25 Best Full Size 9mm Pistols – March 2023

Where to Buy the Best Handguns 2023

Update: Coronavirus sent the 9mm pistol supply chain nuts and it is only just recovering now. So if your gun is missing down below, these dealers have great stocks.

• Palmetto State Armory – Healthy stock levels. Some cooler guns than you think.
• Sportsman’s Guide – The standard guns, Glocks etc.
• Primary Arms – Lesser known dealer with some great stock.

Now, on with the original feature…

Best Full Size 9mm Pistol For Sale

A full-size 9mm handgun is often the jewel in your collection. It’s the no-compromise option, simply the best pistol for sending bullets downrange, or somewhere more serious.

Now capacity is a personal thing, but we think projectile technology has closed the gap to such an extent that for home defense, 9mm is the one to go for.

Why? It’s true that most self-defense encounters result in just two shots being fired. But having the option to lay down covering fire, or to simply have more shots in the clip when your heart is racing and you need all the help you can get, can only be a good thing.

Large Handguns Welcome to Best 9mm Pistols Shootout

We don’t have many rules for this 9mm handgun competition, we just decided that the barrel had to be close to 5 inches and that was it.

In many ways, the longest barrel is the purest form for a handgun. Freed from the constraints of Conceal Carry, you can actually have the big proportions and the big capacity – if your State allows it.

Here are the best full-size 9mm handguns for sale in 2023.

1. CZ Shadow 2 Optic Ready

• Price: $1,265.99
• Caliber: 9mm Luger
• Barrel Length: 4.89 inch
• Total Length: 8.53 inch
• Weight: 2.9lb
• Standard capacity: 17+1 Rounds.

The first CZ Shadow SP-01 was a sales sensation. The second generation has just smashed it out the park.

This is a competition shooter at its core, but, well, it’s yours. So if you just want to make sure you’ve got the best 9mm pistol for home defense then the best range champion really isn’t a bad place to start.

A Proper Metal Pistol

It’s a proper metal pistol that just feels big and heavy in a good way. Sure it’s not easy to conceal, but that’s not what we’re going for. We’re going for a badass home defense gun that can print all day long. Or just sit in a gun safe until you really want it.

It’s bigger than the CZ Accu-Shadow, it’s almost three pounds of pistol and that is heavier than a lot of 1911s. But then you start to look at the spec sheet and a little extra weight becomes worth it.

17+1 rounds as standard should be enough to see off pretty much any threat. And Hickock himself says this is a gun that almost won’t let you miss.

Next Gen 9mm Pistol

The CZ offers a double action/single action trigger in the Browning HI-Power tradition. You can keep it cocked and locked in your gun safe. That flexibility gives the CZ hammer fired pistols a real competitive edge over a 1911, before you get into the additional capacity of the 9mm Luger rounds.

The CZ Shadow 2 has become a sport shooting legend, but all the things that competitive shooters love mean it’s a great gun to have for home defense too. It is easily one of the best 9mm handguns in every discipline and has been for a while.

What About a CZ Shadow Orange?

The orange grip version, the Tactical Sport Orange, isn’t much more money at the moment. It’s a great firearm and you might even be happier with it, although the differences between the two are slight. The main one is a barrel bushing that improves the slide to barrel fit.

Other changes include finer checkering and a slimmed down trigger guard reduce drag and low profile sights help draw speed. Buy yours here.

2. Glock 34 MOS FS

• Price: $736.99
• Barrel: 5.31 inch
• Total length: 8.74 inch
• Weight: 1.62lb
• Capacity: 17+1

We’re not big Glock fanboys here, but we do have to accept that the G34 MOS FS Gen 5 is an exceptional handgun that is an absolute tack driver of a 9mm and so easy to shoot.

It follows the Glock design language. So, the Glock 34 Gen 5 is a blocky, snag-free and simple polymer frame striker fired pistol. The snag-free element shouldn’t be so important with a big 9mm for sale, though. This semi-automatic pistol will probably live in a safe or gun vault, not an IWB holster.

Of course, that striker-fired simplicity means it’s still a monster for home defense, especially with a red dot up top.

The front serrations give you options and do have an impact on the aesthetics. The Glock 34 Gen 5 looks more balanced, almost pretty.

Glock 17 is a Cheaper Pistol

The Glock 17 is famously accurate and the grouping at 50 yards is stunning. If you can shoot, you can handle a G17 and that is really the natural rival for the cheaper guns here in terms of price. That and a number of other options are available in this Best Glock list.

But the G34 is another level of precision.

Glock 34 is the Flagship Handgun

It was designed for competitive target shooters, there are plenty of others for a concealed carry gun like the Glock 43x. That 5.31″ match-grade barrel means the G34 is simply the best of the bunch.

You get 17+1 rounds, more if you opt for a John Wick style mag extension. As for the famous Glock grip angle, well you love it or you don’t. It does seem more bearable in the Gen 5 though.

Get red dot sights on it and you shouldn’t need that many, because you really will struggle to miss with the G34. The MOS optics system means it’s pretty much open for a wide selection of red dots and scopes that can turn the G34 from a self-defense legend into a small-game hunter.

It won’t set your pulse racing in the way that the CZ Shadow 2 might, or the Sig, but Glock reliability is legendary and this gun should need minimal work to keep at 100%. If you’re thinking purely of home defense, a big Glock 17 or Glock 34 is pretty hard to beat. But if you want to carry, too, then the standard sized Glock 19 Gen 5 is a great place to start

Great Deals on Glocks

Glock handguns can be found for reasonable money and you can even get money off a custom Glock from the likes of Agency Arms and ZEV Technologies. You don’t need the G34 Dragonfly custom Glock, though, you could just buy a Glock G19, or a Glock 17, online right now.

