Updated 6/27/2022. The best concealed carry handguns as voted by women. Click HERE to jump to the original article, or continue reading to see the most current list. How the Handguns For Women Ranked.Springfield Hellcat RDPSmith & Wesson Shield EZ.380Ruger max.380SIG.380SIG.380SIG.380SIG.380SIG.380SIG.380SSG.380SIG.380SIG.380SIG.380SIG.380SIG & Wesson Shield PlusRuger MAX-9
He drove a large diesel pickup and dressed up in huge tires. He walked into the gun shop looking like he was heading for a rodeo. “I want to buy them something really special.” He then walked over to a display case containing 1911s and began looking at.45s. He eventually chose two identical full-sized 1911s in the.45 ACP. He spoke to the gunsmith, asking if they could be Cerakoted pink in.45 ACP. I watched as he paid for the guns, and made arrangements to pick them back up after the work was completed. I smiled, hoping I could see the outcome of his decision. Later, two women arrived at a concealed carry class with those two.45s. Neither of them could operate the slide, and they used my loaner guns for the qualification.Somewhere out there are two pink 1911s with fake ivory grips, very likely unfired.Girls Just Wanna Have Guns (That Work For Them)
Women have different needs when it comes to concealed carry handguns. Women can wear many styles, from loose tunics and dresses to form-fitting, stretch pants to more casual, formal outfits. Many of these guns have low hand strength and are sensitive. Although I am happy to admit that there are some women who can outshoot my guns, they are the exception. Gun Digest published an article a few years back highlighting the best guns for women. Things have improved as a result of the shooting industry listening to what people really want. Only two of the original guns are included in this article, and they were the first- and second-place entries. The period of rapid development in defensive concealed pistols is a time of unprecedented growth. This means that even though the best gun may still be a great gun; new models are constantly pushing the boundaries. The accuracy winner was the Hellcat’s SMSc red dot sight. It received a top score from all shooters in the sights category. Women need guns that are small, lightweight, easy to use, and shoot well. All guns are capable of conceal carry and weigh in at around 20 ounces. All guns (except one) have a magazine size of 10 or greater and good, usable sights. Ten women tested the guns, ranging in age from college to retirement and skill levels. None of the women tested were sport shooters and all needed concealed carry. All of the women in my classes were defensive shooters and had taken instruction in my classes. Guns were rated from one to five. Five being the best and one being the worst. The criteria included size, weight and grip, as well as operation, sights, triggers, recoil, accuracy, and looks. Many women stated that looks were not important in a defensive pistol. I tend to agree with them. Although no one was scored, there were many fives. One shooter gave Hellcat RDP fives in all categories, except two. Springfield Armory Hellcat RDP
The most expensive gun in the group was the Springfield Hellcat RDP, scoring 410 points out of a possible 455. It scored well in recoil due to the self-indexing compensator, and a little more weight. The SMSc red dot was loved by almost everyone. All testers gave the RDP a five in the sights category. It was the clear winner, despite some complaints about its flat-faced trigger. It was the top choice of six shooters. S&W ShieldEZ.380
Three years ago, the Smith & Wesson Shield EZ came in second and it’s not hard to see why. It is the easiest centerfire pistol to use and shoot. It’s well-designed, has a good trigger, and is easy to use. Although it is the largest gun in our group, it weighs the most. However, anyone can use the slide to load the magazine and operate the loading tool without any tools. The magazine loading, light recoil, and ease of racking the slide received a lot of praises. The grip safety was sometimes not engaged due to a high thumbs-forward grip. Also, the last round of a magazine sometimes popped up vertically causing mis-feeds. The EZ was the lowest scoring in both size and looks. The Shield EZ came in second place, with 366 points out of a possible 450. Ruger Max .380
I almost missed this one, but someone reminded me that I had to include it in the group. The Ruger Max.380 was not well-known. The Shield EZ was included in the group as it is a favorite among women with low hand strength. The Ruger LCP II was included in the previous article because it was light and compact. However, it had a low magazine capacity and a small grip area that kept it low in rankings. The LCP Max solves these issues with a few bonus features. It has a magazine capacity of either 10 or 12 rounds. The Max’s sights are dovetailed into its slide. They have a cocking surface at the rear and a Tritium White outline front. It’s also super light at less than 11 ounces and less than an inch in width. The slide also has a raised wing to the rear that provides better grip for pinch-pull cycling. It’s easy to shoot with the slightly larger grip, and it doesn’t compromise on concealability. It was a solid third place finisher in the test group. It was mentioned that loading the last few rounds into the magazine was difficult and that clearing the chamber required a quick snap to get a loaded round out of the ejection port. The slide’s size, weight, and slight tee shape at its rear were appreciated by test subjects. Sig P365 XL
