On July 17, 2022, Eli Dicken was having dinner with his girlfriend at the Greenwood Park Mall food court just outside Indianapolis. He was 22 years old and lawfully carrying a concealed firearm.
At 5:56 PM, a gunman walked out of a bathroom where he'd been holed up for over an hour, preparing to commit mass murder. He had an AR-15, a handgun, and several loaded magazines.
The shooter opened fire. Three innocent lives were lost, and two were injured.
Dicken took cover behind a pillar, and engaged the shooter from about 40 yards away. In 15 seconds, he fired 10 rounds and landed 8 hits. The attacker went down before he could murder anyone else.
Dicken had no police or military training. His grandfather taught him to shoot, and he'd sought out additional training on his own. That's it.
Greenwood Police Chief James Ison said it plainly: "Many more people would have died last night if not for a responsible armed citizen. His actions were nothing short of heroic.”
This is why I carry every day.
When violent psychopaths carry out their heinous crimes, there's no time to call for help. No one is coming to save you. You either have the means to defend innocent life, or you don’t.
So what should you carry?
In a worst-case scenario, you need a firearm that is reliable, accurate, and has adequate capacity. If you're an average citizen, a compact polymer-framed striker-fired 9mm pistol is likely your best EDC option.
There has never been a better time to purchase one of these handguns. The market is flooded with solid options, but with so many to choose from and sponsored reviews shilling for free gear, finding honest information is tough.
I'm not sponsored. I receive no compensation from any of these companies. I’m a father who practices lawful carry every day to protect myself and my family from violent criminals.
My EDC firearm has to be reliable, concealable, shootable, and hold 15+ rounds.
The pistols on this list are all solid options. You'll have to research and experiment to find which one best suits your needs, but I firmly believe you can’t go wrong with these options.
My opinions are my own and do not reflect those of Elite Survival Systems. Some may disagree with these picks, and that's okay.
I’m sure there are California-compliant versions of these handguns, but I live in the great state of Missouri, so I need not concern myself with such things.
Let's get into it.
Glock 19 | $540
Holster Pick: Mainstay Size 5: https://elitesurvival.com/products/mainstaya-clipless-iwb-pocket-holster?variant=37527780688040
The Glock 19 isn't the prettiest gun, doesn't have the best features, and isn't the best shooting gun by any means. But if you are new to concealed carry or looking to purchase your first handgun, it’s a great option.
The track record of the G19 is remarkable. It may be the most issued service pistol on the planet. It strikes an excellent balance between shootability, concealability, and reliability. If it’s good enough for law enforcement, it’s good enough for me and you.
It holds 15+1 rounds with a standard magazine, is easy to clean, and tends to work no matter what. If there were a gun you could fire every day for a year without cleaning it, it’s a Glock.
With all of the good, there are some things to consider.
Glock triggers aren’t for everyone. I’ve never had a problem with them, but a lot of people upgrade the trigger post-purchase. It comes down to personal preference. The GREAT thing about the triggers is safety. They’re slightly heavy and have a long pull, so I feel completely comfortable carrying a G19 appendix all day.
The sights on a factory G19 are plastic. There are more affordable handguns on the market that come standard with three-dot steel tritium sights. In 2025, if I’m spending $600 on a pistol, I expect good sights. Not to say the sights are bad, but they are nowhere near the quality of some of the other guns on this list.
If you prefer the grip angle of, say, a 1911, then a G19 will take some getting used to. It sits at around 22º while a 1911 is 18º. A slight difference, but it can take some getting used to.
Glock has an extensive aftermarket, and this is great for hobbyists and fanboys, but if you want a feature-packed gun right out of the box, the G19 isn’t for you. You can spend the same amount of money on a similar Glock clone from a competing company and get a much better feature stack straight from the factory.
Glock really hasn’t changed anything about their lineup since the 1980s. Most manufacturers are racing to stack as many cool features straight out of the box, but Glock’s approach is totally different. They simply refuse to compromise on what they know works. Of course, at the time of writing this, it was just announced that they will be canceling all existing models at the end of November 2025. Time will tell if the new series is just as reliable. If you're buying after the transition, make sure you understand what you're getting.
To summarize, you could go out and buy a standard Gen 5 Glock 19 and rest assured you made a great purchase. It’s not the best gun by any means, but it may be the most reliable firearm ever manufactured. You’re not paying for the latest and greatest handgun, you’re paying for a tried and true platform that has been trusted by experts and civilians for over forty years. In a self-defense scenario, you can always count on your Glock.
If it fits your hand, you like shooting it, and you want to buy it, then you should. It is by no means the best striker-fired compact 9mm on the market anymore, but it’s the original pioneer of concealed carry, and you can feel confident placing your trust in the platform.
