10 Best Single-Stack Pistols for Concealed Carry in 9mm (2023)

Updated 5/11/2023The 9mm single-stack pistol is now a popular choice for personal protection. Updated 5/11/2023The single-stack 9mm pistol has become one of the top choices for personal defense. While single-stack pistols have some limitations, such as the lack of power of the.40 S&W or.45 ACP, and the low magazine capacity of their double-stack equivalents, these guns have been proven to be a good combination of concealability and threat-stopping ability. The 9mm single-stack pistols are popular because they’re the best gun for personal protection. Which one is right for you? Here are ten of our favorites.Savage StanceSavage surprised everyone when they announced their first handgun for more than 100 years, the Stance pistol, in late 2021. Savage chose to do something different with their micro-9mm while other manufacturers were scrambling to keep pace with the double stack micro-9mm trend. The Stance pistol has a slimmer profile than its competitors, thanks to the single-stack magazines that are available in capacities of 7, 8 or 10 rounds. Savage’s Stance pistol may not have the largest capacity, but its 3.2-inch barrel,.96″ width and.96″ thickness make it concealable. It is also a good shooter, thanks to the features Savage has included. The 18-degree natural-pointing grip angle and interchangeable backstraps give the pistol its name. Savage offers three colors with or without manual safety. Package options include a laser. ($479; SavageArms.com)Beretta APX A1 CarryAnother new single-stack option is Beretta’s APX A1. The pistol was originally launched as the APX Carry a couple of years ago, but the APX A1 has a number of desirable features for concealed carry. The inclusion of an optically-ready slide is the biggest upgrade. The APX A1 Carry is one of the slimmest handguns with optics available. It uses an RMSc pattern footprint that can accept a variety of popular pistol-red dots. Its barrel is also only 3.1 inches long. This is due to the fact that it uses single-stack magazines in 9mm. Its flush-fitting mag holds 6 rounds, just like the Glock G43. But it also includes an 8-round extended magazine with a pinky-extension. Beretta also improved the APX Carry trigger, added more serrations to the slide, and made the frame in four different colours. Smith & Wesson M&P Shield M2.0 ($399, Beretta.com). The Shield is a single-stack pistol that’s popular for a good reason. It is affordable, easy to conceal and has many features, including white low-profile three-dot sight and a smooth, 6.5-pound trigger. This polymer frame striker fired nine comes with two magazines: one for maximum concealability, and another for maximum capacity. The Shield’s.95-inch width and 6.1-inch length with a barrel of 3.1 inches are perfectly proportioned to be easily concealed under light clothing. The textured grip provides a secure grip without being too aggressive or painful for hands that are not gloved. Metal parts are treated with a corrosion-resistant coating to protect them from the abuses of everyday carry. ($505; Smith-Wesson.com)Walther CCP M2+I had a chance to see the original CCP at Walther’s factory in Germany before it was announced to the public, and I was excited about this gun from that very moment. Walther engineers had to deal with a problem that was inherent in carrying guns. Light springs made it easy to manipulate slides (a big selling feature), but they also caused more abuse when the slide moved backwards while firing. This reduced the gun’s lifespan. The SOFTCOIL system was developed for the single-stack pistol in 9mm. It uses the gases released by the fired round to reduce the rearward slide speed. The result is a lighter slide spring, reduced gun recoil, a longer gun life, and faster follow-ups. These are all selling points that make the CCP arguably one of the best guns available in this class. The M2 takes the design to the next level by offering tool-less assembly, a feature that eliminates one of the few shortcomings of the original CCP. The grip design and smooth trigger are near-perfect. The eight-shot CCP, which is 1.18 inches wide with a barrel of 3.54 inches, is large by the standards of the class. (MSRP Not Published, average street price is below $500; WaltherArms.com)Load up on more 9mm knowledge:11 Affordable 9mm Carbine Options6 Top Double-Stack Pistols for Concealed Carry7 Best 9mm Pistol Designs of All Time5 Ninemm Revolver Options Sized Right For Everyday CarryHow To Choose The Best Ammo For Self-DefenseIs The 9.mm Luger The Most Effective All Around Defensive Cartridge?Glock G43G43G43Glock (MSRP not published, average street price below $500; WaltherArms.com). Load up on more 9mm knowledge:11 Affordable 9mm carbine options6 Top Double-Stack Pistols for Concealed Carry7 Most Popular 9mm Pistols of All Time5 9mm revolver options that are right-sized for everyday carryHow to choose the best 9mm ammo for self-defenseIs the 9mm Luger the best all-around defensive cartridge?Glock G43Glock Glock called it “the most highly anticipated release” of the company’s entire history. The Glock single-stack pistol in 9mm is a classic Glock with minimalist sights, controls, a bladed trigger, and corrosive-resistant matte black slide. It’s a slim gun, measuring 1.2 inches in width, 4.25 inches in height and just over 6 1/4 inch long. This