ATEI & Cole Partnerships Releases “Hybrid” Kit for M&P Handguns

Finally! Its now possible to have a compact 9mm handgun with a full slide that is not a “Concealed Carry Officer” type-1911. ATEi, known for their fantastic custom Glock and M&P work has released a kit that allows one to mount a full-size or competition (CORE) slide to a compact handgun frame without leaving the recoil spring open to the environment.

o me, I have utterly disliked the tendency of manufacturers to decrease barrel length when decreasing grip length on most compact handguns. The hardest part of a gun to conceal in most carry situations is the grip, which is why people move to a compact. Chopping the barrel reduces critical velocity and also shortens the sight radius. Most shooters I know can see the value of longer slides; even a 1/2″ yields large gains in practical accuracy.


Back to the kit: Basically, the Hybrid s just a guide rod, recoil spring, and little metal piece that adapts to the slides’s rails and cover’s up the ingress point at the front of the gun. Per an interview with RECOIL magazine, the kit has been tested only to about 1000 rounds of +P have been put through production versions.

Those interested can call to order. MSRP of the kit is pegged at $125, not counting the cost of donor slide and frame. Those wanting to order will need to call their shop at 313.388.8228.


Title photo courtesy of EverdayCivlian’s Instagram page. 

Nathan S.


Nathan can be reached at [email protected]



  • Renegade

    3-5 years ago, Springfield offered the XD Subcompact with a 5″ barrel.

  • simmoc04

    Waiting on the glock version …………………………is it here yet? Guess I’ll have to break out the saw. Not really but it would be a nice edition for glocks as well. Yes I know there is always lone wolf.

    • J.T.

      Lone Wolf sells parts to allow a 19 to use a longer frame. The dust cover they sell should also allow for a 19 slide to be put on a 26 frame.

    • Bigbigpoopi

      Get a 17 and have it chopped to 26.

      • BattleshipGrey

        Here’s mine.

  • Spencerhut

    Made my own a few years ago. Full size frame cut to compact grip.

    • Looks great!

      • Spencerhut

        Thanks! Should be it cost a freaking fortune.

    • Phillip Cooper

      Great work. You’re a brave man, cutting on the frame like that…

      • Spencerhut

        Bowie Tactical cut the frame and the RMR cut in the slide.

    • JumpIf NotZero

      I assume you just glued the grip panel in place? Looks good.

      • Spencerhut

        No, it’s still removable.

        • JumpIf NotZero

          Then what holds it in place?

    • BattleshipGrey

      I did the same thing to my Glock 22 for easier carry.

  • Bill

    I like it, almost. Longer barrels and sight radii is good, but, while I still carry one, the M&P compact frame is about a 1/4 finger too short for me, which necessitates the magazines with the finger rest, which negates the short but, without even sneaking in extra ammo. Smith missed that magic dimension that GLOCK got just right on the G19 but just THAT much. My spare mags tend to be full sized with grip adapters, that somehow magically appear on the pistol when it’s time to qualify.

  • I really like this, the only issue is that it seems to require two guns to create one, unless there is a ready source of long slides and compact frames.

    • Sianmink

      Well, when people blow up their guns with bad brass or bad handloads, the frame is wrecked but the slide and barrel is often completely fine.
      There’s also people who tried self-stippling their frame but had negative talent and burned a hole all the way through.

      • iksnilol

        How is the slide still good if the gun blows up?

        • Sianmink

          Brass failure will get you a ruined glock frame (cracked from the trigger to the magazine release button hole) and a perfectly intact slide.

          • iksnilol

            Never expected that.

          • Mike Lashewitz

            It happens! Good post!

    • Rick5555

      Some manufactures will sell just the empty polymer frame/shell. I’ve find some websites offer this too. I purchased a new shell/frame for my FNS for only $50. As a spare part. So it’s do-able without having to purchase two guns or one gun and a new slide. Just contact a manufacture and ask if you can purchase an empty frame with no internal parts.

