Most handguns run fine in dry conditions. Take ’em to the range, keep ’em clean, and they’ll perform exactly how they should. But throw in water—rain, sweat, or a quick dunk in a creek—and things start to change. Some pistols handle it just fine, while others get finicky fast. S
lippery grips, light strikes, or failures to extract aren’t something you want to deal with in a critical moment. These handguns might shoot well on a sunny day, but get them wet and their weaknesses start to show.
Walther P22
The P22 is a fun little rimfire for plinking, but it’s never loved moisture. Once it gets wet, the slide can start dragging, and failures to feed or eject become a lot more common—especially with standard velocity ammo.
The blowback action is pretty sensitive to resistance, and any added grit or water slows it down. It’s a great pistol for dry days at the range, but not one you want to rely on in the rain or after being dropped in the mud.
SIG Mosquito
The Mosquito already has a reputation for being ammo picky, and water doesn’t help. A wet slide or chamber seems to amplify its quirks, leading to more light strikes and stove pipes—especially with bulk .22 ammo.
It’s a decent training tool when it’s clean and dry, but it’s not built for harsh conditions. A little rain or sweat on the frame can throw off the action. It’s not one you’d want to count on outside of casual plinking.
KelTec PF9
The PF9 is lightweight and compact, which makes it great for concealed carry. But once you introduce water, the already snappy recoil and long reset become harder to manage. The slide gets slippery, and the short grip doesn’t give you much control.
It’s also not sealed up very well, so water in the firing pin channel can cause delayed or light primer strikes. It’s fine in a holster, but if you fall in a creek with it, don’t expect flawless function right away.
Beretta 92FS
The 92FS is known for being reliable in many environments, but water has a way of making its open-slide design more vulnerable. When wet, the exposed barrel and slide rails can gather grit fast, and it doesn’t take much to slow the cycle.
It’ll usually still run, but the tolerances aren’t as forgiving as you’d hope for in wet field conditions. For military and police, it’s proven—but if you’re soaked and dirty, it’s not as confident a performer as some other designs.
Taurus G2C
The Taurus G2C is a popular budget carry pistol, but it has trouble staying reliable when soaked. Moisture can mess with trigger feel, and the polymer frame gets slick quick if your hands are wet.
There have also been reports of light strikes and cycling issues when the internal components are wet. It’s a decent range gun for the price, but not one that inspires confidence in bad weather or wet environments.
Kimber Ultra Carry II
Kimber 1911s look great and shoot well—when they’re clean and dry. The Ultra Carry II, being a compact 1911, has even tighter tolerances, which don’t mix well with water or grime. A little moisture can slow the slide just enough to cause a hang-up.
Add to that the short sight radius and heavy recoil spring, and you’ve got a pistol that’s a lot less forgiving in wet hands. It’s accurate and smooth on the bench, but doesn’t love the elements.
FN Five-seveN
The Five-seveN’s polymer construction makes it surprisingly light for its size, but that lightness doesn’t help when things get wet. The grip gets slippery fast, and the slick finish doesn’t offer much texture when soaked.
It usually runs fine mechanically, but controlling it in wet conditions is tougher than it should be. Also, water in the magazine can sometimes cause feeding issues with the unique bottleneck cartridges. It’s not a bad pistol—just not built with wet weather in mind.
Smith & Wesson SD9 VE
The SD9 VE is serviceable in dry conditions, but its grip texture and trigger feel change dramatically when wet. The long, gritty pull becomes harder to manage, and the front serrations on the slide don’t offer much traction once your hands are slick.
It doesn’t fail catastrophically, but it becomes harder to shoot well in the rain or with sweaty hands. For a gun meant for self-defense, that drop in handling is something to think about.
CZ 75B (Polished or Blued Models)
The CZ 75B is a fantastic shooter, but when you’re running a polished or blued version in wet weather, things get tricky. The grip panels can feel like wet glass, and the low-profile safety can be hard to hit if your hands are slick.
The steel frame handles water better than most, but it’s not as rust-resistant as more modern finishes. It’ll run, but you’ll need to stay on top of maintenance if it gets soaked. This one’s better kept dry.
Desert Eagle
The Desert Eagle is more of a range toy than a practical pistol, and it really shows once it gets wet. The huge slide, complex gas system, and tight tolerances don’t appreciate moisture. Reliability drops fast if there’s any grit involved.
It’s heavy, hard to grip when wet, and definitely not something you want to fumble with in a hurry. Fun to shoot in good conditions, but it turns into a liability if the weather turns or your hands aren’t bone dry.
*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.
