Concealed carry handguns are the perfect weapon for those looking to remain clandestine. Read these hands-on reviews of the best CCW pistols on the market.
FYI, prices and ratings are accurate as of time of writing.
1. Smith & Wesson M&P 9 Shield EZ - Excellent for Beginners
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Highlight: Active Grip Safety.
Helpful review: The EZ line is explicitly made for shooters who have trouble gripping or pulling the slide when charging the pistol. Smith and Wesson have used a softer recoil spring to make racking the slide easier. The slide is more manageable, and the magazine is designed to load more efficiently. Along with the softer springs, the safety is applied by gripping the frame; there is no need to get a thumb on the safety and work it digitally, which some shooters find challenging.
If anyone reading this does not know what grip safety is or what it looks like, it is a long protrusion of a lever that extends from the back of the grip. The safety is taken off when the shooter grips the handle of the pistol. If the gun is not being gripped, the safety is on. This pistol is very safe when it sits in the holster, and until it is grabbed like it is going to be shot, the gun can be thrown into a wall and not fire the round in the chamber. The grip safety looks like it will be in the way when, in fact, the grip safety does not interfere with operation.
The grip is a little long for a sub-compact size, but it is right on the money for shooting and handling the gun. The pistol's magazine holds eight rounds long enough to get all my fingers on the grip. The slide and barrel are about the same length as the grip, making the barrel about three inches long, which is great for shooting the 9mm round.
To check the EZ claim by S&W, I took my mom to the range to see if her hands could rack this slide. It is easy for her to operate, so score one for the Shield. Next, I had her load the magazine. This was a bit more of a challenge for her, but she could load the magazine fully, so she scored two for the Shield. I had her shoot the EZ, and now we found the one issue the softer spring will have: the recoil is slightly stiffer than a stiffer spring. Also, the EZ is affected by "limp wrist" by her on the range. Both these issues are fixed by practice and training, which is not a reason to avoid getting one. — Ethan T. Astor
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2. Springfield XD-S - For Concealed Carry in Different Types of Clothing
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Highlight: The checkering is perfect for keeping a good grip.
Helpful review: The Springfield XD line is made to be tough. The checkering is tough, the slide serrations are tough, the triggers are tough, you get the picture. The XD line went to the sub-compact route after they started dominating the sidearm world. The challenging factors came with it. To get an even more aggressive pistol, they have the XD-M family. The XD-S is not as wild as most because this gun fits under my shirt and against my skin, or it is designed to be able to do that.
The S in XD-S stands for single-stack magazine, which keeps the frame from becoming wide and obnoxious to carry concealed. My XD-S is chambered in 45 ACP. I feel the shorter barrel with the 45 ACP is the way to go. Many folks will get the 9mm, which is fine; I chose the 45 ACP.
Some folks will bring this pistol to me to sand down the aggressive texturing on the handle. The slide may also need a little sanding. One thing I do a lot is contour the grip to fit the shooter. Many shooters will get a Dremel tool and start to whittle their grips. I use a file to ensure I do not go too far with the Dremel. I will use the Dremel with a felt tip to polish the newly filed grip spaces. The grip is also higher on the web of the hand to bring the barrel more in line with the wrist. This is amazing when shooting the little gun with 45 ACP, and it will make a 9mm even more effortless to shoot.
The sights are upgraded from the factory to a front sight that uses Pro-Glo inserts for quick target acquisition. The XD-S has many passively activated safeties. The grip safety is applied or removed when the grip is held. The trigger has a trigger safety like a Glock and many others. The finger must be on the trigger, which must be pulled to remove that safety. The internals have a drop safety that will block the pin from moving until the mechanism of pulling the trigger is reached. — Jack Rutledge
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3. Glock G42 - The "Compromise" Firearm
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Highlight: The most practical 380ACP.
Helpful review: The most significant part of the G42 is its weight. When I hit the ATM, I can carry this gun in my gym shorts pockets. If my drawstrings are tied tight, the gun weight will not pull my pants off, and that is good for everyone.
The gun's outside dimensions are about the same as those of the G43, a 9mm subcompact Glock. The G42's thinness is the next concealment factor. This is as thin a slide as possible outside the mini calibers like .22LR or 25ACP. The polymer frame keeps everything lightweight, and the ammo is lighter than the 9mm.
Speaking of lightweight ammo, I have started manufacturing ammo that uses Inceptor bullets. The Inceptor bullets, also known as ARX, are made from poly and copper dust, which makes it even easier to carry a fully loaded magazine and a spare just in case. I sell this gun by covering it with my cell phone, which takes up as much space in my pocket as my cell phone. The G42 weighs about double that of my cell phone. — Owen Pemberton
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4. SIG Sauer P365 - Comfortable and Accurate
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Highlight: The highest quality of sub-compact pistols.
Helpful review: If a shooter is not careful, a Sig P365 will be outfitted with accessories about the same size as a side arm. The slide will accept upgraded sights, including a red dot. The front rail will accept a laser light or a flashlight. It will be nearly square when some of my customers finish buying things to add to the P365.
