“With a competitive price, a comfortable yet diminutive frame, and stellar accuracy, the Springfield Hellcat is a winner. It provides stiff competition for the Sig Sauer P365, as well as the other micro compacts on the market. It’s a solid concealed carry pistol with varying capacities, optional accessories, and an actual Picatinny rail.” – Travis Pike
“The CZ Shadow 2 boasts legendary accuracy, reliability, and shootability. Its ergonomics, phenomenal trigger, and added weight help make this one of the flattest, easiest shooting pistols on the market. If you are looking for an off the shelf ready competition gun, home-defense gun, or a fun range toy, there are few guns that do it better than the Shadow 2.” – Johnny B.
The VP9 is HK’s entry into striker-fired pistols. It’s reliable with great ergonomics and an incredibly clean trigger. The VP9 features a light, premium trigger, customizable grips, ambidextrous controls, an extended Picatinny rail, and an advanced striker-fired slide. Price on the VP9 is also quite reasonable – competitive with Glocks. The VP9 comes with different configurations, available in multiple colors and mag counts. The recent variants of the gun features optics-ready slides, a normal mag release button, and 17-round mags.
“The PDP F-Series is an evolution of a very fine handgun into something much more palatable for smaller-handed shooters. All the great features of the original PDP have been carried over into a reduced circumference grip and reduced length of pull.” – Sean Curtis
The PSA Dagger is a striker-fired handgun that is designed for self-defense and concealed carry. It features a 3.8-inch barrel and a 15-round capacity, and is available in 9mm. The Dagger has a smooth trigger pull and a comfortable grip, and best part about this gun works with standard Glock parts. It is also highly affordable (just under $300), making it an excellent choice for those on a budget. Overall, the PSA Dagger is a solid entry into the crowded market of polymer-framed, striker-fired pistols, with a number of features that make it stand out from the competition.
The Taurus TX22 is a great choice for target shooting, plinking, small game hunting, and sometimes even self-defense. Most .22 LR pistols hold 10 rounds due to concerns about rimlocking. However, Taurus seems to have figured this problem out and created an ergonomic, great-shooting rimfire pistol with a capacity of 16 rounds. The TX22 features a polymer frame with an ergonomic grip design and match-grade threaded bull barrel. Overall, the Taurus TX22 is a reliable and accurate 22LR pistol that’s ideal for a variety of uses. As with most Taurus products, it comes in at an attractive price point, and its features have put it ahead of many of the guns in its class.
“The FN 502 Tactical is a .22 LR built on the 509 design. It features aggressive texturing, 15+1 capacity, and can easily accommodate a suppressor and red dot. For those seeking a similar feel to the FN 509 but also wanting to save money by training with .22 LR, this is a great option. The gun also has a place in introducing new students to the platform. If you are looking for a tactically feature-rich .22 plinker, look no further than the FN 502 Tactical.” – Sean Curtis
“The Walther PDP is extremely well done. Whether you are a concealed carrier, home defender, or officer on the street, it is an excellent option. Its grip is superlative, the accuracy is very good, and I’ve only experienced a couple of issues I likely caused. In short, the gun is highly reliable in my mind. The controls are well-placed, and the trigger is superb for a striker-fired weapon.” – Sean Curtis
The Sig P365 is an impressive micro 9mm with a great track record. This gun is a popular subcompact semi-auto pistol, designed for CCW and self defense. Some of it’s key features include a 10-round capacity, which is higher than many of its competitors, compact and modular, has XRAY3 Day/Night sights providing visibility in low light conditions, and ambi controls. We’ve tested this gun time and time again. As our writer puts it, “The rest of the industry has had a couple of years to catch up but the P365 is still an impressive micro 9mm that is super popular as a CCW option.” – Travis Pike
Beretta’s 92X Performance builds on the 92 platform but elevates performance with out-of-the-box ready competition features. The Extreme S trigger feels like a dream while the gun itself brings fast cycling to the table. It’s hefty, so be prepared for that, but at the end of the day, you want that in a competition gun for recoil purposes. All in all, this is a solid shooter.
