“The Shield 9 Plus is about as small as you can go and still have an easily useable platform with ergonomic controls across a range of hand sizes…any smaller and compromises begin to occur. That said, Smith did an excellent job with this pistol, making it accurate, easy to use, and wholly concealable.” – 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

The SIG Sauer P365 SAS is a variant of the popular P365 concealed carry pistol, with the SAS standing for “Sig Anti-Snag”. The pistol features a number of design elements that make it highly concealable and easy to carry, including a flush-mounted FT Bullseye fiber optic sight, a snag-free slide, and a recessed takedown lever. The tool-less disassembly and useful slide lock also make the SAS a good choice for EDC. The pistol has a 10+1 capacity and is chambered in 9mm. Overall, the SIG Sauer P365 SAS is a high capacity, highly concealable and reliable option for those looking for a compact pistol for CCW.

The SIG Sauer P365 XL is a larger version of the popular P365, with a longer slide and barrel for improved accuracy and a larger grip for better control. The pistol features a number of elements that make it highly versatile and easy to use, including an extended sight radius and a flat trigger. The P365 XL has a 12+1 capacity and is chambered in 9mm, making it a highly capable option for personal defense.

The pistol also features a number of customization options, including an optic-ready slide with iron night sights and a variety of aftermarket accessories. Overall, the SIG Sauer P365 XL is a highly versatile and reliable option for those looking for a larger concealed carry pistol with a high capacity and a variety of customization options.

“Swinging for the fences at $392 MSRP, the 9mm Taurus is designed specifically for those that want to concealed carry but also don’t need a tricked-out Gucci Glock to do it. Ergonomically, it’s okay. It feels good in the hand, but its diminutive size is both a good and bad thing. As far as controls are concerned, everything is more or less where you expect it – all within reach and easy to manipulate. The magazine release might be a tad too shallow for my liking, but it’s billed as a carry gun, and carry guns typically carry smaller controls. Also, the grip is short…our bigger-handed reviewers had to adjust their grip not to blow their fingers off…So watch out for that.” – Johnny B.

“The Toro is Taurus red dot ready version of the GX4. Not only does it run a red dot, but it has a mag extender giving a total capacity of 13+1. Its magazine release was a little shallow, but it’s billed as a carry gun, and carry guns typically include smaller controls. With practice we got used to it and the mags cleared freely when dropped. The magazine extension adds round and also makes the gun easier to handle. As far as shooting, it feels way less snappy than we anticipated. Overall, we liked it!” – Sean Curtis