Six Great Concealed Carry Handguns in 9mm

With concealed carry continuing to surge around the country, it seems apropos to cover concealed carry handgun options in 9mm.

The 9mm bullet was maligned as an under-performer for a time, but the advances in +P self-defense rounds by ammunition makers like Hornady, Federal, Cor-Bon, and Double-Tap, among others, has brought the round back to the forefront for concealed carry. Moreover, the 9mm delivers stopping power without the recoil of larger rounds like the .40 or .45.

What follows are six great concealed carry handguns chambered in 9mm:

Glock 19 — The Glock 19 is the archetype of many of today’s 9mm handguns. Originally released for sale in the late 1980s, the model 19 quickly became a favorite for police work, concealed carry, home defense, and plinking. It is accurate, comes standard with proven Glock-reliability, and is now available in Gen4.

The model 19 is a compact handgun — a smaller version of the incredibly popular model 17 — and it comes with 15-round magazines and standard Glock sights. Both the model 19 and Glock in general have become so popular that aftermarket parts and accessories — holsters, sights, etc. — for the model 19 are ubiquitous.

Because of the “Safe-Action” system, the model 19 is point and shoot (like all Glocks). This makes the model 19 a firearm that even handgun novices can master with the proper practice.

The model 19 weighs 23.65 ounces unloaded. It is 7.36 inches long, 1.36 inches wide, and 4.99 inches tall.

The Glock 19 costs approximately $550.

H&K USP Compact — The H&K USP Compact is as close to indestructible as a handgun can get. It is slightly wider than the Glock 19, but part of that width is an external safety and decocking lever. The USP Compact comes with 10-round magazines but larger magazines can be acquired.

Like the Glock model 19, aftermarket parts and accessories for the USP Compact are easily found.

Unlike the Glock model 19, the UPS Compact has an external hammer that has to be cocked in order for the first shot to be fired. The hammer can be cocked (and released) via a long trigger pull by pulling it back with your thumb or by racking the slide — thereafter, the hammer is cocked by the recoil of every shot fired from the magazine.

The USP Compact shoots and shoots and shoots, regardless of the kind of ammunition you feed it. The gun is ultra-dependable and extremely durable. The gun weighs 1.6 pounds unloaded. It is 6.81 inches long, 1.38 inches wide, and 5 inches tall.

The USP Compact costs approximately $800.00

Smith & Wesson M&P Shield — The Smith & Wesson M&P Shield has emerged as one of the most reliable, accurate, and affordable concealed carry options to hit the firearms market in recent memory. Operating, the Shield is much like the Glock model 19. The major difference between the two weapons is that the Shield  is a more compact gun that holds fewer rounds of 9mm. The Shield comes with 7 and 8-round magazines versus the 15-round magazines they ship with the Glock model 19.

But one of the Shield’s strengths is its compact construction. The Shield weighs 19 ounces. It is 6.1 inches long, .95 inches wide, and 4.6 inches tall — two words: extremely concealable.

Aftermarket accessories for the Shield can be readily acquired, and the gun can be purchased in various configurations, one of which includes an external thumb safety.

The Shield costs approximately $450.00

Sig Sauer P239 — The Sig Sauer P239 is reliability personified. It is a duty gun that crosses over into the concealed carry market because of his concealable size. It has served as a backup gun for various law enforcement and federal agencies and is renowned for its dependability.

The P239 comes with an 8-round magazine, an external safety/decocker, and Hogue rubber grips. It can be purchased in different configurations, one of which included SIGLITE Night Sights.

Like the H&K USP Compact, the P239 has an external hammer. That hammer can be cocked (and released) via a long trigger pull by pulling it back with your thumb or by racking the slide — thereafter, the hammer is cocked by the recoil of every shot fired from the magazine.

The P239 weighs 29.5 ounces. It is 6.6 inches long, 1.2 inches wide, and 5.1 inches tall.

The P239 with standard sights cost around $900.00

Walther PPQ — The Walther PPQ is a double action pistol, so it operates like the Glock model 19 and the Smith & Wesson M&P Shield. The PPQ is accurate and the shape of the pistol’s grip feels good in the hand.

The PPQ comes with 15-round magazines and easy to acquire 3-dot sights.

The big difference between the PPQ and other double action pistols on this list is the quick reset trigger that comes standard on the PPQ. The trigger is designed to allow the shooter to feel a reset at roughly one-tenth of an inch from fully depressed. With practice at the range, this feature allows a concealed permit holder under duress to get off a second shot quickly and accurately if the threat still persists. And the feel of the trigger is impressive even without the quick reset feature.

The PPQ weighs 24.5 ounces. It is 7.1 inches long, 1.3 inches wide, and 5.3 inches tall.

The PPQ costs around $640.00

Glock 43 — The Glock model 43 is the second Glock on this list, but it deserves to be. The 43 is a single stack, ultra slim, subcompact handgun in 9mm that makes concealment a breeze even in shorts and a t-shirt.

The 43 weighs 17.9 ounces. It is 6.26 inches long and 1.02 inches wide, versus the 7.36 inch length and 1.36 inch width of the Glock model 19. The 43 is 4.25 inches tall.

The trade-off between the 43 and the model 19 is that the 43 holds six rounds versus the 15 of the model 19. But the reality is that the subcompact design of the 43 makes it a gun you can literally carry 24/7 without any trouble whatsoever. So having 6 shots of 9mm with you if trouble strikes when out in public is far better than having a larger gun — which holds more rounds — sitting at home.

The Glock 43 costs around $450.00

AWR Hawkins is the Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.