When you carry every day, you get attached to certain guns. They become part of your routine—reliable, familiar, comfortable. But over time, things change. Better options come out, priorities shift, and some guns just stop making sense for the way you live now. Here are 10 handguns I carried for years and what finally took their place—and why.
Glock 19 → Glock 48
The Glock 19 was my go-to for years. It’s reliable, easy to shoot, and fits almost any role. But it’s not exactly slim, and appendix carry got less comfortable over time.
Eventually, the Glock 48 took over. Same reliability, slimmer profile, better for concealment—especially once Shield Arms mags came along. No regrets.
S&W Shield → SIG Sauer P365
I liked the Shield. It’s simple and dependable, but the capacity always felt just a little behind. Seven or eight rounds didn’t cut it once newer options showed up.
The P365 gave me more rounds, a better trigger, and felt just as easy to conceal. It’s been in my waistband ever since.
Springfield XD-S → Hellcat
The XD-S had its time, but that trigger never really grew on me. And again, capacity was the main issue. I wanted more without moving up in size.
The Hellcat solved all that. More rounds, better sights, and just as compact. It’s been a solid improvement across the board.
Ruger LCP → Ruger LCP Max
The original LCP was always a “better than nothing” gun. It’s tiny, light, and easy to carry, but not great to shoot or reload under stress.
The LCP Max keeps the same footprint but gives you way more firepower and usable sights. It’s hard to justify going back once you make the swap.
Glock 26 → Glock 43X
The Glock 26 is a chunky little thing. It shoots well, but for how thick it is, you expect more capacity. Plus, it always felt blocky in the waistband.
The Glock 43X gives you a longer grip, slimmer profile, and with aftermarket mags, better capacity. It just makes more sense now.
Kahr PM9 → SIG Sauer P365
I used to love the smooth trigger and pocketable size of the PM9. But the world moved on, and 6+1 started feeling outdated fast.
The P365 matched the size and doubled the capacity. It shoots better and carries just as well. That was a pretty easy upgrade.
Walther PPS M2 → Glock 43X
The PPS M2 had great ergonomics and shot better than its size suggested. But aftermarket support and magazine options were always limited.
The Glock 43X feels nearly as good in the hand and just gives you way more to work with. Holsters, mags, upgrades—it’s all easier now.
SIG P938 → Springfield Hellcat
The P938 carried well, and I liked the 1911-style controls for a while. But the low capacity and single-action quirks eventually wore thin.
The Hellcat feels modern, holds more rounds, and doesn’t require thumbing a safety under stress. That switch felt overdue.
Glock 43 → SIG P365
I carried the Glock 43 for a long time because it was slim and reliable. But once I tried the P365, it was hard to ignore the benefits.
Same size, better capacity, and a smoother overall shooting experience. The 43 just got benched after that.
Beretta Nano → Glock 43X
The Nano was okay. It was snag-free and simple, but it always felt a little dated. The trigger wasn’t great, and it shot low for me.
I moved to the Glock 43X MOS and haven’t looked back. Better shooting, red dot capability, and way more practical for daily carry.
*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.
