16 Best Full Size 9mm Pistols – Jan 2024

Last updated January 24th 2024

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Winners at a Glance

We think the Walther PDP is the best full size 9mm handgun on sale. But there are options, depending on your budget and priorities.

Image	Product	Detail	Price
	Walther PDP	Overall Winner	Lowest Price
	H&K VP9 L	Best striker fired handgun	Lowest Price
	Glock `17	Best All Rounder	Lowest Price
	Colt Gold Cup Trophy	Best 1911	Lowest Price
	Canik TP9	Best Cheap Gun	Lowest Price

A full size 9mm pistol 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 the best home defense pistols, 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

We don’t have many rules for this 9mm handguns 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.

What is the best full size 9mm pistol for sale in 2024?

1. Walther PDP

• Price: $599.99
• Caliber: 9mm Luger
• Barrel length: 4.5″
• Total: 8″
• Weight: 1.58lb
• Magazine capacity: 18+1

Overall Winner

Walther doesn’t win too often round here, but we were blown away by our hands on experience with the Walther PDP and we think theses are the best 9mm pistols on sale right now.

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 tuner throwing half the gun away and charging handsomely for the privilege.

The full sized Walther PDP is a pretty thing, and we love the grip texture. Performance wise, it comes down to your priorities. For us, this is the best full size 9mm pistol for home defense and the range.

2. H&K VP9 L

• Price: $869.99
• Caliber: 9mm Luger
• Barrel: 5.2 inch
• Weight: 2.19lb
• Magazine capacity: 20+1

The H&K VP9 long slide 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 mag gives a lot of rounds and make this one of the best home defense weapons.

Now the shorter 4.1″ barrel H&K VP9 can be had much cheaper here. But the Long Slide is something kind of special.

3. Glock 17

• Price: $539.99
• Caliber: 9mm Luger
• Barrel: 4.5 inch
• Total length: 7.95inch
• Weight: 1.56lb
• Capacity: 17+1

The Safe Bet

We’re not big Glock pistols fanboys here, but we do have to accept that the Glock G17 Gen 5 is an exceptional handgun that is an absolute tack driver of a 9mm and incredibly easy to shoot.

If you’re a new shooter, or you’re just looking for a simple 9mm handgun, then you’re probably looking for this one or the smaller Glock 19 compact.

It follows the Glock pistols design language. So, the Glock G17 Gen 5 is a blocky, snag-free and simple polymer frame pistol that is accurate, reliable and the safe bet. The slide release and magazine release are small and unobtrusive, and you can choose Day/Night Sights if you’re not going for the best red dot sights.

Of course, that striker-fired 9mm pistol is simple, which means it’s still a monster for home defense. Especially with a red dot up top of a Glock 17 MOS 9mm pistol. If it’s loaded, it’s ready to go. You just point and shoot.

The sport shooting Glock 34 Gen is even longer, and more expensive. Get the buyer’s guide on the best Glocks here.

4. Colt Gold Cup Trophy 1911

• Price: $1,800.99
• Caliber: 9mm Luger
• Barrel: 5 inch
• Total Length: 8.5
• 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 .

The Colt 1911 Competition 9mm is half the price, but the single stack, single action 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, extended beavertail grip safety, chunky manual safety and crisp trigger pull that you have come to expect from Colt.

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

5. Springfield Echelon

• Price: $599.99
• Barrel: 4.5 inch
• Weight: 1.7lb
• Capacity: 20+1 Rounds

The company makes one of our favorite CCW pistols in the world and the 4.5″ barrel version of the polymer framed Springfield Echelon is technically the near-perfect firearm.

This 9mm handgun is accurate, seriously accurate. You get 22+1 rounds if you take the extended mag, and you should, it’s lightweight, 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. The grip modules are just better as well.

Narrow, Large, Effective

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

We do really like the Springfield XDM compact pistol, too, with its beavertail grip safety, especially with red dots up top.

6. Sig P320 X-FIVE Legion

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

It’s like a custom Sig P320, produced in-house with the manufacturer’s own R&D team behind it. This is a seriously high quality home defense handgun.

The bull barrel is stainless steel and cold hammer forged. It also comes with a totally reworked and ported slide with the fiber optic Tritium front sight. It really does is a technical improvement over the standard XRay 3 Day/Night Sights on less sophisticated Sig Sauer P320 models.

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 in the best 9mm pistols.

You get 21+1 rounds if you go for the extended mag, which goes some way to balancing that long barrel as well and you can put red dot sights up there to transform the Sig P320.

7. Beretta 92FS

• Price: $721.99
• Barrel length: 4.9″
• Total Length: 8.5″
• Weight: 2.2lb

The Beretta is a classic steel service sidearm, with a staggered magazine with 15+1 rounds and a double action/single action. And it is one of the best hammer fired pistols of all time.

The US Military even rock this double action/single action trigger pull 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 agencies around the country has been on the silver screen more than most of Hollywood’s biggest stars.