Last time out, the Sig P365 won and it still holds its own, just narrowly missing third. The 365 is the most popular gun model in America, with a staggering 63,060 sales. It’s not outdated, but it’s been around for longer than any other gun. Despite not having any negative comments, it was chosen as the most popular gun in the test. The extra weight and size of the original gun made it difficult to use in this group. Smaller guns are more flexible in how women dress. The 365 is my personal carry gun. I was surprised that it did not score as well as a larger gun. The P365 XL scored 339. S&W Shield Plus
The Smith & Wesson Shield once held a 20% share of the concealed carry market. It was the first concealed carry handgun to be introduced in 2003. S&W introduced Shield 2.0, a solid improvement that had a better trigger grip and trigger surface. However, there was a surge in 10-plus capacity competitors so S&W introduced Shield Plus. The upgrade is significant with a flat-faced trigger and a slightly more aggressive grip texture. There are also 10- and 13-round magazines. The Shield Plus is a great gun. It finished fifth in ratings. It’s a great gun, and would have been at the top in a similar 2015 test. However, all other guns in the test were built from scratch, while the Shield Plus is an upgrade to a 2003 design. The Shield Plus gun is very good. Although it is a bit heavier than the others and weighs more, the Shield Plus is accurate, reliable, and easy to shoot.6 Ruger Max-9
The Max-9 was my first impression. The sights and trigger are great. It’s small size, weight, and high magazine capacity make it a great choice. The Max-9 was a great choice, with no complaints. It finished in the bottom half of the rankings, scoring the lowest number. Because the RDPs optic received a lot of raves, I suspect that a red-dot sight would have placed it higher.
I have seen many women come to me for training with a pistol that is not a good match for their needs over the years. The man described at the beginning had good intentions but poor judgment about what would work for his wife and her friend. To be fair, he made a poor decision at the time. However, it is clear that the Hellcat was unfair.
It has the advantage of having a reflex sight. It
The firearms industry has made great strides in providing concealed carry citizens with guns that are well-matched for their needs. Each gun in this comparison is an outstanding instrument for its intended purpose and there are no unsuitable guns in the group. My classes have been attended by women from their teens to their 80s. Their needs and preferences for handguns are often very different from those of men. Over half of my clients are women and I offer individual instruction and training toward the North Carolina Concealed Carrier Certification. It’s easy for men to conceal a firearm when they wear the same basic clothing. Women’s clothing is usually more fitted and can change depending on the occasion. Women prefer a smaller gun that can be worn with every outfit. This is why I have limited this list to subcompact guns. These guns were selected based on their lightweight, concealability, and ease of use. All of this information was derived from my defensive pistol classes with women. Shooters have never had so many great guns in their arsenal. It’s much harder to find a bad gun than a good one today, but it is possible to find a good gun that is both good and affordable. The EZ was so easy to use that the women were shocked when they got to shoot it. Although the 365 was rated lower than the EZ in operation and ease of use, it was also rated highly. The compact size, magazine capacity, power, and compact size of the 365 helped seal the deal. Mossberg’s new MC1 was close behind. The diminutive Ruger LCP II took fifth place, mainly due to its small size and lightweight. The Smith & Wesson Shield, which was the most popular concealed-carry pistol over the past 10 years, came in last. It was ranked low in recoil and ease of operation. The other guns are the oldest. This is a sign of how quickly firearms technology is developing in today’s modern world. The Sig P365 is the most popular handgun for women. This is similar to other segments of concealed carry. This compact pistol is the most popular choice for concealed carry. It seems that Sig Sauer accomplished everything right, and all at once. Standard magazines were 10-rounders, while a 12-round version was available. There is now a 15-round magazine. It is slightly heavier than the Glock, but much smaller. It is available with or with out a manual safety. It’s easier than the Glock and S&W to field-strip with a takedown lever. The fire control system can be easily removed and is therefore easier to maintain. The trigger works well, the reset is quick and positive, and the sights work well without being too intrusive. It is only marginally larger than LCP II in profile, but it is much heavier and more blocky. It’s still the smallest gun in the group, other than the Ruger. It is small, aside from the 43x. The P365 is a great product. The MSRP of the P365 is $599, but it’s still available for less than $500.
2. Smith & Wesson Shield EZ – Lowest recoil, Ease of Use The EZ is based on the M&P.22 Compact and is just as easy to use as the.22 version. It’s chambered for.380 ACP, but it weighs in at 18.5 ounces more. This makes for a very low recoil, which is a huge plus for timid shooters. The trigger is easy to use, and the grip safety makes this gun safer than any other gun except the revolver. The magazine has a greater capacity than most (8+1) and is easy to load. There is even a button that can be used to depress the magazine spring. Although it is larger than most magazines, the EZ is easy to conceal. It is easy to use thanks to its three-dot sights and low recoil.
