Category: Handguns

Featured Image via Amazon

You have the right as an American Citizen to keep and bear arms. You have the right to protect yourself and your family. But choosing the best conceal carry is an important decision.

Even though we would like it to be otherwise, the world is a dangerous place. Crime and violence happen all around us. Turn on the news and see for yourself.

The most important things in your life, your family and safety, must be protected. A concealed firearm is the perfect way to ensure you have the protection you need.

Many times, it is the lawful citizen legally carrying a firearm that rescues would-be victims and saves lives. It could be a friend, co-worker, or stranger.

Gone are the days when guys used to settle differences behind the barn with fists. Fights today involve knives and firearms. Others have lost the ability to defend themselves physically due to injuries or old age. A concealed firearm can help you repossess the defense you once had.

Different individuals have different reasons and desires for a concealed firearm. We believe this review will help you understand the variety of firearms available and what may work well for you. There is a perfect firearm for everybody.

Comparison Table

Product FAQ

How We Reviewed

We reviewed a variety of the best conceal carry guns based on their features, pros and cons, availability, and price. We also took a look at factors such as the gun's portability, ease of use, weight, and stopping power.

We know there are a variety of guns that serve different needs, and there is an equally large number of gun buyers with different preferences and needs. Understanding the differences between common options can help you get the most out of the following review.

Guns come in a variety of styles and options, and best conceal carry for one individual may be different than for another person. Guns can accomplish many purposes, including self-defense, but the gun you use to defend your home and family may be very different than the gun you choose to keep on your person.

The size and body type of the individual lends itself to personal gun choices along with countless other factors. It can be beneficial to choose a go-to gun for conceal carry in order to familiar and comfortable with it.

There are some standard options a person needs to understand if he or she is going to make the best possible choice.

Revolvers

While pistols dominate the world of concealed carries today, revolvers are one of the most traditional guns. They feature a barrel-like cylinder that revolves in order to line individual bullets with the barrel.

Single-action revolvers are old-fashion revolvers that require a manual cock with each shot. They can still be purchased today, but they are more nostalgic than practical.

Because of the extra time and effort between shots, they are not a legitimate choice among the best conceal carry weapons.

Modern revolvers are double-action guns. When you shoot a double-action revolver, the trigger cocks and releases the hammer in the same pull.

Double-action revolvers are much easier to use than single-action, and a more common choice for conceal carry needs.

Revolver Perks

Many people choose a revolver as the best conceal carry option because of its ease of use and simplicity. The cylinder is easy to open for clear vision of the individual cartridge chambers.

When you insert cartridges in the chamber and close the barrel, you are ready to fire. Unloading it merely requires you to open the cylinder, tip the barrel upward and press the extractor in the front.

Loading and unloading a revolver takes no unusual strength or strategy. The simplicity carries over to shooting as well. In the event of a cartridge misfunction, a second squeeze of the trigger simply rotates the cylinder to align the next cartridge.

Another perk of the revolver is its individual bullet chambers. Because each cartridge has its own chamber, the shape of the ammunition can vary more than other weapons.

Because the cartridges are sized for width, most revolvers can utilize smaller-caliber cartridges with the same diameter. Common conceal carry revolvers use .357 Mag. and .38 Special chambers. The Magnum is a longer bullet and more powerful, but both are compatible because they have the same diameter.

The golden rule in this situation is that shorter cartridges can be loaded into guns with longer chambers, but longer cartridges cannot be loaded into guns intended for shorter cartridges.

Other perks include the revolver's resistance to jamming and the ability to fire a revolver through clothing. They are easier to clean than some other options and do not need to be disassembled.

When the barrel of a revolver is pressed directly against an attacker, it is not hindered by the pressure.

Revolver Grips

Revolvers offer a wide variety of grip choices. Most revolver grips cover a metal frame, and you can choose different grips to fit around the metal frame of your gun.

Small grips can be easier to conceal, but large grips can be easier to access and shoot. Grips can also be customized for your hand size and personal preferences.

Revolver Disadvantages

A primary disadvantage to revolvers is the limited capacity. The most common barrels are six-shooters, and some revolvers that are smaller and good for conceal carry only have five rounds.

You can purchase eight-shooters, but they are usually too large to serve as the best conceal carry weapons.

When you run out of ammunition, it can be time-consuming to reload a revolver. You have to eject the spent cartridges, reload new ammunition in each cylinder, and close the barrel again.

While a speed loader can make the process faster, it is still an overall disadvantage. Another disadvantage of the revolver's cylinder is the width. Some barrels are wide enough to make concealing difficult.

While the lack of a safety on double-action revolvers, it can be a perk to shoot without worrying about an additional step, but for some the lack of a safety option is a danger.

Pistols

Modern pistols are usually semi-automatic weapons with many different features. A magazine is housed inside the gun's grip. The magazine holds cartridges, and the capacity of the magazine varies depending on its size and other factors.

A pistol is operated by a slide that engages the gun. Within the slide is a single barrel that holds one bullet at a time.

The shooter loads his rounds into the magazine and inserts the magazine into the pistol until it clicks into place. By pulling back on the slide, the first round is chambered.

The gun is now ready to fire. When the first round is fired, the first cartridge is expelled, and the second cartridge is automatically chambered. You can fire repeatedly until the magazine is empty.

