I am a confirmed fan of the H9 pistol. I even purchased one when Hudson introduced them and have used it frequently. Likewise, I bought the first H9 pistol from Daniel Defense, still have it, carried it quite a bit, and put thousands of rounds through it. Mine has been flawless, too, including when a friend used it for a video test.

The Daniel Defense H9 9mm Pistol

When Daniel Defense introduced their “improved” version, it was time to put that one to the test. Speaking with Chris McNeil (Technical Sales Advisor), I found the changes to be substantial and very interesting. Given my experience across the platform, it would be really easy for me to tell the difference. After testing, this may be the first time “new and improved” was the truth!

Previous Experience

All the issues with the original Hudson have been outlined in depth. Fortunately, mine never really suffered from any of them. The trigger was kind of sloppy, but it worked without issue. It was a perfect fit for my hand and soft shooting. I even used it several times while teaching at Gunsite Academy.

Given the lack of parts for the Hudson, when the Daniel Defense version was introduced, I picked one up, and the Hudson was retired. It was reliable, accurate, and carried daily. Others identified issues with keyholing, but that never occurred with mine.

Daniel Defense tells me that the issue was identified in a very small percentage of H9s. Likewise, it was with certain types of ammunition that was undersized and out of spec.

My only complaint about this pistol was the trigger. While it was less sloppy, it was kind of heavy for what it was and, at times, inconsistent. Given the design you would expect it to be more 1911-like.

Still, it was not a real issue for me, given how many pistols I test in a given year. Still, when Chris detailed the changes, it was time to get a new one and see exactly what the differences were, if any.

An Improved H9

“New and improved” automatically sparks skepticism for me. Improvements tend to be minimal, cosmetic, and nothing more than an excuse to raise the price. In this case, the skepticism was unwarranted.

A new barrel using standard rifling, built to run a wide variety of ammunition, addresses any issues with out-of-spec ammo. Standard rifling allows the use of lead bullets without replacing the barrel. This is huge for competitors or others that reload.

Trigger parts are coated for smoother operation, and tighter tolerances are used, providing a consistent and lighter trigger pull. The recoil spring is a dual spring designed to provide even less felt recoil and faster and flatter shooting.

Lastly, the backstrap was redesigned to provide more comfort and control.

Dry fire/Range Time with the H9

Out of the box, the pistol feels more finished and smoother. While some felt the old backstrap provided some “hot spots,” this one is about as smooth and blended as it gets for a factory pistol.

These have always fit my hand well—this latest model more so. The real difference, though, is the trigger. This pistol averaged about 4.6 pounds and was consistently between 4.5 and 4.7 over ten measurements with my digital trigger gauge. Correspondingly, stacking was minimal to non-existent. It really felt like a 1911 trigger once you took up the slack on the trigger-mounted drop safety.

I handed it to a couple of friends, and they just looked at me and said, “Wow, this is a huge difference.”

Any previous hot spots appear to be gone as the H9 melts into your hand with no sharp edges. Over a couple of days, I put a tad over 700 rounds through it and never felt any discomfort.

A Soft and Flat Shooter

I’m not sure there was any significant reduction in muzzle rise or recoil. But to be honest, the H9 has always been a soft and flat shooter. It’s one of the primary reasons I bought one.

Using 115-grain practice ammunition from Winchester and Federal, it had no issues and was about as soft as it gets with a 9mm and no compensator. Tracking the sights, it did not move much, especially with a tight grip.

Using the Shield AMS, I produced some of the fastest 6-round Bill drills outside my competition 1911s. Once you get past the different pivot point on the trigger safety, it is really fast, predictable, and never had an issue with reset.

Some can’t get past it, but for me, it feels like a two-stage on the first pull—my long-time preference. If you “take up the slack” on your trigger manipulation, it is very predictable. For me, it allowed me to find the wall on press one. Everything after that was just like a 1911.

The H9 Delivers on Accuracy

Both my previous H9s were accurate, and so was this one. At 5 yards—slow fire using the irons—it put rounds in roughly the same hole. The fiber optic front is bright and clear, and the U notch makes it easy to be consistent.

Shooting three rounds each from standing at 3-30 yards, all shots stayed inside a fist diameter. From the holster at 25 yards, my one-shot drill was centered on the 8-inch steel. I got the same result at 50 yards using Remington’s 124-grain Ultra Defense.

The best group was with the same ammo, using the bed of my truck as a rest on a bag. However, to be fair, my off-hand groups on steel were not much bigger.

Using the AMS (RDS), they tightened up a bit. But after going back and forth, my preference was really the factory sights. I’ve been shooting for a long time. If the front sight is visible, my accuracy is pretty solid, and this one was easy to pick up.

A Comfortable Concealed Carry Pistol

Concealed carry is comfortable with this H9. Smooth and roughly the same size as a Glock G19, it works well at three o’clock or AIWB. G-code makes a few holsters for this, which are available on the Daniel Defense site.

The Phenom Stealth is light, compact, comfortable, and works with the Shield AMS. Another favorite is my Simply Rugged Defcon 4. There is just something about leather IWB for comfort. G-code can make you one, but my P229 holster fit about perfectly and was also set up for the dot.

I carry this pretty much all the time now and don’t see any particular reason to stop.

Mounting an Optic

The only RDS mounting plates lying around were from Daniel Defense. While they worked for the article, they are not my favorite. Even though the AMS sits low, the rear sight would not co-witness. Shield’s built-in rear sight worked great, but you will need taller sights if you want a true co-witness. The same thing was true when mounting a Sig Romeo X Pro. So, the plate is just tall.

Another issue was the mounting holes. It’s as if they are off just a tad and required some fitting when it should have dropped right on. Plates from C&H Precision are on the way. My experience with them has been excellent, and I will try it with some compact sights.

Mounting an RDS that will truly co-witness the factory irons would make this a great carry optic pistol.

Bottom Line

Unlike most new and improved items, the new H9 is both. The trigger is a game changer—the difference is immediately noticeable and stayed that way throughout testing. Even though my previous versions had no feeding issues, an improved barrel with standard rifling is a nice change.

I can’t speak to any differences in the grip strap, but I am not sure how it could get more comfortable. Everything is blended, with no sharp edges, and it carries and handles very well.

Daniel Defense has done a great job with this pistol, with real improvements based on user comments. That’s pretty rare these days. If you are an H9 guy, it’s worth the move. If not, give one a try. It will surprise you.

For more information, please visit DanielDefense.com.

Daniel Defense H9 Pistol Specs

Action	Striker Fired / straight pull trigger
Caliber	9mm
Barrel Length	4.28 Inches
Weight	29.6 ounces (empty magazine)
Capacity	15+1
MSRP	$1299.00

Performance

Remington 124 Grain +P Ultra Def
Velocity	1220
Group	1.35 inches
Federal HST 147 Grain
Velocity	1040
Group	1.40 inches
Hornady 135 +P Critical Duty
Velocity	1185
Group	1.50 inches
Black Hills 115 +P TACXP
Velocity	1225
Group	1.55 inches