When the world ends, all that’s left will be Keith Richards, cockroaches, and Glocks.
M&P 2.0 Carry Comp | $799
Holster Pick: Mainstay Size 5: https://elitesurvival.com/products/mainstaya-clipless-iwb-pocket-holster?variant=37527780688040
To my knowledge, this is one of the best shooting striker-fired compact 9mm on the market.
You get an optic-ready gun with a Performance Center trigger, tritium sights, a compensated barrel, awesome slide cuts, and, if you upgrade to the metal model, 17+1 capacity instead of the polymer 15+1.
My favorite feature is the ported barrel. It diverts gas upwards to reduce felt recoil, making for a great shooting experience. And, if you’re worried about the sights getting mucked up from the carbon, the front sight sits behind the port, so it won’t be affected at all.
A note on compensated everyday carry pistols:
As lawful carry practitioners, we carry an immense responsibility to not recklessly endanger the lives of innocent people. In a defense situation, it is crucial to make your shots count. So while a compensated pistol results in a louder boom, you will be more accurate, thus making you a more responsible gun owner.
A couple of downsides to the M&P 2.0 Carry Comp:
The magwell is super tight, and it makes fast reloads tricky. You can upgrade this, but it seems silly that such an outstanding firearm needs this fixed..
The sights also irk me. They’re amazing sights, but are rendered completely useless if you attach an optic. This being an optic-cut pistol, you’d think the sights and optic would co-witness, but they don’t. A design flaw I wouldn’t expect from such a great company.
The M&P 2.0 Carry Comp is a tremendous bang-for-your-buck option. At $799 ($999 for the metal version), it's well worth the money and damn near perfect besides a couple of design flaws. If you’re looking for a super reliable, highly accurate pistol from a reputable company that has a ton of awesome features, I would highly recommend the Carry Comp.
Canik METE MC9 Prime | $649
Holster Pick: Mainstay Size 5: https://elitesurvival.com/products/mainstaya-clipless-iwb-pocket-holster?variant=37527780688040
Canik has established itself as a reliable and innovative company.
The MC9 Prime is their attempt at making the perfect carry gun. And by gosh, have they come really close.
Right out of the box, you get a ported barrel, slide cuts for easy manipulation, tritium sights, a direct mill for a shield RMS pattern optic, and an IWB/OWB Kydex holster. A hell of a deal for $650. On top of that, you get 17+1 rounds in a gun smaller than a Glock 19. Also, this model, unlike previous Canik’s, is made in the United States.
Unlike the Carry Comp, the optic sits so low you can co-witness with your iron sights, which is a feature I love. Also, there is no need for a mounting plate, so your optic will be more secure and easier to tighten.
The grip texture is excellent. Typically, the texture stops 3/4 of the way up the grip, but the MC9 Prime’s grip texture almost reaches the slide. Personally, I love this feature, and it makes for more comfortable shooting. It almost feels like a full-size gun when you shoot it.
The best part of this gun, in my opinion, is the trigger. This is one of the best factory triggers on a striker-fired compact 9mm in my experience, second only to the Walther PDP lineup. Get your hands on one, try it out, and you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.
Now, the Canik MC9 Prime isn’t perfect.
The compensator might be useless. I’m sure it HAS to do something, but there isn’t really a noticeable difference. For reference, shooting the M&P 2.0 Carry Comp is noticeably flatter than any other striker-fired compact 9mm. The MC9 Prime does not have that same sensation. It’s delightful to shoot, but for being compensated, the reduction in felt recoil is minute.
So, the question is, should you get a Canik MC9 Prime as your first carry gun, or add it to your rotation? ABSOLUTELY. It’s phenomenal. For your money, you get a reliable pistol that shoots well, is very concealable, has some great features, and already comes with an EDC holster. That’s a bargain I have not seen from any other company.
Springfield Echelon 4.0C | $694
Holster Pick: Mainstay Size 5: https://elitesurvival.com/products/mainstaya-clipless-iwb-pocket-holster?variant=37527780688040
Springfield Armory knocked it out of the park with this gun. They wanted to compete with Glock & M&P, making a do-it-all handgun for military, law enforcement, concealed carry, and home defense. What they came up with is an extremely well-thought-out pistol you can trust in a life-or-death scenario.
The Echelon 4.0C comes packed with a lot of cool features straight from the factory.
They’ve included an optic mounting system, allowing users to mount over 30 different optics without the use of adapter plates. This feature uses self-locking pins for a low, direct mount for an improved sight picture.
The slide serrations in the Echelon are amazing and make press checking and charging super easy. I really appreciate more companies adding these straight from the factory. We Glock fanboys have always had to send our guns in to a shady custom shop and potentially sacrifice the reliability of the firearm to have this feature.