I have no problem with folks adding stuff to their guns, especially if they buy it here. This gun is a complete steel pistol, which makes shooting the Sig a dream. Not only due to the weight, but the way the Sig is made is probably as close to perfect as guns get, and it is that good right off the shelf.
The pistol's trigger is made from plastic and does not have an action bar, so it feels better when pulling on the tip of the finger. The trigger is not as crisp as the larger Sig guns, and the rest is a bit longer. This is not a big deal; it is just how a plastic trigger is made. When I shoot this gun, I use the extended magazine, which is more comfortable to shoot and carry, with the standard flat bottom magazine, which is smaller and more accessible to conceal. — Gregory C. Mellon
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5. Ruger LCP II - Ridiculously Light and Hardly Noticeable
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Highlight: The tiniest of all sub-compact guns.
Helpful review: This gun is barely five inches long and weighs less than a pound unloaded. Along with a lightweight gun, the price tag is also very lightweight, under 300 bucks. This pistol is made to be a pocket gun. Just make sure it goes in a pocket holster so everything is safe.
The LCP II's trigger is vastly improved over the original. The trigger guard is more prominent, and that is a welcome change. The trigger uses the same "safe action" style as the Glock. The more prominent trigger guard is welcome because the old-school guard would recoil into the trigger finger. After two magazines, I was done working with one of them. The old trigger was a long, dragging, and hard pull; now, it is a snappy break, and the round goes off.
My only hang-up with the Ruger LCP II is the snappy 380 ACP round out of a two-inch barrel; this can get a little wild to control. When I shoot one, it feels like it twists in my hand as the recoil hits my bear paw hand. The sights should not even be on this gun. The super short barrel and slide make the sights worthless. I shot mine using a point-shooting approach. I only practice shooting this at seven years for the farthest distance.
The one thing I like about this gun is it will fit in my back pocket and feel like my wallet, so when I need a pistol, and I am wearing gym shorts or sweats, this one will work; it's the only one I own that will not pull my pants off when I don't have a belt to keep them up. — Ezra M. Miller
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6. Taurus G2C - The Cheapest Option
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Highlight: Grip texture is perfect for concealed carry.
Helpful review: There is a lot to love about Taurus. Many gun nuts hate the Taurus brand, and I am NOT one of them. I have been a Taurus fan since they came onto the US market, along with the Rossi revolvers. The Brazilian makers work well on the old Smith and Wesson machines and have grown into their own world since the polymer frame craze began.
The G2C is one of the few pocket pistols made with a palm swell in the grip. With a thin or thin-sided grip and the palm swell, this sub-compact gun feels the most under control of the rest when I shoot it. The magazine holds 12 rounds of 9mm, which is nothing to sneeze at; the magazines are easy to find and afford. The trigger guard has extra room, so the recoil will not bang up the trigger finger when shooting it.
The G2C has a trigger lever like a Glock to keep the shooting safe and a thumb action safety on the side. This gun is one of the few that can be made secure by the shooter and does not have to feel safe, with mechanical safety built into all the others.
The other guns, with the mechanical safeties, are very safe; there is nothing to show that they are not. This gun allows the shooter to put a safety on and visually see the safety activated. For those who shoot the 1911 and reach for this before holstering, it is there and may feel more like home. — Leo Martinez
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7. SIG Sauer P320 - The US Army's Sidearm of Choice
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Highlight: Customizable pistol.
Helpful review: The Sig P320 is the new home builder's dream. The serialized component is the internal framework, making it easy to trade the framework into new frames or different slides and barrels. This handgun can be a sidearm during duty and then a compact CCW off duty.
My buddy, the holster builder, has Sig Sauer in his DNA. If I take a drop of blood and put it under a microscope, I will see the Sig logo on the cells. The 80% market is on fire with the P320 builds; they are amazing.
With this framework-changing ability, my homie can carry a sidearm equipped with a red dot and compensator, then change to the small handle and slide. It fits in the CCW holster and under his shirt when he is headed home. This ability to change into a CCW mode is why I will discuss the P320. The only hang-up for using this as a CCW gun is that it is wide. It is a double-stack magazine and is made to handle anything thrown at it. With the ability to change from small to large, the gun has to be made to spend time on the range all day, so that comes with more robust features.
If anyone has shot a Sig, the trigger is fantastic. This may be the thing I like the most about the Sig brand. It is clean and crisp when it breaks. I have never felt a Sig trigger creep, and the pull can be adjusted on many of their models, so it is an easy pull and crisp break. When I shoot this with the red dot, or better when I use this with a laser target system, I can see how much better my accuracy is by having a better trigger.
This gun uses a polymer frame and a steel slide, so it is about the same weight as other compact pistols. Make sure, if anyone is looking at the P320, this is a compact gun, not a sub-compact gun. This pistol must be carried on a belt with a good holster. And to keep the gods of Sig happy, it should be a leather holster. The way customers are accessorizing these, it needs to be a custom leather holster. The frame has an excellent underside rail and trigger guard.