pistol weighs a little over 22 ounces when loaded with all six cartridges in the magazine. It’s not the lightest or heaviest gun on the list, but because it’s a Glock it can take a lot of abuse without any problems. ($549, US.Glock.com).Ruger LC9sRuger does a great job of providing shooters with the features they need in a personal protection gun while maintaining a slim profile and a low cost. This striking-fired pistol features a through-hardened alloy steel barrel, a through-hardened steel slide and a one-piece glass filled nylon frame. It is a compact, durable gun. This single-stack, 9mm pistol has a barrel measuring 3.12 inches and weighs just under 17 ounces. It measures 4 and a half inches high and is 4.50 inches wide. The seven-round mag fits flush against the bottom of grip. However, if you need more space, a finger extension is included. The overall length is 6 inches and the width is just.9 inches. This means that this single stack is not much larger than the ultra-compact brand’s LCP.380. The gun is available with or without manual safety. All models include a bladed safety safety trigger. The drift-adjustable sight is dovetailed in the receiver. They have a low profile design, so they won’t get caught when you draw. Ruger has discontinued this model, but it is still widely available. Kahr PM9Kahr produces durable, purpose-built semiautos and the PM9 is no exception. The PM9 has a 3-inch polygonal rifled barrel and weighs only 14 ounces, without a magazine. It also uses a trigger-cocking design with a locked-breech that has been proven to be reliable and accurate. This gun is easy to conceal and comfortable for all day carry due to its smooth profile. It has drift-adjustable sights for combat, a stainless steel slide that can withstand the moisture of daily use and a polymer body with textured grips. The Kahr does not have a manual safety. However, it has a passive striker and a takedown lever that makes it easy to disassemble the pistol for cleaning and maintenance. This single-stack pistol in 9mm comes with two magazines of six rounds that fit flush into the grip, and an extra seven-round magazine with a finger-grip extension. Glock 48 ($795 at Kahr.com). As mentioned above, the G43 was one of Glock’s most awaited releases. The pistol’s impact was so great that it spawned an entire line. The G43X is the Austrian gunmaker’s other single-stack pistol option. The G43X is a 9mm pistol with a 10+1 capacity. The G48 offers a little more. The G48’s 4.17-inch barrel makes it a bit more difficult to conceal. However, the trade-off for this is well worth the effort. It has a 10+1 capacity and a longer range of sight, which improves accuracy. It’s still a slim gun with a minuscule 0.87-inch width, and a very manageable weight of 25 ounces, which fits well with a wide range of armed citizens’ carry profiles. Overall, the G48 is a bit more advanced than the original slimline Glock. It strikes a near perfect balance between performance and concealability. If you want to add a little flash, you can also get the G43X in two-tone. ($500 US.Glock.com).Kimber Micro 9The Kimber Micro 9 has a solid construction and a touch of class. It is almost the perfect pocket pistol. The aluminum frame is what makes this single-stack pistol so rugged. It gives it plenty of resilience without putting its weight overboard. The pistol weighs only 15.6 ounces, making it a featherweight. The single-action 9mm is virtually impossible to conceal in any position, even when wearing the lightest clothing. The 3.15-inch barrel Micro 9 is surprisingly accurate at reasonable self defense ranges. This is helped by a 4.3 inch sight radius which is impressive for a gun in its class. The 7+1 capacity pistol is not without its challenges. It can be a bit bucky due to its size and weight, which is accentuated by the abbreviated grips. However, this is something that can be overcome with practice. The Micro 9 is a beautiful pistol in all of its versions (there are several). It’s a shame that it’s designed to be hidden. (Starts At $760, kimberamerica.com)Sig P938Ticking like a Swiss timepiece, the Sig P938 goes down as one of the most reliable single-stack 9mm pistols on the list. The pistol is a micro-sized 1911 that has all the best features of the classic John M. Browning designs. The single-action trigger is a great feature that helps to ensure accuracy of the 3-inch barrel gun. The time-tested design has its downsides. The thumb safety is the first thing to note. It adds another layer of security. Some people dislike this. Few guns can match the single-stack in terms of concealability. It is a pocket gun that can be used in this capacity. At 3.9 inches in height and 16 ounces unloaded, it is a legitimate pistol. The gun’s flush-fitted magazine has a 6+1 capacity, making it more than suitable as a primary carrying piece. It is a very discreet gun. The P938 is a typical Sig pistol. It’s on the expensive end of the spectrum. It’s easy to justify its price given that few pistols in its class can match its performance. This impressive target pack is from our friends at Storm Tactical. It contains 62 printable MOA targets with DOT drills for rifle and handgun ranges. The grids and bullseyes are measured in MOA. Subscribe to the Gun Digest newsletter and we will send you your print-at home target pack immediately. Enter your email below.