If you’re reading this article then you care about defending yourself and your family. This is a laudable goal, however, it can be quite confusing when trying to decide amongst the best guns for concealed carry self defense. In this article we will simplify this important decision, using scientific data, and real world examples. We’ll review the best pistols, holsters, and all the other details you need to consider when choosing a concealed carry gun. Keep reading for more.
Carrying a concealed firearm is becoming more and more popular as states change their laws allowing folks to carry without a permit. There are also numerous instances of violent crimes increasing around the country, and people (rightfully so) want to protect themselves.
It becomes complicated when you start searching the internet for the best handguns for concealed carry self defense. There are millions of opinions, and it can be difficult to discern who’s opinion is relevant. While I don’t claim to be an expert in all things concealed carry, I happen to be quite knowledgeable in using small arms, as I have previous experience in the Marine Corps, and I’m currently serving my community as a police officer.
I also shoot competitively, and have been known to win my division at local matches, from time to time. I say all that, not to point out that you should listen to everything I say. If you ask my wife, you probably shouldn’t.
I point out my relevant experience because it gives me the standing to help you determine which opinions have merit, and what really matters when you want to carry a firearm to protect yourself. Here’s a quick overview of what we’ll cover in this best guns for concealed carry self defense article.
Finding the Best Concealed Carry Guns For Self Defense Overview
- Practical considerations matter more than the specifics of the firearm
- You need to know your local firearm laws
- Ideally you should try several pistols to see what feels best to you
- Pistols are the hardest firearm to shoot, and require frequent training
- Finding a comfortable holster (carry method) is just as important as the firearm itself
I’m an analytical type of guy, and it makes sense to me to first determine what kind of tactical problem we are trying to solve with our concealed carry firearm. We need to consider things like how many bad guys are we likely to face? How many rounds are we going to need, as well as other pertinent questions.
In this next section we’ll review some data from an article I wrote a few years back entitled, ” 11 Research Based Concealed Carry Tips Based On Criminal Video Analysis.” In that article I examined dozens of self defense shootings and analyzed them for 11 key traits. This analysis can give us some valuable insight into what and how we can protect ourselves with our concealed carry pistol.
Concealed Carry Self Defense Shootings
Most people don’t have a realistic idea of what happens when you deploy your concealed carry pistol. These instances are thankfully rather rare, and as a result, people base their opinions off of movies and television more often than not. As we know, this isn’t likely to be an accurate source of information.
I analyzed dozens of self defense shootings and I started to see commonalities amongst the successful engagements, and those where the good guys was injured, or unfortunately killed. If you take a look at the list below, you’ll see the different traits I used to analyze these self defense shootings.
Range in Feet Between Good Guy and Bad Guy
Number of Assailants
Obscured Draw (hiding draw from assailant)
Delayed Draw (i.e not draw immediately on recognizing threat)
Number of Hands on Gun (two hand vs one handed shooting good guys)
Grappling (physical contact during gunfight)
Shooting and Moving
Event Time in Sec
Assailant Direction of Attack (clock face method)
Use of Cover
Police Officer (Civilian or Police Officer)
Location Type (store, gas, station etc)
Good Guy Injured (any significant injuries)
Overall Success (good guy injured or killed = failure)
While I can’t go over every piece of relevant information from that article, but I will highlight the key conclusions that you need to know. If you’re interested in this type of data, then I highly recommend you check out the link above.
One of the most surprising pieces of information from that article was that the majority of these scenarios (56%) had at least 2 bad guys. The average engagement range was 9 feet, and over 73% of these scenarios involved moving and shooting.
There was an 83% success rate across all scenarios. This was defined as the good guys remaining uninjured and alive by the end. One of the key predictors of success was delaying and obscuring the gun draw. Intuitively this makes sense. If you draw your gun when the bad guy is watching you with his gun pointed at you, then you’re likely to be shot.
Keys to Winning a Gun Fight
Often times the good guys in these videos waited a few seconds for the bad guys to turn their attention to someone else. At this point, they drew their guns and engaged the threat. I point this out for a reason.
