Concealed Carry Corner: Rating Various Carry Guns - Part 2

SIG Sauer P365 XL

One gun I really wanted to include last week was the SIG Sauer P365 line of firearms. With three major variations being the standard 10+1, the XL variant 12+1 and Macro 17+1, I decided to split the difference and look at the XL variant for this ranking. When the original P365 came out in 2018, it really was a change for the concealed carry market. It offered a compact carry gun with a 10+1 magazine which at the time was unheard of for a small carry gun.

Over the years, there have been a few different variations that can use the same fire control unit kind of like the larger P320 models. Chambered in 9mm, the P365 has enough firepower especially with +P ammunition.  With the smaller frame still being easy to conceal, the P365 XL offers a good balance of capacity, size and overall ease of carry. Total score for the P365 XL is a 22 out of 30.

Firepower: 7/10

Mobility: 8/10

Capacity: 7/10

Glock 19

The one gun that most people talked about in the comments was the trusty Glock 19 that many of you thought should be on the list. What can I say about the Glock 19 that others haven't said already? It's a fantastic midsize pistol that is small enough to comfortably conceal every day while being large enough that people can take it into warzones without ever having to worry about it being too small. It's one of those guns that just feels right in the hand.

Chambered in 9mm, the Glock 19 has a standard capacity of 15+1 with the ability to take full-size 17+1 magazines or even the larger 33-round stick magazines. With endless options for aftermarket customization, the Glock 19 really is one of the most supported handguns of all time. Overall, the Glock is one of the strongest choices on the market for its reliability and popularity among the shooting community. Total score for the Glock 19 is 23 out of 30.

Firepower: 7/10

Mobility: 8/10

Capacity: 8/10

Smith & Wesson Shield 1.0

The original Smith & Wesson Shield was a massive hit back when it dropped in 2012. With a thin profile, comfortable shooting grip and ease to conceal, it seemed like the perfect gun at the time. The problem was that Shield 1.0 was single stack, so it only had a flush fitting 7+1 capacity with an extended magazine offering 8+1.

It was a great carry gun for the technology at the time. The modern magazine technology has allowed for larger capacity with less space, so they don't rank as high as they would have ten years ago. It's still a fantastic handgun to carry, but the capacity will definitely affect the overall score. The Smith & Wesson Shield 1.0 gets an overall score of 21 out of 30.

Firepower: 7/10

Mobility: 9/10

Capacity: 5/10

Dan Wesson DWX Compact

One of my favorite wildcard carry options is the DWX Compact from Dan Wesson. This is a mashup of a commander-sized 1911 with the capacity and magazine of a CZ75 compact, giving you 15+1 capacity with the feeling of a smaller 1911-style pistol. Being single-action only like a 1911 gives the DWX Compact the ability to have the crisp, clean trigger that comes with a traditional 1911, with the capacity and ergonomics of a CZ pistol as well.

Being chambered in 9mm gives it the ability to have decent firepower with good capacity and fairly good modularity. It's a low-profile option that allows you to carry a pretty good amount of rounds, making this a fairly great option for carrying concealed. Some may not like the manual safety on their carry gun, but disengaging the safety is incredibly easy. Overall, the Dan Wesson DWX Compact gets a total score of 22 out of 30.

Firepower: 7/10

Mobility: 7/10

Capacity: 8/10