Concealed Carry Gun Draw

Best Concealed Carry Guns [2021]

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Are you looking for a new concealed carry gun? In this article, we’ll talk about the best concealed carry guns available in the market today. Choosing to carry a concealed weapon is a big decision and not one that should be taken lightly. On the one hand, it’s exercising a fundamental American and I would argue a human right. And yet, it calls into moral, legal, and philosophical questions that most of us have never had to face.

To that end, I want to not only help you choose the right firearm for you — I also want to help guide and prepare you in other ways.

We’ll take a look at some of the legalities of concealed carry, discuss the pros and cons of revolvers and semiautomatic pistols, and I’ll give you some lessons I’ve learned while carrying myself.

The first question you should look into before starting this journey is the simple fact of if you’re allowed to carry where you live.

For most of us, the answer is or can be yes. But you need to make sure. I strongly recommend the USCCA’s Concealed Carry Reciprocity Map & Gun Laws by State. There are a few websites that offer this feature, but USCCA’s is one of the most up-to-date and easiest to use.

Best Concealed Carry Guns USCCA's CCW Map
USCCA’s awesome CCW map!

Click on your state and then read all about what permits you might need, where your permits are valid, and additional laws about carrying such as in bars, at work, and more.

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The Law Is The Law, Read It All

Read everything carefully. Not everything is black and white and you’ll often run into things that are simply… odd.

For example, I live in California. Something that comes up often as a concealed carry weapon holder is “can I drink at a bar and carry a gun?.” The answer entirely depends on where you live, but for me, the answer is a solid “shmaybe.”

Oddly, there is no California law against having a CCW in a bar or restaurant, provided I’m not drinking alcohol. 

And yet, when I sign the paperwork for my permit I sign an agreement that says that even with my permit, I am not allowed to carry in a bar or “any place having the primary purpose of dispensing alcoholic beverages for on-site consumption.”

Best Concealed Carry Guns Avoid Alcoholic Beverages When Shooting
Great safety tip from Ruger.

So while I can’t be found criminally liable for carrying a CCW in a bar (assuming I am not drinking) I can lose my permit if I do.

Details like this are important to be aware of. 

Even if you never get caught going about your daily life, if you are in violation of one of these harder-to-find rules and you need to defend your life — it can make things tricky afterward.

Magazine Capacity, “Expanding” Bullets, and More

If you’re new to firearms, pay attention. Some states have laws limiting how much ammo you can have in your magazine. Normally the limit, if there is one, is 10-rounds. But that isn’t universal.

If you live in a free state, you won’t have to deal with this issue. But double-check the laws to make sure if you’re not positive.

Best Concealed Carry Guns 147gr HST bullets after firing
147gr HST bullets after firing. Image Lucky Gunner.

As you might have guessed by the subtitle, this also goes for “expanding” bullets. Normally, that means a ban on Hollow Point rounds. But again, check your laws.

And in case you’re wondering, yes — these laws are stupid.

And yes, this is another one of those where it’s unlikely you’d be caught normally — but it is absolutely something that will be looked at after a defensive gun use.

There is a lot of case history across the United States that even if you’re clear of the shooting, you can still be charged for breaking other laws.

Open Carry Vs. Concealed Carry

Open carry means exposing your firearm and people can see it. Think of a uniformed cop or security guard, their firearms are open and exposed.

Concealed carry means people can’t easily see your weapon. It’s really that simple.

If you want to know what makes good open carry guns, that is another article. We’ll focus on concealed carry here.

I always recommend staying as concealed as you can be without grossly limiting access to your weapon.

For some, that means the appendix carry inside the waistband. 

For others, the small of the back is best.

But for me, I like to carry on my strong side slightly in front of my hip.

Best Concealed Carry Guns Strong Vs Appendix carry styles
Strong Vs Appendix carry styles. Image: CrossBreed Holsters

Where you want to carry will impact what gun is right for you. If you want to carry in an ankle holster, don’t get the biggest gun you can find.

If you want to carry at your appendix with your muzzle pointed at the family jewels, maybe you’ll feel more comfortable with manual safety on your gun.

Keep these things in mind when choosing your carry gun.

What Is And Should You Be Concerned About “Printing”

“Printing” is how much your firearm deforms your clothing, normally in the shape of the firearm. 

Depending on how badly it is printing, it might take a keen eye to tell that you’re carrying a gun or it can be so bad that even the legally blind will be able to point at it. 

It just kind of depends.

Best Concealed Carry Guns
This is really bad. If you’re printing like this, you’re doing it wrong.

Printing in of itself isn’t a super bad thing, honestly, most times your gun is printing it will feel and look to you a whole lot worse than it actually is.