Putting one of the O-light laser and light combos on it feels like a requirement to ensure the build is complete. When a shooter puts this on the gun, all they have to do to make the gun more concealable is just trade out the slide and barrel, and you are good to go. — Jeff Hayes
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8. Glock G43 - Comfortable to Grip and Simple to Shoot
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Highlight: Nearly undetectable in an Inside the Waistband Holster.
Helpful review: The G43 is a very thin, single-stack 9mm. The slide is just under an inch comprehensive and easy to conceal. The G43 functions just like the full-size Glocks. When I carry the G21 as a side arm, this for my Concealed Carry walks, talks, and acts just like a full-size gun.
A few customers buy the G43 to carry in the "Flash Bang" holsters. This gun can hide anywhere with its thin profile and super small size. The G43 will run any 9mm ammo I load into the magazine; it never quits. The little beast of a gun does get a little hot after the third magazine, so unless re-holstering is needed, I let it sit on the shooting bench with the slide open for a few minutes.
I built and sold a kit that is an AR15 chambered in 9mm and uses Glock-style magazines. I include a customized G17, with all the cool stuff, and a G26 for a compact gun. I do this because they will all use the same magazines if needed. Before everyone freaks out, the compact magazine will not work with the big guns, but the big magazines will work with the smaller guns. The one issue with the G43 included in this package is that it uses a single-stack magazine.
The sights on this gun are standard Glock sights, and I usually immediately replace them with fiber optic sights. The lower the profile, the better. I did shoot this quite a bit without any sight, and I think there is no need to have them in the first place. I will do that if I find a dovetail fill or block-off plate to eliminate the sights. I may try and put the originals into the milling machine or take a Dremel tool to it and make a block off the plate. — Willian G. Edwards
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9. Springfield Hellcat - Fits 11 Rounds With One More in the Barrel
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Highlight: The best CCW grip on the market.
Helpful review: The Hellcat is the latest CCW pistol to come to the party. The Hellcat came out nearly perfect for concealed carry by watching and learning from the other offerings. The grip is well thought out, and the size suits the money. The magazines hold 12 rounds; using the extended (reload) magazine has 14 rounds.
The Hellcat has to compete with another Springfield CCW gun in the XD-S. The main difference is the XD is a single stacker, and the Hellcat is a double stacker. The XD is rough and supposed to be; it is made to hang onto when wet or in harsh environments. The Hellcat is made to carry under my shirt and is smoother, like a comfortable CCW gun should be made.
This gun is easy to shoot with a wider grip, especially using the extended magazine. This gun is easy and comfortable to shoot for boxes of ammo, not a few rounds until I get annoyed with trying to pinch the tiny grip with my fingers. I call it good and go home. The sights are full-size and very accurate right out of the box. The slide can have a red dot attached; an offering will come with a red dot if that is your flavor.
The full-size, square, sharp corners dig into my gut when I wear an open-top holster. I cure this by wearing a retention holster, protecting me from the sights. The frame does have a lower rail that will fit many of the underrated flashlights. When I get to that review, I will mount a laser on this one and see if I can talk myself into keeping that modification on a carry gun. — Theo J. Chambers
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10. Walther Q4 SF - Perfect for Long Trainings at the Shooting Range
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Highlight: The most comfortable to shoot CCW gun.
Helpful review: If I don't include the Walther brand, the 007 fans will seek me out, so here it is. The Q4 is made for comfort, carrying, and shooting. It is the heaviest pistol I have reviewed in this article; it is an all-steel pistol.
Walther fitted this pistol with fully adjustable rear sights, the only maker to do this on the compact versions of their offering. I think this gun will have to be carried in a strong side holster outside the waistband. It would be excellent if a person were to use a shoulder holster.
The grip is what makes this gun so comfortable. The palm swell fits medium to large hands like it was made custom. The hand web sits high, right behind the barrel, so the recoil is tamed, and the sights are fast to require. With the grip and the heavy frame, the recoil is not an issue when shooting 9mm ammo. The front strap of the magazine well is also checkered from the factory, which is a nice touch.
The trigger has a Glock-style safety and a short reset. The extended levers on the slide release are the greatest pleasure of shooting the Walther. When most everyone reads extended for a lever or button, they think it sits wider than the original. An extended lever slide release puts the leverage in the shooter's favor to move the release.
The Q4 is a high-quality pistol. It does not hang up and needs to be shot in to smooth things out; it is smooth right out of the box. The finish is showroom-ready, and all I had to do was a minor rubbing with a rag to look cool and make the deep-blued steel shiny. Everything about this gun screams quality and value. And if a bit of bragging is needed, and you don't want to carry a 1911, this is the one to do it. This is also the one if you want a very comfortable, high-quality pistol. — Elijah Allen
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