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8 Excellent Full-Size Carry Pistols
When you think of a carry gun, you probably picture a micro compact like a P365 or Glock 43X. But plenty of full-size pistols can make great carry companions as well.
However, the point of concealed carry is to be discreet, and having a full-size pistol makes that challenging. Not to mention how uncomfortable it can be.
And if you live in a warm climate, wearing the proper clothing to keep it out of the human eye is even more challenging – and odd. You stand out.
But for those who can find a way to work around that and still adequately conceal it, the luxury of having a full-size pistol at your disposal is unparalleled (unless you can conceal an AR-15).
Full-size pistols provide higher magazine capacities, more real estate for your hands, a tamer recoil impulse, a longer sight radius, a longer barrel, and so on. You get the idea.
All these things make you more accurate, which is all anyone can hope for in a tense situation.
With this in mind, we devised a list of the best full-size carry guns that will give you optimal performance and reliability. As long as you hold up your end, that is.
These pistols have been, and not only by us, put through the hardest of tests and given a nod of approval by the best shooters and combat professionals worldwide.
Glock 17
Are you surprised? You shouldn’t be. Globally, the Glock 17 is de facto the most popular full-size pistol of all time. The aftermarket availability is huge, and the platform has been tested for decades. It’s a winning formula.
A classic never gets old. Source
The end product is a pistol that can do its job 99% of the time (leaving 1% for stovepipes) and is trusted to do so by those who guard America on the streets and overseas.
Not to mention the 48 other countries that use it as a primary sidearm for their military and police. How can you not trust it?
More recently, Glock made it optics-ready from the factory with the MOS model. It’s not perfect, but it functions as such when you need it to, especially with factory magazines.
SALE 
Glock 17, 19, 26 9mm 33 Round Gen 5 Extended Magazine
566 reviews
Original price was: $48.00.$39.99Current price is: $39.99.
The Glock 17 is good to go in our book.
Walther PDP
Germany is a country of vibrant art, great beer, and some of the nicest people in the world. Do you know what else they are famous for? Some of the best firearms to ever grace a trigger finger.
Walther faces stiff competition but habitually exceeds expectations while looking good doing so.
The PDP is everything you could need in a pistol. Source
The PDP is no exception. It’s handsome, shoots smoothly, is as reliable as any Glock I’ve ever shot, and comes ready from the factory without much-needed additions.
If you want to carry a full-size pistol that functions reliably, offers respectable capacity magazines, and doubles as a mantle piece on your nightstand, then look at the PDP.
SALE 
Walther PPQ M2, PDP Compact 9mm 15 Round Magazine
215 reviews
Original price was: $49.00.$34.99Current price is: $34.99.
Out of stock
SALE 
Walther PDP 9mm 18 Round Magazine
195 reviews
Original price was: $49.00.$36.99Current price is: $36.99.
HK VP9
Heckler and Koch, another of the finest firearm makers in Europe, was already highly favored by German police forces and Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force members.
Then, the VP9 was exquisitely featured in one of the best assassin movies of all time: John Wick.
I would have picked it if I had been an assassin, too. Source
With that, popularity went through the roof. Why not? The VP9 is ergonomic, fits in the hand like a baseball glove, and feels more like a surgeon’s tool in a world full of hammers.
It has all the features, including an optics-ready slide and a trigger that makes you wonder how you ever went without it.
If you like the aesthetics of your pistols and are willing to spend extra on luxury, the VP9 suits you.
Staccato P
I get it. We don’t all have the means to drop $3,000 plus on a pistol. But it’s obtainable and one hell of a full-size carry gun.
Every feature you can ask for is on the Staccato P; listing the features would go far beyond my recommended word count.
The final boss in the world of pistols. Source
It features an optics-ready slide, impeccable trigger, front and rear slide serrations, ambidextrous controls, excellent build quality, a stainless steel bull barrel that seems overkill for the 9mm, and more.
With training, the Staccato P is a proper extension of reasonable skill and know-how. Consider it a Master Samurai sword, properly balanced and designed to thrive in combat.
