Daniel H9 Review - 1250 Rounds

Joins us out on the farm as Jesse discusses his experiences with at least 1,250 round through the Daniel Defense Daniel H9 pistol, version 2. Daniel Defense released the H9 in early 2024 with some problems. They made changes and shipped out our pistol in September 2024. The new version is the gun that should have been released in early 2024. We'll see if the Daniel H9 (version 2) can survive after the troubled launch of the first version...
Firearms Safety Rules:
1.) Treat all firearms as if they're loaded.
2.) Never point a firearm at something you're not willing to kill/destroy.
3.) Keep your finger off the trigger until you're ready to fire.
4.) Be mindful of your target and what is behind it.
Be safe when handling firearms. If you are not competent with firearms, get training from a competent instructor and have fun while learning!
Jesse Canan is a retired police officer from the State of Ohio. He was a semi-automatic handgun, patrol rifle, and shotgun requalification instructor with his former agency. Jesse retired from law enforcement due to medical reasons.
Jesse retired from the National Guard after 20 years of service with deployments to Iraq (Army, 2009) and Kuwait (Air Force, 2016-2017). Jesse was a UH-60 crew chief (mechanic and door gunner) and Security Forces while in the military.

[@Tactisloth]

Glad to see they actually fixed the issues it was having, I really wanted this to be a decent pistol. Thanks for the review.

[@HollyrockFarm]

I like mine. Only thing now is to see if it manages to stay in the market after the fumbled launch. Aftermarket support would be nice!

[@Generic_Username_0331]

I bought mine jan of last year and loved it. Never had the reported problems some people had. Sent it in for the upgrade and its even better now. Nicer trigger and the beaver tail is more comfy. I carry this over my g19. My only complaint is there is no Safariland duty holster for it yet. I have a G-Code but its not my favorite.

[@HollyrockFarm]

We definitely need more holster support. I cannot find an acceptable concealable light bearing holster. I wouldn't mind a direct mount for a RDS so it would mount lower...the new COA looks like it might be great on the H9...

[@braxtonmontgomery1680]

I really enjoy my gen 2 H9. The trigger and ergonomics make it a great carry gun. I shoot it comparable to a C2 and at half the cost. My 2 dings would be the weight and the lack of a direct mount optic. With a 1" slide, it just makes sense to go RMSc footprint. With the removable fire control group, I wonder if they will get the backing for a polymer grip module, even after they fumbled the launch.

[@HollyrockFarm]

I think the fumbled launch has cost a lot in terms of adoption, holster support, and other aftermarket parts. I'd really like to see a direct mount system for the RDS. I think the Aimpoint COA would probably be great on the H9.

[@jamiedees8223]

Walther PDP version 1 had no lugs, or anything on their optic mount. It was just flat and 2 screws also. There were no issues with it, but there were KZbin channels saying they thought there would be troubles. So just to make people happy Walther changed it to the version optic with lugs they have now. Although Walther and several shooters I know said they had no issues with optics coming loose on version 1.

[@HollyrockFarm]

I didn’t know that about Walther. Two screws may be sufficient but when everyone else is doing more, it makes me, the guy that all the credit hours short of my engineering degree, wonder about the long term mounting security. Then again, all the studs and designs may just be part of a conspiracy to make things proprietary and bolster the adapter plate market!

[@muco007]

Can you identify from serial # range which is version 2?

[@HollyrockFarm]

I asked and Daniel Defense did not specify a serial number range. They said they did not make external markings to indicate the “upgraded” guns. The dual recoil spring and guide rod was specifically mentioned as the way to tell if a gun has been upgraded.

[@mohammedalnahyan4604]

Hi Jesse, the question that needs to be addressed is to whom is the pistol marketed to. Meaning is it for concealed carry, competition, home defense, or law enforcement? I dont know what would compel someone to buy one

[@HollyrockFarm]

As it stands, it is a jack of all trades gun that does not do any one thing great. I shot it against a Staccato CS and in some ways, preferred the H9. I shot it at an IDPA match but as configured it is not going to take over carry optics. If you bought one pistol you could use the H9 in all roles. With the chassis system, aftermarket support could allow it to be configured for more specialized roles as needed. I have my reservations about companies not seeing the ROI on aftermarket support for the H9 after Daniel Defense fumbled the launch.

[@impolite2n1p3r8]

Striker fired gun… with a 1911 style trigger. But it isn’t a 1911 trigger. It’s not hammer fired. They changed the backstrap, the barrel and guide rod) aswell as a few other thing. Like the trigger pull and such

[@HollyrockFarm]

It isn’t a 1911/2011 trigger but mine is pretty nice. They changed a lot. The version 2 is as good as it was hyped to be in January 2024…trouble is the version 1 of the Daniel Defense version was terrible. Since they had the failed launch, I’m concerned they will not gain traction so holster support will not be viable enough for companies to have left handed light bearing options.

[@True-word74]

Best it with that junk 450.00 or obo

[@HollyrockFarm]

I'm not sure I understand what you mean.

[@Logan2070]

This is overpriced, overhyped garbage. There are better options for significantly less money.

[@HollyrockFarm]

Have you fired one?

[@Philmoscowitz]

Which guns do you think are better, cheaper options?