There’s a narrow middle ground when it comes to concealed carry. Size, weight, reliability, shootability, and comfort all need to line up for a pistol to be worth strapping on daily. But there’s a category of pistols that miss those marks in every direction. Too bulky to carry comfortably, too small to shoot well, too heavy for a flimsy belt, or too light to soak up recoil. These guns don’t fail on paper—they fail in practice. You carry one for a day or two, take it to the range once or twice, and then start shopping for something that doesn’t fight you every step of the way.
Springfield XD-S Mod.2
The XD-S Mod.2 aimed to offer a thin carry gun with decent shootability, but it ended up being too much of a compromise. It’s tall for a single-stack, which makes it harder to conceal than you’d think. The grip texture bites into your skin with inside-the-waistband carry, and the trigger is nothing to write home about. It’s also snappy in the hand, and fast follow-ups aren’t easy. By the time you factor in the low capacity, awkward reload feel, and heavier-than-expected slide, it manages to miss the mark for both comfort and performance.
Ruger Security-9 Compact
This one looks right on paper—affordable, compact, and chambered in 9mm. But the Security-9 Compact feels caught between classes. It’s too large for deep concealment and too light to manage recoil well. The trigger feels mushy and inconsistent, and the slide doesn’t rack as smoothly as you’d want. Add a gritty reset and minimal grip texture, and you wind up with a pistol that doesn’t carry small, shoot soft, or inspire much confidence. You’ll find yourself leaving it behind for something that’s either easier to hide or more enjoyable to shoot.
Smith & Wesson M&P Shield EZ
It’s easy to rack, easy to load, and easy to manipulate—no argument there. But it’s not exactly easy to carry. The EZ models are taller and longer than they need to be, and that extra bulk shows under clothing. It also has a weird center-of-mass feel that makes it shift around more than you’d like. Some folks hate the grip safety, too. It solves problems for certain shooters but creates others for people who want something truly slim, lightweight, and fast. The EZ is a gun you want to like but can’t quite commit to.
Beretta PX4 Storm Compact Carry
This gun has a loyal fanbase and a smooth trigger, but let’s be honest—it’s chunky. Even the “compact” version feels thick through the slide and wide at the grip. The rotating barrel system adds mass up front, which throws off the balance for waistband carry. The decocker and external levers make it harder to carry without printing. It might shoot well and feel refined in the hand, but that doesn’t mean you’ll want it pressing into your ribs all day. It’s one of those pistols that’s better at home than on your belt.
Glock 30SF
The Glock 30SF is reliable and accurate, no doubt. But it’s a wide block of .45 ACP that doesn’t carry easily for most folks. The grip is short but thick, which can make holster selection tricky. It’s also heavy enough that you’ll feel it tugging on your waistband unless you’ve got a sturdy belt setup. You’d think the shorter frame would help with concealment, but the double-stack .45 magazine still gives it a bulge that’s hard to hide. It runs fine, but most folks end up switching to something slimmer and lighter after a few weeks.
Walther PPS M2 LE Edition
The PPS M2 should’ve been a top-tier carry gun, but it had quirks that turned people off. The magazine release is small, and the mags themselves feel a bit clumsy going in and out. The grip is slim but long, and it tends to poke into your lower back or hip depending on where you carry. It also has a bit more recoil than you’d expect for its size, especially with hotter loads. It’s not quite as easy to conceal as you hope, and not quite as easy to shoot as you need. That’s a hard combo to justify.
FN 503
The FN 503 entered the single-stack game late and didn’t bring anything special with it. It’s slim, sure, but the ergonomics feel off. The grip angle is a little weird, and the flat-faced trigger has too much pre-travel. It’s also heavier than it looks, with a slide that’s hard to rack cleanly for a lot of shooters. The mag release is small and sits a little too flush. Most importantly, it doesn’t feel comfortable to carry or shoot, which defeats the whole purpose. It slips through the cracks and ends up in the back of the safe.
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*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.
