8 Cheap CCW Carry Guns Under $400 – Sep 2023

Last Updated September 10th 2023

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Winners at a Glance

Image	Product	Detail	Price
	Taurus GX4	Overall Winner	Price
	Ruger LCP Max II	Best for Deep Concealment	Price
	S&W M&P Shield Plus	Best High End Pistol	Price
	Palmetto State Armory Dagger	Best Compact Pistol	Price
	Taurus G2C	Best Cheap Gun for CCW	Price

When it comes to places to save money, your concealed carry handgun shouldn’t be one of them. But if you don’t have money, and you need a cheap CCW gun, well that is a very different equation.

And we are here to help. What’s more, we think you’re going to love the surprises on this list if you’re ready to buy guns online right now.

Some of the cheaper guns are also exceptional at the moment, if you know where to look. We do, it’s our thing….

So we set ourselves a price ceiling of $300 for a carry pistol and set to work. What is the best concealed carry gun under $300? Read on to find your new cheap CCW and why it should be the Taurus GX4…

1. Taurus GX4

• Price: $299.99
• Caliber: 9mm
• Barrel length: 3 inch
• Total Length; 5.8 inches
• Weight: 1.15lb

Overall Winner

Price: 3/5 Quality: 4/5 Capacity: 4/5 Reliability: 5/5

The brand new Taurus is the low budget micro-compact 9mm pistol Champion of the world and it isn’t even close. That 11-round flush fit magazine and 13 round extended mag turn it into a world beater and the best concealed carry gun.

It isn’t just a Glock clone or a cheap CCW. The Taurus is ergonomically brilliant and available for way less money. Of course the fit and finish isn’t quite the same, but the Taurus comes with a much racier and dare we say intuitive design.

Everything, from the aggressively stippled grip module to the DLC coated barrel and gas nitride coated stainless steel slide feels right on the best budget 9mm micro compact pistol. The great trigger pull is leagues better than the G2C and this truly can go head-to-head with anything in this price band.

It’s the everyday carry for a massive number of Americans now. And if you’re looking for cheap carry guns under $300, well this is the best gun here by a mile.

For the best Taurus pistols, go here, from the micro-compact guns through to the full size 1911.

2. Ruger LCP Max 380 II

• Price: $300.00+
• Caliber: .380 ACP
• Total Length: 5.17 inches
• Weight: 0.66lb
• Barrel Length: 2.75 inch
• Capacity: 6+1

Best Deep Concealment

Price: 4/5 Quality: 3.5/5 Capacity: 2/5 Reliability: 5/5

Remember when the Ruger LCP 380 II was the undisputed cheap concealed carry guns champion of the world? Man the world has changed…

Now the Ruger LCP Max is here with 10 rounds now in a double stack magazine, and it’s a step forward over the old the single stack semi auto pistol.

This concealed carry gun is still super easy to conceal thanks to its compact footprint, though, and these are still some of the best budget concealed weapons.

It’s a cheap CCW, with an unpretentious polymer frame. It will go anywhere and plenty of Law Enforcement Officers carry these as a back-up weapon in a sock holster.

It works as a pocket pistol too. Deep concealment can be useful.

There’s no denying the fact that it’s a .380 ACP and that USP of size has now been lost to the almighty Sig P365 Nitron, which is basically as easy to carry and packs in more rounds of 9mm ammunition.

But some people like a .380 ACP. That’s what they want for self-defense. They like a small gun, with minimal recoil, that is easy to shoot and weighs less than air. Well, a bit more than air, but you get the point.

For them the Ruger LCP Max might just be the best concealed carry gun.

3. Smith & Wesson M&P Shield

• Price: $399.99
• Caliber: 9mm Luger
• Barrel Length: 3.1 inch
• Total: 6.1 inch
• Capacity: 10+1

A Perennial Contender for the Belt

Price: 3/5 Quality: 4.5/5 Capacity: 2/5 Reliability: 5/5

The Smith and Wesson M&P Shield is a great back up gun or pocket pistol. You can even buy a manual safety version that we think gives you a lot more options and makes this one of the best concealed carry guns on the market.

