20 Top Concealed Carry Guns

1. It’s interesting that conceal carry is such a personal thing that a “top 20” list was necessary versus a top 3, 5, or even 10.

   • How in hell can they overlook the classic J-frame S&W when compiling a list like this?

     I’d think the J-frame Smith makes the list of the top 3-5 CCW guns of all time (along with the Glock 26)!

     The 642/442/636 etc. are some of the top CCW guns of all time. At least one of them should have been on this list.

     The frickin Beretta Nano has been out for what a couple years? The Glock 43 looks promising, but it’s been around what, less than a year?

     Millions of people have carried J-frames for decades.

     Overall the list looks pretty good (and contains several of my favorite guns).

     But how can they overlook the J-frame?

     • Word. As in preach the word, brother. J frame.

     • Smith 340 PD is in my rotation. Great gun, but a b!tch to shoot.

       • .357 is a bit much out of a 13 oz. gun, but .38+P is manageable out of a 15 oz. gun. The triggers aren’t great with these guns either (but feel safe carrying them in a pocket holster). A Glock-like trigger in a pocket gun makes me a bit nervous. There is a clear trade off to everything.

     • I agree about the J Frame. My other carry gun got left out also, the 9mm Sig P290RS. Both are great carry guns. Another good choice is the 9mm Sig P938.

       • Agree with both of these. Add the P238 for those .380 fans. The 938 is my EDC choice.

     • I carry a model 60 all the time 5 shots guaranteed. I’m old school

   • It’s not an all time list, it’s a list for 2015.

     • If it were an all time best list then you would have to include the HK P7 “Squeeze Cocker”. I’d also like to mention the HK P30 is now Sootch00’s favorite concealed carry handgun and it’s a mighty fine shooter.

       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oq7o6qDy0yA

       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlp7ldIItLI

2. the S&W 340PD, it is lighter than the LCR, it shoots 357,and most importantly it is hammerless.

   • 2nd that one. somewhat surprised it was missed. I must be getting old.

     • Too many S&W j-frames for any one of them to make a list like this. That said I don’t like the 340. Too light, and .357 is pointless in a <2" barrel. Dramatic velocity loss turns it into stout 38 +P — with a ton of recoil and flash.

   • Most wouldn’t load it with .357 anyway so why spend twice as much as an LCR?

3. I knew about the Seecamp .32, didn’t know about their .380. Interesting.

   • If you have LARGE hands , like a full size frame , think 380 or 9mm is enough fire power for self defense , like the idea of producing maximum fireballs and noise , are recoil sensitive ( everyone is ) , want maximum bullets on target with 1 inch accuracy at twenty feet , aren’t still worried about rim fire failure rates ( problems solved with quality ammo ) , want the absolutely lightest and most comfortable concealable fire arm made , and you can get one for under $ 600.00 , buy yourself a PMR 30 , order yourself a Dead Eye Luke inside the waist holster and have fun practicing personal self defense .
     It really is about more bullets on target making more bleeder holes and a 22 magnum is good for this .

     • Derp?

       • I Know , Know , I Know

     • 22 Magnums out of a pistol are actually slower than 22 long rifle. 22 magnum is loaded for rifles abd thus has slower powder that wont be even started burning before the bullet is gone in a pistol. I know this because i chronographed them in a S &W K frame 22 6″ bbl. Back then nobody made a 22 mag pistol so I made a reamer and made my own only to realize why the gun mfg didn’t make one.

4. I think Smith and Wesson would object to someone calling a Ruger LCR a J Frame.

5. Sig 938. The quality and reliability of a kimber with a lower price and much larger selection of aesthetic models.

   • Because of our insipid “approved gun list” here in ca, the big winner is the Sig 238. Same gun, less bang. Also a very popular choice.

     • By what blistering departure from logic could they possibly consider a 238 in a different category than a 938?….. Commiefornia confuses me.

       On a related note…. The 238 is nice too!

       • If a pistol has a polymer frame made in a different color plastic than the original, and nothing else different, it must be resubmitted to get onto the “approved list”. Yes, they are flat out stupid in California, and by that, I mean the government and those who elect them.

       • With the microstamping requirement, California has a de facto ban on all new semi-automatic pistols.

       • Changing color is not a reason for resubmission. The fact is the P238 had to be specially configured for California, and the P938 came out after the microstamping mandate, which means that, because no manufacturer makes a pistol that complies with the mandate, it would be pointless for Sig to even try to get it approved, even if the pistol complied in all other respects with the California changes to the P238.