But that doesn’t mean you should ignore it either. The least amount of printing possible is always better.

You can mitigate printing by what you wear, shirts with complex patterns help a lot. Loose and baggy clothes help a lot also. A good holster is a must.

It also depends on what shape you are in personally. If you’re built like a twig, your options are limited. If you never miss seconds at dinner, you can get away with a larger gun.

In the end though — don’t let printing run your life. If your fear of printing leads to a whole new wardrobe, a Hollywood diet, or a gun you hate, it isn’t worth it.

Is “Printing” Illegal?

Read enough concealed carry or CCW forums and you’ll find people saying that even printing counts as “open” carry. While there might be some weird jurisdiction out there where that is true, it isn’t true anywhere I’ve ever been, read about, or looked into.

Printing is not illegal. However, exposing your firearm… might be. It depends. 

Most commonly accidentally exposing your weapon happens when you reach for something above your head or bend down to pick something up.

Best Concealed Carry Guns 1911 gun concealed carry
With the right holster and the right style of carrying, even a 1911 is easy to hide. Image Alien Gear Holsters

When reaching down or up, your shirt can often move and expose your weapon. For the vast, vast majority of places — this isn’t illegal. The worst that can happen is you get a surprised look from someone. Or in a more gun-friendly area, a high five.

However, there are some places where this is a violation of your permit restrictions. Again, read and understand your local laws to make sure. 

Modifying Your Concealed Carry Gun

This is a hotly contested topic in the CCW community. I fall into one camp but I’ll also tell you why I could be wrong. I want you to have the whole picture.

First, check that it is legal for you to do so. Either read your laws or check with your permit issuing authority. While it might be legal on a state or city level, not all issuing authorities will allow it.

Assuming it is legal where you live, should you do it? Two huge reasons why some CCW trainers advise against modifying your carry gun is because it can be less reliable and modifications might be used against you in court if you had to use your gun.

Best Concealed Carry Guns The Roland Special
The ‘Roland Special’ is about as fancy as a CCW can get, but is it more deadly? No. No, it is not. And no DA could prove it is. Image, ATEi

There is some merit to these arguments, but I disagree with both. 

As long as you use quality parts and the parts are installed by someone who knows what they are doing (either a gunsmith or yourself if you have the experience) and you test your weapon at the range, then any gun with modifications can be as reliable or even more reliable than a stock firearm.

Just some examples, my Glock 19 and Beretta 92FS are both heavily modified. Both firearms go through thousands of rounds between malfunctions. 

The other argument, that they can use modifications against you in court, is one that I’ve never seen proven.

The argument holds that if you made changes to your gun, a DA might be able to sell those changes as making the gun “more deadly” or “more aggressive” or that you were “looking for a fight.”

If you slap punisher skulls on your gun, that third one might hold water. But if you make reasonable choices that are purely functional, you’re in the clear.

Best Concealed Carry Guns
Please, just don’t do this. Image, Showgun Grips.

For years I have asked CCW experts to please show me a single case where a DA was successful in getting a conviction based on the fact that the firearm was legally modified. I have never been shown one, but I have disproven several. 

A legal shooting is legal regardless of whether or not you have a slightly lighter trigger, night sights, a red dot, or a stippled grip. 

How your gun might look to a jury is something you should keep in mind. Do you really want to try to defend your punisher skulls or “Get Some” engraving? 

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Revolvers Vs. Semiautos

This is an age-old debate. Like 9mm vs 45 ACP, cats vs dogs, or baby back vs. St. Louis-style ribs.

Here is the honest truth — it depends. 

Personally, I am very much in favor of semiautos for concealed carry, and I have a long list of reasons why. But I’ll do my best to give you all of the whys and wheres so you can make your own choice.

Revolvers

The two biggest reasons people choose revolvers are pretty simple actually.

First, they require almost no hand strength. If you can pull a trigger, you can use a revolver. If you have a compromised grip, this might be your only option.

Second, it’s what they are most familiar with. These days this is almost exclusively older generations, but regardless of age — if all you’ve trained on is a revolver, it makes sense to go with what you know.

If you fall into one of these two reasons, then I recommend a revolver for your concealed carry. For everyone else… keep reading.

People like to carry revolvers for their simplicity and reliability. But the thing is… they aren’t and they might not be.

Revolvers, on the inside, are actually really complex. The guts of a revolver are called “clockwork” because it looks and works like an old school clock. And it’s exactly as complex too.

Best Concealed Carry Guns

They are reliable until something goes wrong. When something goes wrong, revolvers are almost impossible to fix in the field. Almost anything that takes a revolver out of the fight is critical enough to render it useless until a gunsmith can fix it.