Often times you’ll see trainers on the internet drone on and on about how fast you need to be able to draw your gun. In fact, I wrote an article about how fast you need to draw your gun to save your life. In it, I gave some bad guy head positions that would give you enough time to draw your concealed carry weapon.
The fact is that the data would indicate that a fast draw isn’t as important as you might think. I think it’s a good idea to be be able to quickly draw your gun, but that doesn’t mean that’s your default tactic in a deadly force scenario. In the next section we’ll review the data on handgun stopping power so we can figure out which calibers we should consider for in our list of best guns for concealed carry self defense.
Concealed Carry Handgun Stopping Power
The data in this section comes from one of my more popular articles entitled, “Analyzing 1800 Shootings: Which Caliber Has the Best Stopping Power.” That article covers the stopping power statistics for rifle, shotgun, and handgun calibers.
The general trend is that larger rounds do the best. Rifles and shotguns are the most reliable, and I might add, easiest firearms to shoot. Unfortunately, they’re also hard to conceal! If we limit our consideration to the common handgun calibers, we can see some interesting patterns emerge.
This chart captures the percentage of assailants that immediately stopped shooting, or stopped running within 5 feet of being shot. You can see the trend is smaller calibers perform more poorly. If we limit our consideration between .380 ACP to 45 ACP, we can see about a 10% difference in performance.
I want to caution you here, as calibers that are easier to shoot quickly, like 9mm, are likely to show lower one shot stop performance. After all, the assailant might have stopped after one shot, but if you put three on them, and they stopped, then you don’t count that in this stat.
In this next chart we see the average number of rounds fired until the bad guy is incapacitated. This means they are no longer able to take aggressive action, because they are injured, gave up, or are deceased.
In this chart we can see that amongst common handgun calibers, you can expect to fire between 1.5 and 2.5 shots, per person, per engagement. As you might imagine this metric will become important when we consider the amount of ammunition we need to carry with us.
Now that we’ve reviewed some key pieces of data from other articles, I think we can make some solid determinations about which handgun types, and what types of scenarios we’re likely to face, before we get to the best guns for concealed carry self defense. Before we do that, don’t forget to join the email list below.
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Practical Considerations for Concealed Carry
Given all of this information, it’s clear what type of equipment we’ll need to be using, and what type of skills we need to have. First, we should limit our consideration of concealed carry firearms between .380 ACP, 38 Special, 9mm, .357, 40 S&W, and 45 ACP. Those calibers show roughly the same stopping power.
Next, we need to be ready to engage at least two threats, within 5-15 feet. We need to carry our firearm in a way that allows us to access it quickly if needed, but also allows us to obscure, and delay our firearms draw, until it’s most advantageous for us.
Crucially we should expect our bad guys to continue to be dangerous until they’re hit with at least 2 rounds (at a minimum). If you read the 1800 shootings article there was a chart that showed the likelihood that a bad guy wouldn’t stop no matter how much they were shot. It is eye opening!
It’s also important to note you aren’t likely to hit your target with every bullet. The LAPD did a study on bad guy hit rates by their officers, and it’s only about 30%. If you check out this article you can see that 30% is a fairly constant hit rate over the last century. This makes it a good planning factor for us.
Ammunition and Magazine Capacity for Concealed Carry
It’s time for some napkin math. If we are likely to be 30% accurate in a lethal engagement, and there is at least a 50/50 chance that we might have to engage two bad guys with 2-3 hits, how many bullets should we carry? I know, this is like a 5th grade story problem.
This means that we will have to budget 6 shots per bad guy, on the low end, and 10 shots on the high end. If there are two bad guys that means that you might need between 12-20 rounds for both assailants! I want to point out that this would be a worse case scenario. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a video of a 20 round self defense engagement on two bad guys, but it is a good planning figure.
Now that we have a good understanding of the practical considerations for concealed carry, let’s get to the firearms. In this next section I will review the 7 best guns for concealed carry self defense. After that, we’ll review some key pieces of equipment like, holsters, bags, and ammunition.
The 7 Best Guns for Concealed Carry Self Defense
In this section we’re going to discuss the best guns for concealed carry self defense. I want to point out that there are certainly worthy firearms that aren’t included on this list, and that’s ok if you want to use them. My criteria for adding a firearm on this list is fairly simple.