  • Patrick Karmel Shamsuddoha

    I got mine last night it’s a nicely made little kit I will test shoot it this weekend

  • Cymond

    As others have said, it seems like you’d need 2 guns to build this. I’m not sure what you’d do with the leftover full size frame or compact slide.

    Lone Wolf Dist offers special barrels top put a G17 or G34 slide on a G19.

  • Erik Davis

    My wife has the XDS 4″ 9mm, it’s a great CCW. I like how they figured it out 2 years ago…

    • USMC03Vet

      Yet again another factory standard other pay 3rd parties for. It’s almost as though brand loyalty trumps all…

      • Rustle Wiltson

        Brand loyalty is nothing compared to glockaholics. The g43 isnt nearly as good a pistol as the shield/xds/pps yet the g43 sells more and somehow already has far more accessories and products designed for the Glock.

    • Rustle Wiltson

      I would love for s&w to do this to the shield and walther for its new pps m2.

      Id much prefer a 4″ bbl for these single stackers. In my opinion they are belt guns as snubs are far more practical for pocket/deep Concealment roles.

      The longer slide helps to stabilize the pistol when worn iwb, and especially aiwb, where the shorter slides can be placed too high on the beltline which makes the pistol feel as if it could tip out.

      Too bad m&p already updated the shield with porting. Give us a 4″ slide and a 12 round extended mag ( mainly for reloads/fun) and I’ll definitely buy a shield.

      • itsmefool


  • The BUL Impact did the “long slide, short frame” factory gun thing almost two decades ago: Admittedly, not as nice of a gun as the M&P9, but pretty decent for the time.

    The “Glock 17k” is also a fairly popular mod to make.

    • JumpIf NotZero

      I prefer “19L”, but 17K might make a little more sense because you start with a 17.

      This is what I carry.

      • Rustle Wiltson

        Yeah I always thought 19l made sense but Im seeing g17k everywhere.

        If neither the walther ppq or sig p320 win me over I’ll be getting a gen 2 g17 to cut up into a g17k.

        Never could warm up to the 19 because of its cramped hump/finger grooves so the g17k is ideal.

        • JumpIf NotZero

          Yea I took the finger grooves out of the 19L I have. Gen3.

          I can tell you without question to walk on the PPQ. The P320… Not sure yet. I’m going to hang out and not buy anything until XM17/MHS falls apart or completes, just to see. Someone is coming along and is going to punch sig in the gut, we’ll see how that pans out.

          For now, I go chop chop chop glock all the way home.

          • Sianmink

            Ok I gotta ask, why no likey the PPQ?

          • JumpIf NotZero

            It’s a niche gun from a niche mfg. I loved it, but it has some serious flaws and Walther has no interesting in fixing them.

            – Slide release FAR too large and requires too little pressure to hit

            – Gun cycles too rough suppressed because

            – The peak slide velocity is too high I think (faster than a Glock19 slide with a more weight)

            – Trigger gets FAR TOO LIGHT and squishy when dirty

            – Trigger is kinda too light for a defensive gun even clean

            – Light primer strikes with dirt (and this is on the “Navy” with holes in the cup and slide)

            – Walther works against the aftermarket instead of for it

            But the gun is accurate! And I’m pretty decent with it. But all said, it’ll never be a Glock replacement, and when it comes to buying a non-Glock, there are better options. I used to really love it tho.

            Walther is content to make a small run fun-time gun. Not really a serious gun.

          • Sianmink

            Thanks for the detailed answer!

        • Rick5555

          A while back, Aimsurplus was selling Gen 2 Glock 17 & 15, police trade-ins. I picked up one of each, for $350. Both were still in excellent shape and worked fine. Though the slide was a worn down from drawing and re-holstering. Can always have the slide re-finished if that sort of thing brothers you. I would check the website out. They have excellent customer service. If you call them, it rings 2- 3 times and a live person picks up. They can inform you if more will be available, if they’re out. Hope this helps you or anyone else out.

