Ported Pistol Showdown: CZ vs M&P vs Echelon vs Hellcat Pro vs Canik Prime

In this showdown, I stacked up five striker-fired pistols, all sporting factory-integrated porting or slide cuts designed to help manage recoil and keep your sights on target. This wasn’t about aftermarket comps or bolt-on gadgets—these guns come from the factory ready to fight muzzle rise.

The lineup included the CZ P-10C Ported, Smith & Wesson M&P M2.0 Compact Carry Comp, Springfield Armory Echelon 4.5F Compensated, Springfield Hellcat Pro Comp OSP, and the Canik Mete MC9 Prime. While three of these fall into the duty-sized category, the Hellcat Pro and Canik Prime lean more toward compact EDC territory. Still, many of you asked to see them head-to-head, and I was curious to see how they'd stack up myself.

All testing was done in a controlled environment using Velocitas solid copper 9mm ammo, which ran reliably across the board. I broke each pistol down by trigger quality, grip texture, sight setup, co-witness potential, optic compatibility, control layout, and overall shootability. From a full-spec Springfield Echelon to the value-packed CZ, each pistol had its strengths—and a few quirks.

One thing I wanted to clear up: several of these are advertised as “compensated,” but they’re technically ported. Porting is a permanent cut in the barrel and slide that redirects gas upward, whereas a compensator is typically a threaded device with expansion chambers. Different tools, different performance. That’s why I didn’t include pistols like the Walther PDP Pro Comp or the Shadow Systems XR920P in this specific test—they’re in a different class entirely.

As for live fire, the M&P Carry Comp and the Echelon were the flattest shooters of the bunch. The CZ was solid, but the heavier trigger slowed things down a touch. The Hellcat Pro impressed for its size, and the Canik Prime—while packed with features—didn’t quite perform the way I expected that day. That said, rankings are always subjective. Depending on the day, my grip, and how dialed in I am with each platform, these results could flip.

Here’s how I ranked them, from 5 (lowest) to 1 (best) based on my experience:

5. Canik Mete MC9 Prime – Great on paper with a crisp 4.5-pound trigger and solid features for 599 Scooby Snacks. Direct optic mount, tritium sights, flared magwell, and excellent grip texture—this one had all the specs. But something just didn’t click during this session.

4. CZ P-10C Ported – Built tough and budget-friendly at 500 Scooby Snacks. Good recoil control and decent ergonomics, but the 5.5–6-pound trigger, no included optic plate, and glow-in-the-dark—not tritium—sights held it back.

3. Springfield Hellcat Pro Comp OSP – Light, compact, and surprisingly manageable. Tritium sights, good grip texture, and respectable performance for 584 Scooby Snacks. Trigger’s average, and it lacks ambi controls, but it held its own in this group.

2. Springfield Echelon 4.5F Compensated – Full ambi controls, solid 4-pound trigger, direct mount optic system, and excellent co-witness potential. At 618 Scooby Snacks, it’s one of the most complete packages on the list.

1. Smith & Wesson M&P M2.0 Carry Comp – This one just felt right. The Performance Center flat trigger breaks at 4.5 pounds, recoil control is outstanding, and the grip texture gave me excellent control. At 749 Scooby Snacks, it’s not cheap—but it was the top performer for me.

You can check out the full range video on my YouTube channel and catch more behind-the-scenes content on Instagram, X, and Rumble. For those of you digging into the numbers, make sure to visit BallisticsReport.com for more in-depth data.

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As always, I’ll see you on the high ground or in the next blog.

RazorMP out.