Pistol Perks

The first and primary perk of pistols is its ability to fire repeatedly. It is not uncommon for a pistol to accommodate 17 rounds. It is also easy to keep extra, fully loaded magazines nearby.

Pistols are also flat and sleek, making them easier to conceal than many revolvers. The slide on a pistol is also more resistant to recoil than a revolver, and many have a safety mechanism.

This is beneficial due to another pistol perk, a light trigger squeeze. The squeeze is light, and the trigger pull is short. Pistols also have a short reset, meaning the trigger does not have to return all the way forward before it can be fired again.

Firepower is the recurring theme that differentiates the pistol from the revolver. Pistols can shoot faster and more often than revolvers.

They also have safety perks, such as hammer drop safety. Many pistols have internal mechanisms to prevent the gun from firing if it is accidentally dropped.

Pistol Grips

While you can buy pistol grip accessories and replacements, the variety of grips is less than revolvers. The grip on a pistol is important not only for shooting but also for manipulating the slide.

For shooters with less strength or hand grip in general, it is important to have a firm grasp of the weapon when pulling the slide.

Pistol Disadvantages

Unlike the revolver that excelled in simplicity and ease of use, beginners often find pistols difficult to master. There is no uniformity among pistols, and one pistol can vary greatly from another.

Magazine releases, safeties, and other functions can be activated differently and found in different locations on different guns. Disassembly and cleaning also vary widely between guns.

Pistols offer less ability to interchange ammunition, and they are more susceptible to jams. Some pistols even lend themselves to accidentally hitting the magazine release and being left with only one cartridge in the chamber and no magazine in the handle.

Caliber

A gun's caliber is the diameter of the barrel. The bullet size matches the barrel. For instance, a gun is labeled as “9x19” then the diameter of the bullets used in the gun is 9mm and the length of the bullets is 19mm.

Image via Pixabay

However, caliber is not always measured in metric units. The same caliber could be measured as .223 inch or 5.56 mm.

Another common mistake is based on relative measurements and what seems like an insignificant difference. For instance, how much difference could there be between 9 mm and 10 mm? Could a 9 mm bullet not travel through a 10 mm barrel?

But the truth is guns are precision instruments. Every millimeter counts. Even fractions of a millimeter count.

Pistol Caliber

Some pistol calibers are common, and others have recurring spots on our list. The 9 mm is very common, called a 9x19mm Luger or 9x19mm Parabellum.

The 9 mm has always been used by a lot of military outfits, and recently the FBI switched all agents to 9mm firearms.

It also has benefits to newer gun users, including minimal kickback. It is powerful enough to stop any attacker.

Overall Price Range

The guns we reviewed ranged in price from under $400 to around $750. A buyer's budget can be affected by a number of items, including specific needs or preferences he or she has in a gun. Some may prefer a specific type of steel or simply be averse to polymers. Others may want a certain size or grip style.

Ultimately the value of the gun is determined by how desirable it is, and what is desirable for you may be different than what another person desires.

As you peruse our list of the best conceal carry guns, remember that you are looking for a gun you can carry every day, if need be. You should desire a gun that you are comfortable using and, more importantly, that you are confident using. Do not let somebody talk you into something you don't want, because you will likely spend too much money on something you are not comfortable using.

Finally, remember that a conceal carry is not a showpiece. Your gun is not to impress others; it is meant to protect yourself. So as you investigate our list of the best conceal carry guns, find the ones that you could carry every day with confidence to establish a range of what you will likely need to invest.

What We Reviewed

The Verdict on the Best Conceal Carry

Choosing the best conceal carry weapon is difficult task because there as so many variables among both guns and shooters. Guns come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and people do too.

A gun that could be concealed on one individual may not be concealable on another. A gun that is light enough for one shooter may not be light enough for another.

We wanted to give our nod of approval to a weapon that efficient and usable for a wide variety of buyers, and one that was simple enough for pros and newbies alike. We opted for the Glock – G43.

Glock G-43

The Glock G-43 gets our nod for the best conceal carry. This compact 9 mm is designed with conceal carry in mind. It combines a single-stack magazine that gives it a thin build alongside stopping power on par with larger weapons.

Glock has a reputation for that is esteemed by military and the public alike. They make some of the best combat pistols for all purposes, including some that have landed police and military contracts. The Glock G-43 is on par with the best of them all.

The semiautomatic gun has a polymer frame manufactured in Austria and imported to it Georgia location in the United States. Just under 18 ounces with unloaded magazine, the gun six-and-a-quarter inches long and four-and-a-quarter inches tall.

It is about an inch wide with a narrow steel slide. It sports the familiar square-shaped black finish common among Glocks. It is a square-nose slide and a 3.39-inch barrel with hexagonal rifling.

Using the Glock–G43

Test the Glock–G43 and you'll find it to be a very well balanced. It is accurate and controllable for a small gun, and the grip is comfortable to hold.

The magazines lock easily into place, and a variety of ammunition, from low-end to high-end, can be used without any malfunctions. Bullets weighing less than 115 grs. had the least recoil.

The accuracy of the small gun is reassuring for concealed carriers. It is as accurate as many larger guns. This gun is a semi-automatic with a narrow 9 mm barrel that lives up to Glock's storied tradition. In a search for the best conceal carry weapon, it does not disappoint.