          • Rustle Wiltson

            Good lead, thanks. I have seen the g17 gen 2 at aimsurplus. I figured if I couldn’t find one locally Id give em a call. I certainly dont mind a little bit of wear on a used pistol. I hope you are enjoying yours.

  • JumpIf NotZero

    o me, I have utterly disliked
    Basically, the Hybrid s just a guide rod

    Time for a new keyboard?


    We got the run-on.

    • itsmefool

      Well, new ‘board and some talent.

  • nova3930

    Longer barrel on a compact frame is one of the reasons I’ve swapped over my EDC to a SIG P320. Cost <$100 to get a compact frame and magazine to swap my FS slide onto. Liked the concept well enough I snagged a compact and bought a subcompact frame and mag for it. Options options options…..

    • Rustle Wiltson

      So that’s how it works? I thought you’d have to buy a new slide and bbl to swap frames. That’s why I didn’t get the modularity aspect. I figured if I had to buy all that i might as well get another gun.

      Good job sig.

      If it weren’t for brand loyalty, I feel glock would be r.i.p. in a decade.

      • nova3930

        Yep, it’s great. This picture came from SIGtalk showing a compact slide on a SC frame, with both 12 and 15 round mags…

        • Rustle Wiltson

          Too cool.

          I cant wait to try one. How do you like yours? Have you switched from glock/m&p?

          • nova3930

            I was an M&P fan for 7-8 years. Had a FS, a compact and a shield. Replaced them all with the 320 FS and compact.

          • Rustle Wiltson

            Damn, sheild too?

            That’s a hell of an endorsement in my book.

            Im not terribly sentimental about guns. Many online gun people treat the selling of a gun as if it were their dog lol. I just want the handgun that is optimal for me so Im gonna try this, the hk and walther and if one of them does it better than my glock, well I won’t miss it too much.

            Thanks for your insight.

          • nova3930

            I have some guns that I won’t get rid of because they’re part of the “collection.” My 1911s, my Browning Hi-powers, etc etc. For my “working” guns though, I’m always on the lookout for something better.
            I liked the shield. It was a good pistol, but it lost the battle against the P320, because when you compare the specs, the SC 320 gets you 4 more rounds in the gun, for a minimal increase in size plus the ability to use full size, 17rd reloads. So I nearly doubled my ammo carriage ability in one swoop.
            What thickness difference there was in the pistols, I made up for by switching to a kydex holster from a hybrid. And quite honestly, I carry the Compact configuration with a small size grip module more than anything. It carries just about as good as the shield does.

          • Rustle Wiltson

            Excellent. Im kind of the same way in that I consider my plastic pistols as tools, ready for upgrade if need be, yet I try to keep at least one 1911 around and a p-35 is definitely on the must acquire list. Maybe a K frame too.

            I could see the holster material making a difference. That 1/5″ piece of leather backing can be the 1/5″ difference between a glock 43 and 26. I’ll have to give the double stackers another chance for iwb carry, more specifically aiwb.

            I bet the sig p320 subcompact shoots better than the shield and the aspect of continuity between the fs/compact/sc is a wonderful thing. Same trigger, same grip circumference, same gun-essentially.

            I might just hold off on the pps until I try the sig and even a g26 again. Take care.

  • Christian Hedegaard-Schou

    This is why it’s really frustrating that so many companies don’t make a lot of parts available.

    I’m pretty sure if I call up S&W and ask for a 9L CORE slide, fully assembled, they’ll laugh me off the phone. But why? Why is that such a difficult thing? Why not sell it to me and make your money?

  • Sianmink

    At first I thought the photo was smushed with a messed-up aspect ratio. Nope.
    Kudos for enabling a short-grip long-slide gun though! Not a lot of those on the market.

  • Ben

    Glock 17/19s, 17/26s and 19/26s have been a thing for a while.

