Diamondback Defenders | DB9 and DB380 Pistols | Gun Preview

For the new 2014 POCKET PISTOLS, author Jorge Amselle examined the concealed-carry offerings from Diamondback Firearms. Focusing on the 9mm Diamondback DB9 and .380 Diamondback DB380 models, Amselle examined each pistol’s balance of lightweight materials and popular self-defense chamberings.

“The DB9 is a 9mm, striker-fired, double-action-only (DAO), locked breech, recoil operated, semi-automatic pistol with 6+1 round capacity,” says Amselle. “This gun is a slightly beefed-up version of the company’s .380 ACP pistol—and I do mean slightly. The gun is barely more than a third of an inch longer and less than a quarter of an inch taller than its smaller cousin, and adds only 2 ounces in weight.”

Amselle continues, “The frame is a glass-reinforced polymer, and the barrel and slide are made from billet 4140 through-hardened steel machined out of a solid block of chrome-moly. The DB9 also uses Diamondback’s patent pending “Zero-Energy” striker firing system, which produces a clean and exceptionally smooth trigger squeeze with no stacking.”

Moving on to the DB380, Amselle continues to note the compact pistol’s similarities to its 9mm sibling. “The DB380 shares many of the ergonomic benefits of the large DB9, but its grip is smaller. The grip provides a very high grip angle, placing the shooter’s hand in line with the axis of the barrel. Recoil from the gun’s .380 payload felt lighter to me than in other pocket pistols in this caliber.”

The slightly lighter weight of the DB380, however, impressed Amselle as he considered the everyday carry possibilities created by its portability. “At 8.8 ounces empty, the Diamondback DB380 is one of the lightest self-defense-caliber pocket pistols you can get. It is also one of the slimmest at only 0.75 inches in width. The frame is a glass-reinforced polymer, and the barrel and slide are made from billet 4140 through-hardened steel.”