This best-selling S&W M&P hasn’t suddenly lost its value, but the high quality polymer frame single stack is generally available at a hefty discount on sites like Palmetto State Armory.

So we organized the prices low to high and kept it as a search so you can see all of the current gun deals and get a threaded barrel if that’s your bag, or a thumb safety.

It’s the best way to ensure you get a price tag close to $300 for a Smith and Wesson M&P Shield, and get a high quality carry gun that punches well above its weight. Maybe the best gun here.

Should you want to spend a lot more on concealed weapons, the S&W Performance Center has some of the best handguns for sale in 2023 in 9mm, 380 ACP and full sized 45 ACP 1911s.

The S&W M&P, the 1911 and the revolvers are all options and you can fit red dot sights to them and go into a whole new league in 9mm, 40S&W, 45 ACP, 10mm and more.

Check out some Performance Center options and the best S&W pistols here, including the full size guns.

4. Palmetto State Armory Dagger Compact

• Price: $249.99+
• Barrel Length: 3.9 inch
• Length: 7.15 inch
• Weight: 1.4lb
• Capacity: 15+1

The Palmetto State Armory Dagger Compact is a solid option if you really want a Glock 19, but can’t quite afford one and need a cheap CCW.

Of course Palmetto State Armory makes some of the best Cheap AR-15s on the market. And after messing with the formula for a while, it has now mastered the art of the high capacity, cheap striker fired pistol with a double stack mag.

You can get a basic Palmetto State Armory Dagger for $249.99, or you can spend a little more and get something way more advanced with a fully ported slide that is optics ready and maybe a threaded barrel.

This new gun comes with 17+1 rounds of 9mm ammo at your disposal and extended mags and fiber optic night sights are readily available. An accessory rail under the barrel is waiting for a weapons light too on the Palmetto State Armory.

Pretty much every other performance modification slots straight on to this semi auto handgun, too, and your carry firearms can grow with your enthusiasm, shooting skills and budget.

The brand new Micro Dagger is on the way and that could be the best concealed carry pistol in this price range by a mile when it gets here. Until then, these are PSA’s best handguns and this semi automatic pistol is also turning into a home defense favorite with the 3.9 inch barrel.

5. Taurus G2C

• Price: $229.99
• Length: 6.2 inch
• Weight: 1.37lb
• Barrel Length: 3.2 inch
• Capacity: 12+1

The striker fired Taurus G2C has been an absolute smash hit, and it deserves to be. These aren’t just great cheap concealed carry guns.

It’s a great handgun and only the GX4 could and did knock it off the top spot of the best concealed carry guns list.

Law enforcement loves it as a back-up, the gun reviews online love the Taurus and so do the public. It really is that good for the money and it’s still one of the best cheap handguns on the market.

You get 12+1 rounds of 9mm pistol ammo in a high capacity double stack mag. This sub-compact package measures just 6.2 inches and weighs 1.37lb, which sound like great handguns for concealed carry. Then they slapped a near unbelievable price on the best concealed carry guns.

You can see why it’s cheaper than a Sig Sauer P365 Nitron when you look up close. The plastic has that cheap shine and the details like the accessory rail and trigger pull are built to a price point.

But you can upgrade the front sight easily enough, the grip actually works pretty well and the important stuff is all in place.

The Taurus even comes with a manual safety and a loaded chamber indicator, which are sexy extras in this best budget concealed carry guns class. That thumb safety, especially, is a big deal on a striker fired pistol.

6. Ruger EC9s

• Price: $229.99
• Caliber: 9mm
• Barrel Length: 3.12 inch
• Weight:1.07lb
• Capacity: 7+1

Everybody thinks of the smaller, .380 ACP option when they think of cheap Ruger concealed carry guns. I can see why. It offers something different.