  • jay

    Um, compact concealable framed guns are designed to be concealed. If you want a full size slide, I suggest using a full size firearm. More ammo capacity, better ballistics and accuracy. Compact firearms are more concealable, but less accurate at normal shooting distances. This is a fix for something not broken.

    • DonDrapersAcidTrip

      The grip is the part that sticks out, the slide size barely makes a difference when concealing for most people. Try putting two seconds of thought into something and using imagination before immediately ruling from on high that is has absolutely no use to anyone ever.

      • jay

        First off, I have plenty of imagination. I didn’t say “it has no use to anyone ever”. I just stated the standard trope of, concealed firearms must be necessarily small and compact. Because you want to conceal the firearm! Carrying a full size firearm is hard to conceal.
        Unless you have the figure to hide it. They currently report 1/3 percent of US adults are considered obese. Most of us don’t have the cover, so to speak. So, a shoulder holster is really it for a full size fire arm. Also, I’ve never ever just had to deal with the grip. The slide is a big bulky object and has most of the firearms weight. So if you believe the slide barely makes a difference when concealing for most people, I disagree. It’s the biggest chunk of steel, and weight on the entire pistol. So, here’s was your 2 seconds (actually 6 minutes) of thought… Didn’t change my mind, don’t expect to change yours (and really don’t care). So does your avatar anme have anything to do with your opinions? Just asking…

        • Machinegunnertim

          I have been conceal carrying a full size pistol for a few years now and i can tell you that the part that tries pokes out is always… the grip. I wouldn’t mind losing an inch or two off of it.

          Never once has the slide size or length been an issue and I only carry under a T-shirt. A couple more inches on the slide would not compromise conceal-ability at all, but would provide some advantages.

          • jay

            You are welcome to have, and conceal carry anything you want (if your state says it’s ok, that is)! Full size, compact, sub-compact. I personally would not carry a sub-compact, unless I had too. Too few rounds. Compact definitely. Pistol is still concealable, with a moderate amount of ammunition. Full size firearm (any full size slide, and any size frame), do not seem concealable to me. Would be too hard to fully conceal. Unless my carry were a shoulder holster, deep belly, or some other carry method, that would not only be harder to conceal, but also much harder to draw the firearm, and much more easily detected. Guess I don’t have your hips or padding? Again, this is a completely personal choice, or taste. I’ll use what I believe to be the best compromise, and you and everyone else are free to choose and use their preferences. Just be aware in some states, printing or exposing your firearm (in some states it’s called brandishing, even if you don’t pull it out of your holster) is not only a Fine able offense, you can have your firearm confiscated, or lose your Concealed Carry License. It really depends on which state you live in, and how big of a d*ck the licensing agency is, and whether you live in a “freer” state or not. So, you have and use what you want, I’ll use what my common sense and preferences (and needs) dictate for me. Isn’t Freedom Wonderful?

        • DonDrapersAcidTrip

          Thank you for telling me your life story when the entire point is your preferences don’t apply to every other person

          “So does your avatar anme have anything to do with your opinions? Just asking…”

          LMAO Another old man brings up my username for literally no reason but ramble on about “them drugs them kids do nowadays”

          • jay

            Sweet! Tried and true does work. Didn’t want to tell my whole life story, but it did seem pertinent when I wrote it. Sorry to bore you. But you are right! My personal preferences are just that. My Preferences. Just like your opinion and preferences only carries weight for you. So PLEASE understand that your insult absolutely crushed my poor self esteem. I cried. But you do seem like you’ve imbibed too many psychtropics. Just my opinion. As for the same personality, I’m proud to be the type of man my Father and Grandfather were.

  • LV-426

    Grip chops do wonders for concealability. I did one on a very used Glock 17. It’s a great carry gun now. The longer sight radius is a plus.

  • StickShift

    This reminds me of Browning Hi-Power, which has a ‘compact’ length grip frame and 13 round magazines with a full size, 4.5″+ long barrel. Looks like it only took 80 years for everyone else to catch up.