Five handguns with text "How to Choose the Right Handgun.

How to Choose the Right Handgun For You

If you want the short answer to the question of what handgun you should buy, the most common response you’ll likely receive from most trainers and experts is just to buy a Glock 19. This mid-sized 9mm firearm is by far the most popular semi-automatic handgun in the world over the past 20+ years, and most people will be able to shoot it well, once they get the proper training.

However, this response, based on the law of averages and Glock’s well-known reliability, isn’t particularly helpful for people who want to understand the nuances of choosing a handgun that is the perfect choice for them in their unique situation and use case. For example, you probably wouldn’t choose a Glock 19 for hunting or competition/target shooting. Furthermore, the Glock 19 has some potentially significant ergonomic and functional caveats to think about, mainly if your handgun considerations are more specific than what handgun you should buy. So, let’s dive deeper into some of the questions you should consider when purchasing the right handgun for you.

Questions to ask when considering which handgun you should select

Asking someone what handgun should I buy is somewhat similar to asking what automobile should I buy. There are a lot of clarifying questions that need to be considered to make sure the recommendation fits your actual needs, intended use, budget, preferences, physical characteristics, and situation. Let’s go over some of the main ones.

Man shooting silhouette targets at gun range

Why do you want a handgun (versus a carbine/PCC/shotgun)?

The first question to consider is whether you actually want or need a handgun at all, specifically compared to other types of firearms. For home defense, a rifle/carbine, pistol-caliber carbine, or shotgun is often a better choice. As we explained in our full article comparing shotguns, rifles, and handguns for home defense, rifles and shotguns are easier to aim. Long guns (rifles, shotguns, and carbines) are braced against the shoulder, cheek, and held in both hands, so it’s much easier to make accurate hits on target when using a long gun compared to a handgun. These three or four points of contact stabilize the firearm. The vast majority of shooters, particularly new or inexperienced shooters, can make faster and more accurate hits on target when using a rifle, carbine, or shotgun than they can with a handgun.

Additionally, rifles and shotguns are usually significantly more powerful than the vast majority of handguns. If the primary consideration is immediately stopping the threat, then a rifle or shotgun is unquestionably the superior choice.

However, that extra power comes with some tradeoffs. Long guns are heavier, bulkier, and more unwieldy than handguns if navigating narrow halls and doorways is a consideration. Depending on the type and caliber, they can also produce punishing recoil and muzzle blast.

A handgun is naturally the superior choice when a firearm will be used for concealed carry and home defense. Rifles and shotguns can’t practically be carried concealed. Handguns are lighter, much smaller, and often produce less concussion than rifles or shotguns when fired indoors. These advantages are balanced by handguns being inherently more difficult to fire accurately, especially by people who don’t practice regularly. Handguns are also generally much less effective at stopping an attacker immediately. However, despite the tradeoffs, a handgun makes the most sense for many people.

What will you use your handgun for, primarily?

If you’ve considered the question above and have determined that you do indeed want a handgun as opposed to a long gun, it’s time to ask yourself what you will use your handgun for (within the realm of possible uses of handguns). In other words, will it be primarily used for fun at the range? Hunting? Concealed carry/personal defense? Competition shooting? Home defense? Outdoor plinking? Collecting/investment? These potential uses will help narrow down your list of potential choices among the thousands of handgun makes and models available today.

Generally, larger handguns are more suitable for hunting, home defense, plinking, and fun at the range (or competition), and smaller handguns are more suitable for concealed carry. Both have their tradeoffs. A larger handgun is generally more stable, and may be inherently more mechanically accurate than a smaller handgun. However, many of the larger handguns suitable for hunting or competition are too big or heavy to be practically concealed. So, again, you must weigh your intended uses against one another. If you intend to carry your handgun for personal defense, that eliminates the larger hunting or competition-style handguns from your list of potentials.

Woman shooting gun at range

Smaller handguns that are more suitable for concealed carry are often more difficult to shoot accurately, and may produce much greater recoil than larger handguns, especially if you’re comparing two handguns of the same caliber. So, for CCW use, getting good instruction and practicing regularly at the range is even more important.

Another consideration, particularly for women but also for some men who carry backpacks, briefcases, or satchels, is whether you plan to employ off-the-body carry for CCW. Generally, most experts don’t recommend this type of carry, as it opens up a lot more scenarios where your firearm could be lost or stolen, and it’s generally much slower to access your CCW firearm from an off-body container than it is from a good CCW holster setup. However, if you’ve done your research and determined that off-body carry is right for you and your situation, then you may be able to get away with a larger firearm than you otherwise would, since you don’t have to worry about carrying it inside your waistband or in a pocket.