You want variety and different options for personal defense, not just 10 slightly better or worse clones of one basic carry handgun.

The truth is, though, that if you lined up the Ruger LCP 380II vs Ruger EC9s striker fired pistols and said I could take one home, I’d take the 9mm carry handgun. Just don’t buy your cheap CCW in that eggshell blue color.

I’m not a fan of the integrated rear sight and front sight on the Ruger EC9s concealed carry gun. That’s because you’re stuck with the handgun in this form and there really is no point modifying anything other than the color and possibly using extended mags.

That makes it a solid choice for new CCW permit holders that don’t want to complicate their lives or spend too much on a premium handgun out the box. At this price you can tolerate the glass-filled nylon grip and other cost-cutting measures on your concealed carry guns chambered in 9mm.

In its day, these were the best concealed carry guns chambered in 9mm pistols ammo, and it is easy to carry. But it has been left behind.

7. SCCY CPX

• Price: $204.99+
• Caliber: 9mm Luger
• Barrel Length: 3.1 inch barrel
• Weight: 1.09lb

SCCY makes cheap firearms that are reasonably reliable, accurate and come with some premium features. The SCCY CPX is red dot ready, which is kind of absurd for a cheap CCW gun that costs so little.

Red dot sights are getting more and more common on higher end handguns, but not here, not with these affordable handguns. This is a big deal in ts own way. Normally these guns just get basic 3 dot sight options.

The barrel is machined from bar stock, the slide gets a black nitride finish and the all steel recoil system is enclosed for easy replacement and maintenance. The SCCY is a great gun that is also super easy to conceal.

It looks like a striker pistol, but this is a double action only trigger with a hammer fired operating system and an internal hammer. That double action only hammer fired operating system trigger gets a smooth 9lb pull, too, although we do kind of prefer a single action trigger.

This is clever, but the end result is the trigger really isn’t that great. Which is why others don’t do this with their concealed carry guns.

If you really want an internal hammer fired gun at an affordable price for personal protection, though, well here you go. Arguably the best concealed carry guns in the world. possibly..

8. Bersa Thunder

• Price: $229.99′
• Caliber: 380 ACP
• Barrel length: 3.5 inch
• Capacity: 7+1

The Bersa Thunder is one of those cheap CCW guns that has been around forever and sold in huge numbers around the world. It’s basically nobody’s favorite gun, and yet there’s a market thanks to the afffordable price.

We think there are sexier concealed carry handguns on the market for new CCW permit holders and old. But the hammer-fired Bersa Thunder is a hall of famer and deserves to be here, even if it does prop up the list. At least it’s different.

You can get an extended magazine for it as well. Does that make it the best concealed carry gun in the world? No, but it’s pretty good.

A Few More Expensive Options

9. Canik TP9 Elite SC

• Price: $399.99′
• Caliber: 9mm
• Barrel length: 3.6 inch
• Capacity: 12+1

If the Canik TP9 Elite SC was even a little bit cheaper, it would be way further up this list. It still is sensational value at this price and offers all the features of a much more expensive pistol.

This optic ready pistol is one of the best concealed carry guns on the market in terms of accuracy and the great trigger pull is smooth like silk.

An enlarged trigger guard, optics plate, solid magazine capacity and 15 rounds in the extended magazine are a match for almost anything in the sector, for less than Glock money.

There’s a full range of Canik pistols, including the Canik TP9SF concealed carry handgun. That Canik TP9SF is aimed at civilian shooters that want a classier pistol and are prepared to pay a little more.

You can get a bigger duty gun for an open carry holster and home defense, too, and we like the full size competition pistols a lot.

10. Ruger Security 9

• Price: $299.99
• Caliber: 9mm
• Barrel length: 3.4 inch
• Capacity: 10+1

The Ruger Security 9 Compact is a low budget version of the best concealed carry pistols out there.

