco Rifle Club. I progressed to high power service rifle at age 16 and earned my Distinguished Rifleman’s Badge in 2019. I also hunt and compete in smallbore silhouette and airgun matches. I am proud to represent several companies: Sierra Bullets, Krieger Barrels, and Kelbly’s. I am very fortunate to work in the outdoor industry as an outdoor writer and have been published in many national magazines and well-known online publications. The pinnacle of my career thus far was my story and photo being featured on the cover of the January 2022 issue of America’s First Freedom.
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