The title of this article, 10 Best Concealed Carry Handguns, is very questionable by almost everyone who owns a handgun. I fully realize this and offer the article solely as my personal opinion. I have been carrying handguns for most of my adult life and still own many. I have also done enormous amounts of research on handguns. However, one person can hardly cover all the guns that are available out there in the world marketplace. The most popular guns are easy to find and more affordable to the biggest part of the carrying population. There are not a lot of gun owners who can afford to spend over $2,000 for a gun they may not shoot very often, and will spend most of its time in a safe or some kind of case. So my focus will be on the most common handguns found in the holsters of the most people who carry regularly. Let’s get to it.
Glocks
Glock handguns [made in Austria and distributed in the US by Glock, Inc. in Smyrna, Georgia] are by far one of the most popular handguns in the US market. They are used by a very large part of the Law Enforcement agencies throughout the country. They’re also carried by lots of private citizens and Security Companies everywhere. Here is a list of the Glocks available today.
To see the specs of each individual model, go to the Glock website. Go here to see my review of the G17 Gen 4. My personal EDC is the G43. It’s pretty much the same basic frame size as the Baby Glocks, but it’s thinner and lighter. I also own a G26 and a G17 Gen4 that I carry occasionally.
Rugers
Go to the Ruger website to see the specs for all their handguns. Visit these pages to see my reviews on the SR9C and LC9.
Smith & Wesson
The Smith & Wesson line of handguns is almost too big to imagine. They have 96 variations just of the M&P line. The M&P Shield is the most popular model available in 9mm, .40S&W and .45auto. There are 20 variations of the M&P Shield produced for concealed carry. The chart below is only a portion of what is available and shows some specs on each model shown.
Springfield Armory
Springfield Armory was started back in 1777 when George Washington commissioned them to make weapons for the war effort. Later the company was dissolved by the Gov’t. and in 1974 was opened again as a private concern.
The Springfield XD-S model is quite popular now for concealed carry, as is the XD.
The XD-S is available in two sizes, 3.3″ and 4″ and in the 3 most common calibers; 9mm, .40, and .45.
Springfield also has a line of 1911’s that are pretty popular with the 1911 enthusiasts. I have heard it said , once you fire a 1911, you won’t want to shoot anything else. I haven’t fired a 1911 since I left the US Army, so I don’t remember the experience. (You know the story, once you get to my age the CRS sets in.)
Kahr Arms
Another very popular carry gun is from Kahr Arms. This one, I think, my be one of the popular guns because of both the quality and the price. The Kahr handguns are made to very close precision tolerances, and it shows when you pick one up and try to rack the slide. The first time I racked the slide on a Kahr, I thought ” Boy, this is tight and a little hard to work”. I recognized it was a new gun and needed to be broke in a bit. I also realized the close tolerance of manufacturing. This makes it a pretty accurate gun. Watch the video.
Kimber
“Kimber builds the world’s finest 1911 pistols right here in America—something that makes sense, as few things are as American as a 1911 .45 ACP. Virtually every critical component of every pistol is manufactured inside the Kimber factory. The finest raw materials come through the front gate and Kimber does the rest, the only way to ensure that every part meets unequaled standards.”[http://www.kimberamerica.com/]
Kimber makes a good line of handguns based almost exclusively on the 1911 design. They make only a couple revolvers. They are very sought-after, but not so many ‘regular folks’ can afford them They are some of the most expensive handguns for concealed carry.
Sig Sauer
“In the U. S., the SIG success story began in 1985, when the newly formed SIG SAUER began to distribute the P220 semi-automatic. Anyone familiar with firearms knew instantly that this was the pistol to reckon with. This SIG SAUER pistol led the semi-auto revolution, and the qualities that made that happen are still here – and then some – in the current SIG Classic line of pistols.”[http://www.sigsauer.com/]
I have a Sig Sauer that I truly enjoy shooting. It feels great in my hand, is as accurate as I could ask for, and I just love it. However, I don’t carry it because it’s a Mosquito(.22LR). This gun is not for carry, at least for me. I got it for target shooting and training. It’s also a good shooter for inexperienced people when they go to the range with me.
Beretta
Passed down through 15 generations of the Beretta family, the company was already active in Gardone Valtrompia in the 1400s and its work has been documented since 1526. Under the guidance of Pietro’s sons Giuseppe (1906-1993) and Carlo (1908-1984), the firm became a multinational company and achieved great success in the military and sporting sectors. Beretta has always produced weapons.
The modern Beretta firearms have a reputation for being reliable and accurate. They are not the least expensive, but not the most either. Most of the Beretta line is priced where the average gun enthusiast can afford to own them, maybe even more than one.
In Conclusion
I know the title of this article is 10 Best Concealed Carry handguns, but it morphed into something a little different. I’m sure you can understand how easy it is to talk on about guns. As you also know, there are many more handguns in the marketplace, and most of them are of a quality you can count on to save your life if it’s needed. There are a few that have a reputation for being not so reliable, and those aren’t talked about here.
Of course, my favorites are the Glocks and Rugers, but it doesn’t mean they are the absolute best there is. They are all good. We’ve all heard the saying; “The best gun is the one you have”.
Drop me a line and tell me what you carry and what you think is the best. I’ll be interested in your views.
Train well and be safe,
