SCCY DVG-1RDR Red-Dot-Ready 9mm Pistol: Tested

The SCCY DVG-1RDR is the company's first striker-fired semiauto pistol and makes a case as the best value of any red-dot-ready 9mm carry pistol. Here's a full review.

September 02, 2022 By Brad Fitzpatrick

The last two years (2020 and 2021) have seen record firearms sales. The bulk of those firearms sold in the United States were semiautomatic handguns for personal defense. With so many different 9mm handgun options, it can be difficult to select a gun that suits your tastes and budget, but the SCCY DVG1-RDR certainly stands out in this crowded field.

A History of Innovation

In 1998, SCCY president Joe Roebuck recognized the growing demand for compact personal-defense handguns. An engineer by trade, Roebuck began developing a semi-automatic handgun that would be affordable, reliable and American-made. The result was the SCCY CPX, a double-action 9mm (and later .380 ACP) capable of holding ten rounds in the magazine and costing less than comparable pistols. The CPX was an immediate success and remains a popular choice for firearms enthusiasts.

SCCY DVG-1RDR Red-Dot Ready 9mm Pistol Sight Right View — (Photo courtesy of Brad Fitzpatrick)

First Strike

Following the success of the CPX-1, CPX-2, CPX-3 and CPX-4 pistols, Roebuck and his team set out to develop a brand-new striker-fired pistol. Dubbed the DVG, the gun offered the same Roebuck Quadlock architecture found in the CPX Pistol. Recoil-operated semi-auto pistols require consistent barrel alignment for maximum accuracy. The Roebuck design uses a V-shaped notch under the barrel channel along with lockup points at the bottom and top of the chamber to ensure barrel alignment. This results in guns that are more accurate shot-to-shot. One of the features that makes CPX guns so desirable is their accuracy. By utilizing the same Roebuck Quadlock system, the striker-fired DVG-1 and DVG-1RDR boast better accuracy than you’d expect from a micro-compact 9mm with a 3.1-inch barrel.

SCCY DVG-1RDR Red-Dot Ready 9mm Pistol Right Side Optic and Slide Assembly — (Photo courtesy of Brad Fitzpatrick)

The DVG-1 and DVG-1RDR are both easy guns to carry and conceal. With an overall length of just over 6 inches, a height of just over 5 inches (without the optic) and width of 1.1 inches, these pistols won’t print under lightweight summer clothing. Further aiding concealment is the DVG-1’s sleek design with rounded edges and angled slide cuts that help this pistol ride close to the body. Controls are minimized enough that they won’t jab or pinch while holstered. The DVG-1 weighs in at just 15.5 ounces unloaded, which makes it among the lightest micro-compact semi-auto 9mm pistols on the market while still maintaining an impressive 10-round magazine capacity. With its trim dimensions and minimalist weight, this SCCY is a standout among striker-fired carry guns.

SCCY DVG-1RDR Red-Dot Ready 9mm Pistol Right Side View — (Photo courtesy of Brad Fitzpatrick)

Minimalist weight is only beneficial so long as the gun is manageable, and SCCY has designed the DVG-1 to be comfortable to shoot. The polymer grips feature micro-texturing and molded finger grooves, which correspond with the finger extension on the magazine (flat bases are also provided). This allows for a comfortable, secure grip on the pistol and rapid follow-up shots. An extended beavertail grip promotes a high handhold on the gun for maximum control, and there’s an undercut molded into the rear of the trigger guard. SCCY offers a variety of frame and slide color options so you can customize to your liking.

SCCY DVG-1RDR Red-Dot Ready 9mm Pistol Rear View — (Photo courtesy of Brad Fitzpatrick)

Curved serrations are machined into the front and the rear of the slide, and this helps control the pistol while loading, unloading and disassembling. Speaking of disassembly, the SCCY DVG-1 is one of the easiest pistols to break down for basic maintenance. Simply pull the slide back and remove the transverse pins in front of the slide stop. This allows you to remove the slide assembly from the frame for cleaning and lubrication.

The DVG-1 comes with standard three-dot sights that are functional and durable, but the RDR comes with a slide cut that allows you to mount one of many popular micro red-dot sights. The RDR version doesn’t come with a rear sight, but I mounted a Crimson Trace RAD PRO red-dot optic to the pistol which came with an integral rear sight. This setup is affordable and durable and offers both red-dot and iron sighting options for the SCCY DVG-1 pistol. That makes this a formidable EDC carry gun that’s ready to defend day or night.

MSRP for the DVG-1 is just $329.99, which is considerably less than competing guns of similar size and capacity. The RDR version is available for just $339.99, which is perhaps an even greater value. That’s an even better price when you consider that these SCCY pistols are designed, made and assembled in America.

SCCY DVG-1RDR Red-Dot Ready 9mm Pistol Right Side Muzzle View — (Photo courtesy of Brad Fitzpatrick)

EDC and Range Time

I’ve carried SCCY pistols before and I’ve always found them to be a great option. Their lightweight and small profile allow these guns to virtually disappear against the side of the body, but I do appreciate the grip and beavertail design that allow for a firm grasp on the gun during rapid draws.

The DVG-1 offers minimized controls, meaning the slide stop and magazine release won’t interfere when drawing the gun. However, I’ve always appreciated that SCCY didn’t minimize the controls on their gun so much that they were all but impossible to use. The slide-stop bar measures .9-inches long (almost the same as the width of the pistol) so it’s easy to leverage when dropping the slide and bringing the gun into battery. Since the takedown pin is recessed into the frame, there’s no possibility it will catch when the gun is being drawn.

Daily carry is difficult on firearms. Perspiration and moisture can ruin finishes and lead to corrosion, but the SCCY didn’t show any blemishes after a week of solid carrying, range time and lots of holstering.

SCCY DVG-1RDR Red-Dot Ready 9mm Pistol Right Rear View — (Photo courtesy of Brad Fitzpatrick)

CPX pistols are known for their accuracy, but the DVG performs just as well. From a draw position at seven yards, I could consistently dump the magazine rapidly into a torso target without any fliers. That’s thanks in part to a smoother, flat-face trigger that breaks at an average of 5.5 pounds. Shooting from a bench rest at 15 yards, I could consistently hit head shots thanks to the predictable and manageable trigger. The included metal magazine worked well, and there were no issues with reliability when firing Hornady, Black Hills and Federal ammunition ranging from 115 to 147 grains.

I don’t think you could ask more of a gun with an MSRP of $339.99. As a matter of fact, the DVG-1RDR competes with guns costing considerably more. It’s little wonder that, in just under 25 years of production, SCCY has managed to control a significant portion of the carry-gun market. Joe Roebuck was right when he surmised that the world was ready for an affordable, well-built American semiauto pistol in 1998, and the DVG-1RDR delivers on that promise.