First, and foremost, the firearm must be reliable. Secondly, it must have a sufficient ammunition capacity to be useful. Lastly, it should be relatively easy to carry, and shoot accurately in the types of engagements we are likely to face. After all we, aren’t all carrying guns like John Wick.
Glock 19 Gen 5
The Glock 19 is a compact sized 9 mm pistol that was first released in 1988. Back then a polymer frame was a novelty on pistols. Since then it’s become massively popular, for good reason. It’s probably one of the best concealed carry handguns you can purchase. It features a 15-round magazine capacity. If you add in the round in the chamber, and you get a total capacity of 16 rounds, or 15+1 as you’ll commonly see.
One of the best things about carrying a Glock pistol is their reliability and their broad market support. There are thousands of companies that make lights, lasers, holsters, and any other conceivable accessory for this pistol. This allows you to carry it exactly how you want.
I also think it’s important to point out that Glock is the preferred pistol for many law enforcement agencies, the US Navy SEALs, Delta Force, Army Rangers, and many other groups that know a thing or three about shooting. Glocks may not be fancy but they work, and they don’t cost an arm and a leg. As of this writing the Glock 19 Gen 5 goes for around $540.
Heckler and Koch VP9
The Heckler and Kock VP9 is my favorite striker-fired pistol. It’s ergonomics, and overall feel in the hand is superb. It’s also the most highly user configurable option on the list, with removable back and side straps of different sizes. This allows you to customize the grip to your person preferences. It is a full sized sized service pistol, that is able to be concealed for larger folks.
This is a 9mm double-stack pistol featuring a 17 round magazine capacity with 18 total, including the round in chamber. The VP9 is a great choice for left handed shooters, as the controls are truly ambidextrous, including the magazine release (on both sides of the trigger guard), and slide stop. It also features a partial picatinny rail which gives you more light / laser options.
The best part about this pistol is the amazing trigger. The trigger pull weight comes in between 4-5 pounds, and is much better than anything else in this segment. There are numerous variants, and other options you can choose for this pistol, so I highly recommend reading my review of the HK VP9 here, where I cover all these details. I’ve also included thing like holsters, lights, and other accessories you might want to use. As of this writing the pistol sells for right around $650.
Sig Sauer P365
The Sig Sauer P 365 is one of the most innovative pistol designs, in recent years. The Sig P 365 pioneered the 1.5 stack magazine, which allowed an incredibly magazine capacity, in a very small pistol. This is the most compact 9mm pistol on this list, at 5.8 inches overall length, and consequently, it will be the easiest to conceal.
The Sig P365 can carry 10+1 rounds with the smallest stainless steel magazine, up to 15+1 with the largest magazine. This allows you to choose amongst a very compact design or something with a little longer grip, with a simple swap of the magazine.
Sig has also released many different models of this pistol, including large frame options, and different calibers, and night sights. Personally I think the original is still a great option and can be had for around $500, as of this writing. If you want all the details on it, including specific holsters you can use, check out my complete review of the Sig Sauer P365.
Glock 43 / 43x
The Glock 43 and it’s slightly longer variant, the Glock 43x are great compact carry pistols. I personally prefer the Glock 43X, as it features a longer grip, which is key for controlling recoil. However, if you’re looking for the most compact Glock concealed carry pistol, then you will probably like the Glock 43, which is exactly the same except for the smaller magazine, and shorter grip. Either option is great for new shooters, and experienced shooters alike.
The Glock 43X is a 10+1 capacity with a standard factory magazine, however there is a great aftermarket magazine option called the Shield Arms S15. This is a flush fitting metal magazine, that holds 15 rounds. This would bring the capacity up to 15+1 in a very compact striker-fired handgun.
If you want to read my full review of the Glock 43, then you can find that here. In that article I’ve included specific holsters, and other accessories you can use with this handgun. As of this writing, it retails for right under $450. This is an amazing price point.