My biggest gripe about revolvers though is ammo capacity. 

Most CCW-style revolvers only hold 5 or 6 rounds. Larger ones can carry 7 or 8, but those aren’t as common. More than 8 is basically unheard of in a defensive caliber.

The Glock 19 I carry has 15+1 loaded with a 20-round magazine as my reload. To do that with a revolver I would have to carry 5-speed strips or speed loaders.

A positive that is reasonable but I would also say is kind of useless is that you can just keep pulling the trigger if your cartridge doesn’t fire. 

While this is true, it’s a very niche positive that will effectively never happen if you use decent ammo.

Semiautomatics

My two big reasons for choosing a semiauto, other than all of the cons I’ve listed against revolvers, are ammo capacity and modifications. 

Both reasons were touched on, but let’s dig deeper.

Depending on the gun you choose you might have magazines that hold 7 rounds or magazines that hold 20+. Generally speaking though, a semiauto has at least 10 rounds of 9mm per magazine.

Best Concealed Carry Guns Changing a Magazine

Reloading with a magazine is always easier and faster than a revolver unless you put an incredible amount of time into revolver training. 

Even so, once you get past the first reload or two — semiauto wins due to volume. Reloading with 10, 15, 20 rounds per reload is just so much more than 5 or 6 at a time with a revolver.

That said — it’s effectively unheard of to ever need that much ammo as a civilian. The FBI says that most civilian shootings are resolved with just 1-3 shots fired. 

So why carry 35+? Personally, because I can. A second magazine is as much for redundancy and to solve any malfunctions that might occur as it is to carry extra ammo.

Since I’m already packing a spare mag, why not make it one that holds more ammo than I’ll ever need.

The legality of modifications I’ve talked about also, but let’s talk about it a little more.

Every change I’ve made to a carry weapon is meant to make the weapon shoot better in my hands so that I can be faster, more accurate, and safer.

Be it removing the magazine safety from my Bersa to changing the slide on my Glock 19 to add a red dot, every change had a purpose and every change was for the better.

All of us are different. We have different hands, eyesight, skills, and needs. Finding a gun that is perfect right off the shelf is a tall order.

With any popular semiautomatic pistol, you have an aftermarket that helps you customize it to fit your needs. Maybe this just means some Talon Grips or maybe it means entirely new internal parts.

Other reasons to choose a semiauto is that they are thin, easy to carry, crazy reliable, easy to use, accurate, and come in every caliber flavor you could think of.

Strikers, Hammers, Safeties, and More

Yet one more thing to think about! Do you want a striker-fired or hammer-fired gun? Do you want manual safety or not? How safe is too safe?

Strikers and Hammers

If you’re just choosing between a striker-fired gun like a Glock or a hammer-fired gun like a CZ P01, it really doesn’t matter. There is no major gain or loss between the two systems.

Some people like hammers so they can ride it with their thumb while holstering up, but that is a super minor consideration.

Best Concealed Carry Guns CZ-SP-01
CZ SP-01, one of the best ever made. Image, CZ-USA.

However, if you’re looking at a question of double-action/single-action (DA/SA) Vs. a striker-fired gun, then it’s something to talk about.

DA/SA guns are great and I love them. The first trigger pull is long and heavy while the double-action cocks the hammer before dropping it, but after that, the pull is crisp and light single-action.

Upside of this is that follow-up shots can be fast and very accurate. The downside is that the trigger requires more training to get good with. But once you are good with DA/SA, your shooting as a whole will improve a lot.

Strikers deliver a consistent pull no matter what. Every shot is always the same feeling and will take much less time to gain proficiency with.

My view is that this should be a lower-priority consideration. If you find a gun that fits you perfectly, but it’s DA/SA and you’d rather have a striker — this isn’t a big enough problem to prevent you from getting that perfect fit.

It might take some more training to get used to the new feel, but that is easier than shoehorning a gun you don’t like.

Manual Safety, Trigger Safety, Drop Safe — Are We Safe Yet?

The biggest choice you will have for a concealed carry gun is getting a manual safety or not. If the gun you choose is something like a 1911, you must have a safety since it is a single-action only firearm.

But on guns like the CZ P01, Beretta 92 series, and many others — you might be able to choose between a safety or a decocker only. Even striker guns might offer models with a safety on them just for you to think about.

For the past 20 years or so the trend has shifted away from manual safeties, they require more training, can stop you from firing under stress, and are generally just not needed due to modern firearm design and safety methods.

Personally, don’t carry with a safety on. Ever. My DA/SA guns are all hammer down and my striker guns don’t come with safeties.

The only time I use a safety is when my gun is off-body and that is rare since it isn’t a method I carry with often.

