Reliable performance, accurate, and presenting real value, Rost Martin’s RM1S Comp 9mm is a solid choice for concealed carry duty
by Bob Campbell
I sometimes think older shooters are reluctant to embrace a new firearm. While there are proven guns we may feel are a failsafe choice, perhaps we miss out on a good number of high-quality firearms through excessive caution.
Young shooters are often the opposite, and many new shooters don’t yet have the “institutional knowledge” to suitably evaluate up-and-coming firearms relative to those upon whose shoulders they stand.
That said, let me say this. I recently tested a handgun that may be among the best carry guns to come along in some time. I’m talking about the Rost Martin RM1S Comp, and based on a great deal of shooting it, I can confidently say here is a pistol you can trust.
The striker-fired polymer-frame market may be crowded, but it is lucrative for a maker with a good product. The Rost Martin RM1S Comp is a good product with good features. At 20.0 ounces unloaded, it isn’t the smallest handgun, yet this 9mm pistol features a 15-round capacity and easy shooting characteristics. I wish I could say I had experience with the previous Rost Martin 9mm, but I don’t. Nevertheless, the new RM1S is lighter than the first model, and this pistol features a barrel port to limit muzzle flip. It is called a sub-compact and it is smaller than the original compact Rost Martin.
Another Good 9mm
The 9mm Luger is an efficient cartridge that will exhibit a full powder burn and good velocity even in subcompact pistol barrels. Still, I don’t like to go below 3.5 inches in barrel length. The RM1S Comp barrel is a handy 3.6 inches long, providing sufficient velocity to instigate expansion with modern defense loads.
The pistol is all black and features three removable backstraps to customize hand fit. The grip’s finish features a good balance of adhesion and abrasion — not too much and not too little, just right for a concealed carry handgun. Hand fit is good and the grip will not abrade your skin if carried beneath a pulled-out shirt. (It is best to wear a T-shirt under the covering garment but sometimes we just don’t.) Rost Martin calls this a Responsive Grip Texture. The front strap and backstrap are textured along with the sides of the handle. There is an interruption of texture along the path the thumb will take to engage the magazine release.
The trigger guard is larger than most small-frame pistols, allowing for gloved hand use. You may stabilize your non-shooting forefinger on the front of the trigger guard if you prefer this type of grip. There are also raised patches on the frame to act as a finger rest.
The pistol includes ambidextrous slide lock levers. The magazine release is a teardrop shape, offering good leverage.
An ambidextrous magazine release is a good feature on this pistol and helps make the Rost Martin left-hand-friendly in every way. I don’t find right-hand ejection a problem when firing with the left hand.
The pistol’s backstrap features a non-protruding lanyard attachment, which I found surprising in such a compact handgun. It doesn’t hurt anything or affect handling. I sometimes use a lanyard when hiking, so why not? The trigger is a typical striker-fired action. My pistol’s trigger broke at 4.8 pounds average when it arrived. After cleaning the pistol and at the end of the test, I was at 4.5 pounds. This is ideal for a personal defense pistol. A trained shooter isn’t limited and the novice isn’t challenged by this trigger action.
The magazine well isn’t flared but is slightly beveled. The frame features a light rail for mounting a light.
The slide is nicely finished with forward and rear cocking serrations. The pistol is supplied with an RMR footprint adapter plate. Other footprints are accommodated by the factory and may be ordered from Rost Martin.
The rear sight U-notch type is ideal for fast shooting at defensive range. The front sight is a post with a white dot.
The striker is visible in the rear of the slide when cocked and the slide features a cutout to indicate the chamber is loaded.
Disassembly is similar to the Glock; however, the Rost Martin need not be de-cocked to be disassembled. That is a welcome feature. Disassembly requires rocking the slide up and off the frame, like Canik handguns.
Shooting Set Up
Firing off-hand with no real purpose or firing off a bench alone doesn’t accomplish much. I decided to run a combat course with the pistol and use both flush fit and extended magazines topped with Black Hills Ammunition 115-grain FMJ — a clean burning and accurate load.
