In the beginning, Canik was only a lofty idea: to make the most superior airplane components in the world and bring its native Turkey to the forefront of the industrial manufacturing industry. After years of toil and much innovation, the eyes of the largest aerospace corporations turned to the relatively new company operating out of the Samsun municipality of Turkey with interest in setting up contracts to procure essential parts for their aircraft. In time, companies such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Airbus had taken notice of Canik and use them as a manufacturing partner to this day.

With more experience and more contracts coming into Canik, the company looked to diversify its portfolio of products and began to turn to other industries in which their talent for precision design and mechanical engineering would be an asset. Much like a well-constructed airplane will carry its occupants across the world without mishap, the ever-increasing popularity of gun ownership meant that there was an even greater demand for guns that one could handle easily, that work properly every time, and that look amazing while doing so.

The Rise of Canik Firearms

In the realm of commercially-made handguns, Canik’s biggest competitor was arguably going to be Walther who had brand saturation and a firearm that had been dominating the market since the late ’90s, the P99. Like contemporary composers writing variations out of the work of old masters, Canik chose to take their competition head-on and build a firearm that served as a sort of “spiritual sibling” to the popular P99, but with some modifications that would improve its performance. The TP9 was born. 

Over the years, the TP9 would serve as the main source of inspiration for all of Canik’s handguns. Innovations came quickly; from the TP9 came the TP9SA with a more robust frame and a more ergonomic grip. Then came the TP9SF which did away with the slide-mounted decocker and sported a striker-fired trigger for faster, more reliable operation. 

Envy of the Range

Today, the crown jewel of the Canik family is the TP9 Elite Combat, a gun of exceptional design. Built as a kingmaker for shooting competitions as well as an instrument of superior home defense, the TP9 Elite Combat firearm comes with Canik’s patented Enhanced Trigger and is fully customizable for advanced optics, muzzle attachments, and an expanded magazine. The Elite Combat reloads faster, shoots steadier, and looks sexier than any previous Canik handgun, and represents a new era for the Turkish manufacturer.

With such steady advancements in performance and design, Canik has quickly become the sole provider of firearms for the Turkish Police Force and has gone on to partner with Century Arms to import this impressive array of firearms to the United States. Much like its history in aerospace manufacturing, Canik’s unimpeachable success has caused them to expand its catalog to include not just handguns but parts for military-grade weaponry such as rocket launchers and sniper rifles. Truly, the influence of this company from the oft-overlooked region of Northern Turkey is being felt all over the world, and people want more.

A Bright Future

It is clear that Canik’s superiority in the market comes from an unwavering dedication to quality. They assert that true quality products extend beyond the design and manufacture of gun parts and must include a top-to-bottom culture of honesty, integrity, and transparency throughout the company. After all, a company only partially committed to excellent customer service and respect toward “the social, economic, and environmental impacts of all its products and services” (as it describes on its website), can never be trusted to deliver excellence in gun manufacturing.

To this end, Canik has been proud to partner with 45 Blast in the creation of bespoke attachments for its firearms. Like Canik, 45 Blast believes that integrity is felt first in the office and later on the range. With a diverse catalog of products that is growing all the time, 45 Blast is dedicated to elevating the Canik line of exceptional firearms for years to come and for all lucky enough to carry one in the holster.