If you’re on the fence, I would recommend against a manual safety if you have the option.

“But if I don’t have a safety, how is my gun safe?!

Most brands do it slightly differently, but any modern gun is drop safe at the very least. This means it won’t go off if you just drop it.

Best Concealed Carry Guns Glock Safe Action System

Guns like Glocks have 3 internal safeties to prevent accidental discharge or drop fires.

A trigger safety is a super simple way of designing a trigger that prevents it from being pulled unless with a proper grip.

Firing pin safeties mechanically block the firing pin from moving forward until the trigger is pulled.

And the drop safety holds the firing pin back until the trigger is pulled.

Because of safeties like these, modern striker-fired guns are some of the safest ever made.

Concealed Carry Calibers

This is a debate that I hate getting into, but we should at least talk about it.

Right off the bat — I recommend 9mm. If you just wanted my recommendation, there it is.

Really though, if you want to rock .45 ACP or .40 S&W or .357 Magnum, go for it.

Bigger calibers like those I just mentioned might have more “stopping power” as some people put it and that can result in greater lethality, but not always.

Shot placement is far, far, far more important than caliber, firearm, or tactics. A miss is a miss no matter what. You can poke a lot of holes in the human body and they will be just fine so long as is didn’t poke something important.

Best Concealed Carry Guns

But hit the right spot and even a meth-crazed bodybuilder will drop from a tiny bullet.

9mm delivers great ammo capacity, outstanding lethality with modern bullet designs, mild recoil, and has a huge range of ammo options to choose from to carry with and to train with.

Bigger calibers mean more recoil. This makes follow-up shots slower, good hits are harder to achieve, and forces you to carry less ammo.

It is true though that bigger and hotter calibers will do more damage to the body with each shot. But I would strongly contest the idea that this ends fights faster in most cases.

Destroying a major artery means it is destroyed. There are very few cases where an artery would have been destroyed using a .45 ACP but left intact by a 9mm bullet.

Dead is dead. Bigger calibers don’t make the dead guy dead-er.

I would much rather have more ammo, better placed, and faster hits.

However, there is a hard minimum. Just because smaller can get it done, doesn’t mean super-small can. 

From the testing that I’ve seen, .380 ACP or .38 Special is as small as I would go. I strongly do not recommend anything like .22 LR, .22 Magnum, etc.

Defensive Ammo

I train with FMJ because it’s cheaper, but I carry high-quality defensive ammo — always. Why? Because it’s better in every way.

Good defensive ammo has higher quality control and is more reliable. It’s normally nickel or aluminum plated for better extraction and less corrosion. And the bullets are designed to expand in soft tissue thus helping to prevent over-penetration and delivering a more lethal hit.

Whatever caliber you choose, get good ammo to go with it. Don’t just grab a bag of Walmart half-off mystory loads.

I highly recommend:

Best Concealed Carry Gun

Now that we’ve gone over a LOT of information about how to pick a carry gun, let’s dig into the best CCW guns we recommend!

1. Smith and Wesson 642 J-Frame

One of the classic CCWs, the J-Frame snub-nosed revolver is still a perfectly viable choice today.

While this wouldn’t be my first choice of concealed carry, it would be my first choice of a revolver.

Smith & Wesson have been making revolvers for carrying and duty use for a long, long time. These are rock-solid and proven firearms that will always be there for you when you need them to be.

Best Concealed Carry Guns

I have so much faith in these guns, a .38 Spl Lady Smith 642 J-Frame is what I bought my mother as her first CCW.

Rated for .38 Spl +P ammo, these aren’t pea shooters. They are also snappy in the hand and can wear you down over a day of training.

They’re small, easy to conceal, easy to handle, and accurate as you can be.

S&W also offers them in a wide range of models that include with or without manual safeties, laser grips, and more.

If you want something with more punch — take a look at the 640 line, basically the same gun but chambered in .357 Magnum.

2. Taurus G3c

Taurus is a name that doesn’t get a lot of respect in the firearms community, mostly because they’ve had a lot of issues with quality control in the past.

The thing is though… the G3 and G3c are just outstanding guns. I was as shocked as anyone, but Taurus has really knocked it out of the park with these guns.

The G3c is the little brother of the G3, smaller and more compact but with all of the same awesome features.

Best Concealed Carry Guns Taurus G3c Slide

Since the G2 Taurus has made substantial changes to the design that took it from a good carry gun and turned it into a great carry gun.

Glock style iron sights (compatible with Glock aftermarket sights also!), an improved finish that doesn’t wear with holster use, 12 round magazines, and reliability that is off the charts.

Best Concealed Carry Guns Taurus Magazines

It is awesome to see Taurus step their game up and design such a solid shooter for such a great price.

