Concealed carry means carrying a handgun or pistol in a hidden way for self-defense. In 2024, many people are looking for the best options to stay protected while staying discreet.
With about seven-in-ten gun owners (72%) owning a handgun or pistol, it’s clear that handguns are a popular choice for personal safety.1
No matter your experience level or personal preference, there’s a concealed carry handgun here that will fit your needs.
1. Glock 43X
It’s a popular choice for concealed carry due to its slim profile and manageable size. This pistol features a 10-round magazine, providing a good balance between capacity and concealability.
The 43X is chambered in 9mm, a widely used caliber for self-defense. It has an overall length of 6.5 inches and a barrel length of 3.41 inches, making it compact enough for daily carry while still offering excellent accuracy.
The pistol weighs approximately 18.7 ounces (unloaded), making it light and comfortable for extended carry periods. Its slim frame, just 1.1 inches wide, ensures it easily fits in various holster types and is comfortable to wear all day.
The 43X’s ergonomic grip also makes it easy to handle and shoot, providing a solid option for those who prioritize reliability and comfort.
2. Glock 43
This is an ultra-compact, single-stack 9mm handgun that has long been a favorite among those looking for maximum concealability. It features a 6-round magazine capacity, making it smaller than the 43X but incredibly slim and easy to conceal.
The overall length of the Glock 43 is 6.26 inches, and its barrel is 3.41 inches long.
Weighing around 17.99 ounces (unloaded), it is slightly lighter than the 43X, and its frame width of just 1.06 inches makes it almost effortless to conceal under a light layer of clothing.
The Glock 43 is ideal for those looking for a simple, no-frills handgun that delivers Glock’s renowned reliability in a minimalistic package.
3. Glock 48
For those who want a slimline Glock with increased accuracy, the Glock 48 is a standout option. It is chambered in 9mm and holds a 10-round magazine, just like the 43X.
However, the Glock 48 has a longer slide and barrel at 4.17 inches, resulting in a total length of 7.28 inches. This longer barrel enhances accuracy and gives the shooter better control over recoil.
The unloaded weight of the Glock 48 is 20.74 ounces, and it maintains a slim frame width of just 1.1 inches, like the 43X, making it comfortable for concealed carry while offering the benefits of a longer sight radius for precision shooting.
4. Glock 19 Gen 5
This compact pistol has a 15-round magazine capacity, chambered in 9mm, making it one of the most popular concealed carry and duty weapons on the market. While slightly larger than other concealed carry options, the Glock 19 Gen 5 strikes an excellent balance between size, capacity, and ease of use.
It has an overall length of 7.28 inches and a barrel length of 4.02 inches.
The pistol weighs 23.63 ounces (unloaded), and though it is wider than the 43X and 48 at 1.34 inches, many still find it comfortable for concealed carry due to its excellent ergonomics. The Gen 5 model features improvements like a smoother trigger pull, a flared magazine well for faster reloads, and an ambidextrous slide-stop lever.
5. Canik TP9 Elite SC
This is a subcompact 9mm pistol designed for concealed carry with a high level of customization and features. The Canik TP9 Elite SC includes a standard 12-round magazine, with extended magazine options that increase capacity to 15 rounds.
The TP9 Elite SC’s overall length is 6.7 inches, its barrel is 3.6 inches, and it weighs approximately 24.78 ounces (unloaded).
Its slightly larger size compared to other subcompacts gives shooters enhanced control and accuracy, while still being small enough for everyday carry. The gun features front and rear slide serrations, a loaded chamber indicator, and an optics-ready slide for mounting red dot sights, making it highly versatile.
Its crisp trigger and ergonomic design offer excellent handling and performance in a concealed carry package.
6. Taurus GX4 XL
This is a slightly extended version of the compact Taurus GX4, designed to provide enhanced accuracy and control while remaining highly concealable. Chambered in 9mm, the GX4 XL features an 11-round magazine with an option for a 13-round extended magazine, offering a good capacity for its size.
The overall length is 6.43 inches, with a 3.7-inch barrel, providing a longer sight radius and better accuracy than the standard GX4 model. It weighs about 20 ounces (unloaded), making it light enough for comfortable all-day carry.
Its slim frame, just 1.08 inches wide, allows it to fit comfortably in a variety of holsters and positions. The GX4 XL’s polymer frame, textured grip, and flat-faced trigger make it easy to control and shoot accurately.
7. HK VP9SK
More like a subcompact version of Heckler & Koch’s popular VP9 series, the HK VP9Sk is tailored for concealed carry but with the same performance and ergonomics that made the full-size model so successful. Chambered in 9mm, the VP9SK comes with either a 10-round or 13-round magazine, depending on your preference.
The overall length is 6.61 inches, with a barrel length of 3.39 inches, offering a compact size without sacrificing accuracy or control. The VP9SK weighs 23.07 ounces (unloaded), making it solid but not too heavy for everyday carry.
Its ergonomic grip, with customizable backstraps and side panels, ensures a comfortable and personalized fit in the hand. The VP9SK also features HK’s precision trigger, which is renowned for its crisp break and short reset, contributing to more accurate shooting.
8. Sig P320 XCompact
This versatile concealed carry handgun from the modular P320 series offers excellent ergonomics and customization options. Chambered in 9mm, it comes with a 15-round magazine, giving it one of the higher capacities among concealed carry pistols.
The overall length of the P320 XCompact is 7 inches, and the barrel measures 3.6 inches. Despite its larger capacity, it weighs just 25.3 ounces (unloaded), making it manageable for both carry and shooting.