The open slide design, manual safety, magazine capaity and more mark this Wonder 9 apart from the competition. That and the decades of military service this duty gun has put in, and some movies…

8. Smith & Wesson M&P 2.0 9mm

• Price: $546.99
• Barrel length: 5″
• Total length: 8.3″
• Weight: 1.68lb
• Capacity: 17+1 Rounds

The S&W M&P striker fired pistol is easily a match for the Sig, if the S&W M&P fits your particular hand like a glove. That’s basically the big difference at this level, personal feel rather than technical differences.

But the Smith & Wesson M&P Shield 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 S&W M&P are all great guns now and law enforcement and gun owners around the world love this striker fired 9mm pistol en masse.

9. Sig Sauer P226 Legion

• Price: $1,099.99
• Barrel length: 4.4 inch
• Total: 8 inch
• Weight: 2.12lb
• Capacity: 15+1

The Sig Sauer P226 is one of the all-time legends, and the P226 Legion are the best 9mm pistols in the line up. It’s an upmarket, high quality version of the duty gun that sits in thousands of LEO and military holsters around the world.

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.

The police trust this 9mm pistol with their lives every day, and it’s an excellent choice for home defense. Gun owners love the reliability and dependability, first and foremost.

10. Canik TP9 SFX

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

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

So, if you just want discount 9mm striker fired pistols, start there with the Canik TP9SF. There are pros and cons to that duty gun. 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. It’s awesome for long range and it’s the better version of the service pistol that military, police and more use on the daily.

An accessory rail underneath helps the gun owner mount lights & lasers for long range capability.

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 double stack handgun 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…

These are great full size 9mm pistols and can compete with much more expensive options.

11. Palmetto State Armory Dagger

• Price: $369.99
• Barrel length: 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 9mm firearms with the Palmetto State Armory Dagger.

After some initial issues, the PSA Dagger has emerged as one of the finest custom Glock clones on the market. certainly for the money. It’s easy to shoot, you can buy one with an accessory rail and pretty much every accessory you can think of.

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 or night sights, and is more or less a custom Glock, for less than $400.

Palmetto State Armory also sell the best 9mm pistols on the market, so look here for great gun deals.

• The best 9mm pistols at Palmetto State Armory.

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…

1. Springfield Hellcat

• Price: $549.99

The Springfield Hellcat is one of the best concealed carry pistols for sale in the United States in 2024.

This micro compact 9mm pistol comes with insane double stack magazine capacity and impossibly small dimensions for such a complete handgun. Now that makes it a super easy to carry gun.

It is optics ready for red dots in OSP form. You can also order a larger pro and Springfield Hellcat RDP Rapid Defense Package with a compensator. And the Springfield Hellcat is also a constant thorn in the side of the Sig Sauer P365, which was formerly the concealed carry champion of the world.

Read the full review here of one of the best 9mm pistols on the market.

2. Glock 43x

• Price: $448.99

The 9mm Glock G43x is an excellent concealed carry handgun that comes with a little more barrel and a little less recoil than some of the obvious competition.

In essence, that defines the Glock 43x and you either love the additional accuracy and control, or you want a smaller handgun.

Both are fine, but there is a lot to love about the 9mm Glock G43x Gen 5. Get the full review here.

You might also want to look at the slightly larger Glock 48 single stack pistol as an option if you dig the Glock grip angle and not the width.

3. Sig P365

• Price: $549.99

The Sig P365 is the benchmark of this micro 9mm class and continues to feature at the head of the list in almost any category.

So if you don’t have a Sig P365, get the best concealed carry pistol in many people’s eyes. Get a full review here, and get accessories like an upgraded steel full length guide rod here.

The Sig Sauer P320 Compact is another option, together with the Sig P365 XL and X models.

4. Ruger Security 9 Compact

• Price: $322.99

The Ruger Security 9 is a quality compact pistol that won’t break the bank and comes with solid magazine capacity.

With the Ruger Security 9, you get basic sights, good ergonomics, a nice grip angle and an accessory rail. It’s also ready for red dots. it’s easy to carry, comes with a low bore axis and no slide bite.

We like the Ruger Security 9. It’s a solid pistol with deep cut slide serrations and a reputation for reliability and accuracy and that makes it a sweet small gun.

9mm Gun Parts & Accessories

How about a new grip module for your Palmetto State Armory Dagger pistols, revolvers, all that. Or an extended magazine release. We can help with top picks and a buyers guide, as well as an online gun store.

Both PSA and Primary Arms are our main go to people for spares for handguns and a gun cleaning kit, full sized 9mm Luger through to sub-compact 1911. Check them out here.

• Primary Arms – 9mm Gun 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 and you might prefer red dots…

Optics, scopes, lights, lasers, 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, in our gun store. And optics, scopes, shooting targets, even a cleaning kit etc. One day. Or night.