Take a look at the complete hands-on review!

3. Glock 19 Gen 3/4/5

The Glock 19 might be the CCW. If you’re not sure what to get and really can’t choose, get a Glock 19. 

Small enough to be easy to concile by just about everyone but large enough to give you a full grip and great shooting stance, the Glock 19 really is a Goldilocks gun.

Best Concealed Carry Guns

Best of all, to me, is that the aftermarket support for the Glock platform is unmatched. Sights, triggers, slides, frames, and everything else can be changed, improved, or customized to fit your needs perfectly.

You’ll never be short on parts either since it’s one of the most popular guns ever made.

I would recommend the Gen 5 since it has improved features and adjustable grip inserts, but you’ll be set with any generation Glock you can get your hands on.

Best Concealed Carry Guns Glock 19 Gen 4

4. Glock 43X

If the Glock 19 is just a little too big, the Glock 43 and 43X are there for you. Single stack, slimmer, and easier to conceal, both the 43 and 43X are legends in the making.

Personally, I strongly recommend the 43X over the 43. While the 43 came first, the 43X really has a number of improvements that make it stand out.

The biggest of those improvements is the fact that it holds 10+1 9mm with a standard magazine.

Best Concealed Carry Guns Glock 43X VS Glock 43
Size comparison between the 43 and 43X. Source Clinger Holsters

And being only barely bigger than the standard 43, it’s a huge gain for a little weight.

Otherwise — both guns are what you would expect with a Glock. Glock sights, Glock reliability, Glock feel to them.

Outstanding value in all respects.

5. Sig Sauer P365

Every once in a while there comes a gun that changes everything. Colt Single Action Army, the 1911, Glock. I don’t think the P365 was on par with those innovations, but it did make a huge splash in the concealed carry space.

Best Concealed Carry Guns Sig Sauer P365

The first to market with 10+1 rounds of 9mm in a size footprint that normally only held 7 or 8 rounds, the P365 gives you a lot more firepower while staying sub-compact.

Extended magazines make the gun slightly larger but increase capacity to 12 or even 15 rounds.

Since the P365’s introduction, several follow-up models have come down the line. 

My favorite is the P365 XL, a slightly larger version of the base gun. It fits large hands perfectly and adds the ability to add a micro red dot.

6. Springfield Armory Hellcat

The P365 came first, but Springfield took lessons learned from the P365 to make a better gun.

Springfield’s Hellcat holds 11+1 rounds with flush-fitting magazines, has options for micro red dots, and is simply a juggernaut of a sub-compact pistol.

Dead on reliable, huge market support, and just a great shooter — the Hellcat is just a great gun. Period.

Best Concealed Carry Guns Springfield Armory Hellcat

Extended magazines get you 13+1 rounds of 9mm and it still sits as a super easy to conceal sub-compact.

Oh, and it comes in FDE. Hell ya.

7. Smith & Wesson M&P 9 Shield 2.0

I really don’t have anything bad to say about the M&P Shield 2.0, but I also don’t have any major selling points to give you.

It’s a great gun. Easy to use, easy to shoot, reliable, and a great EDC gun that I think everyone would do well with.

Best Concealed Carry Guns Smith & Wesson M&P 9 Shield 2.0

But there isn’t really anything standout about it. It wasn’t the first or the best, it isn’t the smallest or the largest, it’s just a very good, reliable, always there kind of gun.

It’s my Johnnie Walker Red. Always there for you, never demands much, and is a friend in good times and bad. But I don’t break it out for the in-laws.

Like the Red label, it’s also almost always easy to find in stock. Even when Glocks are all scooped up or Sig’s are overpriced, Smith & Wesson has the ability to make sure they are there when you need them.

Best Concealed Carry Guns

Something else I can point to is the M&P brand. S&W’s whole line of M&P firearms is outstandingly made and rock-solid with great QC to back them up.

If S&W is willing to put a gun in that line, it’s because they believe in it and will support it.

The other great thing is that it comes in a LOT of flavors. With or without a safety, with or without a laser built-in, the Shield line has a ton of options.

We have a complete hands-on review of the Shield, take a look for a ton more details!

Final Thoughts

More important than what you carry is that you carry. If you choose a gun that you hate to carry, you won’t carry it. And there is nothing more useless than the gun you left at home.

In that same vein, you need to train with your gun. Pick a gun you hate to shoot and you’ll never train with it.

Pick something you will carry and you will train with. Everything else falls in line after those two things.

