Small pistols for concealed carry are more popular than ever. And just when it seemed the market couldn’t get any better for these guns, a recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court might just make this segment of the firearms industry even bigger — and even more profitable for retailers.
In the case New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, the Supreme Court in late June struck down New York’s restrictive may-issue carry law and affirmed the right of Americans to carry a firearm outside the home for self-defense. Writing for the six-justice majority, Justice Clarence Thomas made it clear that laws forbidding or restricting concealed carry are unconstitutional, no questions asked.
“The constitutional right to bear arms in public for self-defense is not ‘a second-class right, subject to an entirely different body of rules than the other Bill of Rights guarantees,’” Thomas wrote. “We know of no other constitutional right that an individual may exercise only after demonstrating to government officers some special need.”
The ruling prompted some states and localities to roll back restrictions on concealed carry, which will likely open up the option for millions of Americans to carry for self-defense who didn’t previously have that opportunity.
With that in mind, let’s look at five new carry guns that might just be good options for both your new and returning customers.
Springfield Hellcat Pro
Springfield introduced the Hellcat back in September 2019 and it became an instant hit. That was not surprising, of course, as the striker-fired semi-auto was very small but still managed to hold an incredible 11+1 rounds of 9mm with the flush-fit magazines and 13+1 in the slightly extended magazine that didn’t at all diminish the ease of carrying.
The newest iteration, the Hellcat Pro, keeps all the great features of the original Hellcat while also making it even better. For one thing, while not much larger than the original Hellcat (it retains the 1-inch width), the Pro model features a 15-round magazine, giving the carrier an incredible 15+1 payload of 9mm. Like its predecessors, the Pro boasts a highly-refined polymer frame and a blackened stainless steel slide. There is a blade safety built into the trigger, and those wanting an external thumb safety can find it as an option.
One of the best things about the original Hellcat was the U-Dot sights, which are extremely easy to pick up when putting the gun on target. Using them is even simpler — just put the ball in the basket and fire away. For your customers who are among the millions of Americans who prefer to carry their pistols with a red-dot sight onboard, the Hellcat Pro also offers a slide cut for mounting an optic.
As far as specifications go, the Hellcat Pro is 6.6 inches in overall length with a 3.7-inch barrel. Empty weight is 21 ounces, with 16 rounds of 9mm adding a few more, or course. With an MSRP of $634, the quality of this pistol makes it a great buy.
Smith & Wesson CSX
While most compact carry pistols are polymer-framed, striker-fired guns, long-time manufacturer Smith & Wesson decided to head a different way in 2022. Enter the S&W CSX.
The CSX, which looks a lot like the Shield Plus, boasts an aluminum frame, rather than polymer. Plus, it’s a single-action-only, hammer-fired gun. And it even has a 1911-style thumb safety that lets owners carry it “cocked and locked” like a 1911 pistol. Interestingly, the gun also has an integrated trigger safety like that used on most striker-fired guns.
The CSX boasts fore and aft cocking serrations on the slide for easier manipulation, along with S&W’s rugged black Armornite finish. Most of the edges and corners are rounded for easier concealment, and it wears a set of white three-dot sights.
The gun ships with a 10-round, flush-fit magazine along with a 12-rounder that slightly lengthens the grip. On the plus side, the extra two rounds only force another 1/8 inch in length of the grip, so the difference is negligible.
While its frame is aluminum, the CSX boasts polymer grips much like other S&W semi-autos. In this case, the company provides two different backstraps so the buyer can customize the fit to their hand.
If all that doesn’t make this pistol an easy sell, consider the specifications. Overall length is 6.1 inches, with a 3.1-inch barrel. The gun is 1.12 inches in width and weighs in at 19.5 ounces when empty. With an MSRP of $609, this little carry gun will be in the price range of a lot of gun buyers.
Taurus GX4 T.O.R.O.