3. Colt Gold Cup Trophy 1911

• Price: $1,813.99
• Caliber: 9mm
• Barrel length: 5 inch
• Total Length: 8.5 inch
• Weight: 2.3lb
• Capacity: 9+1

You might hear that Colts aren’t quite what they used to be, and there may be some truth in that. But this is still one of the best off-the-peg competition shooting 9mm firearms in the world today.

You could take it into the white heat of battle tomorrow. The Colt is a serious value proposition, then, for keen enthusiasts looking to cross over to competition.

Cheaper Competition Series Models Are Available

The Colt 1911 Competition 9mm is half the price, but the Gold Cup is twice the weapon. It is a Series 80, a direct descendant of the original 1911. You get a National Match grade barrel, drilled trigger, enhanced beavertail, chunky manual safety and other features that you have come to expect from Colt.

Now don’t think this is quite up to the standard of the Colt Custom workshop. It can’t be really. But it’s a great mid-range Colt handgun that could turn you into a target shooter, a 1911 fanboy, and a Colt man. Or woman, you do you…

If you want to spend less, or more, then here’s a post on the 12 best Colt 1911s for sale in 2023.

4. Walther PDP

• Price: $649.00
• Caliber: 9mm
• Barrel: 4.5″
• Total Length: 8″
• Weight: 1.58lb
• Capacity: 18+1

Walther has its own devoted following that will swear this gun should be above the Glock, and it’s certainly that kind of gun. This is an in-house, custom gun created by the very best engineers at a large and established firearms company.

Sometimes that is much better than a third party tuner throwing half the gun away and charging handsomely for the privilege.

The Walther PDP is a pretty thing, we’ll give it that, and we love the grip texture. Performance wise, it is up there with the best in the world as well. The Walther PDP is competition spec and also is a badass nightstand pistol and you will learn to love it just like Heckler & Koch fanatics and Glock fanboys love their chosen semi-automatic pistol.

Does Walther Have the Best Triggers?

The Walther is a big chunky gun, with finger grooves and a slide that is serrated front and back for easy manipulation. It does everything right, and only the cost counts against it.

Still, some people think the Walter OEM trigger kit is better than a ZEV Technologies drop in trigger in a Glock. It’s certainly one of the best triggers. Also, the grip angle is different, and for some that is enough.

The Walther has aftermarket sights up top too, and a wealth of neat touches from competition pistols, like the stippling, seem to help its case. Walther hasn’t been the same force it once was of late, but the PDP can change that.

5. Kimber Rapide

• Price: $1,599.99
• Barrel: 5 inch
• Total Length: 8.6 inch
• Weight: 2.56lb
• Capacity: 9+1 Rounds

The Kimber Rapide is an unapologetic race gun that was built to cash in on the trend for custom range guns and competition shooters for everyday life. Call it the John Wick effect.

Kimber went to town with the factory custom 1911 touches, including the ported slide, beveled and enlarged magwell upgraded sights. Quality grips complete the package and customers love the fast cycling, crisp trigger and tack driver accuracy.

This is also a cool looking custom pistol, straight off the shelf, that fires like it costs a whole lot more.

Read more here in our post of the best Kimber 1911s on sale…

6. HK VP9L

• Price: $998.99
• Barrel: 5.2 inch
• Weight: 2.19lb
• Capacity: 20+1

The HK VP9L is the spiritual successor to the P30L that became a global sensation in the hands of John Wick. If it was cheaper, it might be the winner. But HK rarely are cheaper…

The optic ready Heckler & Koch really does look like a custom Glock and then a whole lot more besides. If you want a wild looking plastic pistol, then the custom porting on show, the grip texture and the capacity alone turn this into a real contender.

An extended magazine gives a lot of rounds and make this one of the best home defense weapons.

I mean you might still love the HK P30L from John Wick 2.

We wouldn’t blame you. But time waits for no man and this is the new breed…..

This could well tempt John back to the HK fold. In fact it’s basically made for him with a big capacity mag extension right there.

The ported slide basically comes with an integral compensator, although we’re sure the world’s greatest assassin can turn this into a 6 incher with more hardware. We won’t even laugh. Because it will be awesome.

7. Rock Island Armory Tac Ultra FSHC

• Price: $828.99
• Caliber: 9mm
• Barrel Length: 5 inch
• Total Length: 8.6 inch
• Weight: 2.4lb
• Capacity: 17+1

The Rock Island Armory 1911 is fast attaining cult status in these parts in a range of calibers and frame sizes. The double stack 9mm magazine marks it out as a low-budget 2011 alternative that works.

The wild popularity of the Rock Island Armory means that availability is tough and price reflect that.

But taken on its own merit, this 1911, or 2011, is the best 9mm pistol that really can match up to more expensive hardware.

Take a peak at the RIA BBR 3.1 45 ACP in our subcompact 1911s post.

8. Springfield Armory XD-M Elite Precision

• Price: $583.99
• Barrel: 5.25 inch
• Total Length: 8.3 inch
• Weight: 1.88lb
• Capacity: 22+1 Rounds

The company makes one of our favorite CCW pistols in the world and the 4.5” barrel version of the polymer framed XD is technically the near-perfect firearm. This longer barrel turns it into a total tack driver with insane capacity.

This 9mm handgun is accurate, seriously accurate. You get 22+1 rounds if you take the extended mag, and you should, it’s lightweight and it’s pared down and clean. It isn’t quite as monolithic as the Glock, but it is definitely understated and every piece of the form has followed the function.

Narrow, Large, Best 9mm Pistol

It’s thin, just over an inch wide at the controls, and the widest part of the gun is the grip. The gun tapers in to the black finish stainless steel slide. Really, it’s a modern marvel when it comes to packaging and for me it could easily be the best plastic pistol in the world. When reliability is proven, yeah it’s close…

This polymer framed pistol is slim enough to conceal, those night sights up top give a hint at the serious engineering underneath and this might just be the best compromise gun here.

