Walther is renowned as a producer of high-quality and reliable guns that can fire several thousands of rounds without misfiring and the PPQ M2 is one of the finest products from Walther. The 9mm handgun has an ergonomic grip. However, the best feature of the handgun is its trigger, which is probably the smoothest that you will ever find in any handgun.The Walther PPQ M2 is available with a 4-inch or a 5-inch barrel. Although both calibers are great choices, the 5-inch barrel is a better handgun for aiming. The PPQ M2 has a 15 round capacity and the pistol boasts of having striker fire action and its trigger pull is very light, which makes the handgun excellent for beginners.The Walther PPQ M2 is equipped with 3 automatic safeties, Picatinny equipment rail and 3 sculpted-grip backstraps that can be interchanged and offers a custom fit and a quick audible reset. The handgun is loaded with features and is extremely versatile, which makes it among the best handguns in our list.
PRODUCT | IMAGE | RATING | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
SIG Sauer P365 9mm Pistol |  | ||
Springfield Armory 911 |  | ||
Ruger Security 9 |  | ||
Walther Arms PPQ SC Sub-Compact Gun |  | ||
Taurus 1911 Commander |  |
However, before you actually set out to buy a concealed carry gun for your personal use, here are some factors that you must consider:
Check if you can hit your target accurately with the gun just out of the box i.e. without making any modifications to the gun that may affect legal aspects. Some models of guns may be more accurate as compared to others. However, training, experience and practice are also major factors that affect the accuracy of the gun.
When buying the gun ensure that the gun is well made and the wood and metal finish and fit are good. Ensure that the gun is made with high-quality materials and offers mechanical strength and functional durability. Some guns are sensitive to the ammunition they use and will not accept all types of ammunition. So, it’s a good idea to check the ammunition that the gun can accommodate. And finally, check the gun’s consistency and that you can hit your target most times over repeated trials.
The ergonomics or the fit of the gun should be right. You should be able to work the controls of the gun properly and check if the gun fits your fingers and hand correctly. For example, if you can reach the safety, trigger, magazine release and decocker easily, the gun is comfortable to use according to your physical requirements, such as hand size and length of fingers and in case you have any medical conditions such as carpal tunnel or arthritis you must also consider other factors such as overall weight and balance, grip angle, grip size, caliber, muzzle size, etc.
Determine the force required to press the trigger and if you can handle it. Check the trigger travel distance, as the shorter the distance the trigger moves, it is less likely that you will move the sights from the alignment before the handgun fires. The consistency with which you press the trigger is important i.e. long and heavy in the case of double action (DA) always and short and light in the case of single action (SA) and switching between the two require a lot of practice.
Check the barrel length of the handgun – sub-compact (less than 3.5 inches), compact (3.5 inches to 5 inches) and full-size (5 inches or more). The guns having shorter barrels are more difficult to shoot with, as the sight radius i.e. the distance between the front and rear of the sights is shorter and they also have more recoil. The length of the barrel affects the side cycle speed and also the speed at which the ammunition comes out of the gun’s magazine. And, you must also remember that the width of the handgun is more important compared to the length for purposes of concealability.
You must check out the sights of the gun before buying it. Check the quality, type and radius of the sights. If the sights are farther apart, the errors will be smaller in the alignment which affects where the bullet will hit. 3-dot sights are quite popular with shooters.
A lighter gun does not mean that it is better. If a gun is very light, with the recoil, the muzzle flip also increases, which slows down your speed of the follow-up shots and this increases the chances of missing the target. If the gun is light, then it is a good idea to train and practice shooting with it. Also, you can use a holster and a belt to support the weight of the gun if it is too heavy.
When you’re starting off, it is a good idea to begin with a 9mm gun, as the recoil is manageable and you can also find the ammunition for the gun at a reasonable price. It is better to opt for a smaller gun that you can shoot well with, rather than a gun with a bigger caliber that you may miss with. If you want a gun with a higher caliber, then you could opt for the .45ACP, as the slower velocity and heavier bullets help to reduce the recoil and handling the gun is much better. Also, if you’re using the handgun for self-defense and personal protection, then it is better to use hollow points as they are better to stop your assailant and they do not over-penetrate compared to “ball” rounds.
Usually, pistols are more expensive compared to revolvers. However, since buying a gun is a lifetime investment and is also important to protect your life, you should consider the quality, reliability and brand of the gun and the cost of the gun and the ammunition should not be your primary criterion for selection.
If the concealability of the gun is the most important factor, then you should ensure that the gun you buy has the proper dimensions in terms of the overall length, height and width that allows you to hide the gun easily. The width of the gun is more important than its length for example, pistols are much thinner compared to revolvers with cylinders and are easier to conceal.