What’s your budget? (Handgun price considerations)

Unfortunately, we must always consider the vulgar subject of money. Firearms aren’t free, and in some cases, can cost more than a good used car. If you’re lucky enough to not have to consider price at all when shopping for a handgun, that’s great, and more power to you! However, most of us will need to set a budget and stick to it.

These days, good, reliable handguns are available from around $300 and go up from there. Generally, you get what you pay for. Still, if your primary use is hunting once or twice a year or home defense where you don’t plan on shooting your gun a lot, some very suitable handguns are available quite inexpensively from a price versus quality standpoint.

Of course, reliability should be paramount for any CCW or home-defense gun, so a $350 pistol that’s 99.99% reliable should take priority over a $2,000 pistol that has a malfunction every 3 or 4 magazines through it. Again, for plinking, target shooting, or collector’s firearm, reliability may be a secondary concern since, in those situations, your life isn’t on the line if your gun jams once in a while.

Man pulling out concealed carry handgun

Also, depending on your intended use (see above), you might need to budget for some additional items when considering the total price you have to spend. If you intend to carry your gun concealed, you’ll need a good CCW holster, and these often range from between $50-$140. You’ll also want to budget for ammunition, both for practice/training (which you should absolutely do) as well as for CCW use. Good defensive jacketed hollow point (JHP) ammunition can often exceed $1 per round. A good rule of thumb is to add $200-$250 to the cost of whatever firearm you choose, to cover the extra items and ammunition you’ll need to get started. This may mean that your intended $600 CCW pistol purchase may actually become a $350 CCW pistol purchase (after you add the additional cost of a holster, belt, and/or ammo), but that’s okay. Good, reliable CCW guns are available in that price range, and you’ll have a much better start going that route than spending all your budgeted money on a more expensive gun, and then not having any ammunition to practice with or a holster to actually carry it.

A few inexpensive, but good quality pistols to consider if you’re on a tight budget:

What handgun fits your hand (and hand strength) comfortably?

When selecting a handgun for serious/defensive use, this is perhaps the most important question to consider, other than the reliability of the firearm. For occasional range use, plinking, or even hunting, a gun that isn’t easy for you to use or that’s somewhat ergonomically awkward or uncomfortable may not be such a big deal. But when your life’s on the line, you want to make sure you can answer YES to all of the following questions:

  • Is the grip comfortable, and does it fit your hand suitably?
  • Can you easily reach and manipulate all the controls safely?
  • Can you rack the slide easily (on a semi-auto)?
  • Can you readily and safely load and unload the gun?
  • Can you reach the trigger comfortably, and press the trigger without moving the sights?
  • Can you easily load and unload the magazine (on a semi-auto)?
  • Is the gun free from any sharp edges or surfaces that can potentially cut or abrade your skin?
  • Is the grip texture aggressive enough to keep the gun from slipping in your hands?
S&W EQUALIZER TS 9mm

If you answered No to any of these questions, it’s probably better to select another firearm. Though some grip, trigger reach, texturing, and other ergonomic issues can be solved with intelligent modification by a knowledgeable person or gunsmith, it’s almost always easier and less expensive to move on to a different gun that’s more suitable from the get-go. However, hand strength issues, such as those preventing you from easily manipulating the slide or loading magazines, should definitely steer you toward a handgun that is designed specifically to make it easier to use for people with smaller/weaker hands. Some good options for easy-rack pistols include:

Do you want a revolver? (Are revolvers more reliable?)

There was a time when the general recommendation for a handgun was almost always a revolver. Through most of the 20th century, both police and regular civilians primarily chose wheel guns, often in .38 Special caliber, as their duty or defensive firearm. Semi-autos were available in a limited way but were generally fairly expensive, and few people outside of the military trusted them for self-defense.

Today, handgun hunters almost always choose revolvers because they are available in calibers/chamberings that are far more powerful than the typical semi-auto will be able to handle. They can also be exceptionally accurate.

For defensive use, revolvers do have some desirable features. They are usually extremely easy to operate, load, and unload. There are generally no levers, switches, or removable parts to worry about, unlike a semi-automatic pistol that uses detachable magazines and which may have one or more manual safeties or slide-lock levers. Double-action defensive revolvers typically have just one button or latch to open the swing-out cylinder for loading/unloading and a trigger. Easy-peasy. But training a new shooter to load and unload a semi-auto, although it may be a little more complicated than a revolver, is also usually easily understood.