You should also look into things like CCW insurance, holsters, and belts! These articles will get you started:

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41 comments
  1. Mike:
    Did a little speed reading and saw no mention of 357 Sig.
    I really like the Glock 33 Gen 4 for EDC concealed. The Glock 33 is as versatile as the weather in Texas.
    Curious if you have an opinion on the Glock 33 or 357 Sig in general.
    Neldon

    1. The .357 Sig is a great round. It basically gets .357 Mag ballistics out of an autoloader…I just had to draw the line somewhere-there are SO many great calibers out there. I would feel totally protected with a Model 33 .357 Sig on my hip – great cartridge, great gun!

    1. I truly love the PPS! I like its classic lines and the fact that it is associated with some classic movie lines – “shaken, not stirred” – and the way it feels in the hand. One of the reasons I didn’t mention it is that it is really hard to find. Every place I looked online when I wrote that article said the PPS/PPK were out of stock with no arrival date known. The ones I did find were astronomically priced. If you have one, keep it and if you want one, keep looking…it’s worth it!

      1. I bought two Walther PPS M2 firearms this year. Alabama. Cost was $447.00 and I’m extremely happy with purchase. Great review here by Mr Guns n Gear: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=othC_SGmEt4

        I can’t for the life of me figure out why this amazing firearm isn’t on the top concealed carry firearms list. People are really missing out. Thank you! 🙂

        1. 1L19, I’m glad you like the PPS. I owned one for a while – it was a very easy gun to carry. Sounds like you got a good deal on them, as well. I agree, it should be higher on the overall popular model carry list. Thanks for writing!

      2. I was just re-reading some of the comments I’ve made and came across this one – I think I got the PPS mixed up with the PPK, James Bond movies and all…sorry about that! I have shot the PPS – it is one great CC gun. Again, sorry for the confusion…

  2. I am a Law Enforcement Officer in northern Indiana, have been through multiple firearms trainings and shooting classes as both a LEO and civilian, and I can tell you that Mike writes some of the most honest, useful, and down-to-earth reviews I have found.

    I am currently searching for my next off-duty concealable pistol, and in the past 2 months I have put a LOT of effort into this decision, as I am not one to throw money around. I also don’t get sucked into the “cool” guns or the ones that everyone rants and raves about because of military contracts, Navy SEALS using it, NYPD endorsing it, etc….I do my own research and get the facts and stats myself. In the past couple months I’ve gone to countless gun shops trying out the feel of guns and talking to the staff, have spent probably 30- 40 hours reading reviews and stats, as well as have talked to many friends and family who own different brands/ models, etc to determine reliability, rust resistance, accuracy, optics performance, etc.

    After all of my own independent research, I ended up with almost the exact same list as Mike posted on here in the first place…back in 2018. I have never met Mike and have no affiliation with this website, but I can tell you that from now on when I want a new gun I’m not going to waste months of my own time figuring out the ups and downs and alternatives….I’m just going to come here and look at Sniper Country’s latest articles. He has earned my trust.

    1. Ed, those are just about the kindest words I’ve read here. I truly appreciate and respect your law enforcement service and take your comments seriously. I’m glad to help, and glad that my reviews can play a part in your (or anyone’s) decision on what gun to buy. I have other reviews pending – stay tuned. Thanks for writing – I appreciate knowing that what I’m doing helps others.

  3. Thanks! I had pretty much decided on a Ruger LC9s & thought I would do one more read. I’m still going with the LC9s but feel more confident in my decision.

    1. Carlos, I really appreciate that! I really try hard to put out all the info I can when I write about something. Thanks for writing!

  4. Just to let everyone know, while the State of Nebraska is open carry, the City of Omaha requires a separate, specific permit to open carry, a concealed carry permit won’t allow you to do it. Outside of those city limits you don’t need one. Concealed carry, you will need a permit.

  5. Hi Mike- Thanks so much for the awesome review- In my opinion it is spot on, except I am not so much a Taurus advocate- just my personal opinion. I own most of the firearms you reviewed here but after buying my 1st Glock, and then S&W’s, Ruger’s, SA, and more Glock’s, my Glock’s are still my go to pieces. My 19 is not carried too often as it’s a shade big for the light clothing here in So. Florida, so I prefer the 26, or my M&P Shield. My wife loves her 43, but also carries the Ruger 5 shot wheel. I thoroughly enjoy reading all you have to say- thanks Bud !!

    1. Bill, I appreciate your kind words. I’m glad you have your go-to guns – it’s important to have confidence in what you carry. I appreciate your comments-thanks for writing!

