9 mm Luger is one of the most popular calibers, being fairly light on recoil, affordable, and easy to find. Not only it is powerful enough to stop a threat fired from a concealed gun, but it’s powerful enough to be used by the majority of military and federal law enforcement agencies.
9 mm ammo is used in guns of all sizes and all purposes, including self-defense, range shooting, home-defense, etc.
9mm guns have many purposes and categories, however, we’ve limited this article to a few that you are most likely considering.
in stock. The ammo is more expensive than usual, but hopefuly it will go down soon.
Concealed carry guns
When it comes to self-defense, smaller guns are easier to conceal and that is the main reason why people go for smaller guns for personal protection. Compact and subcompact are often chosen, but some people find full-size guns suitable for CCW. Because different people find different sizes and shapes suitable, there are indefinite options for CCW handguns.
Top 9mm Concealed carry pistols:
Home-defense guns
Another field where 9mm guns find widespread use is home-defense. While many guns are designed to be suitable for concealed carry, others can be larger because you don’t have to worry about size when using your gun for protection at home. Because you don’t have to carry it on you, you can go as bulky as you want and typically get a larger magazine capacity.
The bigger and heavier gun will also have less recoil meaning it is easier to shoot. The most important rule about a home-defense 9mm gun is: all adult members of the household should be able to handle it.
Top 9mm Home defense pistols:
Range guns
While some people possess pistols strictly for self-defense, there are shooters who simply want to have fun at the range. Certain 9 mm guns are designed for concealed carry, and there are other categories in which range guns fall into, including competitive shooting, plunking, target shooting, etc. That doesn’t mean that specific pistol can’t be used for other purposes, it simply means that some features work better for a specific purpose.
Top 9mm Range pistols:
Carry on reading to find some of the most popular 9 mm caliber handguns. Our list is not exhaustive, but rather a limited selection of guns that are bestsellers often found among the favorite guns when it comes to this caliber.
Spec Overview
Sig Sauer P320: Most popular multi-purpose

- Modular
- Comfortable to shoot
- Can be too big for CCW
- Pricey magazines
You can switch many of its main parts to get almost a completely different handgun, including one suitable for concealed carry, or change a backstrap to fit your hand size. It is also available in other calibers, .357SIG, .40S&W, and .45ACP.

Weight – 26 oz.
Capacity – 13+1 rounds
Action – Double Action Only
S&W M&P9 Shield M2.0: Most popular for CCW

- Good size for conceal carry
- Textured grip
- Can be snappy
- Long reset

Weight – 20.9 oz.
Capacity – 8+1 rounds
Action – Double Action Only
H&K VP9: Most popular for home-defense

- Durable and reliable
- Customizable grips
- On the expensive side for its class
The full-size gun features a Glock-like safety and 15-rounds magazine capacity. It features a Picatinny rail for further accessorizes, but there are other variants of this gun for those who prefer to have additional features integrated. Variants of this 9mm handgun are also available for those who prefer to have a smaller sized gun, such as VP Tactical, VP9SK, etc.

Weight – 29.84 oz.
Capacity – 15+1 rounds
Action – Double Action
Glock 17: Most popular for home-defense

- Durable
- Reliable
- Big for concealed carry
It is a full-size handgun, but it still has its many fans when it comes to concealed carry. Since its introduction in the early eighties, many variations of this gun were designed and became popular for their reliability and durability, such as Glock 17L, Glock 17C, Glock 17MB, Glock17M, Glock 18(selective-fire variant of 17), etc.

Weight – 22.04 oz.
Capacity – 10+1 rounds
Action – Safe Action
Glock 19: Most popular for home-defense

- Good size for home-defense
- Great aftermarket
- Safety features
- Can be bulky to conceal for some shooters
It is slightly smaller than G17, earning its place in a “compact” category, however, it still provides the performance of a full-size gun. G19 is handy because its reduced size makes it easier to conceal and carry every day, without much compromise on the capacity.

Weight – 20.99 oz.
Capacity – 10+1 rounds
Action – Safe Action
Sig P365: Most popular for CCW

- Compact size
- Lightweight
- Great capacity
- Can be snappy
“America’s #1 selling gun”, is also available as P365XL, featuring a higher magazine capacity while staying on the concealed-carry-size side.

Weight – 17.8 oz.
Capacity – 10+1 rounds
Action – Double Action Only
Ruger LC9s: Most popular for CCW

- Great for deep-concealment
- Thin and light
- The tiny grip can be an issue for some shooters
For those who love small size 9mm handguns, LC9s makes a perfect concealed carry weapon. It features a single-stack 7-round magazine, although some parts are interchangeable with LC9 (it is available from the factory with an extended 9-round magazine).

Weight – 1 lbs.
Capacity – 7 rounds
Action – Double Action
Glock 34: Most popular for range shooting

- Heavier weight for less felt recoil
- Longer sight radius
- Great for range
- Not versatile
G34 has plenty of firepower with a 17-rounds magazine. The most recognizable feature of this gun is cut out of metal on top of the slide, reducing the weight of the front slide and improving the balance.

Weight – 25.77 oz.
Capacity – 10+1 rounds
Action – Safe Action
Walther PPQ M2: Most popular for range shooting

- Great trigger
- Long sight radius for accuracy
- Not much aftermarket
- Costly magazines
Walther PPQ has an excellent smooth trigger. It is not easy to conceal due to its size, but it makes a perfect gun for those who are thinking along the competitive lines.

Weight – 24 oz.
Capacity – 15+1 rounds
Action – Double Action
Is there a handgun on your mind that didn’t make it to this list? What’s your favorite 9 mm gun?
Let us know in the comments.
Interesting, so many of the Glock pistols included are being shown in the California compliant 10+1 round capacity magazine. Most of the states in our country are still free to use the original pistol with the original capacity.