I’m Kayla Sox. I’ve got small hands, short thumbs, and a pretty normal fear of loud bangs. I also train, carry legal where I live, and shoot most weeks. I care about safety first. And I’m picky. Very picky. For an additional round-up of concealed-carry pistols chosen specifically for women, the editors at Shooting Times share their favorites here.
For an even deeper dive into how I narrow down the field, my full comparison guide is over here: The Best Guns for Women—From My Hands to Yours.
Quick note: follow your local laws, use a safe holster that covers the trigger, and store locked when not on you. I use a small bedside safe at home and a range bag with a lock when I travel. Looking for a bag that blends in? Some of the low-key carryalls I loved while testing pickleball bags for women pull double duty as discreet range totes.
If your travels ever take you abroad—say to France, where civilian carry is essentially a non-starter—you’ll be leaving your firearm stateside. But that doesn’t mean you have to skip all the fun: before you land, pop over to PlanCul Toulouse to line up casual meet-ups with locals, so you can swap range time for real-time conversation and explore the city with insider guidance.
Closer to home, if a cross-country match or training course lands you in Iowa and you’d rather trade solo hotel meals for some lively, grown-up company, check out the local sugar-dating scene at Sugar Daddy Des Moines; the site lets you line up mutually beneficial dinners, drinks, or sightseeing breaks so you’re not spending off-range hours stuck scrolling Netflix.
Fit Comes First (Yes, Before Brand)
Here’s the thing. A gun that fits your hand will feel calmer. It points where you look. It’s easier to rack. It kicks less, or at least it feels like it.
What I check:
- Can I reach the trigger without twisting my grip?
- Can I lock the slide back without strain?
- Does the grip bite my palm?
- Can I load a mag without pinching?
If those are good, I can work with the rest.
The Ones I Keep Reaching For
Smith & Wesson M&P Shield Plus (9mm)
This one lives in my waistband a lot. The grip is thin, but not too thin. The texture is grippy without sandpaper burn. I’ve got about 1,200 rounds through mine over a year. One stovepipe in the first 100. None since.
What I love:
- Easy-to-reach trigger for small hands.
- Good sights out of the box.
- It hides under a T-shirt with a plain Kydex holster.
What bugs me:
- The slide feels a touch stiff on cold mornings.
- Recoil is snappy with hotter ammo, but still fine for me.
Best for: small hands, daily carry, folks who want simple.
Sig Sauer P365 (9mm)
Tiny gun, big mood. I carried this one a whole summer. Shorts, tank, the whole light clothes thing. It vanishes.
What I love:
- Size-to-capacity is wild for how small it is.
- Great trigger feel for its size.
- Easy to carry when it’s blazing hot out.
What bugs me:
- With the 10-round mag, my pinky hangs off and gets cranky. The 12-round mag fixes it, but adds a bit of length.
- Recoil is sharper than the Shield Plus. Not bad—just lively.
Best for: deep concealment, small frames, light outfits.
Glock 43X (9mm)
I fought this one for months. I thought the grip felt too square. Then I took a two-day class and it made sense. It’s steady. It just runs.
What I love:
- Very reliable. Zero malfunctions for me so far—about 1,500 rounds.
- The slide is smooth. Easy to rack.
- The trigger is boring in a good way. Same pull, every time.
What bugs me:
- Stock sights aren’t my fave. I swapped to steel.
- The grip is a little wide for my palm, but I adjusted my grip and it clicked.
Best for: people who want simple and tough, and don’t want to baby gear.
Walther PDP F-Series (9mm)
This one feels like it was built for my hands. Shorter reach to the trigger, easy slide, soft recoil. I used it for a weekend class—about 600 rounds in two days. My hands weren’t cooked.
What I love:
- Slide is light. My mom can rack it. I can rack it on a bad wrist day.
- Trigger is crisp, like a light switch.
- Sits low. Stays flat in recoil.
What bugs me:
- It’s bigger, so it’s not my summer carry. I carry it more in fall and winter, under layers.
Best for: range days, classes, home use, or carry with a good belt and cover.
Ruger LCP II (.380)
I only carry this when I can’t carry much. Dress clothes, a tiny clutch, that type of day. It’s tiny, and it feels tiny.
What I love:
- It’s so light it feels like a toy. Careful though—it’s still a gun.
- It hides when other guns don’t.
What bugs me:
- It’s snappy for its size. Harder to shoot past 10 yards.
- The small grip gets old fast. Practice is not fun.
Best for: rare “I need a very small gun” days.
S&W J-Frame Airweight (Model 642, .38 Special)
I learned on one in a ladies’ class. Then I bought one for my glove box and carry it sometimes on walks. No buttons. No slide. It just works.
What I love:
- Simple manual of arms. Load, close, press.
- No slide to rack. Great for people with weak hands.
What bugs me:
- Heavy trigger. Plan to practice. A lot.
- Recoil is stout in a light snub nose. My palm reminds me later.
Best for: folks who want simple, and will practice that trigger.
A .22 I Actually Use: Glock 44 (.22 LR)
I use this to calm my brain and fix flinch. I bring it to the range as a warm-up. Ten minutes of easy reps, then I move to 9mm. Sounds silly, but it helps.
What I love:
- Cheap to shoot. Low recoil.
- Great for learning sights and trigger.
What bugs me:
- .22 can be picky with ammo. I had a few duds. I just tap-rack and keep going.
Best for: training days, new shooters, bad-habit days.
How I Test a Gun (My Simple Routine)
I keep it very basic:
- 50 slow rounds at 5–7 yards. I watch my sights.
- 50 rounds with some speed. Draw from holster, one shot, then two.
- 20 rounds with my “weak” hand. It’s ugly, but needed.
- A few reloads from a spare mag, just to feel the rhythm.
If the gun stays comfy, feeds well, and my shots stay where I call them—I keep it. If my hand gets chewed, or controls feel far away, I pass.
If you want to see the messy middle of that process—yes, all the pistols that failed my small-hand test—have a scroll through my field notes in I Tried a Bunch of Handguns: Here’s What Actually Worked for Me as a Woman.
Holsters That Stayed Put
This part matters. A good holster makes a good gun feel great.
- AIWB (front carry): PHLster Enigma is my dress-and-leggings trick. It hides gear well without a belt.
- Simple Kydex with a wing: Works for my Shield Plus and 43X with jeans and a real belt.
- Belly band with a hard shell: I use this for workouts. It’s not my daily, but it can work.
Whatever you pick, make sure the trigger is fully covered, it doesn’t collapse, and it stays put when you move.
Little Things That Made a Big Difference
- Grip length: a pinky shelf (longer mag) made my P365 way nicer.
- Sights: brighter sights help on cloudy days. Steel lasts longer.
- Belts: a stiff belt prevents sag and keeps the draw smooth.
- Ears: I use good electronic ear pro. Less flinch, more focus.
- Storage: small locked safe by the bed, bigger safe in the closet. Simple and safe.
Quick Picks, No Fuss
- Best all-around for small hands: Shield Plus or P365.
- Easiest slide and softest feel: Walther PDP F-Series.
- Most “set it and forget it”: Glock 43X.
- Tiny “carry when nothing else fits”: Ruger LCP II.
- Simple, no slide: S&W J-Frame 642.
- Budget training