What is the best handgun for concealed carry? This question is queried on the Web, asked in gun shops, posed on the range, and presented during concealed handgun classes. It seems to be a rather simple question but it produces responses that are as diverse as the needs, expertise, preferences, and financial resources of those who answer it. This yields radically different recommendations that can include diminutive, modestly priced, polymer framed pistols like the Kel Tec P-32 and Ruger LCP; small framed revolvers like the Smith & Wesson Chief's Special (Model 36) and Taurus Model 85 that have become concealed carry classics; pistols reflecting a police or military heritage like the Glock 19 and various 1911s (some of which cost a king's ransom), and just about everything in between. This leads one to wonder if there really is a "best" handgun for concealed carry and if so, what is it?
