10 of the Best Compact Handguns for Less Than $900

 Here are some of the top compact handguns available for under $900.

When it comes to choosing a concealed carry pistol, compact is the way to go. The ideal compact pistol will offer plenty of stopping power while simultaneously offering good ergonomics and a lot of comfort when tucked in a waistband holster for extended periods of time.

Some concealed carry pistols can be quite pricey, but today we're focusing exclusively on guns in a variety of calibers that are under $900.

These concealed carry guns are reliable and could save your life in a self-defense scenario. They also won't totally break your bank account.

Springfield Armory Hellcat

The engineers over at Springfield Armory worked some real magic with this compact 9mm design. This handgun is still very new to the market. It's a great option for anyone who wants the comfort of a slim, light gun, but doesn't want to sacrifice magazine capacity. The Hellcat is only one inch wide, six inches long and four inches high, but it has a capacity of 11+1 rounds or 13+1 with the extended magazine! It's impressive they were able to get full-size capacity in such a compact 9mm pistol.

Even with those extra rounds for peace of mind, the whole package weighs only 18 ounces. This gun is fitted with a 3-inch barrel length and comes loaded with other features like slide serrations, a loaded chamber indicator and an accessory rail for a laser sight or flashlight. If you're looking for more accuracy, the "OSP" models come ready to mount a micro red dot sight. There's a lot to like with the Hellcat for only $500.

Sig Sauer P365

While we're still talking about the Hellcat, we should also note the Sig P365. Because Sig Sauer came up with the idea of a light, higher-capacity compact first with this striker-fired handgun. It has a capacity of 10+1 9mm rounds and is nearly the same size as the Hellcat. The weights are also comparable at 18 ounces.

The difference here is that Sig offers two different finishes, stainless steel and textured black polymer. This gun also has a few more variants. The XL model is slightly heavier at 20 ounces, but you get a slightly larger frame and magazine capacity. The Romeo Zero model is the same size as the XL, but also comes packaged with an optic. There's also options for a manual safety. Simply put, there's a lot to like with the P365s. Their features and awesome price point of $500 have gained these pistols plenty of positive reviews in the gun world.

Glock 26 Gen 4

There are plenty of compact semi-automatic Glocks on the market, but the 26 is arguably the most popular ones. The only one more popular than this is probably the subcompact Glock 19, but that gun has a much larger polymer frame. The 26 is a little over six inches long and just 1.26 inches wide and weighs about 25 ounces fully loaded, making it highly concealable. Despite the size, it doesn't skimp on firepower with a 10 round magazine. Speaking of magazines, Glock includes three with each Gen 4 model. It's nice to not have to go and pick up extras right after dropping $500 on a new gun.

Glock also includes three different backstraps with this 9mm handgun, so you can customize the fit to your hand straight out of the box. Combine that with the reliability of the brand, the ease of maintenance, and this is a great gun for a newer owner and concealed carrier.

Smith & Wesson M&P Shield M2.0 Compact

For anyone looking for a slim, single stack magazine handgun on a budget, it's hard to go wrong with the M&P Shield. Smith & Wesson designed these guns specifically for concealed carry purposes. One nice thing about this line is the number of calibers these guns are chambered in.

The Shield is available in 9mm, .40 S&W, .380 ACP and even .45 ACP. Features vary from model to model. Some feature a thumb safety while others have a grip safety. These guns only weigh about 18 ounces. S&W also offers a lot of sight options for these firearms. Some models ship with Crimson Trace laser sights already installed. Other sight options include HiViz fiber optics or Tritium night sights. The price here ranges from $400 to $550 depending on caliber and features. If you catch a sale at the right time, sometimes these guns can be had for as little as $350. A great price for anyone wanting semi-automatic handgun for self-defense purposes.

Kimber Micro .380

There is a reason the name Kimber is so respected in the gun world. It's not just because they make some of the best-looking handguns on the market. These are some of the most incredibly reliable pistols you can buy. That's not really all that surprising seeing as how the Micro .380s are built on the proven 1911-style designed by legendary gunmaker John Browning.

