One of the best things about the current firearms market is that there is something for everyone at every price point. If you are shopping around for a concealed carry firearm, then you have options, and an almost overwhelming number of companies are competing for your hard-earned dollars.
Which lemons are worth the squeeze? I guess it really depends on how much juice you want.
Today, we are doing something different. Instead of just throwing out a list of concealed carry firearms, we will break them down by price. We have picks for the on-a-budget crowd, the medium-tier dudes and dudettes, the high-tier picks for the high rollers, and finally, the Gucci options for those willing to make night vision their personality.
Budget Concealed Carry Firearms
How do you define a budget handgun? A budget handgun differentiates itself from a cheap handgun by working. These guns might not always be fancy, but they are reliable, accurate, and effective. Our budget concealed carry firearm price will top out at around $400.
Taurus G4X
Taurus has dived into the world of micro compacts. Micro compacts are the compact 9 mms that are roughly the size of a single-stack 9mm, but pack at least 10 rounds in a flush-fitting magazine. The Taurus GX4 series gives you a micro-sized pistol with an 11-round flush-fitting magazine.
The GX4 sells for less than 300 dollars and is a super lightweight, super thin, and easy-to-carry pistol. What surprised me most was the ergonomics. The gun is shockingly ergonomic and easy to shoot.
If you’re willing to spend a little extra money, you can get a TORO version that’s optics-ready and uses the Shield RMSC footprint. Add an optic, and you have a super affordable, easy-to-shoot, and modern micro-compact for the carry market.
KelTec P32
The P32 is ancient by modern standards. It was introduced in 1999 and has been in constant production since. This is one of the few pocket pistols I really love. It’s mostly due to the use of .32 ACP and its light recoil.
The P32 is an uber-thin and crazy lightweight. At 6.9 ounces, it might be the lightest semi-auto pistol on the market. It disappears into your pocket and blends perfectly with a Safariland Model 25 holster.
The P32 is super sweet to shoot, and you can shoot seven rounds quickly and accurately. Unlike most .380 ACP micro-sized guns, the P32 shoots like a dream, and you can get those quick and accurate follow-up shots.
For less than 300 dollars, the P32 is a super compact option for convenient, low-profile daily carry.
Medium Tier Picks
Most guns are in the mid-tier, where we get into professional-grade designs. These mid-tier guns cost between $500 and $650, but different models and features can raise or lower the price.
Any Glock Pistol
Yep, any Glock pistol can be tossed into this category. For concealed carry, the smaller Glock 19 compact sized and smaller works best. This opens you up to everything from pocket pistol-sized Glock 42s to the thin but capable Glock 48.
There are certainly plenty of concealed-carry firearms in the Glock realm. Glock occupies the holsters of more police officers than any other gun for a reason. These guns take reliability to the next level.
Alongside a high level of reliability, we get good solid triggers, good ergonomics, and a high level of performance. Glocks shoot outside their budget level consistently and score high in accuracy, ergonomics, control, and more. The biggest complaint most of us have is those darn crappy plastic sights they come with.
S&W Performance Center M&P 2.0 Metal Carry Comp 9mm
Do you need a compensated handgun? No, probably not, but shooting one is like driving a sports car. It’s hard to go back to something slower than a comped gun. Mix that with a hefty metal frame, and you get one of the softest shooting guns on the market.
I believe the high price is due to the long name. It’s made marketing, and manuals double the cost. However, for a grand you’re getting an optics-ready, all-metal gun with an integrated compensator.
The M&P 2.0 handles like an absolute kitten. It has hardly any recoil or muzzle rise. It barely moves between shots. It would be an excellent race gun, but it remains reliable enough for daily concealed carry.
Shooting the Metal Carry Comp is crazy fun, and you’ll have a hard time going back to using a normal handgun.
Higher-Budget Handguns
When we reach the high-tier level, we see a number of features that are not present in most concealed-carry firearms. These features raise the price to anywhere from $750 to $1,200 or so. There may be some exceptions, but that’s the typical high roller price point for concealed carry firearms.
P365XL Spectre Comp
Another P365? Yep, a high-end model.
The XL series expands the barrel and grip to take the P365 in a slightly larger direction but in a remarkably efficient one. The XL series has been popular enough to warrant a Spectre model. Spectre variations take the SIG series to the next level. It retains the best parts of the P365 family while increasing capability extensively.
The Comp stands for compensator, and an integral compensator is built into the slide. This ports gas upward and helps counteract muzzle rise. The gun is optics-ready and warrants a red dot. The stock sights are night sights. We get an aggressively textured grip and a wonderful flat-face trigger. It’s everything about the SIG P365 that we like, with some fancy features that we love.
S&W 432 UC
A revolver makes the list, but not just any revolver. The S&W 432 UC is a new breed of revolver that fires an old cartridge. This particular model chambers the 32 H&R Magnum and can also safely fire the .32 S&W Long and the .32 S&W. These various .32 caliber chamberings provide very little recoil while still throwing a very capable cartridge.
This little revolver is a J-frame and is perfect for pocket carry. The UC stands for Ultimate Carry, and S&W and Lipseys went ham on the guns. They feature a real rear sight that pairs with a large night sight front sight. The grips are nicely made from G10 and fit the hand perfectly. The triggers are fantastic.
Ultimately, this is easily one of the best carry revolvers on the market.
Gucci Handguns
If money isn’t a problem, then your appetite for concealed-carry firearms may be refined. If you like refinement, advancement, and innovation and don’t mind paying a fortune just for magazines, then I have you covered. Price isn’t a factor here, but you still need something you can reasonably carry.
Alien Remus
Are you willing to spend more than $6,000 on your carry gun? If so, we have the gun for you! The Alien Remus is the compact variant of the Alien, trimming the barrel to four inches overall.
The Alien Remus series aims to lower the bore axis as much as possible. This helps make the gun more controllable and makes it easier to shoot fast and straight. It’s absurdly accurate and allows for rapid, controlled fire.
The Remus features a unique slide design that allows you to mount an optic, but the optic doesn’t reciprocate. An optic that sits still makes it much easier to track the dot and follow it during the recoil impulse, so again, you’re shooting faster and straighter.
The Alien Remus does earn its name. It looks alien, and it certainly has an out-of-this-world price point. The Alien Remus series utilizes an extremely modern feature set to make it one of the smoothest-shooting guns out there.
Staccato CS
Staccato started the whole 2011 craziness and arguably perfected it. The Staccato CS takes the 2011 design and shrinks it into a compact package.
Anything with 2011 in the title is going to command a ton of money but also deliver an extreme degree of performance. The CS gives that premium grade single action trigger and the ability to exercise extreme accuracy from a compact gun.
To get the most out of the CS, you need to toss an optic on the gun. With an optic, you’re unstoppable and can take shots at 50 yards with regularity.
Everything about the CS is a premium experience, from the aggressive grips to the 16-round magazines. The gun comes together to form a high-performance, high-reliability concealed carry option for those who don’t mind throwing down a little dinero.
Budgeting for Your Concealed Carry Firearm
Before we split, let me offer just a bit of advice. When you start budgeting for a concealed carry firearm, don’t just include the gun in the budget. Make room in the budget for a quality holster and proper defensive ammunition, as well as a little defensive firearms training. Don’t spend $800 on a gun and 10 bucks on a holster. You’re better than that!
The 2nd Amendment is for everyone, and thankfully, we have budget-worthy options for everyone. It’s important that you carry the gun that works for you. Find the gun you shoot well, are comfortable carrying, and what you can afford.