3. Glock G43xGlock’s ability build a light and reliable pistol was evident to the women who tried it. The G43x is still a top-rated handgun for women. Glock G43x is a new model that has a 10+1 magazine capacity. This is a significant improvement on the G4, which can hold four rounds more than the G43. It’s not as concealable as the Glock G43x, but it’s much easier to shoot with because of the longer grip (and nobody in their right mind would argue that the magazine capacity doesn’t count). It weighs 16.4 ounces, which is lighter than the S&W Shield. There are at least two additional rounds. It’s easier to use, the trigger works well, the sights are clear and it’s a Glock. Although the MSRP for the G43x is fairly low at $549, it’s easily available for less than $500. Mossberg MC1 -scRecently, Mossberg entered the handgun market with the MC1. I was skeptical when I saw that Mossberg was introducing a concealed carry pistol. I remembered Chris Cerino having been to Mossberg’s recent introduction of a concealed-carry pistol, so I called him. Chris and I are friends, both in friendship, and in our opinions on personal defense. It was the Mossberg MC1 he had seen at Gunsite. Chris isn’t afraid to express his opinions and I was surprised that he had nothing negative to say about the MC1. I ordered one to test it out, and I’m happy with the results. It weighs 19 ounces and is slightly heavier than the Glock G43. Other than that, it’s roughly the same size. It features a flat-faced, bladed trigger with three dots sights and comfortable grip surfaces. It is reliable and accurate, and has a simple but innovative takedown system. Initial impressions of the see-through magazines were negative. They’ve proved to be extremely tough and the pistol will work with Glock 43 magazines. It has both front and rear serrations and is easy to cycle. The MSRP for the base model of the slide is $425. It was found on-line for less than $350, which makes it a great value. Ruger LCP II For Women. Few other handguns for women in this testing can match Ruger’s LCP II Light Weight. Ruger’s LCP II has proved to be a huge improvement on the original LCP. It is a popular choice for concealed-carry gun users who want the smallest, lightest, but still highly effective pistol. Although the.380 ACP chambering was considered the minimum for defensive ammunition, recent advancements in defensive ammunition have made the.380 lighter and more concealable. The LCP II still has an internal trigger, but the bladed trigger is lightweight and precise. It is a strikingly-fired trigger that feels similar to the original LCP. The magazine has a 6+1 capacity and is easy to load. The slide is easy to use and requires little effort. The sight is clear and adequate. It costs $349, but is easily available for less than $300 (and less than $400 for the laser-equipped model). The grip safety is a passive device that doesn’t require any training and can be used under pressure from a deadly force event. The EZ is the easiest gun in the group, and therefore the easiest to field-strip and maintain. The MSRP of the EZ is $399, but you can easily find it for less than $350. The Crimson Trace laser version is available for less than $550.6. Smith & Wesson 340 PD. Of all the handguns for ladies, the 340 PD received the highest safety and simplicity scores. In my youth, the Airweight Model 37 was undisputed king among lightweight concealed-carry revolvers. It’s now been outclassed by the lighter 340 and 360 PDs. It weighs in at less than 12 ounces thanks to its titanium cylinder and lightweight scandium frame. This is remarkable considering it’s chambered for.357 Magnum. It has a low capacity and slow molasses reloads. However, it is light and powerful and the most reliable handgun in this test. Because the trigger pull is long-stroke and 10-pounds plus, the 340 PD is safe. My 8-year-old grandson was too young to activate the trigger. He could not even use both index fingers. It is also the easiest gun to load and unload (and most expensive). It is unbreakable in its reliability. You don’t need to learn how to handle malfunctions. Just pull the trigger again in case of a mishap. Although it’s more difficult than semi-autos to shoot well, some people find the compromises of safety and simplicity acceptable. The 340 PD has a MSRP of $1,019 and is the most expensive gun in this group. However, it weighs in at $469 and can be easily found for less than $400.7. Smith & Wesson Shield. Although it is a popular defensive pistol, the Shield came in last in the testing. According to my last knowledge, the Shield was responsible for 20 percent of concealed-carry handgun sales. This is a remarkable statistic! This is why I chose the Performance Center Ported Shield, which has Hi-Vis sight. Although it is an improvement over the standard model of the Shield, it seems a little dated due to all the recent additions to market. The trigger on the Performance Center version is much better, and I think the porting helps. The Shield was still the fastest of the seven guns we tested, with the possible exception of J-frame revolver. It was also the most difficult to load the magazine and cycle the slide. It weighs in at 18.2 ounces and is slightly smaller than the Shield EZ. However, it is much more difficult to use. The MSRP for the standard version is $367. The Performance Center version is available for $623. The standard Shield is now available for less than $300, which indicates that it’s close to the end of its life. It was introduced in 2005 and was an innovative pistol. But, it seems that the Shield has been out of favor.
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