The 5 Best .22lr Rifles
9mm is the most popular cartridge for handguns in the world, with millions of proud owners who can vouch for it. 9mm is an incredibly balanced, lightweight round with a lot of benefits over its counterparts. If .22 is too weak for you and .45 is too heavy, 9mm will likely meet your standards.
9mm is the most common round used by law enforcement, as well as carrying civilians. Its size makes it easy to pack more rounds into magazines, and its recoil is generally predictable. Many people opt for 9mm when it comes to home defense and self defense pistols.
If you’re considering buying a 9mm pistol for home defense, carrying, target practice or otherwise, it can be difficult to find the right one. Luckily, we’ve broken down some of the best 9mm pistols on the market. Here are a few of the most popular and high-quality 9mm handguns:
The Glock 17
The Glock 17 is one of the most recognizable, classic handguns of the modern day. It has appeared in countless movies and games, and has sold millions of units in total. This gun may be one of your first choices, given its popularity and how easy it is to find.
The Glock 17 uses 9mm luger, which can be found anywhere. 9mm luger is relatively cheap when compared to some other handgun cartridges. This makes the Glock 17 a fairly economic choice, because it won’t cost a ridiculous amount to restock on ammo.
This gun is a good choice for its ergonomic design. It has a double safe action trigger, high standard magazine capacity, low weight and simple design. It fits well in a concealed carry holster, given its balanced size and shape.
The standard magazine capacity of a Glock 17 is 17 rounds, though you can get magazines of up to 33. Glock magazines are some of the most common, easy to find magazines on the market.
The Glock 17 is also pretty affordable for all of its benefits, so this is one of the best options altogether.
The 9mm M&P Shield
The 9mm Smith & Wesson M&P Shield is a very compact, well-designed pistol for concealed carry purposes. Its standard magazine can hold up to 8 rounds, and the pistol weighs just over a pound. Its sleek, lightweight design makes it perfect for everyday use.
This gun is also very affordable, starting at under $400. With a lightweight and reliable design, the M&P Shield is perfect for those who travel a lot.
Because this pistol is so compact, we recommend it for those who carry a gun regularly. There are better options for home defense and use at the range, but this is one of the best compact choices. Overall, this is a great pistol for anyone who wants an affordable, lightweight 9mm.
The SIG P320
The SIG P320 is a full size handgun in 9mm luger. It has a beautiful design, standard trigger, polymer grip and a standard magazine size of 15. Its size enables it to be very accurate, so you can do some decent target shooting with this weapon.
This gun is accurate enough to be used in competitions, with a single trigger and a 6-7lb trigger pull. The SIG P320 is a very reliable pistol, so you can run many shots through it with minimal issues. It’s also fairly affordable, so all kinds of shooters can invest in it without a ton of risk.
The P320 is large enough to accurately hit targets, while being the right size to comfortably conceal in a holster. Some prefer the P320 over the Glock 17, but it all comes down to what you personally like the most. This is a well-rounded pistol for self defense and home defense.
Sig Sauer is a highly respected company, so you will likely be satisfied with owning a P320.
The Beretta M9A3
The Beretta M9A3 is a more expensive pistol compared to the others on this list, but it’s definitely worth considering. With an incredible design, superior reliability, heavy slide and full size dimensions, this Italian handgun is a staple of the 9mm category. This gun is definitely for those who value looks, as it is very recognizable and nicely shaped.
It can hold 17 rounds of 9mm, so it works very well in home defense situations. It will rarely jam up on you, as it is specially designed to cycle flawlessly. Its slide cycles quickly, and it feeds without fail.
With its high-quality materials and composition, this pistol will stay dependable and durable in all circumstances.
With a price point above $1000, some shooters may not want to drop that much money on a pistol. For those who think it’s worth it, the Beretta M9A3 is absolutely the right gun to choose.
There are many options
In the world of 9mm pistols, the options are truly limitless. You can find pistols at the lowest price points, and some at absurdly high costs. There is a wide range of quality, practical purposes, affordability and sizes.
No matter what model of gun you decide on, 9mm is always a solid choice for any possible use. After all, there is a reason why the police and military consistently use 9mm for all tactical purposes. It balances recoil, speed, size, power and reliability, resulting in perhaps the most practical cartridge available.
Overall, we recommend 9mm pistols as a whole. As new firearms are released to the market, 9mm will never stop being a go-to choice for gun owners.