The pistol features an XSeries grip module, flat-faced trigger, and an optics-ready slide for mounting a red dot sight, making it one of the more customizable handguns on the market. The grip texture and extended beavertail offer a comfortable and stable shooting experience.
9. Sig P365 XL
The Sig P365 XL takes the compact and popular design of the original P365 and adds a slightly longer slide and barrel for improved accuracy while still maintaining a slim profile for concealed carry. Chambered in 9mm, the P365 XL features a 12-round flush-fit magazine with the option for a 15-round extended magazine.
The overall length of the P365 XL is 6.6 inches, and the barrel length is 3.7 inches. Weighing approximately 20.7 ounces (unloaded), it’s lightweight enough for daily carry but offers enough grip length for a secure and comfortable hold.
The P365 XL also has a flat-faced trigger for a more consistent and precise trigger pull. With an optics-ready slide, it can accommodate a red dot sight, making it a versatile and high-performance concealed carry option.
10. Sig P365
The Sig P365 revolutionized the concealed carry market when it was introduced, thanks to its high capacity in a micro-compact frame. It is chambered in 9mm and comes with a standard 10-round magazine.
Extended magazines can increase the capacity to 12 or 15 rounds, making it one of the best capacities for its size. The P365 measures 5.8 inches in overall length, with a 3.1-inch barrel, and weighs just 17.8 ounces (unloaded), making it one of the most lightweight and easily concealable handguns available.
Its width of 1 inch ensures it remains comfortable for long periods of carry, whether inside the waistband or in a pocket holster. Despite its small size, the P365 has an excellent trigger, and its textured grip ensures stability when shooting.
11. Sig P229 Legion Compact
This refined version of the P229 features high-end enhancements from Sig’s Legion series. Chambered in 9mm, this pistol has a 15-round magazine, offering a solid capacity for a concealed carry weapon.
The P229 Legion Compact measures 7.1 inches in overall length with a 3.9-inch barrel, balancing compactness with accuracy. Weighing 32 ounces (unloaded), it is heavier than other compact models, but this weight contributes to reduced recoil and enhanced control.
The P229 Legion Compact features the signature Legion gray finish, a contoured trigger guard, X-Ray3 day/night sights, and a G10 checkered grip for improved handling.
12. Ruger LCP MAX
This is a micro-compact handgun designed for deep concealment without sacrificing firepower. The Ruger LCP Max is chambered in .380 ACP and offers an impressive 10-round magazine capacity in such a small frame.
The LCP MAX has an overall length of just 5.17 inches and a 2.8-inch barrel, making it incredibly easy to conceal in almost any carry position.
It’s one of the lightest concealed carry pistols available as it weighs only 10.6 ounces (unloaded). Its slim width of 0.81 inches allows it to fit in pockets or small holsters comfortably.
The LCP MAX comes with a tritium front sight for low-light visibility and a textured grip for better control. This pistol is ideal for those who need a highly concealable and lightweight handgun with enough capacity for effective self-defense.
13. Staccato CS
The Staccato CS is a premium concealed carry pistol, offering 2011-style precision and performance in a compact, easy-to-carry package. Chambered in 9mm, the Staccato CS comes with a 16-round magazine, giving it one of the highest capacities in its size class.
The overall length is 7.1 inches, with a 3.5-inch barrel that provides excellent accuracy for a compact gun. Weighing around 22.7 ounces (unloaded), it is well-balanced for both concealed carry and effective handling during shooting.
The Staccato CS features a slim grip, making it easier to conceal while maintaining a comfortable hold for a wide range of hand sizes. The pistol is known for its incredibly smooth trigger, reliable performance, and low recoil.
14. Walther PDP Compact
Recognized as a versatile and highly ergonomic handgun, it’s designed to provide maximum comfort and control while still being suitable for concealed carry. Chambered in 9mm, the PDP Compact comes with a 15-round magazine, offering excellent capacity for a compact pistol.
The overall length is 7.5 inches, with a 4-inch barrel that enhances accuracy without making the gun too large for everyday carry. It weighs approximately 24.4 ounces (unloaded), which makes it solid yet light enough for comfortable use.
The PDP Compact features an optics-ready slide for mounting red dot sights, a performance-duty trigger for smooth pulls, and aggressive grip texturing that ensures a firm hold, even in adverse conditions. With its focus on ergonomics, optics readiness, and capacity, the Walther PDP Compact is ideal for shooters who want a reliable and accurate concealed carry option.
15. Taurus GX4 Carry
This compact, striker-fired pistol that builds upon the original GX4 design, delivering a highly concealable yet practical option for daily carry. It comes with an 11-round flush-fit magazine and an optional 13-round extended magazine for those who want more capacity, all chambered in 9mm.
The overall length of the GX4 Carry is 6.05 inches, with a 3.06-inch barrel, making it compact and easy to conceal without sacrificing too much on control. It weighs 18.7 ounces (unloaded), keeping it light and comfortable for extended carry periods.
The slim profile, at just 1.08 inches wide, ensures it remains unobtrusive when worn inside the waistband. The Taurus GX4 Carry features a textured grip for enhanced control and a crisp, flat-faced trigger for a consistent and smooth shooting experience.
Make sure to pick the one that feels right for you, and always practice safe handling and proper training. Take note of the specific gun laws in your state.
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Martha A. Lavallie
Martha is a journalist with close to a decade of experience in uncovering and reporting on the most compelling stories of our time. Passionate about staying ahead of the curve, she specializes in shedding light on trending topics and captivating global narratives. Her insightful articles have garnered acclaim, making her a trusted voice in today's dynamic media landscape.