  6. Mike, regarding the Taurus Spectrum . I have one, and it has never been fired… and for a reason.
    I purchased a box of Winchester FMJ .380 auto rounds in 95 grain… these are flat on the tip, not rounded. I loaded the mag, and decided to eject the rounds thru the port and not by dropping and unloading the mag, and the gun jammed on every round I tried to eject. I know this is not normally how you would unload it, but my question is … do I have an ammo problem, or a gun problem? Taurus suggested different ammo. A local gunsmith tried it and suspected the spring may be too strong, or the port may not be in spec. I wanted to run JHP, and preferably G2 Research RIP, not just target rounds. As it is now, I don’t see that I can trust this gun, especially if a round doesn’t fire… I won’t be able to quickly clear the gun. Thanks!

    1. Al, if the gunsmith couldn’t diagnose the problem, you might need to send it to Taurus. But first, a couple of things…When you say it jammed on every round you tried to eject, do you mean that you were not able to get the rounds ejected through the port when you racked the slide, they hung up? If so, then the port is too small or the ejector is out of spec. Another possible issue is that the spring. like your gunsmith friend suggested, is too strong and is not allowing the slide to come all the way back on recoil – that usually results in stovepipes or inability to pick up the next round from the magazine. Mine feeds truncated-cone flat points, JHP and round-nose loads, no problem. It’s probably something simple. Try a few round-nose loads to experiment. If it feeds those, then that tells you it’s the bullet shape. But, it should “eat” every kind of bullet you feed it. If you do need to send it back, my past experience with Taurus shows that you will get through much quicker from the “chat” feature on their website as opposed to over the phone. Hope this helps – thanks for asking!

      1. Thanks for the quick reply! Yes, the rounds would not eject through the port and hung up when racking the slide. The gunsmith had the same experience when he tried it. I will try out a few other types of rounds, just as a test. I will also contact Taurus via the chat as you suggested. I’m thinking it needs to be checked by the factory and serviced. Thanks once again!

      2. Hi Mike, I spoke to Taurus this afternoon, explained the problem, and they said send it back for warranty repair. I will re-post the results once the gun is returned to me. Thanks for your help, I appreciate it!

        1. Al, good that they’ll look at it. When you know more about it, please post here – I’m curious as to what could be causing the issues!

          1. Hi Mike,
            Received the Taurus Spectrum from factory repair last week (8 week turnaround) and they replaced the ejector. But, issues still remain. I fired it this weekend and it will not load the cartridges from either of the magazines IF they are loaded with six shots… with 5 shots, they will load just fine. Another point… the so-called 7-shot mag I have will NOT hold 7 shots… it is almost impossible (even with a speedloader) to load 6 rounds. But as it stands now, it is a 5-shot limit if you want it to load. Otherwise, it will jam when you cycle the slide on a full mag.
            Have called Taurus again, and they said “Call back in 5 to 7 business days, and maybe we can ship you out another mag to try.” To me, this gun is on “strike 2” and either needs to work properly, very soon, or it will be “strike 3” and will be someone else’s headache. Tempted to order a 7-shot mag elsewhere and see if this works.
            Al

          2. Al, too bad. Sounds like a magazine issue – it would be interesting to see if your gun loads properly from another magazine, one you haven’t tried. I have, as I type this, my Spectrum in a pocket holster, in my pocket. Mine feeds from both mags fine, and the 7-rounder holds that many. I’d try a different mag, and take Taurus up on their offer of a free mag. Let us know if this helps – you’ve got me thinking about it now! Another thing or two that may not have anything to do with it at all, but here goes – how’s your feed ramp? Is it polished shiny? I have found that to be an issue in the past. Also, what type of bullet are you trying to load? FMJ round nose or HP? Again, just taking a shot (no pun intended!). I’ve had problems with some guns not liking a certain type of HP bullet’s cavity, but polishing the feed ramp usually helped. Again, keep us posted – thanks for keeping us informed!

  7. Just read this article for the first time (I’m a newer subscriber < 1 year). What a great article and I wish something this well written had been available 27 years ago, when I first got my CCW.
    One thing that has come up regarding Open Carry and Concealed Carry(and it may not have been an issue yet when you wrote this Mike), is the Retailers that have started banning Open and Concealed Carry on their premises. So far, it seems, that the lower courts are supporting this "right" of/by the businesses (whether this "assumed right" is constitutional will require the determination by a higher court, and that may or may not happen for years). Walmart, Kroger, and a few others have instituted these policies. The general consensus among CCW holders in my area is mixed on whether or not this "right" should be honored, but regardless it is a point of concern for all of us.
    For myself, businesses that ban both, are businesses I avoid doing commerce with. I can understand the banning of Open Carry (although I feel it's driven more by ignorance than fact, but what isn't these days). So, my comment is meant for you as a factor you might want to consider, should you ever decide to update/reprint this article in the future.
    About 3 years ago I upgraded my CC Pistol from a PPK/S to a SIG P365. Solely because my aging eyes were having difficulty in low light drills in seeing the sights. I've been very pleased with the upgrade and appreciate both the caliber and capacity increase. Though my wife still thinks the PPK looks sexier LOL.
    My wife uses a S&W Model 36 as her CC gun. Because of her distaste for regular practice, I did install some Crimson Trace Laser grips on the Smith, and she's able to keep all 5 shots in the zone.

