KRISS USA recently opened a new manufacturing and distribution facility in Chesapeake, near Solider Systems HQ, which gave us the opportunity to try out a few weapons in the Vector and Sphinx line of firearms. After a visit to the facility, KRISS packed up the range guns and we all headed out to C2 Shooting Center to try them out on the steel plate range.
Sphinx Arms is a Swiss pistol manufacturer under the KRISS Group. They offer standard, compact, and subcompact pistols, all chambered for 9x19mm. Sphinx pistols are constructed using steel slides, and two-piece frames which consist of an upper and lower component. The upper components are manufactured from either aluminum or steel, and the lower components can be manufactured from aluminum, steel, or polymer, depending on the model of pistol.
The pistols feed from double stack magazines, with capacities of 17+1 for Standard, 15 + 1 for Compact, and 13 + 1 for Sub-compact models. Additional features shared throughout the various pistol models include ambidextrous decocking levers, reversible magazine catch, a visual/tactile loaded chamber indicator, front and rear slide serrations, and match grade trigger. Most models also support an interchangeable rubberized comfort grip system.
Here you can see a comparison between the standard iron sight, and a model equipped with a fiber optic front sight.
All of the pistols were very smooth firing, accurate, and comfortable to shoot. We favored the compact models the most, as their size made them very comfortable guns to hold, roughly equivalent in size to a Glock 19.
The Vector line of pistols, carbines, and SMGs utilize the KRISS Super V recoil Recoil Reduction System which redirects recoil energy downward, reducing muzzle climb up to 95% and felt recoil up to 60% when compared to traditional weapon designs. At the range, we had the chance to try out the CBR Enhanced, the SDP pistol variant, and the full-auto .45 ACP and upcoming 9mm SMGs.
The Vector series consists of an upper and lower frame, which can be separated by removing three assembly pins along the upper frame. This allows the user to quickly swap out lower frames, and will even allow for a quick caliber change between the .45 ACP and 9mm frames, when the later becomes available later this year.
This is the Vector CRB Enhanced. The CRB is the semi-automatic civilian carbine variant of the Vector, chambered for .45 ACP. It comes with an M4 stock adapter, a Magpul UBR stock, and the enhanced square barrel shroud.
The CRB in action. The recoil reductive action coupled with the pistol caliber makes for an easy to handle and accurate weapon.
Here is the SDP, the Vector pistol variant. It features a 5.5″ barrel and a rear QD sling point.
It can either be fired with both hands on the weapon, or with a single hand, although this is best done with a sling to support and stabilize the weapon.
Here’s the Vector SMG in .45 ACP. This particular model was outfitted with the M4 stock adapter, a Magpul UBR stock, a vertical foregrip, and a Defiance HPS 4GSK Cal .45ACP, a suppressor specially designed for the Vector family of weapons. The SMG variants of the Vector feature a selector switch which allows the operator to switch between semi, two-round burst, and full auto.
For the final gun of the day, we checked out the upcoming Vector SMG in 9mm. The one we fired was marked serial number 000001, no less, and don’t let the frame markings in the image above fool you, was indeed the 9mm variant. Like the .45 ACP model, the 9mm variant is designed to accept Glock magazines, with the 17-round Glock 17 magazine fitting flush with the chamber, although we also had a few 33-round G18 magazines as an analogue to the extended magazines used in the .45 ACP model. As expected of the lighter round, it featured a higher rate of fire than the .45 ACP model, and burned through even the extended magazines quite quickly, yet still remained quite controllable even in full auto.
After what was quite likely a couple of thousand rounds of ammunition spent, it’s quite fair to say that KRISS USA has a solid line of firearms on offer. The Sphinx pistols are solid, accurate sidearms, and the Vector line’s recoil mitigating technology makes them a joy to shoot. We offer our sincerest thanks to KRISS USA for allowing us the opportunity to try out their firearms on the range.
You can find out more on the Vector and Sphinx brands at:
www.kriss-arms.com
www.sphinxarms.com