     • My Sig 238 functions flawlessly, and it eats everything.

       • I love my P238 with a fervor that most would consider unhealthy, but around here, is nothing of note.

   • Agreed, I LOVE my 938, I have shot the the XDS and Kimber and i Like my Sig better. Surprised it isn’t on this list.

6. For the Px4 Compact entry you have a picture of the Px4 Sub Compact instead. Both are quality editions.

   • Thanks. Photo swapped.

   • I would also add that the Sig P225 & P239 are good options for someone like me. I stand 6’4 with large hands and trying to hold the smaller framed single stack pistols can be awkward at time- especially if drawing under stress or an increased heart rate. These two models of Sig Sauer’s tend to fit comfortable in the hand and still conceal well.

     • As a (multi) P225 owner for going on 25 years I can say I used to carry my 225 as my CCW all the time. Now in the days of pocket autos it seems like a beast (and it is, comparatively), but back in the early 90s it was either my PPK/S or 225, and given my PPK/S weighed a half-ton already, I usually took the 225.

       With its (physically) shorter trigger it is a bit less ergonomic than a full-sized P220 or P226, but with practice it is still quite decent.

       Now they sit in the safe, barring the occasional range day where someone wants to shoot ‘those weird single-stack Sigs you have’. 😉

     • +1 on the 239

     • +1 239.

   • Did they fix it? It’s definitely identical to the Px4 Compact holstered at 5 o’clock on my belt right now.

     • Yes sir, Dan was very quick with updating the picture for the Beretta Storm to the correct model.

7. Glock 16? Really IMDb? This is why I stick to the IMFDb.

   • Right. I don’t know how they flubbed up that one.

8. S&W 442. The alloy J-frame is small, lightweight, hammerless and reliable.

   • though great carry / pocket gun, they do have a safe but heavy trigger.

   • Agreed. 442 is a great little gun. The Pro model loses the internal lock and gives you moonclips (which are great for ejecting rounds w/o getting one stuck under that short ejector).

9. P3AT extremely reliable? Its cheap magazine is a real weak point, feed issues abound in this thing.

10. Gaston Glock’s balls must taste like pumpkin pie or something.

    • Correction…. Pumpkin spice. EVERYTHING tastes like pumpkin spice this time of year.

11. Glocks suck. Buy ??‼️

    In all seriousness, the Ruger LCP sucks.

    The ruger LC9s Pro is a great side arm.

    The storm, ruger SR, and a few other are great guns, just not for carry. Their built like bricks.

    • A few Glocks are manufactured in GA. In fact, I have a GA, USA-made Glock 17.

      • Good for you. Dedication our own Country seems to be a thing of the past. Good to know there are still some good men out there. ?

        • If economic patriotism is such a great thing then why not only buy from your own state, or your own city, or your own neighborhood, or only make it yourself?

        • Our militaries rifle is Belgium and the pistol is Italian by your standards…

    • Hmmm, didn’t mean to take this off topic. Buying American and locally is definitely the right thing to do. But the conversation is more about conceal carry firearms. I only have one compact. All my duty side arms are full size. I am not allowed to carry a backup.

      I thought some of those picks were a little bit blocky for conceal carry. For example- if you’re going to conceal the storm we may as well just grab the full-size. Is it really that big a difference? It’s a good list overall.

      • Actually the point is that buying local is often not the right thing to do. Maybe look up and try to understand the economic theory of comparative advantage. It is counter intuitive and not terribly easy to grasp, at first, but it is an extremely important economic principle when considering trade policy.

        • +1

      • The shorter handle is much easier to conceal. I do wish they made a version with the full length barrel and the short handle.

    • My EDc is a SR9c. It is a great gun and it is accurate for me.

      TTAG why don’t you do a poll of what model of gun each reader carries most? I guess that would include concealed and open. Add them all up and have your own top # carry guns.

12. Might be anecdotal, (or just a concentration in my area) but there seem to be lots of Sig P380 carriers around my area. Given the price drops over the last few years, and the ease of carry, honorable mention?

13. Okay; someone’s opinion of top 20, not the result of actual data.

    Notably absent: Any model CZ.

    Still, though…what difference does it make? Someone’s opinion of what constitutes a “Top 20 gun” does not necessarily make one a good gun for any given individual.

    This kind of tripe just fuels the nonsensical “X is the best, just get that” mindset we see far too often on the intarwebs, as if such objective statements have meaning.

    • Exactly. One of the aluminum alloy 75 Compact D or RAMI D should be on the list.

