Walking the hallowed halls of GunCon 2025, where the scent of gunpowder and ambition hangs thick in the air, I stumbled upon a company I hadn’t properly met: Derya. My first thought was, “Who are these quiet assassins of the firearms world?” My second, “They have a new pistol? Tell me everything!” And just like that, the Derya DY9 Island pistol entered my life.
The “Island” designation, for those curious minds not fluent in gun-speak, refers to the front sight being mounted directly to the barrel. This little engineering marvel minimizes sight movement, a feature that would make even the grizzled, iron-sight-loving warriors of yesteryear nod in approval. But fear not, my modern, optics-addicted comrades! The DY9 is also optics-ready, featuring an RMR footprint cut for your favorite red dot sights.
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Oh, and did I mention this version comes with a ported barrel? Because it does. Those ports vent gas straight up, performing a little magic trick to keep the gun flatter after each shot. From my chats with the Derya wizards, these ports reduce muzzle rise by a staggering 25% and felt recoil by nearly 12%! That’s like having a miniature, invisible wizard helping you shoot.
An Ammo Can, Not a Cardboard Coffin
In the wild world of firearms, pistols typically arrive in one of two ways: a flimsy cardboard box destined for immediate recycling (or a fire pit), or a soft case that quickly finds its eternal resting place under a workbench, perhaps becoming a haven for dust bunnies.
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Imagine my utter shock and genuine surprise when the Derya team unveiled their DY9 packaging. Believe it or not, the DY9 shows up in a plastic ammo can! Yes, an actual, reusable ammo can. Who among us doesn’t need another one of those? Inside this glorious plastic fortress, the pistol, magazines, and accessories were nestled safely within a soft case. For any aspiring pistol manufacturers out there, take note: Derya just dropped the mic on packaging.
Derya DY9 Deconstructed
So, what exactly is the DY9 pistol? It’s an optics-ready, semi-automatic 9mm pistol boasting a 4.02-inch barrel. But wait, there’s more! It comes with three 15-round magazines and four different-sized backstraps for a perfect custom fit. A feature I found incredibly useful and well-thought-out was the integrated magwell, which makes reloads smoother than a buttered squirrel on a black nitrideslide.
Magazine Compatibility
Now, the primary feature that truly made my inner reloader sing with joy was the Glock magazine compatibility. Let me tell you, there’s nothing more soul-crushing than buying a sleek new pistol only to discover its magazines are rarer than a unicorn’s first date, or priced like they’re forged from solid unobtanium.
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Remember the dark times, when a single pistol magazine could set you back $30? Lord help you if that particular magazine was phased out! The agony! With the abundance of low-cost, high-quality options from companies like Magpul and KCI, the thought of being stuck with proprietary, expensive mags is truly painful. All this to say: Derya did it right. They understand the struggle.
Holster Harmony: Fits Like a Glock
Speaking of things Derya did right, let’s talk holster compatibility. To my absolute delight (and minor surprise), the DY9 pistol fit perfectly in my AnR Design Glock holsters. I should note that Derya does not guarantee compatibility with all Glock holsters but the DY9 pistol is said to work with most Glock holsters. Derya even offers a holster directly from their website when you purchase your pistol.
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Derya, being the clever folks they are, designed their pistol with existing holster compatibility in mind. Chances are, you already own one that works. And the same goes for your magazine pouches! Since the magazines are Glock-pattern, your existing Kydex pouches will work perfectly. It’s like Derya peeked into your gear bin and said, “We got you.”
Eating Ammo Like a Champ
Alright, onto the fun part: shooting the DY9 pistol. The trigger broke cleanly around the 5-pound mark, which is precisely what you’d expect from a solid carry pistol. The grip size felt great in my average-sized “meat hooks.” The integrated magwell is smartly placed and doesn’t interfere with your grip or handling. Weighing in at about 1 pound, 6.7 ounces without a magazine but with a Holosun 508T mounted, it’s light. Throw in a fully loaded 15-round mag and one in the chamber, and you’re around 2 pounds, 0.8 ounces – a perfectly manageable package.
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I fed the DY9 a diverse diet of ammunition, from my humble 124-grain Berry’s reloads (powered by Hodgdon Titegroup and CCI primers) to the more refined Hornady 124-grain Critical Duty. The DY9 ate whatever I threw at it and kept asking for more. The optics cut was flawlessly executed, accepting every RMR-footprint optic I mounted without a hitch.
Upgrade Your Life (and Slide)
For those trendsetters who jumped on a non-Island DY9 previously and are now feeling a pang of “Island envy,” fear not! Derya has you covered. They’re offering the DY9 Island slide as a standalone purchase. But wait, there’s more for the DIY enthusiasts! The DY9 Island slide is also compatible with Glock 19 Gen 4 frames. So, if you’ve ever dreamed of building your own FrankenBlaster 9000 (patent pending, probably), Derya just handed you a key component. Call me a purist, but I’m quite smitten with the complete Derya DY9 Island pistol as is, though I won’t lie, a FrankenBlaster 9000 does sound like a fun weekend project.
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If you’re on the hunt for a new firearm to add to your ever-growing collection, I highly suggest you head over to the DERYA website. Take a peek at their numerous offerings, which range from pistols and rifles to shotguns. Your inner gun nerd will thank you.