Springfield Hellcat
The Springfield Armory Hellcat has rapidly become one of the most popular concealed carry firearms you can purchase. This semi-automatic pistol falls into the micro compact (almost pocket pistol) category, and comes with two different sized magazines, which allows you to increase your ammo capacity, and increase your gripping area as well. The short mag is an 11+1, and the long mag is 13+1 capacity. It also features a nice flat-faced trigger with around a 6 pound pull.
This pistol is red dot optics ready, meaning you can mount a compatible red dot sight on the slide while maintaining your front sight and rear iron sight. If you’ve ready any of my articles on red dot sights for pistols you’ll know that I’m a big fan, given the right circumstances. If you plan on practicing with your dot, then they’re the best. If you have a lot of experience with iron sights, and know you won’t practice often, then I wouldn’t bother.
The good thing about this gun is that it’s an extremely compact pistol, and easy to conceal, with an overall barrel length of 3 inches. It also has broad aftermarket support. You can easily find a holster setup that fits your needs. As of this writing it retails for right around $550.
Smith and Wesson M&P Shield Plus 9mm
The Smith & Wesson M&P Shield Plus is like the Toyota Camry of the concealed weapon world. They’re good value, they last a long time, and there are millions out there. Because this pistol has been around for several years, there are a lot of variants in different calibers, like 40 Smith and Wesson, and others. If you’re really interested in comparing calibers, then read this article where I do a deep dive comparing the 9 mm Luger vs. 40 S&W.
This pistol is optics ready and very compact. It comes in 10+1, or 13+1 capacity depending on the magazine length you choose to carry with. Personally I always go a little longer, but I have large hands and I need the extra length to get my whole hand on the grip. If you have smaller hands, either should do. As of this writing you can buy this gun for right around $450, which is very good value.
Glock 32 in .357 Sig (Gen 4)
I bet none of you expected me to recommend the Glock 32 in .357 Sig did you ? Well I’ve pretty much exclusively recommended 9 mm handguns because they perform well, and have very manageable recoil in a compact handgun. I know some of you want to carry a more powerful round, and this is why I’ve recommended the .357 Glock 32.
Most people forget about the .357 Sig, and go for something like 10mm or 45 ACP when looking for a larger round. This is a shame. If you read my article where I compare the 9mm to .357 Sig, you’ll understand that the 357 has more energy than 10mm, 45 ACP, or 40 S&W.
There is no free lunch, and in this Glock 19 sized pistol (double-stack magazine sized), you will feel the recoil. However, if you want a little more power, in a concealable package, then this is the pistol to go with. As of this writing you can purchase it for about $540.
Now that we’ve covered the 7 best guns for concealed carry self defense, let’s move to some of the accessories like holsters, you will need to actually carry them.
Holsters and Carry Options
Holsters are just as important as your choice of firearm. You can have the best gun in the world, but it won’t matter if the holster is junk and you don’t feel confident carrying your pistol. This is also one area where there are a lot of opinions about which holster is the best option.
I’m not here to sway you toward any type of carry method, as there are several good options. However, I do not recommend open carrying your firearm, unless you’re going to use something like a Safariland Retention holster that police use. Showing your gun isn’t the deterrent you might think it is, and they can be uncomfortable to sit in a car with.
Appendix Inside the Waistband Carry (AIWB)
This is definitely the cool guy way to carry, and given the right circumstances, it’s the fastest method of accessing your firearm. Most AIWB holsters are made of kydex and sit midline on your belt. While this carry method is fast and easily accessible, even if you’re fighting in a car or other non-traditional possessions, does have its draw backs.
Depending on your body type, it can be uncomfortable. You need to have a fairly flat stomach to carry with this method. Secondly, there is a safety consideration as you’re carrying a loaded handgun over your genitals / femoral artery. This can be mitigated by safe reholstering procedures, but it’s still a risk.
I have carried this way, but only out of necessity. I haven’t found a holster that I’ve felt really comfortable with. That doesn’t mean it can’t work for you. If you feel like this might be a good option then check out this company for some great holster options.
3-6 O’Clock Carry
This is my preferred method of carry. I generally carry a compact sized Sig 239 in a Crossbreed inside the waistband holster, around the 5 o’clock position. I find this to be very concealable, and tactically speaking it allows you to obscure your draw with your body.