      • A 75 compact can be on there in full steel with the non-decocker trigger if the baby 1911s can be.

    • Do you mean subjective?

      • No; I meant, opinions stated as objective fact. Something like “this is best” stated as objective has no meaning…because it is NOT objective.

    • As someone who’s wearing an 82 right now, I wholeheartedly agree.

14. With so many choices it’s good to get an informed opinion, thank-you.

15. Sig p250 compact and sub-compact, Great choice. sweet trigger weight compared to a
    j frame smith. For safety its DAO is long but smooth. Simple, clean, Not cluttered with unnecessary buttons or levers, easy to quick change to different calibers with Sigs x change caliber kits.
    Good operating trigger and slide, if someone has hand issues … i.e. carpal tunnel, arthritis etc.

16. “Best of all, it’s one of the few pistols that can be chambered in .40 S&W and actually perform well with it.”

    WTF does this mean? Not a .40 fan but I’ve shot countless variations and all have “performed” fine.

    • Agreed. I’ve never had problems with a .40. I wish I could say the same for other calibers.

    • Not a .40 fan, but I wondered about that as well. It’s a perfectly functional round in just about every handgun there is.

      Maybe they meant *compact* pistols specifically? Recoil from a .40 would be a bigger issue the smaller the pistol gets.

17. CZ P-01

    • Correction:

      CZ P-01 with the carry package from CZ Custom. Second best handgun I’ve ever fired (after my CZ 75 Shadow from CZ Custom).

18. im surprised the LC9s/LC9sPro didn’t make the list, especially over the LCP

    • I was thinking the same thing.

      • I like my LC9sPro. Comfortable, easy to carry, shoots well, doesn’t beat my hand up and so far has fired every type of ammo I’ve run through it. When the weather cools down and the clothes get a bit heavier it’ll be back to my Glock (I don’t all cap anything, unless I’m screaming at someone) 19. Both rest easy in IWB Cross Breed holsters. The Super tuck for the 19 and the Mini tuck for the LC9sPro.

19. what, no 10mm?

20. Kimber ultra

21. What’s a Glock 16? Lol I know they got it from IMDB, but how did the gun in the show change to a gun that doesn’t exist? Or were the writers seriously not smart enough to use the same name in the same episode?

    And my two carry guns are the Glock 26 and Sig938. Both are awesome. Only issue is the Glock hates Fiochi (spelling?) ammo. Dunno why. But ANY other ammo is flawless. Eh.

    Would have liked to see the Sig938 on the list. I think they are absolutely fantastic guns.

22. HK P7M8.

    • Hoooo boy, do I want one of those! I had a pal who had one back in the 90s and I loved shooting it.

23. No Glock 7? The x ray defeating gun of legend.

24. phelps.

25. Smith J frame? How do you leave that off a list like this? They’ve been around for a long time and carry like a dream.

26. Well, there is ONE Sig on here, but the wrong one for CCW.

    Not one mention of my beloved EDC Sig P938.

    It’s rigged I tells ya!

    (Good round-up, I will grudgingly admit.)

    • Yes, yes!
      The Sig P938 should be #1.
      Well made, reliable, sub compact, 1911 platform. 9MM
      What’s not to like?

      • The P238, the P938 and the Colt Mustang appear to be miniature 1911s, but they are not.

27. I bought my SCCY CPX-2 sight unseen, based on a TTAG review. I love it. it’s my EDC CC, and very often my OC as well.

28. I’ll join the chorus bemoaning the lack of the venerable J-Frame. As much as I love my SP-101 (3″ barrel), it’s kinda heavy. S&W 438 goes everywhere with me, and there’s a 642 at home for when I need a minor change of pace.

29. Sig 239 and Smith and Wesson K frame are what I am usually carrying…

    I don’t think anyone of those made the top 20… ah well…

30. Glock 30s ftw

31. An Boberg XR45-S Onyx white double stack would nice and 357 sig and 10mm auto option.

32. Mainly came to see if any milsurp would be in here–I like all-steel durable reliability for under two-and-a-half myself. But it remains a niche interest I see. I will say the P-64 hould have a place in the “honorable mentions” if they have room for the Seecamp.

    • Like you, I love me some milsurp. The P-64 is a great little gun, but the stock 25-lb DA trigger pull and it not being drop-safe should probably disqualify it from a list like this. It’s not a pistol I’d recommend to someone relatively new to concealed carry, that’s for sure (and that’s really the target audience for a list like this, isn’t it?). It’s not that the P-64 is necessarily unsafe, but it’s definitely less safe than a modern gun that simply can’t fire unless the trigger is pulled all the way back.