The trigger is also very nice on the 4.0C. You can feel your finger being pushed back into place, resulting in faster shooting.
There is a compensated version of the Echelon 4.0C that features a single port on the top of the slide and barrel. I haven’t had any experience with this model, so I can’t say if it’s worth getting or not.
It also features a serialized chassis system that you can put in different-sized grip modules and frames to better suit your grip preferences.
With the 4.0C, you get a gun that will accept almost any optic, almost any light, and has a ton of really cool features. It’s well-made and incredibly well designed. Similar to the Canik MC9 Prime, it has a robust feature stack for a very reasonable price point.
Ruger RXM | $499
Holster Pick: Mainstay Size 5: https://elitesurvival.com/products/mainstaya-clipless-iwb-pocket-holster?variant=37527780688040
Ruger doesn’t get enough love. They’ve been cranking out solid handguns for years, and the RXM is no exception.
They collaborated with Magpul, another reputable brand, to create a reasonably priced Glock clone.
Like the Echelon 4.0C, you get a chassis system and an optic-ready slide with a pin system for mounting.
The standard grip on the RXM is fine. The texture is slightly better than a Glock, but not nearly as good as an MC9 Prime. You can, of course, add a Talon Grip or Goon Tape to compensate for this, so it’s not really a big deal.
The trigger is similar to a Glock. Not terrible, but not great. BUT, it does come with metal night sights, unlike the more expensive Glock 19.
The RXM has good front and rear serrations, and the factory Magwell is slightly flaired, which I love.
Overall, this is a reliable pistol that shoots like a Glock at a slightly lower price point. I would recommend this pistol as a budget option to anyone looking to get into concealed carry without spending a ton of money.
Walther PDP Compact 4” | $699
Holster Pick: Mainstay Size 5: https://elitesurvival.com/products/mainstaya-clipless-iwb-pocket-holster?variant=37527780688040
This list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the Walther PDP.
It features an optics mounting system, slide serrations, phenomenal grip texture, ambi-controls, adjustable sights, and a large trigger guard. It comes with two fifteen-round magazines and three different backstraps.
The trigger on the PDP outshines any other gun on this list. As good as the Canik MC9 Prime’s trigger is, it doesn’t hold a candle to the Walther PDP.
Some people don’t like the higher bore axis. That is something to keep in mind. Other than that, it is hard to find any flaw with this pistol. The sights could be better, but they are a step above Glock's. Most shooters use optics now (sorry boomers), so that’s not a huge concern.
It shoots super well thanks to the superb trigger, looks great, has great ergonomics, and is super versatile. I’d say, for the money, this is the best option on the list. As always, go to a gun store, get your hands on one to see if it fits your hand.
I’ve come to expect nothing but the best from Walther. They consistently come out with excellent firearms stacked with features straight out of the factory. If you value the reliability of Glock and the ingenuity of Springfield and Smith & Wesson, a Walther is the perfect marriage of all three.
CZ P10-C Ported | $549
Holster Pick: Mainstay Size 5: https://elitesurvival.com/products/mainstaya-clipless-iwb-pocket-holster?variant=37527780688040
A price similar to the Ruger RXM with a better feature stack.
For $550, you get a single ported comp, cocking serrations, less recoil than the Canik Prime, an awsome trigger, fifteen to seventeen round capacity, and CZ reliability.
It’s light enough to carry every day, but big enough to shoot well. With a light, it would make a formidable home defense weapon.
Is it perfect? Probably not. No gun is. But I’m having a hard time finding a bad thing to say about it, and for the price, that’s an incredible feat from CZ.
Conclusion
So there you have it. Those are the 7 striker-fired compact 9mm pistols I recommend. I hold firm that you could purchase any of these handguns with total confidence.
I've excluded Sig Sauer pistols from this list. Their response to the P320 controversy has been abysmal in my opinion. In July 2025, ICE banned the P320 after multiple accidental discharge incidents. The agency cited "an unacceptable safety risk to the lives of personnel." This follows years of lawsuits and reports of P320s firing without the trigger being pulled, including incidents involving law enforcement officers.
Sig’s response? Blaming the users…
Many thousands of people carry Sig pistols daily without incident. But when a federal agency removes a firearm from service specifically due to safety concerns, and the company responds by pointing fingers at the victims, I cannot recommend their platforms.
If you choose to carry a Sig, research the specific model and production run thoroughly, and test it extensively. Some very knowledgeable people trust their lives to Sig pistols. I'm just not one of them, and I think you should know why before making your decision.
For in-depth reviews on all of these handguns, I would recommend checking out Honest Outlaw and Tactical Considerations on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@HonestOutlawReviews
https://www.youtube.com/@TacticalConsiderations