It won’t make you a better shooter, which is typically why I recommend the Staccato to those who have been shooting for a while. Trust me, the wait is worth it.
Sig Sauer P320
Picked by the U.S. Military, chosen by police agencies all over the U.S., and perhaps one of the most innovative pistol designs since the 1911, we had to include the P320.
The P320 is highly modular, so you can switch its configuration entirely based on preference. If you bought a P320C but want a full-size one, that’s fine. Do you want to change your M18 into an M17 or an XFIVE? That’s fine, too.
Most P320 models have optics cut from the factory, and some are even ambidextrous, like the M17 and M18, which have ambi slide releases and safeties.
It’s not the most exciting to look at, but it gets the job done. Source
With a capacity of 21 rounds in the extended magazine and the modularity that could entirely alter how your pistol looks, feels, and performs, it shouldn’t be surprising to see the P320 here.
CZ-75 SP-01
CZ doesn’t quite get the love it deserves. But at the risk of losing a few of you here, I’d like to say that the CZ-75 SP-01 is, out of the box, more capable than any Glock or Sig.
Don’t kill the messenger.
The ergonomics of the CZ-75 are like those of a good pair of boots—they blend. It fits in your hand like it was tailored to you, and the quality quickly makes the competitors look cheap and flimsy.
You can almost consider it a hidden gem. Source
Not to mention the 19-round magazine capacity, optics-ready slide, and cold hammer-forged barrel, which makes the CZ-75 SP-01 feel like an old-school “they don’t make them like they used to” piece of equipment instead of a drill from Harbor Freight.
What should come as a shocker is the price. With prices similar to Glock, it’s a shame that CZ doesn’t get more time in the American holster.
Smith and Wesson M&P 2.0
Smith and Wesson, unlike the competitors, hung in an area of making pistols that weren’t memorable for quite some time.
But then they got it together and made magic. They threw gunpowder into the air, and poof, the M&P 2.0 came down, blessing every shooter with an American-made striker-fire pistol capable of challenging the top dogs.
The quality is impeccable, the trigger breaks like fine china, and the recoil impulse feels like the M&P 2.0 is hanging out above its price league.
Far more attractive than most pistols on the market. Source
The 17-round magazine capacity is no better than the competition, but the ergonomics and aesthetics make the 2.0 feel at home as a go-to defensive gun or a collector’s piece.
And still, the price is less than many competitors.
Springfield Echelon
I get it. The Echelon is not the most popular pistol on the market. But that’s where the bad news ends. It’s actually a very reliable and capable pistol boasting a strong 20-round capacity magazine.
SALE 
Springfield Echelon 9mm 20 Round Extended Magazine
24 reviews
Original price was: $44.99.$34.99Current price is: $34.99.
And Springfield did not hold back on the innovation when making it either.
Don’t knock it till you try it. Source
The Variable Interface System (optic cut) is compatible with over 30 optics. Typically, you’re stuck with one optic option unless you purchase an additional mounting plate.
Springfield listened to the end users and made the slide accommodate almost any optic you could buy and allow for direct mounting. The self-locking pins help eliminate left and right optic shifts, and last I checked, most everyone else is still relying on just screws. Springfield is ahead of the game.
You’ll find aggressive slide serrations and even a flare in the rear of the slide, making it extremely easy to rack the Echelon.
Last but not least, the Central Operating Group is the heart of the Echelon. Similar to the FCU from Sig, the operating group is serialized and easily movable from one grip module to the next.
The Echelon is alright by me. And once you shoot it, I think you’ll agree.
Conclusion
To be clear, this is not a list of the best full-sized pistols. This is a list of full-size pistols that have been tested strenuously, are widely available, and come in many configurations to accommodate what you may be looking for in a carry gun.
A list of the best full-sized pistols of all time is a different (and much longer) conversation.
So, if you’re in the market for a full-sized carry gun, you can bet that any pistols on this list will be there for your rainy day and will get you home.
But as always, test your gear before you rely on it. And train with it as much as you can.
Be good and take care.