Let’s just say, that if you don’t own a Springfield 9mm then you’re missing out on life. If you do, you don’t need me to tell you how good it is.

Safety First, and Second

The 1911 style beavertail safety is a great concept that we would like to see more widely adopted. Trigger safeties are pretty good, especially when you keep your gun in a Kydex holster. But a grip safety adds another layer of protection to the trigger safety and reduces the chances of an accidental discharge to almost zero.

It’s just about a good carry handgun, too, if you need to carry concealed. Ideally, you’ll get the sub-compact XDM or the Springfield Hellcat and this one. They’re a perfect tag team.

9. Wilson Combat EDC X9L

• Price: $3,315.99
• Caliber: 9mm
• Barrel Length: 5 inch
• Total Length: 8.6 inch
• Weight: 2.4lb
• Capacity: 15+1

This is just a perfect, cohesive, well designed handgun. Are these the best 9mm pistols out there right now? It’s close…

The starburst grip pattern seems to lead effortlessly into another feature. The others look like they’re trying, the EDC X9L was just made for this.

A Long Barrel CCW. Ummm.

Of course the long-barrel version does conflict just ever so slightly with the EDC concept generally, because, well, you can’t really use this as an EDC. You can, but don’t kid yourself that this is a CCW specialist anymore. For that you need the shorter barrel handgun that can’t feature here.

This longer handgun obviously comes with a longer sight radius, which is something we guess. It also slots into the same holster as most other 5″ barrel 1911 handguns. Then there is the spec sheet, which is just insane…

9mm With Tomorrow’s Tech

This is built around an aluminum frame and rails. The G10 Aggressive Starburst grips join forces with an X-TAC checker treatment for the front and back straps.

You get a proper hammer that is contoured, along with the grip heel, to provide a snag free draw that is a nice nod to the smaller pistol and a weird USP.

The 5 inch Tri Top Slide is another ergonomic touch designed to save fractions on the quickdraw. Again, it’s more of an aesthetic and a nice touch, rather than a real reason to buy it.

The external extractor, though, is proper technology and one of the many hundreds of tiny reasons why this is a complete 9mm 1911. Ask owners about the great trigger pull, too, then sit back and prepare to listen.

• The top Wilson Combat handguns for sale in 2023.

10. Sig Sauer P320 X-FIVE Legion

We love the Sig Sauer P320 Compact and recommend it as an EDC. But the P320 X-FIVE is something else entirely.

It’s like a custom Sig, produced in-house with the manufacturer’s own R&D team behind it. This is a great home defense handgun.

Then there’s the even more expensive and exclusive Sig X-FIVE Legion, which comes with the signature grey Cerakote finish, upgraded sights and a host of other minor adjustments. The extended magazine release et al aren’t fussy, though. It is optic ready, performance oriented and could be the best home defense gun.

Competition Spec P320

This is the competition version, although really it looks like a company like Agency Arms or ZEV Tech went to work on the Sig P320 plastic pistol. If it came from a third party with those bold cuts in the top of the slide, you wouldn’t be surprised by a $1500-$2000 price tag would you?

This is a big gun, but it’s been perfectly balanced by the in-house tuning aces at the German firearms manufacturer.

This is a Skunkworks project by the best engineers in the business. And it costs about a third of a full Agency Arms Glock for arguably a better semi auto pistol. Food for thought.

The five inch bull barrel is stainless steel and cold hammer forged. It also comes with a totally reworked and ported slide that really does look like a technical improvement.

A Dawson Precision Night Sight is about as good as they get, but it’s also ready for red dot sights.

Other features include the pronounced beavertail, undercut and squared off trigger guard for an added grip and that mag extension with a counterweight for the perfect weight in the hand.

Custom Gunsmithing on Sig 9mm Pistol

The counterweight includes a Tungsten infused grip that actually adds weight to the gun. Sig is selling the weight of metal and the flex of polymer as a performance benefit.

50% less muzzle flip and a 30% lighter trigger, complete with flat face trigger, full length stainless steel guide rod and a 14lb 1911 style recoil spring to soak up the force of sending 9mm ammunition downrange.

You get 21+1 rounds if you go for the extended mag, which goes some way to balancing that long barrel as well. That makes this Sig P320 a real lifesaver.

Hang a light or laser on the accessory rail if you must, but this gun is quite strong enough in terms of visual impact. Train with it, learn it and then load it with savage ammunition.

And while the Sig P320 is that good, and we love the little Sig Sauer P365, the Sig P320 X-FIVE still might just be the best polymer handgun for sale in 2022.

Where to buy Sig Handguns cheap

Sig is on a roll right now. The Sig P365 is the best conceal carry handgun in the world, the modern striker fired pistols like the Sig P320 are smashing it out the park and Sig does a mean 1911 and its own Mil-spec metal handguns.

Here are some of our favorite gunbroker sites for Sig firearms at unbeatable prices. Get the best gun deals thanks to our partners.

• Sig handguns on offfer at PSA. Gun deals on offer today

11. Beretta 92FS

• Price: $705.99
• Barrel: 4.9″
• Total Length: 8.5″
• Weight: 2.2lb

The Beretta 92FS is a classic steel service sidearm, with a double stack magazine with 15+1 rounds. And it is one of the best hammer fired pistols of all time.

The US Military even rock this double action/single action Italian gun where it is known as the M9. Bruce Willis had one in Die Hard. It also got a starring role in Lethal Weapon, Terminator and many more iconic films.

In fact, along with the Glock, this sidearm that is standard issue for military and law enforcement around the country has been on the silver screen more than most of Hollywood’s biggest stars.