Quality revolvers are indeed quite reliable. They can withstand a certain amount of neglect and still remain functional. You can stick one in your sock drawer, and it will likely still be ready to go after years or even decades have gone by, assuming you used quality ammunition and oiled your firearm properly beforehand.

However, today, the same may be said of any quality semi-automatic pistol, and tests have shown that modern, duty-grade handguns like Glocks, H&Ks, Walthers, CZs, S&Ws, and others can withstand even more intense abuse than the majority of revolvers and still remain functional. Malfunctions, when they occur, are generally more easily cleared on a semi-automatic, while some types of revolver malfunctions can completely lock up the gun, requiring disassembly to remedy. Even something as innocuous as a grain or two of unburnt powder under the extractor star of some revolvers can put the gun out of action.

However, old wives’ tales and gun myths die hard, and there are plenty of people who will still swear that semi-autos are unreliable and that revolvers never malfunction. Today, you should take these gun-store maxims with a grain of salt, and consider that for new or inexperienced shooters, a small revolver might actually be among the worst choices for defense. (See our complete article for more details.)

Some revolvers to consider for CCW:

Smith and Wesson J Frame 642

What caliber do you want?

This subject has many potentially correct answers, and they may differ according to what you want to accomplish with your handgun. Plinkers or small-game hunters often favor the inexpensive, low-power .22 Long Rifle cartridge. Big game hunters will generally opt for magnum-level cartridges (usually .44 Magnum or larger) with bullets optimized for deeper, more controlled penetration instead of rapid expansion. Target shooters might select a cartridge that produces excellent accuracy with minimal recoil and may not care one whit for terminal ballistic performance. Competition-level practical handgun shooters usually opt for reliable coated, plated, or jacketed round-nose bullets for optimal feeding, loaded just above the required power factor for a particular match (usually 9mm Parabellum, 9mm Major, .38 Super, .40 S&W, or .45 ACP, depending on what division and match you’re shooting).

For duty, home defense, or CCW use, opinions and preferences vary widely. However, according to FBI studies, to be acceptably effective for defensive use against human threats, a cartridge must be capable of driving a bullet between 12 and 18 inches into calibrated ballistic gel, ideally with some good expansion as well. Nearly all modern defensive firearms cartridges, including 9mm, .38 Special, .357 SIG, .357 Magnum .40 S&W, 10mm Auto, .44 Special, and .45 ACP are available in loadings that can quickly achieve these parameters, with varying levels of expansion. Several studies on one-shot stops on attackers have shown that there is very little difference, in actual shootings, between any of the standard duty/defensive cartridges. So if the experts are to be believed, it really doesn’t matter which of the above calibers you select for your defensive handgun, as they can all be expected to perform about the same, assuming equal-quality modern ammunition.

Over the past couple of decades, the .380 Auto (also known as 9mm Browning Short and 9mm Kurz in Europe) has enjoyed an enthusiastic rebirth as a common CCW cartridge, and dozens of new .380 CCW pistols (and even revolvers) have been made to accept this round. There was a time when a .380 Auto was considered a high-powered police cartridge, but no longer. Testing in ballistic gel reveals that this little cartridge has a hard time reaching the FBI-recommended 12” of penetration when loaded with jacketed hollow-point bullets, and many brands’ JHP .380 bullets don’t expand at all when fired from these little guns. However, careful shopping and research will reveal one or two types of .380 ammo demonstrating acceptable expansion and reliable penetration that reaches or exceeds the 12” mark in the gel. Still, we’d usually consider the .380 Auto the bare minimum for an effective CCW cartridge for most people. If you can handle the increased recoil of the more common (and less expensive) 9mm Parabellum round, that’s usually the better choice between the two.

However, since cartridges like the .380 Auto, .32 Auto, and .32 H&R Magnum produce significantly less recoil than the more common defensive rounds, they are becoming increasingly more popular in CCW-style firearms. There is certainly an argument to be made that a lower-powered handgun you can operate easily and shoot accurately is far superior in a fight than a higher-powered handgun that’s difficult for you to use and which you may even be afraid of due to intense recoil and/or muzzle blast. In some limited cases, even a .22 caliber firearm may be appropriate for defensive use. These smaller cartridges also offer the advantage of smaller firearms that chamber them, which can often be very easily concealed in a pocket holster.

Optics or iron sights?

