Gestamen Arms G9HSP – Modular As Hell

I love the odd and interesting. I like innovative and exciting. When I stumbled across the Gestamen Arms booth on the 1st Floor of SHOT Show, I had to stop and gawk. The Gestamen Arms G9HSP is the first and only gun I know of that allows the user to swap the firearm between a hammer-fired DA/SA configuration and a DA/SA striker-fired configuration.

In about twenty seconds, you can swap the internals to convert the gun from one design to the other. I watched the crew at the booth do it in less than 20 seconds without rushing. It appears you need a punch and not much more.

You might be asking: what exactly is this useful for? In the United States, it might not be that big of a deal because it’s fairly easy to own multiple firearms here. However, in other countries, it’s difficult to obtain firearms; being able to convert a single handgun to multiple configurations gives an owner various options.

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I admittedly think it’s cool. I don’t necessarily need this ability, but I want it—especially since I find DA/SA striker-fired guns to be so darn cool. There are plans in the future to allow users to adjust the trigger pull weight through different modules. You can decrease the weight for competition purposes or increase it for defensive purposes.

The G9HSP: Beyond the Standard

There is a possibility that users will be able to convert the gun to DAO or SAO in the near future. It’s not guaranteed, but Gestamen Arms is open to experimenting and developing the gun into a multitude of configurations. Beyond the ability to convert the gun between hammer-fired and striker, we have a fairly competent and modern handgun.

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It’s optics-ready, but the optic sits fairly high due to the use of a Picatinny adapter. Due to the gun’s modular design, you can’t mill directly into the slide. The folks at Gestamen are aware of the issue and are working to reduce the mount’s height and simplify its design.

Ergonomics and Handling

The gun has a decocker that doubles as a safety. Press it down, and it decocks; press it up, and it’s on safe. The gun looks a bit like a CZ P-09 and can actually use P-09 holsters. The controls are fairly large, including the slide lock. Eastern Europeans always go big with their controls, and I appreciate it.

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The trigger pull for each system feels quite nice. The double-action feels like it rolls rather than fights you. The double-action trigger pull is surprisingly short—shorter than most other options on the market. The single-action delivers a smooth, crisp feel that drops nicely. The striker does seem lighter than the hammer, but that could be my imagination.

Compatibility and Convenience

Here’s the best thing about the G9HSP: it uses Glock magazines. Yep, Glock 17 magazines to be specific. Its use of Glock mags gives you affordable and diverse magazine options. It’s common enough to keep things simple and affordable.

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