    I'm thoroughly enjoying reading your older articles as well as your current ones. Your attention to detail and your ability to avoid bias, makes your reviews some of the best I've ever read. Thank You for your service to the Firearm World.

    1. Bemused (one can only wonder how you arrived at that moniker – it’s great!), first, thanks for the compliment. I write the review I’d want to read, so for me it takes a little more digging and research into guns and topics than others might do since I like detail. Nothing wrong either way, that’s just me. You are right about businesses not wanting guns brought in – I can see them not wanting open carry but concealed carry is different. Predators love gun-free zones. At any rate, thanks for you very kind words and thanks for writing!

      1. Mike, another fine article, very informative, and I realize would take a lifetime to evaluate all the great carry guns, but I am looking for advise, I have been carrying a Keltec P11 for many years, never failed me in practice, and very concealable, I am looking at Glocks 19, 19x, or the 17 to carry. I have a G21 and love THE 45ACP, Have you carried any of the 9’s I mentioned or recommend one .Thanks. I am new to the Glock line.

        1. Keith, interesting question. I had a P11 for awhile but really hated the trigger. I do think upgrading is good – the KT is a good gun but there are others out there easier to shoot well. I’ve only owned one Glock but am familiar with them. I, like you, am a .45 fan so I had the Glock “compact” .45, the model 30. If you can hide a full-size Glock well on your person, anything is open to you from the 17 to your 21. However, I think you might like the 19 a bit more, if you go 9mm – you only give up two rounds over the 17 but it’s easier to pack around. You might check out the 30 (or the single-stack 36) if you want to stick with .45. I assume your 21 is too much to conceal – is that right? Again, the 30 is easier but the 19 is always popular-it’s Glock’s best-seller. Let us know how it works out, OK? Thanks for writing!

  8. Wife carries the Mossberg MC1sc. Iv read a lot of great reviews and she loves the size. Accuracy is more than lacking as it has no grouping and seems to be all over the place. Completely contrary to the reviews I’ve seen. Do you have any experience with this firearm? What’s your thoughts about it?

    1. Stuart, yeah, I’ve had some experience with this gun – Here is my Mossberg MC1sc review. I really liked it – it’s a nice carry gun.
      The gun’s accuracy was at least average, or maybe bit better, when I shot it – you can see the targets. I’m not sure why yours is so inaccurate. Normally, I’d advise trying several brands of ammo to find the one it likes best but that’s probably not possible now. That’s one thing you can do. Another is to check and make sure all screws are tight, and the sights are not moving under recoil. This is rare but it can happen. I doubt if yours are loose, but it’s something you could check. Have you called Mossberg? That might be something else you could do. Let us know how it comes out, OK? Thanks for writing!

  9. What about the Taurus PT709 for a edc concealed, pros and cons? I am looking at one for myself wondering what you think.

  10. Hi Mike,
    I had written months ago. I got my Spectrum back from Taurus. They replaced a chipped ejector rod and the recoil spring. I think they did some other work as well (I believe). I insisted they test-fire the gun quite a few times and apparently they did, since they have fixed the problems. I believe they were using Speer FMJ. I have only loaded Prvi Partizan FMJ rounds so far. They load, cycle, and eject without issues. I also picked up a Galloway Precision captive ejector spring / rod assembly, and will likely install this.
    I don’t know about using JHP rounds at all. I know it does NOT like the flat-tipped rounds. A local gun guy has the Spectrum also, and he gave me the Prvi Partisan ammo, as he said it has worked great (hundreds of problem-free shots).
    I just wanted to update you on this… sorry for the delayed response.
    Al

  11. 9mm is superior to .380. The myth is carrying a .380 is signing your death warrant. I know guys and gals who carry .380s, including the Thunder CC, every day with confidence.

  12. A snub nose revolver at the top of the list? I don’t think anyone under the age of 40 would have put that at number 1. For most people, firing a snub nose .357mag accurately is not only difficult, it’s just downright unpleasant. Plus the P365 is superior to the 43x because it’s more concealable with the same mag capacity. Why the G3c is at number 2 is anyones guess. A G19 is only good for CC with a jacket covering it outside the waistband. Personally the best CCW is one that doesn’t print, can be carried IWB or in the front pocket, and has a mag capacity of 10+. P365 and the Hellcat should be 1 and 2.

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