My 3 Favorite Concealed-Carry Guns, After Years of Handgun Testing

The good news, if you’re considering getting a concealed-carry gun, is that you have lots of great options. I’ve shot, and reviewed, scores of these compact pistols and revolvers over the past few years, but the list of my top picks looks a bit different than the guns I’ve spent the most time actually carrying. Here’s what they are, why I like them, and what they’re great for.

Staccato CS 9mm

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Over the past three years, I’ve carried and shot my Staccato CS more than all other pistols combined. Since testing and reviewing it when introduced, it’s been my main squeeze and daily carry gun. While I’ve got enough trigger time to accurately evaluate other potential contenders — and there are some great ones out there — there’s no substitute for carrying the same gun daily and shooting it regularly. 

The Staccato CS has everything we like about a 2011. It’s butter smooth, has a pleasantly crisp trigger, and it’s deadly accurate. With a red dot sporting a halo-style reticle, sight acquisition is superbly fast, as are first and subsequent shots. Over all this time, it’s proven to be very reliable, and I’ve carried it with a variety of defensive hollowpoint ammunition like Federal 124-grain Punch, Hornady’s Critical Duty, and solid defensive bullets like Lehigh Defense’s 90-grain Extreme Defense.

The CS is sized about like a Glock G19, and carries well in a variety of positions — I prefer appendix carry. Before discontinued, it was sold with 16-round magazines, but subsequent models use 15-round mags to improve spring life. The new HD series, specifically the C3.6, has replaced the CS, and its improvements are worth it. The optic mounting system sits lower and works better for co-witnessing sights, it has fully ambidextrous controls, and uses Glock-pattern magazines. For a new gun buyer, the C3.6 is a better option, but there’s still nothing wrong with my CS. 

Springfield XD-M Elite Compact OSP 10mm

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Living in Alaska, I have a lot of use for a backwoods/bear defense handgun. For quite a while, my Springfield XD-M Compact 10mm pulled double duty — also working as my EDC pistol. This pistol brings a lot to the table. It’s got a 3.8-inch barrel and is sized about like a Glock G29, but is quite a bit easier to manage. The polymer frame comes with a magwell installed — which I removed almost immediately. The magwell interfered with my grip, whereas the wide baseplate of the compact 11-round magazines allows a comfortable full-hand grasp. 

Though a little bulky, this pistol carries comfortably and, with the addition of a  GoGun Gas Pedal takedown lever, is easy to control. For woods carry, I typically use an Invader Concepts chest holster and pair the pistol with the full-sized 15-round magazine with a sleeve that effectively extends the grip to full size.

I’ve fired every type of 10mm ammo imaginable through this gun and I don’t think I’ve ever had a malfunction. While I have carried various hollow point and solid ammunition offerings in it, I settled on the 115-grain Lehigh Defense Extreme Defense bullet in the Black Hills Honey Badger line. It’s barrier blind, produces big wound cavities, and kicks out at nearly 1,600 fps. Because the projectile is lighter, it recoils significantly less than the 200- or 220-grain hard cast options.

The only feature I really don’t like about this one is the optic mounting system, which has the sight sitting high on the slide. In light of newer designs, this one is obsolete. 

Smith & Wesson 351 PD 22 WMR

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The Smith & Wesson J-frame series of revolvers is stalwart among concealed carry guns. They are simple, reliable, and ultra convenient to carry in both normal and deep concealment applications. While the .38 Special and .357 Magnum options are most popular, I fell in love with the seven-shot  Air Lite 351 PD chambered in 22 Magnum. 

The J-frame isn’t intended to be a distance weapon, and the combination of capacity, shootability, and concealability make me a fan of the 22 Mag. LIke other compact wheel guns, it carries nicely in a pocket, bag, fanny pack, or purse. 

There are a few reasons I’ve spent a lot of time with this gun. First, it’s hard to beat as a grab-and-go option. I’ll stick it in the pouch of my PFD when I’m on the boat, throw it in a coat pocket to run errands, and it fits wonderfully in some bino harnesses  or the handlebar bag on a snow-go (snowmobile for you non-Alaskans). It would serve anyone well who isn’t expecting to run into bears, and makes an excellent dispatch handgun for trappers. 

The gun you have on you is better than the one you don’t, and there’s a lot of times I opt for this quick, handy little stinger. I’ve tested both the Speer Gold Dot 40-grain HP load, designed for short barrels, and the Hornady 45-grain Critical Defense FTX, and both perform very well in ballistic gel.

Read Next: The Best Concealed Carry Guns, Tested and Reviewed

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right concealed-carry gun for you can seem daunting, especially if you suffer from analysis paralysis, but the important thing is to choose one that fits your carry style well and is comfortable for you to operate and shoot. You don’t have to have the ultimate concealed-carry pistol, you simply need to have one that’s comfortable and convenient to have on you, and that you enjoy shooting and practicing with.