If you recall, obscuring and delaying your draw to the right moment was a key factor in winning a gunfight. Almost all body types can find a comfortable carry position with holsters from Crossbreed.
I also want to point out that given the right clothing choices, there is nothing wrong with a good kydex outside the waistband holster, that is concealed. They can be very comfortable, but they’ll require a jacket or hoody to conceal the firearm. Check out this review I did with Bravo Concealment. They make great kydex options.
Off Body Concealed Carry for Self Defense
Most folks think of this as purse carry for women, but I’ve certainly carried in a bag from time to time. I really like this Sling Bag from Viktos. They have a specific compartment for your holster and can accommodate compact and smaller handguns. It also comes in several different colors.
There are other companies with various options like Vertx which make very good sling bags or similar items to carry as well. If this is going to be your carry method then you need to train with it. You need to dryfire from your bag, and live fire as well. Be familiar with your gear! Next let’s talk about self defense ammunition. Don’t worry it’s not going to be super complicated.
Ammunition
I’m going to cut to the chase. I’ve recommended a lot of 9mm pistols here because they have sufficient capacity, and lower recoil, which allow you to shoot well. You can certainly carry larger rounds, but you aren’t really getting an increase in stopping power. This is why I haven’t included a lot of big bore handguns on this list of best guns for concealed carry self defense.
I recommend reading this article where I reviewed the best 9mm self defense rounds. I’ve got all the data on the top three rounds, and links to where you can purchase them. Otherwise stick with a hollowpoint round from a well known manufacturer, and you’ll be just fine. Now let’s talk about training and pistol standards.
Training and Pistol Standards
This is where the rubber meets the road. Just because you have a great holster, and an awesome gun, doesn’t mean you should be carrying a gun around. You need to know the legalities of defending yourself with a firearm, and you need to practice dry fire training and live fire training.
If you are really serious about defending yourself or others, you need to practice force on force training. I’ve written several article on the benefits of this style of training, and it is the best, most realistic training you can get.
If you’ve never received any formal tactical training in concealed carry, then I recommend finding a good instructor with relevant experience in that area. Just taking an online class to get your permit isn’t good enough. Understand I’m not talking about legalities here. I’m talking about effectiveness.
Think about this metaphor for a minute. Shooting a pistol requires high skill, like playing the piano. Imagine you took an online piano course for 4 hours and played on a keyboard for 30 minutes once. Do you think you’d be ready to perform in front of thousands of people? Of course not! Now remember that if you play enough wrong notes those people you perform in front of are going to send you to jail for an unlawful shooting, and one of them has a gun to your head!
To truly feel confident in your skillset, I would recommend dryfire 1-2 times per week, and live fire at the range 1-2 times per month, at a minimum. If you do that, you’ll be miles ahead of your peers. If you want bonus points, start shooting USPSA competitions, and then you’ll be able to smoke my Tier Three Tactical Pistol Standards.
Final Thoughts
I want to finish this article with a few common sense thoughts. First, I highly recommend that you take your protection into your own hands. I work in a metropolitan area, in one of the most well funded police departments in the world. I have responded to hundreds of violent calls for service and not once have I arrived in time to stop the violence from occurring.
By the time that dispatch gets the call, and relays it to me, it’s a 3-5 minute delay at best. I’ve literally been a quarter mile away from a robbery, and arrived after the assailants had already fled. You must be responsible for your own safety, because even in the best case, the police cannot do that for you.
Secondly, just because you’re armed doesn’t mean you need to use your gun, even if you’re legally allowed to. I know undercover officers that have been robbed at gunpoint, and they certainly could have shot the bad guy, but given the situation, it didn’t make tactical sense to do so.
You must think through, and train these types of scenarios. If you draw on a drawn gun, you’re likely to get shot. In those cases where the bad guy seems fairly calm, it may be better to just give up your wallet and live to fight another day.
While none of this is legal advice, and I’m certainly not your lawyer, you need to use your common sense and be ready for these unlikely scenarios. The best way to avoid a deadly force confrontation is to stay away from dangerous areas, and pay attention to your surroundings. If something doesn’t look right, trust your instincts and leave! Now get out there and get training.
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