This concealed-carry gun has created plenty of buzz. The powerful magazine of the gun combined with its ultra-compact size makes the SIG Sauer P365 a great buy. The standout feature of the pistol is the double stack magazine which can accommodate 10 rounds and the capacity of the gun is almost double of similar model handguns in the same category, which provide only 6 rounds.The SIG Sauer P365 is lightweight, weighing just 17.6 oz and it has a 1-inch grip. The pistol is a striker-fired gun that is 5.8 inches long and it has a 3.1-inch barrel. The gun has an attractive black colored Nitron finish. The pistol ensures greater safety thanks to the no-trigger pull and 3-step takedown.The SIG Sauer P365’s proprietary rail is well suited for the lights and the other SIG Sauer accessories. The P365 features night sights and can accommodate an extended 12-round or 10-round magazine.
If you’re on the lookout for a pistol that offers huge stopping power and a heavy round but also offers excellent concealability, then you could consider the Springfield Armory 911. The micro-size of the new 911 pistol offers easy concealability.The Springfield Armory 911 is an extremely lightweight pistol, weighing just 12.6 oz (empty) and delivers extreme impact. The 911 is very compact with a length of 5.5 inches and height of 3.9 inches. The black 911 has an anodized aluminum frame that is made from 7075 T6 billet and it has a slide made of stainless steel with a black nitride finish. The anodized finish of the gun adds to the durability of the weapon, making it more long lasting and it also has G10 grips that are textured.The 911 has other features such as ambidextrous thumb safety, indicator for a loaded chamber and a single-action trigger. It is equipped with Pro-Glo night sights which help to enhance both the front, as well as the rear sights. The gun has a yellow ring which helps you focus on your target in the daytime. The gun’s green tritium lights are extremely helpful for seeing your target in dark and dim light conditions. The Springfield Armory 911 comes along with 2 magazines made of stainless steel – an extended 7-round and 1 flush-fit 6-round magazine.
Gun enthusiasts who love the crisp and clean single-action trigger of the Ruger LCPII can now experience the “Secure” trigger action in the latest concealed carry gun, the Ruger Security 9. The Ruger Security 9 was launched in late 2017 by Sturm, Ruger, & Co. and has gained quite a lot of popularity since then.The empty Ruger 9 weighs around 23.7 oz and has a 9mm caliber and the enhanced magazine enables you to carry 15 rounds. The handgun features an aluminum body that is precision machined, along with complete-length guide rails. The blue-finish barrel and slide are made from alloy steel and the grip frame of the gun is made of nylon which is glass filled. Although the Ruger 9 is a striker fired pistol, its internal hammer design ensures that the side is extremely easy to pull.The Ruger Security 9 has other features including a high-visibility and integrated accessory that can be adjusted for windage sights. The pistol is extremely easy to maintain and it does not need a trigger pull, which makes it very safe and does not require tools to dismantle the gun.The Security 9 has another important safety feature, i.e., the safety catch, which prevents the gun from accidentally firing and it will fire only when you pull the trigger. The gun has other safety features like manual thumb safety and trigger safety. There are 2 Security 9 gun models being launched – with a 15-round and 10-round magazine. The enhanced safety features of the Ruger Security 9 and the very affordable price tag, makes the Security 9 a great value-for-money buy.
The smart design of the PPQ sub-compact gun with its short and fit-flush magazine makes it ideal for easy concealment. The gun offers 10 rounds of 9mm caliber.When empty, the PPQ SC weighs around 21.2 oz., its length is 6.6 inches and the gun’s barrel is 3.5 inches. A key feature of the handgun is its “Quick Defense” trigger which provides a 5-6 lbs trigger pull along with tactile reset when you require to fire quick shots as a follow up.The PPQ SC offers an extremely comfortable grip, which can be customized by using backstraps. The gun comes along with 3-dot target sights made of polymer. And, if you are looking for increased capacity, then you can opt for the extended magazine and the grip extension.The best part of the PPQ SC is that it can be used even by people who are left handed. The pistol has a magazine release button which is reversible and it also has an ambidextrous slide stop which makes it suitable whether you’re right handed or left handed.
The 1911 Commander is the newest concealed carry gun that has been introduced by Taurus in 2018. The 1911 Commander is ideal for people looking for a concealed carry weapon that has a heavier feel.The 1911 is larger and heavier, weighing around 40 oz and it is 7.9 inches long, 1.3 inches wide and it has a 4.25 inches long barrel. The 1911 is a single-action pistol with an action that is hammer fired. The gun makes use of 8-round magazines instead of the 7-round magazines that are commonly used.The frame, barrel and slide of the pistol are made from carbon steel that makes the gun very durable and the matte finish gives it a very classy look. The gun has a black grip with a checkering pattern which helps you have a firm hold on the pistol. The 1911 Commander has Novak sights in the front part and at the rear that are adjustable and the pistol comes along with 2 magazines.The guns that we have discussed in our review are fairly new introductions in the market but have created quite a buzz. So, if you’re looking for a compact, concealed carry weapon, you could consider one of the options discussed above. And, once you actually buy your concealed carry gun, practice a lot with it, as practice is the key to employing your gun properly in self-defense situations.
