20 Pistols That Are Surprisingly Hard to Hate

Photo credit: sootch00/Youtube

Every gun counter has a few pistols that get side-eyed before they ever get shot. Maybe they’re “too common,” “too ugly,” “too heavy,” “too old,” or they don’t have the right logo for the internet crowd. Then you actually run one hard for a few range sessions, carry it a while, maybe toss it in a chest rig during turkey season or keep it in the truck for fence checks, and the opinion changes.

These aren’t perfect pistols. Some are boring. Some have quirks. A couple will rub you raw if you’re not paying attention. But they keep earning their spot because they work, parts and mags aren’t a scavenger hunt, and they solve real-world problems without needing a bunch of explanation.

1. Glock 19 (Gen3/Gen5)

I’ve heard every complaint: “It’s a brick,” “the trigger is mush,” “everyone has one.” Then you watch the same guy quietly shoot it well, feed it anything, and go back to it after a fling with the newest hotness. There’s a reason it’s the default answer even when nobody wants to admit it.

It carries easier than full-size, shoots softer than the tiny stuff, and magazines are everywhere. If you actually use a pistol instead of just owning one, the Glock 19 is hard to stay mad at for long.

2. Smith & Wesson M&P9 2.0 Compact

The early M&Ps caught grief for triggers, and some folks never forgave them. The 2.0 Compact fixed most of what needed fixing, and the grip texture will absolutely let you know you’re holding a duty gun. In sweaty summer carry, it sticks to you and your shirt like Velcro.

Still, it points naturally, it runs, and it’s one of those pistols that makes you look like a better shooter than you are. If you want “G19-ish” without being another Glock guy, this is a legit answer.

3. SIG Sauer P365

Micro-9s used to be an exercise in compromise: low capacity, snappy recoil, tiny controls. The P365 changed that whole conversation. Even guys who swear they hate small pistols end up with one because it disappears under a T-shirt and still carries real capacity.

It’s not a range toy, and I don’t pretend it’s as forgiving as a compact. But for daily carry, it’s one of those pistols you can nitpick all day and still end up trusting.

4. Ruger LCP II

There’s nothing glamorous about an LCP II. It’s the gun you carry when you “can’t” carry, and that’s the whole point. In a pocket holster it’s easy, light, and more likely to be on you than whatever full-size hero gun is sitting in the safe.

It’s also not fun to shoot a hundred rounds through, and nobody wins a trigger contest with it. But for deep concealment and honest utility, it keeps getting a pass from folks who love to complain.

5. Beretta 92FS / M9

Big grip. Long reach in double-action. A slide-mounted safety that some people will never love. And yet, the 92FS has a way of making you forget the complaints once you start running it on steel. It’s smooth, it tracks well, and it has that “machine” feel that polymer guns don’t.

It’s also a pistol you can keep for decades if you don’t abuse it. If you grew up seeing them in service holsters, there’s a comfort to that, even if it’s not the trendy choice now.

6. CZ 75B

The CZ 75B is what happens when “ergonomics” isn’t a marketing word. It sits in the hand like it was shaped for actual humans, and the weight makes 9mm feel like cheating. It’s not light, and it’s not slick for concealment unless you commit to it.

But if your idea of a good pistol is one you can shoot all afternoon without feeling beat up, the CZ will win you over. Ask me how I know.

7. CZ P-10 C

The P-10 C came into a crowded world of striker-fired compacts and still managed to feel different in a good way. The trigger is usually better than people expect, and the grip angle works for a lot of shooters who fight other polymers.

Early on, some folks grumbled about stiffness and break-in. Give it some rounds and a little cleaning, and it settles into a reliable, accurate work pistol that doesn’t ask for attention.

8. Walther PDP Compact

The PDP looks like it was designed by someone who drinks too much coffee, and the slide serrations are aggressive enough to grate cheese. It’s also one of those pistols that just runs fast. The trigger is clean, and the gun tracks well when you’re moving and shooting.

It’s a little chunky for some carry setups, and the factory sights may not be your favorite. But it’s hard to hate something that makes shooting feel easy.

9. Heckler & Koch VP9

HK guys can be insufferable, and the VP9 gets dragged into that. Ignore the fan club. The pistol itself is straightforward, soft shooting, and the grip panels let you actually fit it to your hand without playing stipple-games.

The paddle/lever debates and accessory costs come up, sure. But if you want a striker pistol that feels refined without being precious, the VP9 earns respect.

10. Springfield Armory XD-M Elite 4.5

The XD line has been the internet’s punching bag for a long time. Then you run an XD-M Elite with a decent trigger and big, easy-to-hit controls, and you start wondering what all the drama was about. It’s accurate, it’s controllable, and it eats ammo.