The Micro .380s are super light weight handguns, only weighing about 13 ounces thanks to the stainless steel barrels and aluminum frame. These are a great option for women or anyone with smaller hands because of the smaller frame. The overall length is just 5.6 inches. Depending on the model, they offer a magazine capacity either a 6+1 or 7+1 rounds of .380 ACP. These guns just look great, especially the ones with a two tone finish. The price varies from $560 to $850 depending on what finish and grips you get.

Ruger LCR

If you're looking for ease of use for yourself or a loved one, the Ruger LCR revolver is one of the best concealed carry revolvers on the market. It doesn't get much easier to operate than this. These double action revolvers have a hammerless design that makes it easy to draw from concealment without worry of it hanging up on clothing or items in a purse or handbag. The barrels are very short on these guns at only 1.87 inches, they're made for up close and personal encounters.

The LCR is available in popular self-defense rounds like .38 S&W, .357 Magnum and 9mm luger. The cylinder on several models are rated for +P ammo if you're looking for a little extra kick. Another big bonus, aside from the ease of use, is the light weight. The heaviest LCR only weighs about 15 ounces, making these guns comfortable for all-day carry. The price point is good too, these guns go for $500-$600.

Walther PK380

Another good option for women, the PK380 is only 1.2 inches wide and weighs only about 18 ounces fully loaded. The slide features serrations and is specifically designed to be easy to rack. The 3.66-inch barrel helps make it an accurate shooter, but the 6.5-inch overall length means it is easy to conceal. It also offers a double/single-action trigger system.

Chambered in .380 ACP, it also offers a decent capacity of 8+1 rounds. This firearm generally gets great reviews for being a very safe gun with minimal recoil. As a bonus, Walther includes a holster with purchase. The gun also comes at a nice price point of $500.

Sig Sauer P320

We already put one Sig on this list, but this is another great one that bears mentioning. The P320 is available in 9mm, .45 and .40 S&W, so there's something that's sure to fit almost any shooter's preferences. These are slightly larger than the other compacts we've talked about on this list, but these guns are more accurate due to longer barrels and have a much greater magazine capacity.

The P320 is striker-fired and extremely reliable. These guns continuously rack up positive reviews. This gun is usually praised most for its clean trigger pull. This Sig offers a picatinny rail for accessories and the slide features serrations that make the slide very easy to rack. The price varies between $530 and $650 new most days.

Taurus 709 Slim

Another great option for anyone on a budget, this dandy little 9mm can be found for under $300 brand new most of the time. The 709 has an overall length of just six inches but doesn't sacrifice on accuracy with a 3-inch barrel. It does have a bit of an unusual look to it, but this gun is more function over form. It is designed to have clean lines and few areas that can hang up on clothing. That matters when your life is on the line.

The 709 weighs 19 ounces and has a magazine capacity of 7+1 rounds. Online reviews praise it not just for being easily concealable, but for being incredibly reliable for the price too. If you thought it was too expensive to start carrying protection around, think again with the Taurus.

Colt Mustang Pocketlite

You can't go wrong with a storied name like Colt. The pocket lite is a .380 ACP, single-action, hammer-fired handgun. It features a 2.75-inch barrel and the whole gun is only 5.5 inches long as a result. If you're looking for a pocket gun, this is it. This is another high-quality firearm. The slide and barrel are stainless steel and the frame has a nice-looking nickel finish.

This gun only weighs 12.5 ounces. The magazine capacity is 6+1 rounds and Colt includes two magazines standard with purchase, a nice touch. Online reviews praise this gun for its minimal recoil and ability to eat nearly any kind of ammo. This one is one of the more expensive ones on this list at $800, but you're getting the reliability of the Colt name to go with it.

For more outdoor content from Travis Smola, be sure to follow him on Twitter and Instagram For original videos, check out his Geocaching and Outdoors with Travis YouTube channels. 

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