If you want your handgun to be able to accept a red dot optic, note that certain firearms are capable of direct-mounting multiple models of optic without an adapter plate, while some come with multiple adapter plates included. Some may come only with a coupon for a single adapter plate that you need to send in to the manufacturer and wait. Or, they may not provide any adapter plates at all. If this is a priority for you, consider firearms that either allow the direct mounting of the style of red dot you prefer, or that include adapter plates in the box when purchasing. Otherwise, you may have to purchase an appropriate adapter from a 3rd-party source, and in some cases the supply can dry up and things get annoying and expensive.

Some models of handguns come with red dot optics already mounted, and if you want to try one out but aren’t exactly sure which pistol red dot is best, this can be a good option. It’s also helpful if you’re not particularly mechanically minded and don’t want to mess with trying to install a red dot yourself. (Also, many gun stores will mount optics for free when you purchase them in-house.)

The majority of popular defensive pistols today are now offered with an optics cut either as standard, or as an optional upgrade. Our view is that even if you’re not sure whether you want to use a red dot, it’s still a good idea to choose a gun that gives you the option. You don’t have to use it if you don’t want to, but it’s there if you ever need it. And for a fighting/defensive handgun with a red dot mounted, we’d always make sure we had iron sights installed as a backup, and that they were visible through the window of the optic. Some recent handgun models allow this without any modifications, but some may require that you (or your gunsmith) install taller iron sights, so take that into consideration when making your decision.

Do you want a manual safety?

So, why might you want to consider a handgun model with a manual safety? Manual safety is a lever or mechanism that must be moved or disengaged by the user before the trigger causes the gun to fire. This is an added security measure to prevent unintended shots. For example, the US Army asked John Browning to add a manual thumb safety to his original 1911 design so that cavalry troops could more easily secure their pistols while dealing with a rambunctious horse. However, that addition had far-reaching consequences, and pretty much every 1911 since has had a manual thumb safety.

Whether you prefer a handgun with a manual safety or not will narrow down your choices significantly. For example, not many revolvers, either double-action or single-action, have manual safeties. Some do, but they are rare. Generally, the long, heavy double-action trigger pull or the long, deliberate manual motion needed to cock a single-action hammer are considered enough of a safety mechanism to prevent unintended discharges of the revolver.

For semi-autos, There are single-action pistols equipped with one or even two manual safeties, such as the 1911 (which as both a thumb and a grip safety), and there are now single-action pistols without any manual safety, such as the original FN Reflex (though a manual safety option has recently been added).

A tan semi-automatic handgun with a textured grip.

There are very successful double-action/single-action pistols without manual safeties, such as the SIG P226, and there are equally popular models with manual safeties, such as the Beretta 92 series. Similarly, there are modern striker-fired pistols with no manual safeties, like the Glock, and there are striker-fired options with manual safeties available, such as the S&W M&P and Shield Plus.

Manual safeties are especially desirable on hunting, target-shooting, or competition guns that have very light, crisp triggers. For defensive use, nervous, inexperienced shooters, such as those under threat from an intruder or attacker, may place their index finger on the trigger too early and a jolt or shock might induce them to fire a shot when they didn’t mean to, if the trigger is too light and/or there’s no safety to disengage. Many police officers have fired shots unintentionally in these types of situations. A manual safety might also make it less likely for a child or other unauthorized person to shoot themselves or others if they come across your gun, if you leave it unsecured somewhere mistakenly.

On the other hand, if you’re in a life-or-death struggle, you may not want to have a gun with a manual safety, especially if you haven’t trained extensively to always click off the safety every time you draw the gun. Some people (including police officers) have been shot because they were trying to pull the trigger on their firearms with the safety still engaged. So, there are obviously pros and cons either way. There’s no right or wrong answer, and even top trainers disagree on whether a manual safety on a defensive handgun is a good or a bad thing. You’ll need to weigh the information available and consider what you personally feel might be the best choice for you in your unique situation. Regardless, if you choose a firearm with a manual safety, you absolutely must practice with it regularly to ensure that disengaging the safety is second-nature every time you present the firearm from the holster. Re-engaging the safety before holstering must become regular as clockwork, also.

