Some pistols seem fine until you have to shoot fast. Everything feels smooth when you’re slow and careful, but speed things up and the flaws come out. Jams, misfeeds, clunky triggers—these are the guns that just can’t keep up when the pressure’s on. Defensive practice and drills expose weaknesses quickly. If you’ve ever had your pistol fail when you needed it most, you’ll understand. Here are thirteen handguns that tend to struggle badly when the pace picks up.
Bersa Thunder 380
The Bersa Thunder 380 is comfortable for slow target shooting, but it falls short when you push the pace. The small safety lever can trip you up in a hurry, and double-action pulls feel sluggish. People report feed issues with hollow points, especially during rapid fire. While it’s light and easy to carry, it doesn’t respond well when you need quick follow-up shots or have to clear a jam under pressure.
Walther P22
The Walther P22 runs fine with premium ammo, but it gets unreliable fast when you shoot quickly or use cheaper rounds. Failures to feed and stovepipes are common during fast-paced drills. Many shooters complain about slide lock issues when rushing through reloads. While it’s a good training pistol for slow fire, it just doesn’t keep up in defensive-style practice, especially when you need it to cycle reliably through longer strings of fire.
Ruger LC380
The Ruger LC380 promises easy recoil but struggles during faster drills. The long trigger slows down follow-up shots, and cycling becomes inconsistent with budget ammo. Shooters notice more frequent failures to feed when running the gun fast, especially when mixing ammo types. For slow concealed carry practice it’s fine, but if you push it during defensive scenarios, it tends to hiccup at the worst times.
Smith & Wesson SD9 VE
The Smith & Wesson SD9 VE sells well for its price, but it’s known for a heavy, gritty trigger that makes quick shooting feel awkward. Speed drills reveal how sluggish follow-ups become, and it’s common for new shooters to short-stroke the trigger under pressure. On top of that, certain hollow points don’t cycle well, especially during faster strings of fire. It’s a pistol that punishes you when you try to run fast.
Beretta 21A Bobcat
The Beretta 21A Bobcat is a fun little plinker, but it’s unreliable when you rush. Tiny controls slow down manipulation, and jams become more common with rapid shots. The tip-up barrel is handy for loading but slows you down in a defensive drill. This pistol thrives during slow, careful shooting but struggles in speed practice, especially when the small frame makes clearing malfunctions even trickier under pressure.
Taurus G3C (early batches)
The Taurus G3C made improvements, but early batches had problems with stuck triggers and feed failures during fast-paced shooting. Shooters noticed that running drills with quick follow-ups often exposed slide lock problems. While Taurus improved later production, the first batches made it hard to trust this pistol when you had to run it fast. Rushing reloads or shooting in a hurry only made these issues worse.
Remington 1911 R1 (entry models)
The Remington 1911 R1 entry-level models are decent for slow fire but don’t hold up well to speed drills. Shooters report failure to return to battery after quick strings and inconsistent ejection. The classic design doesn’t forgive sloppy grip or fast mag changes. In defensive drills, these lower-end R1 models tend to require more clearing than shooting, especially after a few hundred rounds without deep cleaning.
Chiappa M9-22
The Chiappa M9-22 tries to mimic service pistols but struggles when shot fast. Rapid fire reveals regular failures to eject and the slide often struggles to lock back properly. The trigger doesn’t reset well under speed, slowing you down more than it should. While it’s a decent low-cost trainer for slow fire, it can’t keep up when the goal is quick, accurate strings or defensive-style shooting sessions.
Girsan MC28 SA
The Girsan MC28 SA looks like a solid full-size pistol, but when you speed things up, issues appear. The trigger is inconsistent, sometimes failing to reset during quick follow-ups. Shooters also report feed issues with hollow points when firing rapidly. While it runs okay in casual shooting, it tends to trip you up during fast-paced practice, making it harder to build confidence in more stressful drills.
Canik TP9 DA
The Canik TP9 DA comes with decent accuracy but falls behind during fast drills. The long double-action trigger makes quick shooting uncomfortable, and slide release failures pop up during fast mag changes. Shooters often report smoother slow fire but difficulty maintaining speed during defensive-style courses. In rushed conditions, the combination of heavy trigger pulls and inconsistent slide lock timing makes it a frustrating experience.
SAR USA B6C
The SAR B6C is known for being affordable but shows cracks when you start pushing the pace. The long trigger reset gets in the way during quick shooting, and feed issues become more common with cheaper ammunition. People notice the pistol slows them down in defensive practice, with timing issues showing up during reloads and double taps. It’s another example of a gun that feels fine when slow but doesn’t keep up when pressured.
Zastava EZ9
The Zastava EZ9 handles alright in calm shooting but stumbles in quick drills. The double-action pull is heavy and slows you down, while the reset feels too long for smooth fast shooting. Rapid strings tend to cause feed issues with certain hollow points. Most shooters say the pistol feels okay in slow fire but gets noticeably more awkward as soon as the pace increases during defensive courses.
EAA Windicator .357 Magnum
The EAA Windicator is a budget revolver that looks appealing but fails during fast-paced shooting. The trigger is extremely heavy in double-action mode, making rapid shots difficult. Cylinder timing can also get inconsistent, especially when run hard. Shooters mention light strikes after longer range sessions and frustrating reloads under time pressure. It’s a revolver that quickly wears you out when trying to practice any sort of fast defensive drills.
*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.