Better known for their affordable, high-quality revolvers, Taurus USA just recently jumped into the semi-auto pistol game. Since then, the company hasn’t looked back, and its latest model, designed for concealed carry, is the GX4 T.O.R.O. (Taurus Optics Ready Option).
A new iteration of the GX4 sub-compact, this one has many of the same great features with one additional attraction — a slide cut to mount a red-dot optic for those who prefer to do so. In fact, the Taurus system allows the user to mount several different popular micro red-dot sights.
Like the S&W, this striker-fired pistol comes with two palm swells for customizing it to the shooter’s hand. The polymer grips are stippled both fore and aft as well as on the sides, making it an easy gun to hold when firing.
The slide has a black gas nitride coating that is both attractive and durable, and the barrel features a satin black DLC treatment. Sights are a serrated, drift-adjustable rear with a white-dot front. The sharp corners and edges of the gun are nicely rounded for easier, more comfortable carry.
Spec-wise, the barrel is 3 inches long with an overall length of just over 6 inches. Weight is 18.7 ounces empty, and capacity is 11+1 rounds of 9mm. A 13-round extended magazine is also available that adds slightly to the gun’s grip height.
Best of all, this pistol has a very attractive MSRP of $468, putting it well within the price range of the vast majority of gun shoppers.
SAR9 C
While not as well known in the United States as Springfield, Smith & Wesson and Taurus, SAR USA, the importer for Turkish company Sarsilmaz Silah Sanayi, makes some fantastic semi-auto pistols at a very attractive price point. Their latest for concealed carry practitioners is the SAR9 C, a compact version of their popular SAR9 full-size pistol.
The SAR9 C is a polymer-framed, striker-fired pistol that looks a lot like some popular HK models. It features three swappable backstraps for customization, along with three sets of grip side plates to ensure a perfect fit. The hammer-forged barrel sports a recessed crown to protect it, and the slide has an attractive black oxide finish.
Additionally, a high relief cut behind the gun’s trigger guard allows for a higher grip on the pistol, making control of recoil easier and getting back on target faster. The slide features serrations front and aft for easier manipulation, and the grips have subtle texturing all the way around for gaining a good purchase on the gun.
As far as specifications go, the SAR9 C is 7.2 inches in overall length with a 4-inch barrel. Weight is on the heavier side at 26.8 ounces empty, and capacity is 15+1, putting it on par with the super-popular Glock 19. Sights are three-dot white, and the slide is not cut for red-dot optics.
With a very reasonable MSRP of $452, this pistol will appeal to gun shoppers with a little less budget to work with.
SCCY DVG-1RD
Here’s one for the bargain shoppers, but don’t think just because the price is so attractive that it’s not a fine carry pistol. SCCY has made some excellent pistols over the past several years and the new DVG-1RD is definitely no exception. Not exactly a micro-pistol, this model is still quite easy to carry.
Sights are three-dot white and, amazingly, the gun comes with a Crimson Trace CTS-1500 red-dot sight already mounted. The little CT sight is of high quality and features a 3.5-MOA dot, 20,000-hour battery life and a three-year factory warranty.
The striker-fired pistol has a polymer frame with light stippling all the way around the grip for easy handling. Slide cuts fore and aft allow for easier manipulation of the slide. The magazine holds 10 rounds, so the 10+1 capacity is good for concealed carry and several rounds more than a typical pocket revolver.
Spec-wise, the DVG-1RD is 6.01 inches in overall length with a 3.1-inch barrel. Weight is quite light at 15.5 ounces empty.
As for MSRP, at $389 with a red-dot optic already installed, the DVG-1RD would be a good deal even if it was lacking in quality. But since it’s a well-made, quality handgun, that price point is simply unbelievable. For those customers looking to by a legitimate carry gun without breaking the bank — and one with a red-dot optic, to boot — this is an excellent option.
Wrapping It Up There you have it — five new carry guns that just might be among the top choices of many of your handgun customers. With the strong possibility that more Americans will be carrying than ever before thanks to the recent high court ruling, these definitely provide an opportunity to add to your bottom line over the coming months.