Is it the coolest? No. Does it do the job for a guy who wants a range gun that can double for home defense? Yep, and it’s hard to stay mad at results.

11. Ruger Security-9

The Security-9 is one of those pistols that gets dismissed because it’s affordable. I get it—cheap can mean flimsy. But Ruger didn’t build this thing as a fashion piece. They built it to be shot by normal folks who don’t want a payment plan.

The trigger is serviceable, the recoil is manageable, and it generally runs if you do your part. For a “first 9mm” or a simple house gun, it earns its keep.

12. Ruger Mark IV (Standard/22/45)

If you don’t own a .22 pistol, you’re missing out on the best kind of practice. The Mark IV is a big reason why. The one-button takedown alone is enough to make grown men forgive Ruger for the old days of wrestling a Mark II apart on the bench.

It’s accurate, it’s reliable with decent ammo, and it makes you want to shoot more. That matters, because rounds downrange beats opinions on the internet every time.

13. Browning Buck Mark

Some .22 pistols feel like toys. The Buck Mark feels like a real pistol that happens to shoot cheap ammo. The trigger is usually solid, the balance is good, and it’s the kind of gun that will embarrass your centerfire groups if you’re being honest.

It can be a little more involved to take apart than a Mark IV, and it likes being kept reasonably clean. Still, if you want a .22 that just flat-out shoots, it’s tough to dislike.

14. Smith & Wesson Model 10

A worn Model 10 with honest holster shine is one of the easiest handguns to respect. It’s not high capacity. It’s not tactical. It’s also one of the most shootable, sensible revolvers ever made, with a trigger that often feels better than it has any right to.

For a nightstand revolver, a farm gun, or just a piece of history you can still run, it keeps proving why it rode in so many duty holsters for so long.

15. Ruger GP100

The GP100 is not dainty. It’s the revolver you hand to somebody who’s worried about .357 recoil, because the weight and grip soak it up. It’s also the revolver you keep when you want something that won’t get babied.

The trigger can improve with use, and it’s built like it expects you to actually shoot it. If you want a wheelgun that feels like a tool, not a museum piece, the GP100 is tough to hate.

16. Smith & Wesson Model 642 Airweight

This one hurts. Lightweight J-frames aren’t “fun.” They’re sharp in the hand, the sights are basic, and the trigger takes real work. But for a pocket revolver that’s there when you need it, the 642 keeps hanging around for a reason.

It’s simple, it’s reliable, and it doesn’t depend on magazine springs or limp-wristing debates. If you practice enough to be competent with it, it’ll make you respect it whether you want to or not.

17. Taurus G3C

Taurus still has a reputation to climb out of, and I’m not here to tell you every single one is perfect. What I will say is the G3C has turned into a practical, affordable carry option that a lot of working folks actually use. It’s small enough to conceal and big enough to shoot.

Magazines and support are easier to find than they used to be, and the feature set is solid for the money. It’s hard to hate a pistol that lets someone get armed without cutting corners on everything else in life.

18. Canik TP9SF Elite

Canik showed up and started offering good triggers at prices that made people suspicious. The TP9SF Elite is one of the models that turned suspicion into grudging respect. It shoots flatter than you’d expect, and the controls are easy to run.

It’s not as “legacy” as some brands, and holster availability can be hit-or-miss depending on the exact variant. But as a shooter, it wins a lot of arguments on the range.

19. Colt Series 70 Government Model (1911)

The 1911 crowd can be exhausting, and the platform can be finicky if you chase odd parts or cheap magazines. A straightforward Series 70 Government Model, though, is a different animal. It’s slim for its size, the trigger is what people romanticize, and it points naturally.

It’s heavy compared to polymer, and you’ll actually need to maintain it like a real machine. Still, there’s a reason a clean 1911 makes even modern-gun guys pause and grin after the first magazine.

20. Glock 20 (10mm Auto)

10mm brings out strong opinions. Too much recoil, too much muzzle blast, too much everything. Then hunting season rolls around, or you’re camping in places where you’re not the top of the food chain, and a Glock 20 starts making a lot of sense.

It’s not a delicate pistol, and it’s not for small hands. But it’s durable, capacity is there, and it lets a practical person carry real power without turning it into a science project.

There are pistols I admire more and pistols I carry more. But these are the ones that keep surviving the rotation because they do something useful without being fragile, fussy, or impossible to support. If you’ve owned any of them long enough to wear the sharp edges off your opinions, you already know how this goes.