Beretta is Reliable, Almost Glock Reliable

That means it has been torture tested to death, in the field, by our own military. They are slightly more professional than the average Joe and they have also had to carry concealed enough times for us to know that it can be done.

This really is a legit carry gun all around America. People make allowances for the heft, because the new 9mm firearms just aren’t the same.

It’s still on the approved equipment list for the military, and a good 9mm shooting experience you need in your life.

The Beretta 92FS, though, has set the standard for more than two decades and despite its high price tag, it’s a favored sidearm of well heeled LEOs to this day.

It has a recoil delayed locking block system, which is all part of an elaborate and yet simple design to ensure fast cycling. An open slide design keeps things simple and virtually eradicates stove piping.

Metal Berettas Need Maintenance, Gun Oil and Love

You do need to maintain these guns, use the right mags and replace springs etc. It’s not a 1911, but it’s in that ballpark and that means you have to keep it clean and running smooth. Do that and the Beretta 92FS is a great self-defense gun with a solid capacity. You can get 20+1 rounds extended mags for this semi-auto pistol too.

It’s a double wide magazine that narrows to a single stack at the top. It’s a slick system that turns a simple design into one of the best 9mm pistols in the world.

Upgrade the grips with almost any gunbroker. Start shopping for Beretta 92 parts & accessories and you will find a few upgrades that will take the Beretta 92 FS right up there with the best guns here.

12. ZEV Technologies OZ9 Combat

• Price: $1,674.99
• Barrel: 5 inch
• Total Length: 8.75 inch
• Weight: 1.75lb
• Capacity: 15+1

Essentially this is the culmination of all ZEV Tech’s hard work tuning custom Glocks that include the iconic G34 Dragonfly. It’s built around a forged aluminum frame.

Yes, this is the all metal Glock we have been waiting for.

The gun shoots like a custom Glock 34, but better. So yes, of course it’s good. ZEV Technologies have consistently impressed us with their high quality parts. Now they have blown us away with the first custom gun, the ZEV Tech OZ9.

All Metal Glock. You Asked For This Gun.

The smaller ZEV Technologies OZ9 is the all metal Glock G19 custom pistol everybody said they wanted.

But the ZEV Tech OZ9 Competition doesn’t just come with upgraded sights and a fluted barrel. Oh no, this is basically the ground up rebuild of the Glock 34.

That was always a target shooting specialist for the shooting range and this handgun is better in every conceivable way. Except for the weight, and the price. So there are pros and cons, but mostly pros.

Defensive Pistol With Competition Qualities

Expect to see the optics ready ZEV Tech OZ9 Competition in target shooting events near you. But with the larger frame, this gun is aimed at the service pistol crowd.

If you just want yours as a defensive handgun, you know you’re going to love it just as much as the people taking titles with this 9mm handgun.

It is a great 9mm handgun for the house and the most stylish nightstand pistol you have ever seen. Also, it’s a pretty Glock esque modular handgun that can change to suit your needs.

13. Smith & Wesson M&P 2.0 9mm

• Price: $523.99
• Barrel: 5″
• Total length: 8.3″
• Weight: 1.68lb
• Capacity: 17+1 Rounds

Normally the polymer framed Smith and Wesson M&P 2.0 is around $550, but anybody that owns one says they are worth the money. Even in these weird times.

Smith & Wesson M&P As Good as Glock, Sig and More?

The S&W M&P is easily a match for the Sig, if the M&P fits your particular hand like a glove. It’s a little plasticy to look at and we wish the finish was a little more advanced.

But this Smith & Wesson is a great gun for concealed carry 9mm on this list, at least in Shield EZ 9mm form, thanks to a lightweight polymer frame and low profile dot sights. The full size, compact and sub-compact are all great guns now and law enforcement is abandoning Glock for this pistol en masse.

As Good As it Gets?

On a functional level, the S&W M&P is as good as the best 9mm pistols in the world. Guns are an aesthetic and emotional thing, too, though, and this does lose out there a little.

The S&W M&P is supremely accurate, it’s reliable and the second generation has a trigger set that makes the first one look just weak. It’s like an aftermarket trigger on a Glock now. Really, the S&W M&P is a good 9mm.

The stippling is perfect, there’s an accessory rail down below and this gun feels great in your hand if you can ignore the look. At this price, it makes a seriously good case for itself.

14. Staccato XL

• Price: $3,735..99
• Barrel length: 5 inch
• Total Length: 8.8 inch
• Weight: 2.12lb
• Capacity: 17+1 (26 round extended mag)

This is it, the legendary 2011 9mm pistol that has proved devastatingly accurate, fast cycling and all the good things in competitions around the country.

Scroll down to the bottom for the John Wick 3 pistol, the STI 2011 Combat Master. That’s a wild gun, but the Staccato R is actually available.

So if you want to spend an insane amount of money on a 9mm handgun, well STI is here for you. And that name will always raise a smile. I mean, didn’t they think about it?

15. Sig Sauer P226 ZEV

• Price: $2,019.99
• Barrel length: 5 inch
• Total: 8.8 inch
• Weight: 2.12lb
• Capacity: 15+1

The Sig Sauer P226 is one of the all-time legends and our favorite is almost certainly the Sig Sauer P226 Legion SAO. The gun ideally needed a 5 inch barrel to make it into this list, though, so we found a way.

This gun doesn’t need favors to get on the list anyway. It comes with a 15+1 capacity and a SAO operation that might actually suit you better.

Steel Slide Thoroughly Reworked

The Sig comes with a stainless steel slide that has evolved into the perfect companion. Practiced hands can manipulate the slide and even strip this weapon in their sleep. ZEV worked on the slide, and provided G10 grips.

This is a fully-loaded version as well. It comes with a SIGLITE rear night sight and a full-on Tritium loaded TRUGLO night sight. It gets a Short Reset Trigger, too, which saves 60% of the travel.