      • Valid points, I’m a bit spoiled because my stock trigger is apparently a lot better than most. And the drop-safe thing is, well, a thing too.

33. AS WE ALL KNOW, IT’S A PERSONAL CHOICE. I CARRY A GLOCK 17 IN 9MM, A RUGER SP101 IN 357 AND A TAURUS 85 IN 38+P. ALL WITH CRIMSON TRACE LASERS. IT ALL DEPENDS ON WEATHER AND MODE OF DRESS. ALL 3 WILL GROUP 1 INCH OR LESS AT 10 YARDS. HAND LOADS. THE 38 IS THE MOST CARRIED. CONCEALABLE EVEN WEARING A T-SHIRT. OF THE TOP 20, I CAN’T FAULT ANY. AS LONG AS YOU CARRY ALL THE TIME.GOOD LUCK, BE SAFE AND MAY GOD BLESS.

    • Are you shouting, or is this an old-timey Western Union telegram?

      • HE’S SHOUTING.

        full stop.

    • I also have a Taurus 85 in 38 special. Mine is the Titanium frame at a bit over 14 oz. I also have a Sig 938, that I adore. I can’t make up my mind which one I want to carry when I “go to town”. The Sig holds more, but I don’t like to have the thing cocked, too easy to accidentally flip the safety off.

34. I used to carry a Walther P99 in .40 but jave since switched to a Para Expert Carry in .45. The Expert Carry is a 1911 style gun with a 3″ barrel and full size grip so it still holds 8+1 and has so far functioned superbly.

35. My semi auto carries made the cut, even in #1 and #2 spots.

    No love at all for the S&W 60?

36. As to the Kahr selection, I prefer the CW9 as opposed to the CM9. The barrel is half an inch longer (3.5″ vs. 3″) and there is one more round capacity, yet it is the same width and only a fraction taller, so it is just as concealable.

37. And Steyr’s excellent line of handguns gets overlooked yet again.

38. I also have to tip my hat to Ruger . The P 85 and P 95 are kind of hard to conceal but if you can they are beast of burden and the SRC 9C is also a favorite of mine , it is my wife’s favorite . I am not a Glock fan but really can’t bitch about them , just not a fan .

    • I guess I just like my guns that I carry to hold lots of projectiles

39. Click bait. Of course my daily carry isn’t on there, despite trialing and rejecting many of the guns on the list.

    We all have different needs – lists like this are quite frankly just silly. Carry what works best for your needs/system.

40. Wilson Combat Sentinel

41. I alternate between a Walther PPS in 9mm and a Glock 19 G4. They’re similar enough in operation that I am of the opinion that stress reloading should not be an issue. The difference in texture indicates to me how I actuate the magazine release.

42. Most pistols on your list I would not carry concealed anywhere near my body. I was required to carry a Glock for over 12 years and think the trigger type safety is especially hazardous after seeing and hearing of numerous accidental discharges. Yes, my favorites are versions of the 1911 and SP101

43. My Sig P290 is sad…

44. So was this a qualitative analysis or a quantitative study? Whose opinions are these and why does this read more like an advertisement for gun manufacturers rather than actual journalism? I thought TTAG strove to be better than this tripe.

    • Oh, get over yourself. It’s a bunch of guys sitting around bullshitting about “what do you think the best 20 concealed carry guns out there are?” Opinions vary, you argue, you drink, you come up with a list, and nobody really cares who’s right or wrong. It’s a way to pass the time. It’s not intended to be an exhaustive analysis, and you’re taking it way too seriously.

45. Mine’s a Springfield XD 9 Subcompact.

46. Why get caliber specific on the Springfields? Like a Glock they are all the same whatever the caliber. Especially since we all know caliber doesn’t make a difference.

47. At least half of those are NOT REALLY CONCEALABLE unless you weigh 300lbs. I’ve carried a G26 and a Commander sized 1911 before and I shore am glad a friend of a friend turned me onto the Sig P290RS. Two ex SEALs turned him on to it. Happiness is a small 9 mike mike that stows away in the front or back pocket of your jeans.

48. I carry a Colt Mustang + II in stainless. Had it for many years. I just have an aversion to plastic guns. Sorry.

49. I carry a CZ Rami 2075. It’s really good carry gun for those who like all-metal double stack or 1911/Hi-power guns with a safety. It carries the equivalent ammo load of a compact or full-size at half the size. Super reliable and little to no recoil. Good luck finding one though.

