Alpha Foxtrot Romulus 9mm Comp – Proven 4.25 in 2011

Description

The Alpha Foxtrot Romulus 9mm Comp is the compensated member of the Romulus family, and the best equipped one in the range. A 4.25 inch bull barrel with a pressed compensator, SUS416 stainless frame and slide in DLC black, Night Fision sights, a bobbed hammer and MOS adapter plates for both Trijicon RMR and Holosun footprints in the box. Part number AA39X1CIF-XDBK10.

The compensator, and what kind it is

The Alpha Foxtrot Romulus 9mm Comp wears a pressed compensator rather than a threaded one, which is the detail that matters most. It is fitted to the barrel at the factory and is not something you unscrew at the kitchen table. An AF1911 Romulus compensated barrel of this type is a permanent configuration: you are buying a compensated gun, not a gun that can optionally wear a comp.

What that buys on the Alpha Foxtrot Romulus 9mm Comp is a genuinely flatter pistol. The comp vents gas upward just past the muzzle, pushing the front of the gun down against recoil, and on a 9mm 2011 that is already heavy the dot barely moves between shots. For competition or fast range work it is the single most effective thing you can do to a pistol short of changing calibers.

What you give up is the ability to run a suppressor, since the comp occupies the muzzle, and a measure of quiet. A compensated 9mm 2011 pistol is louder to everyone standing near it than a plain one, and throws more flash in low light. On a range that is irrelevant. In a dark house it is not.

What else comes in the box, and the one big caveat

The Alpha Foxtrot Romulus 9mm Comp is unusually well equipped. Night Fision sights optic ready from the box, fitted rather than plain irons, the MOS adapter plates for RMR and Holosun footprints are both included so you are not buying a plate separately, and the trigger is a skeletonized unit set around 3.5 pounds at the factory. The grip module is injected polymer with a flared magwell and an extended beavertail, and the frame carries a Picatinny rail. The barrel is button rifled with a 1:10 right hand twist.

Now the caveat on the Alpha Foxtrot Romulus 9mm Comp, and it is a significant one. This configuration ships with 10 round magazines and a 10+1 capacity. The other Romulus models in this line carry 17 or 20 rounds. Ten round magazines exist because several states cap capacity, and Pennsylvania is not one of them, so buying this version locally means accepting roughly half the capacity of its siblings for no legal reason.

That may still be the right trade. If you want the comp, the Night Fision sights and both optic plates, this is the package that has them, and magazines are a purchase you can make later. But go in knowing that the capacity is the compromise, not an oversight. Our listing also shows a magazine quantity that differs from the two magazines the manufacturer specifies, so call us and we will confirm exactly what is in the case.

Alpha Foxtrot Romulus 9mm Comp specifications

• Caliber: 9mm
• Barrel: 4.25 in bull profile, button rifled, 1:10 right hand twist, six groove
• Compensator: pressed, factory fitted
• Frame: SUS416 stainless steel
• Slide: SUS416 stainless steel
• Finish: DLC black
• Optic cut: MOS adapter, plates for Trijicon RMR and Holosun footprints included
• Sights: Night Fision
• Trigger: skeletonized, approximately 3.5 lb from the factory
• Hammer: bobbed
• Safety: ambidextrous thumb safety
• Grip: injected polymer module with flared magwell and extended beavertail
• Frame rail: Picatinny
• Capacity: 10+1
• Part number: AA39X1CIF-XDBK10
• UPC as listed: 810100538408

One identification note. Alpha Foxtrot AA39X1CIF-XDBK10 is the part number for this configuration, but we have seen it carry more than one UPC depending on how it was packaged, and our listing shows a magazine quantity that differs from the manufacturer specification of two. Quote the part number rather than the UPC when you order and call us to confirm the magazine count. Alpha Foxtrot publishes their current lineup at Alpha Foxtrot.

If you want the same pistol without the comp and with full capacity magazines, the standard 4.25 inch Romulus is the one to compare, and the rest of our handguns are here.

Why it is worth considering

• A factory pressed compensator, which flattens the gun more effectively than porting.
• Night Fision sights and both RMR and Holosun optic plates included rather than extra.
• A skeletonized trigger set around 3.5 pounds from the factory.
• DLC over stainless is among the harder wearing finishes on a production handgun.

Who it suits

The Alpha Foxtrot Romulus 9mm Comp suits a competition or range shooter who wants the flattest shooting Romulus and values the sights and optic plates being included. It is a harder sell as a defensive pistol: the comp is loud and bright in the dark, and ten rounds is a real limitation in a state that does not require it. If capacity matters more than the comp, buy one of the 17 or 20 round models instead.