Making The Smart Choice

An age-old question for enthusiasts of all kinds; “which one is best?” Unfortunately, when
choosing a handgun to conceal for personal protection, the answer isn’t black and white.
Instead, we’re left with, “it depends,” and it really does depend on a range of factors. So let’s
first discuss what those factors are, and then we’ll give you some great options to start looking
into the Top 5 Concealed Carry Pistols.

The first, and perhaps most obvious, is comfort. You want a handgun that feels good in your
hand. If you’re a smaller-framed person, you’re not going to want a giant handgun that is
unwieldy and hard to manage accurately. Remember, in times of duress, everything gets just a
little bit harder to manage. Likewise, if you’re a large-framed person, that subcompact may not
be the best choice either. For example, if your pinky and ring finger keep slipping off the edge of
the grip, you’re not going to be able to control the handgun very well. A good concealed carry
handgun is one that feels good in your own hands.

Along with comfort in your hand, you want something that is comfortable to wear everyday. This
is one part handgun choice and one part holster choice, but I always told students that if it
wasn’t comfortable enough to wear everyday, you wouldn’t wear it everyday, and eventually
you’ll just stop wearing it. It would be better to lean into something more comfortable and have it
everyday, than any other option.

How you plan to carry the handgun is also an important consideration. If you’re going to carry it
in a backpack, purse, etc., you could probably get away with a larger frame or grip module if you
wanted one. If it’s going on your waist, consider at which position you’ll be carrying, because
some are better served by slimmer handguns, maybe even single-stacks, while others are not.
For example, if you’re carrying appendix with a double-stack, you may want a shorter-gripped
handgun because the magazine is typically what prints in this case.

The last thing I’ll specifically mention here is the environment in which you’ll be carrying. On a
hot sunny beach, you may need something smaller to carry in, say, swim trunks, whereas if you
live in a colder climate then you’ll likely be wearing bulkier clothes and could get away with
something larger. If your environment is more rural, you may need something with a longer
barrel in order to reach out a little bit farther, more accurately. If you’re carrying on the subway,
something smaller would do just fine.

These aren’t the only things to consider, I didn’t touch on caliber choice or built-in safeties,
among other things, but you get the point. The “best” concealed carry handgun is going to be
the one that fits into your life the most practically.

Top 5 Concealed Carry (Plus a bonus)

Now for the pistols, the part you probably clicked on the article for anyways! I’ve selected some
of the more popular options because there is a reason they’re popular: they work. They’re in no
particular order, but this could serve as a starting point for you to go to your enthusiast friend’s
range, a gun show, or your local gun store to start feeling your way around the Top 5 Concealed Carry Pistols!

Sig Sauer P365 Line
These pistols first came into production in 2018, and several new models and variations have
come out since. The base model is a subcompact, striker-fired pistol, and the lowest capacity in
any variation is 10+1 in a “stack-and-a-half” magazine, making it a stand-out among its
competitors. With all beveled edges making for a snag-free draw and reholster, a flat-faced
trigger, and being one of the easiest pistols to modify, customize, and upgrade, it became one of
the most popular options almost overnight, and still is today.

Glock 19x
The Glock platform is one of, if not the most tested striker-fired platforms on the market. Glocks
have been issued to military units around the world, including our own, as well as seeing service
in almost every police unit in the United States. A couple key changes made the Glock 19x
unique over the standard Glock 19. First and most noticeably, it rests in a full-sized frame. This
will be more of a benefit to those with larger hands, but the benefit to all is that it increases the
standard magazine capacity from 15 to 17 rounds. Another upgrade is the iron sights. The
standard Glock 19 comes with the regular Glock sights, while the 19x comes with tritium night
sights.

Springfield Armory Hellcat 3
The Hellcat came onto the market with one goal in mind: to rival the P365, and they may have
done it base model to base model. The Hellcat 3 comes in a micro-compact frame with an 11+1
flush-fit magazine capacity, one round greater than that of the p365. The 3rd iteration has more
grip texturing as well, making it easier for some to control than its rival. The only potential cons
are that it is slightly larger than the p365, and a half-ounce heavier as well, and it does have a
slightly shorter barrel at 3 inches.

CZ P-10 C
The CZ P-10 C is a less commonly known option, but a great one nonetheless. It also offers a
15+1 capacity in a compact frame, and a cold hammer forged 4.02” barrel. One of the greatest
selling points is the price, coming in at only $399 MSRP, making it the least expensive option on the list. Don’t let the price fool you though, as CZ is known for making some excellent-quality
guns such as the Scorpion, the Bren 2, and the Shadow 2.

Walther PDP Compact
Walther is a well-known brand and is famous for its pistols being featured in some top-tier
cinema. The PDP however, might be a little bit slept on. In my own opinion, this is one of the
most comfortable pistols in the hand and if you disagree, it’s okay, the grip is completely
modular and customizable. In a compact frame, this pistol holds 15+1 rounds, and has a fairly
standard 4” barrel. The key factor to this pistol is its versatility. Nearly every part can be
swapped out with other Walther-made parts so that you can customize the pistol to your heart’s
content, while maintaining the rock-solid reliability inherent within the platform.

Staccato CS (BONUS)
As a bonus, I have to throw in a 2011 and the best option in my opinion is the Staccato CS. Its
compact-yet-durable metal frame fits a wide-variety of hand shapes and sizes, while carrying
the appeal of the classic 1911 style. Its double-stack metal magazines have a 15-round
capacity, and it comes with a 3.5” stainless bull barrel. On the heavier side, this pistol will have
less felt-recoil and will be much flatter shooting than most of the others on this list. It also
features a pretty cool tool-less recoil system from Dawson Precision, meaning you can keep it
clean and smooth without a whole bunch of headache.

So There You Have It… Kind Of
At the end of the day, to find the best concealed carry handgun for you is going to take some
legwork. It really is a personal decision that deserves some thought, but if you put in that little bit
of work up front, you’ll be much happier in the long run, and will be much better served by
making the educated choice.