This is a seriously good handgun, perfectly balanced and suppressor ready. That thread gave it the length to get into this particular list of the best 9mm handguns in the world too. It deserves to be here.

16. CZ 75 B

• Price: $799.99
• Barrel: 4.6″
• Total Length: 8.1″
• Weight: 2.2lb
• Capacity: 16+1

We know we already covered the more expensive CZ Shadow. This is a cheap 9mm and it deserves to be by its side.

The CZ 75 B is the direct inspiration for several of the best guns on this list, including the winner. Without it, they simply would not have turned out that way. You can get all that heritage and prestige for less than the price of a decent 1911.

The CZ 75 B is a break from the polymer frame, striker-fired routine. This really is a grown up metal handgun with a proper hammer fired action and everything.

It clearly takes a lot from the classic 1911 and then takes it towards the design ethos of the best modern striker-fire pistols. In many ways, the CZ 75 B is the missing link of the firearms world.

This isn’t just one of the best 9mm pistols right now, it’s one of the best handguns on the market. One of the best guns ever? Yes, that too.

All Metal Handgun.

It’s a steel handgun with a double-stack magazine, which means it can mix it with the best striker fired pistols here in terms of capacity. You get a 16+1 round set-up that weighs in at 2.2lb. For a metal gun, that’s not bad.

You can see the tell-tale hammer, ambidextrous thumb safety and single blade trigger, the CZ 75 B has the high beavertail from the 1911. Apart from that, this is an understated and relatively snag-free gun. It wouldn’t be the easiest carry gun, but it is a common military and LEO sidearm.

This was a fresh design, a totally new 9mm that built on the success of the 1911 and yet offered the capacity of a modern-day polymer pistol. It turned into one of the best guns of all time.

The double action trigger pull is a little long, although it is soft as butter, but you can cock the hammer and the single is the stuff of legend.

Get The Basic Finish And Use Your CZ 75 B

The black finish suits it best, because this gun is a worker, rather than a safe queen. You can get far more ornate special editions and custom CZ 75 B handguns. It is a classic design that is still in active service with military and law enforcement units all over the world in full size frame, compact and sub compact form.

CZ 75 B Most Copied Handgun Ever

It is apparently the most copied pistol of all time, as the patent protection only applied in its homeland.

Imitation is the best form of flattery. But it’s telling that the other manufacturers still can’t quite match the authentic 75 B. it has evolved over a quarter of a century, and somehow it has always kept ahead of the clone pack.

The basic gun is awesome. If you want to spend a little more, then buy the CZ 75 SP-01 Tactical, which is a serious monster of a weapon. We also really like the smaller CZ Rami for concealed carry 9mm.

The gun has been with us since 1975, and has constantly evolved along the way. It’s still a rough and ready gun with a baked on polymer coat, it’s heavy in the hand and yet this hammer fired special is one of the softest 9mms you’ll ever shoot. It has a famously smooth trigger action.

Great For Novice Shooters

It’s something about the weight, and the recoil system, which makes it easy to shoot and means this is a great 9mm for novice shooters.

The double-stack mag is a common feature on the best CCW handguns in the world that need to maximise space. It’s a rarity in a steel handgun, though. The slides also ride inside the rails, which is better for accuracy and tolerances. It has a manual thumb safety and you can opt for expensive 26-round magazines if you want to go nuts.

It’s 1911 2.0 and a fantastic full-sized pistol that should never let you down. Reliability, accuracy and performance are out of this world with the CZ 75 B. If you don’t own one of these duty pistols, you should.

17. Canik TP9 SFX

• Price: $499.99
• Barrel: 5.2″
• Total Length: 8.27″
• Weight: 1.83lb
• Capacity: 20 + 1 Rounds

We could show you the stock Canik TP9SF but all that really brings to the table is a low-budget price tag.

So, if you just want a discount 9mm, start there with the Canik TP9SF. There are pros and cons to that pistol. This one? Not so much.

The Canik SFX is a different animal. It’s a competitive target shooters’ 9mm and that means it’s perfectly equipped for home defense and it’s a service pistol plus that military, police and more use on the daily.

So far, Canik has relied on the cut price offerings to fly the flag for the Turkish manufacturer that is tied in with Century Arms. But this Canik is a step in the right direction, a step upmarket. This is a semi-auto that sells on quality, not price. Although it is still a bargain…

There are comparisons with the car industry. The likes of Hyundai and Kia started out making pure budget crap for the masses, but they slowly got pretty good. Canik is making some of the same signs and we hope they produce more semi-auto firearms like this one.

A Custom Glock For Less Money

In some ways it looks like a budget Agency Arms Glock, done for you and color coded in advance. The slide is ported, the stippling is stunning and the whole gun has an air of quality about it. Check out the fiber optic night sights and tell me they look like cheap handgun shit. It isn’t, this is good.

Have a look at these $2000 custom Glocks and see if you can see the similarity. I can see pretty much all the performance parts on it for less than the price of a bog-standard 9mm Glock 17.

With the Canik TP9 SFX, the race gun feel is even more pronounced and it can easily go head to head with a Shadow Systems Glock clone.

The trigger is perfect, the felt recoil is reduced, this gun is an absolute tack driver at long range and it comes ready for an optic. Experiencd shooters love this thing.

Optics Ready For RMR Trijicon

Put an RMR up there and you really do have the ultimate competition handgun. Ergonomically, the Canik SFX is beyond excellent, it’s reliable and this is a gun that you have to really shoot to appreciate.

It shoots flat, with minimal recoil, you get a vast amount of rounds and this is a handgun that competition shooters can rely on. That means it’s a great home defense pistol as well.