50. Good list but i wouldnt carry any one of them. By choice of course. Prefer double stacks because there twice the mag capacity as most of the list above… Also a lot of double stacks are same size if not smaller than the list above.
    And id like to see a list of the top 10 cc double stack guns. Hope to see the xd9 sub compact in there!

    • There are at least five or six double-stacks on this list…

51. Is that it? Where’s the Sig P239?

    I guess Glock has the whole world in a tail spin. I went to the gun show last weekend looking for a P224 to fondle and found exactly one Sig, a P250. Bass Pro and Academy have damn few Sigs too.

    I was also looking for a 6-shot S&W Kit Gun in 6″ or better, Steiner 7X50 Mil/Marine binoculars, and a couple or three AR type muzzle covers. No joy on any count, and same story as last 6 or 10 shows I went to. I’m gonna quit going to gun shows and save my money!

52. Glock 19 is full size now?

53. I can’t believe that the Sig P938 wasn’t on the list. It’s a very small accurate and reliable 1911 that comes with night sights. What’s not to love?

54. Ahh, no love for a 9mm 1911 in the list? The Springfield EMP (Enhanced Micro Pistol) in 9mm is a single stack, sweet shootin’ son of a gun. 9+1, light enough to carry all day, heavy enough to feel almost no recoil. Glad to see the plastic fantastics highlighted, but this is a very subjective list…

55. My concealed preferences are the Glock 21 and the S&W 60 (snub)……

56. I like my KR7s

57. I must comment upon your inclusion of the Kahr CM9 in that list. I purchased a Kahr CW380 a year ago, NIB. I have yet to fire a shot from it. It refuses to feed anything I’ve tried to feed it from the magazine. When I called Kahr’s optimistically named “tech support” for suggestions or advice, the rep caustically and dismissively stated, “Kahr advises breaking the pistol in by shooting at least 200 rounds through it before contacting Kahr about any problems.” He was like a broken record, repeating that over and over. He even repeated it when I asked how I was supposed to fire 200 rounds through a pistol that won’t feed. As far as I’m concerned, the quality control and tech support from Kahr would make anything from Taurus appear to be on a level with the old Colt Python by comparison.

    • Kahr really does have some crappy customer serv. You are not alone on that one.

58. Is that a Barrett M82 in your pants, or are you glad to see…..oh nevermind

59. Smith J-frame revolvers and the Sig p238 are still the best sellers out there

60. It nice to see my PPS made the list. A little surprised at the lack of S&W revolvers. Also surprised not to see the PPK.

61. My employer does not allow guns on the premises, although other car dealerships have been shot up in the past by disgruntled customers. My work uniform is pleated chinos and a tucked in sport shirt, so I front pocket carry an LCP in a Recluse Holster every day. It absolutely does not print, and in years no one has ever noticed or even asked what was in my pocket.

    When I am not at work I front pocket carry a Taurus TCP. Very reliable, quite inexpensive at under $200, and a better trigger than the LCP.

62. Minor fail by omitting the Sig P938/238 and Smith J frames. How do either not make a top 20 ccw list?

63. Sig P938. Yes it’s a little more expensive that most singe stack 9’s – but for us folk that like 1911s & single action only & cocked and locked carry – the P938 is legit. Performance wise it is close to a 3″ 1911, both in capacity & ballistics however it is much more concealable & reliable.

64. Wow ! Finally a consensus on something . Thank you everyone for your input and it’s wonderful to note that the #1 CC gun was the PMR 30 . Signed , sealed and delivered .

    • Next perhaps a consensus on air guns will be recognized !

65. It is interesting that the CZ compact designs were overlooked altogether. It doesn’t matter that their new compact police model is the widest used weapon in the western world, but as their design is the same as the full sized CZ75 / 75b variants, and improved , I’d have thought a missed mention impossible. It’s true that they were not imported until a few years after their technology birth in 1975 , but hey, with 40 years of exposure in the gun market and of a design copied and sold more than any other than the 1911’s….PLEASE !.

66. No mention of the CZ 75? Or the Walther PPQ? Biased reporting, evidently

67. I would like to know more about a couple of pistols that could possibly be on this list. The Springfield Armory XDM 3.8″ Compact 9mm and Sig Sauer P320 Nitron Compact. I’d also like to know what are the required dimensions for a concealed carry firearrm? Barrel length and round capacity.
    thanks,

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