An associate and I would run 200 cartridges through the pistol. The good news: the pistol never failed to feed, chamber, fire, or eject with any load. The other news: the pistol is more accurate than I would have thought for its size and weight class. The sights and trigger combined to make for good accuracy potential. The handle is well designed for combat shooting.
The barrel port really doesn’t influence recoil that much. What happens is the redirection of gas creates a flatter shooting dynamic by limiting muzzle flip. Follow-up shots are fast…very fast, aided by a sharp trigger reset. Get on target and press the trigger properly with the sights aligned. Allow the trigger to reset as the slide recoils and get on target as quickly as you may re-align the sights.
The Rost Martin is a good shooter. I really like the ported feature, and I have fired several pistols with barrel porting. While I feel a 9mm doesn’t kick much and doesn’t hurt to shoot, there is no question that the Rost Martin ported 9mm offers improved performance. The combination of speed and accuracy is good.
More Shooting
I added the TruGlo Nexus to the RMR footprint mount. I have enjoyed good results with TruGlo for many years, and this sight has been a “test mule” on a half-dozen handguns. Proven gear limits mistakes and provides validity. The ammunition used is proven and so is the carry optic.
I carefully zeroed the pistol and re-shot the combat course. Since I have trained with red dot sights and went through the learning curve, results were good. First shot hits were faster and follow-up shots more accurate than expected. The pistol really perked up with a good red dot sight.
I fired the RM1S Comp rapidly at multiple targets and at 5 to 25 yards with good results. I fired a magazine each of Black Hills Ammunition 115-grain +P and 100-grain +P Honey Badger. I could detect only a slight difference in recoil and control between these loads and standard pressure FMJ ammunition. This is a direct result of well-designed barrel porting.
Absolute Accuracy
The last step was firing from a solid benchrest firing position using the MTM Case-Gard Pistol Handgun Rest. I took every advantage for accuracy and fired five-shot groups at 15 yards. Following are the results. Groups were measured inside to inside of the farthest spaced bullet holes.
- Black Hills Ammunition; 124-grain JHP; 1.9 in.
- Black Hills Ammunition; 115-grain EXP; 2.5 in.
- Black Hills Ammunition; 124-grain JHP +P; 2.7 in.
Holstering the Rost Martin
The Rost Martin RM1S Comp seems a good fit for Glock 19 holsters. In this case, I used the Falco Holsters nylon IWB holster. This holster features a strong belt attachment clip and is comfortable, well-padded, and nicely blocked for the handgun. It also comes with a sweat guard to protect the body from the handgun and the handgun from body oils. It proved to offer good retention and a sharp draw.
Summary
The Rost Martin is more accurate than expected. Good features add up, and the pistol is reliable and accurate. It’s also fast shooting, particularly with a reflex sight added. As dependable and concealable carry guns go, the RM1S Comp is a true contender.
What I Like
- I like most everything about the pistol. It is a great handgun in its size class, is easy to carry, and is reliable.
What I Don’t Like
- Nothing much not to like, but I think I might prefer night sights if I don’t deploy the piece with a carry optic.
What I Would Change
- With a pistol designed for concealed carry, size is important. So is control. Any change I would make would result in a higher price or greater weight. The Rost Martin RM1S is in a good place as is.
Compare To
- The Rost Martin compares well to other compact 9mm compensated handguns from Springfield, Smith & Wesson, and CZ. Some are more refined. It is really in the Canik and Ruger price range and compares particularly well in that group. Guns that are heavier are easier to control; lighter guns are more difficult to control.
Rost Martin RM1S Comp Specifications
- Type: recoil-operated, locked breech, striker-fired, semi-automatic
- Chamber: 9mm Luger
- Capacity: 12+1 rds., 15+1 rds.
- Barrel: 3.6 in., forged steel, ported
- Length: 6.72 in.
- Height: 4.4 in. w/flush mag
- Width: 1.1 in.
- Slide: Nitrocarburized steel
- Weight: 19.6 oz. w/flush mag
- Grip: polymer, textured, black
- Trigger: 4.5 lbs. DAS
- Safety: trigger lever, internal striker drop safety
- Sights: steel white dot (front), U-notch (rear); optic ready, RMR plate included
- MSRP: $489