Canik Mete is Good Too

The Canik Mete is another 9mm target shooter with a simpler profile and basic sights. It’s still a great gun, especially if you’re looking for something a little more subdued.

Want to go nuts? Ok the Canik Rival is your Huckleberry. That’s the new TP9 tactical pistol and target specialist and may displace the SFX before long.

18. Nighthawk Custom Boardroom President 1911

• Price: $5,368.99
• Barrel: 5 inch
• Total Length: 8.58 inch
• Weight: 2.31lb
• Capacity: 10+1

Nighthawk Custom pistols are basically pure gunporn. So drink in the details on this 9mm pistol from the absolute master gunsmiths in Arkansas. Yes really. Arkansas…

Unsurprisingly, Nighthawk features pretty heavily on our recent list of crazy expensive handguns you want to own.

The Nighthawk Boardroom President is a pretty hardcore gun, too.

It’s a beautiful 1911 that has been machined from billet aluminum. The front sight is a fiber night sight. The flat face trigger is competition spec and the gun is basically perfect everywhere you look.

This is total gunporn, it really is. The 10+1 capacity mean this 1911 can hang with any modern pistol. And it’s a Nighthawk Custom handgun, so it’s just better.

The price is batshit insane. It’s high price, high spec and this gun will just be a pleasure to own. And sometimes nice things cost money…

19. Springfield Armory Range Officer

• Price: $1,009.99
• Barrel: 5 inch
• Total Length: 8.6 inch
• Weight: 2.56lb
• Capacity: 9+1 Rounds

A true cheap 1911 is at a technical disadvantage here. But 9+1 are enough bullets for some and the slim grip is worth the trade-off.

Even though it is officially a discontinued model, the single action Range Officer remains fairly freely available and is still, in our eyes at least, a signature dish for the company along with the TRP Operator.

This is the 1911 single stack 9mm, engineered to perfection and it’s easier to find than the 9mm Springfield Loaded that theoretically is the successor. Well, that and the new Springfield Prodigy.

You can spend more and get a polished version of this gun, and you can get one of the best compact 9mm 1911s with the shorter barrel. The compact is good, but this one works for me.

The Parkerized finish contrasts with the polished barrel that pokes through the ejector port and the criss-cross pattern wood grips.

Seriously Good Options from Springfield

The company is on a charge at the moment and we could just as easily have included the Prodigy or Springfield Loaded. We love both of them and they already star on other lists, but right now availability kinda sucks.

20. Colt Government Combat Unit Rail

• Price: $1,599.99
• Barrel: 5″
• Total Length: 8.5″
• Weight: 2.25lb
• Capacity: 9+1

The Colt Government Combat Unit Rail Gun 9mm will not be the cheapest gun you own. It won’t be the most practical 9mm and yet you will still love it. We highly recommend it and, if we could find one, it would be much higher…

There’s just something about a Colt 1911 pistol, even with a ‘smaller’ caliber like 9mm. It feels right in the hand, the action feels like real, old world engineering like your dad told you about and it feels like it will run fault-free for 100 years.

It also comes with a manual safety, perfect slide serrations and the single action means you can carry it cocked and locked. Or just locked.

Colts Need To Be Prized From Cold Hands

That’s why some people refuse to make the switch to a modern, plastic pistol. Even those that have often hold a special place in their heart for the steel 1911 beauties that used to pull our pants down.

The Colt 1911 is arguably the best pistol that will serve you well. It’s just not quite as flexible as the modern alternatives.

This is the definitive Colt 1911 handgun for sale. It’s the combat pistol with an IonBond finish, that Picatinny rail for accessories like weapons lights, and a few other neat touches.

US Marine Corps instructors were involved in the design process. But it’s still basically a big single action 1911 that should survive the worst you can throw at it and keep firing.

For more Colt handguns, pistols, etc, including concealed carry 9mm options, check our post on the best Colt 1911s for sale here.

21. FN 509 LS Edge

• Price: $1,399.99
• Barrel: 5 inch
• Total Length:
• Weight: 1.66lb

The FN FNS Long Slide 9mm is a niche gun that remains one of the best selling guns of all time for the USA Gun Shop. It’s just a weird, close relationship. that was one of our best sellers for months on end. So we want to like the FN 509 LS Edge.

Fabrique Nationale Herstal is undergoing a changing of the guard right now. The FN 509 is making its mark and it’s a real Glock rival.

This is more or less a custom pistol that rolled off the line as a basic frame into the hands of a waiting gunsmith.

The stainless steel slide is serrated in all the right places and it comes with decent high set night sights and an accessory rail down low. The grip owes a lot to a 1911, especially with the pronounced beavertail that lets you get high up on the gun and close to the bore axis. So it is super easy to shoot.

The grip does look a little slim at first glance, but you can change out the backstrap for a beefier gun. I like the slimline look and the FN has pretty much everything you would want for home defense in a 9mm caliber service pistol. Except maybe red dots, which you can add.

Premium 9mm Caliber Handgun, at the Right Price

The FN LS 9mm is a real premium handgun. So it comes with an external extractor, a loaded chamber indicator and a fully ambidextrous mag release and slide stop. Look inside and you’ll find polished metal rather than plastic, which is a hallmark of a premium handgun.

Those that know about the FN Long Slide have all given us an appreciative nod over our constant support for this lesser known 9mm guns. If you haven’t scratched the FN handgun itch, this is one way to get going and one of the best handguns for sale in 2022.

This could turn into an expensive addiction, because this is a hell of a handgun. The sights are dovetail rear sights and simple dot sights. But you can upgrade the FN relatively easily and parts & accessories are easy to come by.

21. Palmetto State Armory Dagger Full Size

• Price: $369.99
• Barrel: 4.5 + thread
• Total: 7.15 inch
• Weight: 1.4lb
• Capacity: 17+1

Palmetto State Armory made its name with low budget rifles and AR pistols before turning its attention to the world of the best compact 9mm firearms with the Palmetto State Armory Dagger.

