Let’s face it: when it comes to concealed carry pistols, a huge part of the appeal is revealed in the name: concealability. Consumers, including many (most?) of the first time gun buyers who have been flooding the pistol market over the last few years, are looking for a firearm that they can use to protect themselves and their families but that won’t draw attention to them unless they have to use it.

Other people take the grey man attitude: don’t draw attention to yourself but be the “most dangerous person in the room” (in other words, able to take effective action if the need arises).

Both of those motivations place a high value on concealability, obviously.

So, if you’re a firearm manufacturer looking to appeal to those who want concealability above (maybe) all else, how do you appeal to them? Well, you could do worse than starting with the name, both of your company and of the model of pistol that you’re releasing, and it looks like that line of thought may have been exactly what one manufacturer kept in mind. Serena Juchnowski writes,

Shadow Systems takes a familiar pistol platform and adds a spin, literally, with a spiral-fluted, match-grade barrel and other distinguishing features. Released this year, the CR920 (Covert Role) is Shadow System’s first subcompact pistol and is compatible with G43X MOS and G48 MOS holsters. The CR920 comes with a 10-round flush mag and 13-round extended magazine for a 10+1 and 13+1 capacity. This new offering has approximately the same length, width, and barrel length as a Glock G43X, but is .75-inch shorter with the flush mag and .25-inch shorter with the extended magazine. While this may not seem like much, a smaller gun with three extra rounds is impressive and more concealable, especially when built on a familiar platform. 

The CR920 is available in two configurations, Combat and Elite. The combat has an MSRP of $799, the Elite is a bit more at $940, though you can find both of them for less at retailers. This extra $140 brings topside directional serrations, a weight-optimizing window cut, and a standard optics cut. An optics-ready version of the Combat is also available.

Yes, a firearms manufacturer with “shadow” in the name, and a pistol model referencing the “covert role” that the firearm is designed for. It seems pretty obvious that Shadow Systems is targeting the lucrative micro compact market with this pistol.

So, if you’re in the market for a micro compact pistol (or another one), the CR920 may be one to take a look at.