What trigger system do you prefer? (double action, single action, striker-fired)

If you’re not sure what the above terms mean, read our full article on the various types of trigger systems available for defensive use. In very brief terms:

  • A double-action trigger performs two functions: cocking the hammer and releasing the hammer, firing the gun. Almost all defensive revolvers use a double-action trigger, and many semi-autos do as well, such as the Beretta 92/PX4, SIG P226/P229, CZ75 series and derivatives, and many H&K duty pistols. One of the advantages of the DA trigger is it needs to be deliberately moved farther than other triggers, which can help prevent unintended discharges.
  • A single-action trigger performs just one function: releasing the hammer, firing the gun. Single-action semi-autos such as the 1911/2011 pattern, are famous for having exceptionally nice triggers that make it easy to shoot accurately. However, the light, crisp, and short-travel nature of a good SA pistol trigger means that a manual safety is almost always part of the design, and as noted above, that can have some potential drawbacks in certain situations. Also, an uncocked single-action firearm must be manually cocked or the slide racked before it is able to fire the first shot.
  • A striker-fired pistol has no hammer, but rather the trigger mechanism acts directly upon a spring-loaded firing pin or striker, which is usually partially or fully cocked by the retraction of the slide. As the trigger is pressed to the rear, the striker is fully cocked (where applicable) and then released, firing the gun. In this sense, a striker-fired trigger functions similarly to a single-action semi-auto trigger, in that it usually requires the slide to be cycled in order to partially or fully cock the striker and make the trigger capable of firing the gun. (There are some exceptions, but they are relatively rare.) Striker-fired pistols, the most famous of which is the Glock Safe-Action design, usually have heavier and longer-travel triggers compared to a nice single-action gun, but shorter and lighter triggers when compared to a double-action gun. Many people find a modern striker-fired trigger a good compromise for duty, competition, or defensive handguns.

Legal/jurisdictional considerations

Gun laws vary widely by state, and even some counties and cities have their own unique firearms regulations. It’s your responsibility to learn and abide by all of your local firearms laws. The most common type of restriction today is magazine capacity, where any magazine capable of holding more than 10 rounds (in California and some other jurisdictions) or 15 rounds (in Colorado, for example) is prohibited. However, in some very restrictive locations, all semi-automatic firearms might be banned or severely regulated.

Similarly, if you’re buying a handgun for hunting, your local game laws will inform your purchase, because some popular calibers might be illegal for hunting use. If you are purchasing your handgun from a local dealer, they will be able to let you know about any applicable laws and restrictions. However, if you are given or inherit a firearm, or you move from a less-restrictive state into a more-restrictive one, you may not always be aware of the local laws. Consult your city and state government websites, as well as your local division of wildlife resources, if applicable, and be sure your choice of handgun is entirely legal where you live.

Whom should you trust for a handgun recommendation?

This is a very good question, and the answer might be different for everyone. Some people may read a gun magazine and take the word of the author writing a glowing review of a particular firearm. Others might ask the counter staff member at a local gun shop and take their recommendation as gospel. You might ask a family member or friend who is into guns and see what they have to say. You can even find good reviews and overviews of firearms on YouTube, gun forums, television programs, and even the website of your favorite safe manufacturer (wink wink). Any and all of these sources can be useful in providing you information and perspective. One thing we always recommend is to consult more than one source for your information, and ideally several types of sources. Talk to the folks at your local gun shop or range. Ask your cousin or coworker who hunts or shoots a lot. Read several online reviews from different types of sources. Ask around forums. Watch reviews. After you spend some time researching your decision, you will likely get a better idea of whom to trust.

However, nothing, and we mean nothing, beats real-life hands-on experience. If at all possible, purchase your firearm from a gun shop with a range, many of which have rental firearms available for you to try before you buy. Everyone and their dog might be raving about the latest .459 Boomenmeister, but if it hurts your hands when you grip it firmly, or it’s too heavy (or light) for you to handle safely, or if the controls are too far away from your fingers, it’s definitely not the right choice for you. It’s a good idea to do everything you can to try out multiple firearms before you come to your final decision. After all, you are entirely unique, and your preferences are yours alone. A well-meaning gun-store clerk or range officer might mean well and strongly recommend a particular firearm for you (like the ubiquitous Glock 19 from the intro above), but you are the one who has to live with the decision, so don’t let yourself get talked into something that just doesn’t feel right.

How will you securely store your handgun? Liberty can help

Securely storing your handgun is a consideration that shouldn’t be overlooked, and if it’s your first firearm purchase, you might want to budget for a handgun vault or gun safe to help keep your gun out of the hands of unauthorized people. In most jurisdictions, a vault or safe is not specifically required by law, but often, firearms must be securely locked up and stored separately from any sources of ammunition. This is much easier (and frankly better) if you use a quality gun safe, vault door, or handgun vault. If that’s not in the budget for now, your handgun will probably come with a cable lock that can be used to help secure it when not in use. Be sure to keep all firearms and ammunition out of the hands of children and anyone else who isn’t authorized to use them. Firearms safety is everyone’s responsibility!

*Made in the U.S.A. from U.S. and Global Parts.

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