After some initial issues, the Palmetto State Armory Dagger has emerged as one of the finest custom Glock clones on the market. certainly for the money

Great Pistol for a Bargain price

This is the ‘full’ version with a 4.5 inch barrel, and a barrel thread to make it work. Much more remarkably, you get a slide that is ready for an RMR, and more or less a custom Glock, for less than $400.

Let’s face it, the Palmetto State Armory Dagger is so cheap you can forgive the odd rough edge. That’s what you get, but you also get a reliable and solid polymer pistol for crazy cheap money.

That’s what Palmetto State does, and we salute them for it.

22. SAR USA K12

• Price: $750.99
• Barrel: 4.7 inch
• Total: 9 inch
• Weight: 2.95lb
• Capacity: 17+1

This looks an awful lot like the old Tanfoglio Witness, but then that was based on the CZ 75. And you can kind of say that was borne from the Browning Hi Power. Everything is inspiration, we guess…

Also, this gun is much cheaper than the Italian imports that seem to have fallen off the map in terms of sales. So you can actually buy one, too, which is another benefit.

It’s a race gun that feels and looks high end. That can be fun!

Fully adjustable target sights are in place, as well as an extended and beveled magwell for easy reloads. So this target shooter is kind of convincing as a personal defense tool too.

It probably isn’t the best in terms of tolerances, but it looks the part and it’s fun to shoot. That’s good enough, it seems.

23. Ruger SR1911 Target

• Price: $819.99
• Barrel: 5 inch
• Total Length: 8.67 inch
• Weight: 2.61lb
• Capacity: 9+1 rounds

Not everybody wants a plastic fantastic. 1911s do take more work, hold less rounds and they really are technically inferior to modern guns. But some people don’t care about that. For them, nothing else feels like a 1911 and that’s enough to put up with its shortcomings.

9mm is a compact round, especially as most 1911s were conceived with 45 ACP in mind. So, even in a classic 1911, the Ruger can manage 9+1 rounds and extended mags are an option. It’s a single stack magazine, there’s no witchcraft here, but the magazine capacity goes up thanks to the relatively slimline 9mm bullets.

Ruger Owners Love Their Guns Like 9mm Glock Guys

So the magazine capacity isn’t that far behind and if you’re the kind of person who wants a 1911, then the Ruger is a great example and owners tend to love theirs. Check the online gun reviews and you’ll find a lot of love for this gun just about everywhere. It has become an institution, in almost every caliber.

The 10mm version and 45 ACP of this single action trigger 1911 undoubtedly come with a bigger kick. ut the 9mm is a manageable gun that squashes the recoil. Capacity is still limited compared to the best handguns, pistols here, but that goes with the territory.

These can never really be the best 9mm pistols again, because of modern technology. But some people simply won’t carry anything else. If it makes you happy, more power to you.

24. Arex Alpha

• Price: $875.99
• Barrel: 5 inch
• Total Length: 8.9 inch
• Weight: 2.43lb
• Capacity: 17+1 Rounds

It might look like a sci-fi movie gun, but the ReX Alpha is absolutely real. Well it was, then the company dropped off the map and we haven’t seen one for a long time.

But the guns are starting to appear under other brands’ names. That’s why this is staying here for the moment, we think it will be back.

The Slovenian company made waves with the smaller sized gun, the ReX Zero 1S concealed carry. This great full, size 9mm semi-auto is the next step. The old gun was like a next level Beretta 92, or an all-metal Glock Plus. Now we’ve got what looks like the ultimate handgun, for a certain type of buyer.

At first glance, it looks expensive. The level of engineering that goes into these Slovenian handguns best work is mind-blowing. It’s a custom gun, plain and simple, and it’s a pleasure to shoot.

If this craftsmanship was happening on these shores, you’d expect to pay more. This is a designer handgun at an affordable price.

Custom Guns Machined From Billet Steel

Both the frame and slide are machined from steel barstock and then given Nitrocarburized. It’s a variation of the Nitride coating you normally see on high-end AR-15s and the elite 1911s. At this price, it’s impressive.

The ReX Alpha offers the Double Action/Single Action trigger approach. So you can carry cocked and locked, or use the longer trigger pull to set yourself up for the follow-ups.

The ReX Alpha is an awesome, brutal looking thing too.

Extreme Engineering is a Bargain

This Slovenian full sized gun is fully-loaded in more ways than one. This is so utterly above and beyond almost any other gun out there in terms of the materials and the construction. It’s hard to tell you how much of a bargain it really is.

It’s really a custom gun that could have come with a Nighthawk style price tag. The details are that good. All the little jobs you would want to do to your new pistol are kind of done and the parts are largely ISO certified and machined from billet.

There’s a fiber-optic night sight on the front and a rear sight that’s adjustable for windage and elevation, which is a bit fancy. You get a full length slide and a locking block insert to make sure it feels tight every time you pull the trigger.

This is really a metal custom Glock, with all the parts and then some. It’s kind of a Swiss watch version of an Agency Arms, made in metal and made in Slovenia…

25. STI 2011 John Wick Combat Master Package

• Price: $4,081.99
• Caliber: 9mm
• Barrel: 5.4 inch
• Total Length: 8.75 inch
• Weight: 3lb
• Capacity: 22+1

You can’t buy it new anymore, but we’re keeping it because one day we want to say ‘remember when you could buy the star gun from Jon Wick?’

John Wick 4 will see the introduction of the TTI Pit Viper, but not yet…

John Wick’s 1911 from John Wick Chapter 3 is an eye-wateringly expensive handgun that starts off as an STI double-stack mag 2011, as they call it. Taran Tactical Innovations then turned it into a competition shooter and arguably the best gun you will ever hold.