You could opt for the Ruger SR9SC, but this new arrival is better as a concealed carry gun.

You can upgrade to the Max 9 SC, too, which comes with night sights and a few custom handgun touches at a slightly higher price point. We like the full size pistols, too, if you’re looking at budget handguns.

11. Glock 43x

• Price: $448.00
• Caliber: 9mm
• Barrel length: 3.4 inch
• Capacity: 10+1

The Glock 43x is well over budget, and yet it is the benchmark for the sub-compact 9mm pistol sector and could well be the best concealed carry pistol on sale.

We’re not big Glock guys, but even we have to admit the high capacity Glock 43x striker fired gun rewrote the rules for sub-compact concealed carry 9mm pistols and is the best option for your carry holster. If you just got your carry permit and money isn’t a major issue, this is super easy to shoot and carry.

The Glock 43x is one of the best Glocks for sale and is easily one of the best pistols to go on sale in the last few years. It has no manual safety, but if you can live with that then the Glock 43x is basically faultless.

Look out for the Glock MOS models, too, which are ready for red dot sights.

12. Walther CCP

• Price: $427.99
• Caliber: 380 ACP
• Barrel length: 3.54 inch
• Capacity: 8+1

The single stack Walther CCP comes chambered in 380 or 9mm, and the 380 concealed carry handgun is cheaper.

It’s a junior pocket carry version of one of the best concealed carry guns out there. Get some range time with this and you’ll find one of the best OEM triggers in the concealed carry guns market.

We have a soft spot for the trigger pull on the full size pistols as well.

13. Springfield Armory Hellcat OSP

• Price: $549.99
• Caliber: 9mm
• Barrel length: 3.4 inch
• Capacity: 10+1

Yeah the Springfield Hellcat concealec carry handgun chambered in 9mm is way too expensive and it’s here for informational purposes only. But honestly you might want to spend the extra money to get arguably the best concealed carry guns out there.

The Springfield Hellcat OSP is another gun you should really consider for your carry holster and you can fit ed dot sights to the more expensive version.

Now the Springfield Armory OSP and the Glock MOS are basically a toin coss apart in the gun reviews and both can take red dot sights.

It’s that good and some range time with both might not be a bad idea.

While the Glock 43x is still the market leader and the best overall package, this is breathing down its neck for a place in your IWB holsters.

Also don’t forget the Defender Series, which is basically the XD Mod Mark 1. This is a simplified and older version of the spectacular XDM Elite that still does the job for about $370 in the gun store. It’s a bit pricey for this list, but it’s still cheap for a semi automatic concealed carry pistol…

14. Sig Sauer P365 Nitron

• Price: $579.99
• Caliber: 9mm
• Barrel length: 3.1 inch
• Capacity: 10+1

Before the Hellcat, before the G43x was the Sig Sauer P365 Nitron. This small Sig P365 was the gamerchanger, the new benchmark for the small handgun sector.

It’s way too much money for this list, but then it felt kind of wrong to leave the little Sig P365 off any concealed weapon list honestly. We could also have included the Beretta PX4 Storm, but didn’t…

The Sig P365 has evolved into a model line that includes the Sig P365 XL, the Sig P365 X that allows for red dot sights and more ammo and this, the classic Sig P365 we all know and love.

14. Ruger LCR

• Price: $579.99
• Caliber: 38 Special
• Barrel length: 1.87 inch
• Capacity: 5

There are cheaper revolvers that you can buy for self defense, but the Ruger LCR snub nose is a legend and the one we really like. It recoils hard for such a small gun, but then it’s fun.

If the Ruger LCR wasn’t quite this expensive, it would be much higher up this list. We can’t justify that at this price point, but the Ruger LCR is a great snub nose revolver if you’re looking for one.

So if you’re buying concealed carry guns, remember the Ruger LCR…

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