Wick’s TTI Glock 34 in John Wick 2 was a match pistol all the way and the world’s leading assassin does favor competition upgrades on his Glocks, the HK P30L that started it all and now this extravagant STI 1911.

That slide looks functional and fantastic, as does every sumptuous detail on this gun. Admit it, you want one, but $4,000 is an awful lot of money for one handgun. Even if it is for a hand picked super assassin.

So what do you get for a 4K John Wick gun?

John Wick Guns Down Assassins With Quality Handguns

Inevitably it’s a bull-cut DLC coated match-grade barrel that should work well for a long time. You get an adjustable rear sight, high-vis front sight and a full 22+1 rounds of 9mm ammo. That’s pretty sweet.

Tolerances are what you’d expect on a gun of this grade and price range. It also has the kind of balance you’d expect from a sport shooting specialist.

Is it worth the money? We do want one, even at this outlandish price. Sooooo, yes?

Want to check out more guns from the film? We got you…

• The Guns of John Wick 3
• The Guns of John Wick 2

Looking For Something Smaller?

Now you have selected your big handgun, you might want something smaller to go with it. Like a fancy wine pairing…

Well if you want to go with a compact best for your EDC, there are a lot more options for you with the likes of Primary Arms and Palmetto State overflowing with choices. With Primary Arms you need to organise the price and play with the selection, but there are some very cool boutique guns.

Obviously there’s a confusing number of Glocks or the Sig Sauer P320 Compact, but you can also get a Palmetto State Armory Dagger Compact or Taurus G3C for way less money. The Palmetto State Armory Dagger is a modular handgun, too, and you can turn it into different things with more parts.

Or a Smith and Wesson M&P Shield compact, subcompact pistol or 5″ barrel as you see here..

Cheaper is Sometimes Better

Is a Palmetto State Armory Dagger or Taurus G3C better than a Glock 43x or Sig P365 for a concealed carry pistol? Or a Baby Desert Eagle Undercover? Or a Ruger American? How about the cheaper Ruger Security 9 Pro for a compact pistol?

Probably not on most quantifiable scales. Yet some people still buy the Palmetto State and not a Sig P320 Compact or Ruger Security 9 Pro. So yeah… Gun deals have something to do with that.

That’s true with the Taurus G2C, too, which is one of the cheapest CCWs we actually recommend. Have a look at the Taurus G2C here.

A show of humility and better pricing has brought the Beretta APX into the conversation too. The subcompact Beretta APX and now the compact Beretta APX are both worth considering honestly. Depending on the gun deals on offer.

You know Palmetto State Armory will even sell you an optic ready PSA Custom Dagger with the full Gucci Glock treatment. It’s an interesting concept and their aftermarket support is stellar…

Check out our list of easy to conceal compact 9mm pistol world beaters here.

Compact and Subcompact Pistol? Or Something Smaller

The sub-compact sector is on fire right now and the likes of the Glock G43X and Sig Sauer P365 are under constant attack from the Springfield Hellcat 9mm, Smith & Wesson M&P9 shield and more. So what are the best 9mm pistols in the sector? What are our top picks for a micro compact pistol?

The Springfield Hellcat 9mm striker fired pistol had a rocky introduction, particularly with muzzle flip, but now that little Hellcat is right up there with the best of them. Don’t forget the Walther CCP, too, which is easy to conceal and elegant. And the M&P Shield Plus, with its extra rounds of 9mm ammo.

Now the Smith & Wesson M&P9 Shield, or you can carry the Sig Sauer P365 Nitron with custom grip modules for the fire control unit and some other neat touches here.

And Glock’s smallest 9mm guns like the Glock 43x are still formidable foes at the gun range, when loaded with high quality 9mm ammo. But there are new contenders all the time. So keep an eye on how the Hellcat is doing against the S&W M&P Shield, Walther CCP and more right now, here.

• The best sub-compact 9mm pistol on sale now. Springfield Hellcat, Walther CCP Glock G43x, M&P Shield and more gun deals.
• The best micro compact 9mm pistol on sale in 2023.

Parts & Accessories

If you want a threaded barrel for your Springfield Hellcat for plinking at the gun range, Sig P365 or full sized frame P320, or a Glock 17 Gen 3, we can help. Full size, lights and lasers for your M&P Shield,we got the aftermarket support for the big names.

How about a new grip module for your Palmetto State Armory Dagger pistols, revolvers, all that. We can help with top picks and a buyers guide.

Both Palmetto State Armory and Primary Arms are our main go to people for spares for handguns, full sized 9mm through to sub-compact 1911. Check them out here.

• Primary Arms – Parts, supplies and entire handguns.

Iron sights for your cheap AR-15? Shooting targets and focusing on follow up shots? Why not. We have the best range of spares…

Optics, scopes, Night vision? Sure, why not? Night vision is a bit John Rambo, but there’s a time and a place for it. Night. Mostly… There will be a buyers guide for that too. And optics, scopes, shooting targets, etc. One day. Or night.

Check out these links

Which Gun Store is the Best?

We honestly think this is the best gun store in America, because it’s a price picker for the other best gun stores. But if you want to see more, check here.

• The best gun stores in the United States.

Want some more great suggestions?

• 15 Sub compact 9mm for the best CCW, including the Springfield Hellcat.
• Best 45 ACP 1911s under $2000
• Compact 9mm for a concealed carry pistol.
• A list of the best 25 AR style 9mm.

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We pretend to have customer service at this special address. But it’s really just me and a few writers. So don’t expect massive amounts of customer service is what we’re saying, but perhaps a touch of customer support. We’re just giving you the 9mm handguns, rifles, shotguns, 9mm full size, compact and bullpup.

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