Over the years, Gun Tests Magazine has reviewed hundreds of concealable pistols chambered in 22 LR, 22 WMR, 32 H&R Magnum, 327 Magnum, 380 ACP, 38 Special, and 9mm Luger. While we don’t endorse the two rimfire rounds for carry, we do recognize a lot of folks choose to carry those small chamberings rather than do without. So we assembled this list of lower-recoil handguns in those two rimfire rounds as well as several centerfire chamberings for people who don’t, or can’t, deal with a lot of recoil in their hands. Some are current manufacture, and others available on the used market.
With that in mind, we’ve compiled our Top 10 Lower-Recoil Carry Handguns for 2025 in the listicle below. Generally, these are midsized or larger pistols whose recoil is less than smaller pocket guns. Of course, we haven’t tested every handgun on the market, so we’ll be interested to see which one is your favorite in the comments below. If your favorite isn’t in the list and you wonder how your pick may have fared in our tests, log-on to Gun-Tests.com and search for it. Many of the archived reviews are free to peruse without a subscription. As always, prices reflect what we paid for the gun at the time of the test. Expect the prices of new or used guns to be different. — Todd Woodard
10 Smith & Wesson Model 637-2 163050 38 Special +P, $389 (December 2018)
GUN TESTS GRADE: A
The 637 had all the right quality and features in a concealable revolver: consistent trigger pull, DA or SA trigger mode, recoil absorbing grip, and lightweight. Fired with standard-pressure rounds, it’s quite easy to shoot. Overall Length, 6.3 in. Barrel Length, 1.8 in. Weight Loaded, 15.3 oz. Capacity, 5.
9 CZ 83 380 ACP, $330 (January 2022)
GUN TESTS GRADE: A
This is a perennial winner in our 380 wrap-ups. Long out of production, this specific model is absolutely worth looking for at gun shows, pawn shops, and on line, but be prepared to pay more for one in tiptop condition. In our test, it did not suffer any type of stoppage. It was reliable, well made, and perhaps even overbuilt. Overall Length, 6.8 in. Weight Loaded, 32.0 oz. Barrel Length, 3.8 in. Magazine Capacity, 12 rounds.
8 Smith & Wesson Model 351 PD 160228 22 WMR, $766 (April 2021)
GUN TESTS GRADE: A
The double-action M351 revolver offers light weight, 7-shot capacity, and a bright Hi-Viz fiber-optic front sight that we really liked. Accuracy was good for the length. The smooth grip allowed easy pants-pocket carry.
7 EAA Girsan MC 14T 380 Auto, $387 (February 2025)
GUN TESTS GRADE: A
The Girsan knock-off of the Beretta 86 is unusual due to the tip-up barrel, which makes loading and firing the gun easy, especially for those who find racking the slide difficult to manage. The Girsan MC 14T is an unusual pistol that allows easy loading without having to rack the slide. This would be a good choice for those shooters lacking hand strength to rack a slide. Accuracy was great. Overall Length, 7.6 in. Weight Loaded, 26.6 oz. Barrel, 4.5 in. Capacity, 13+1.
6 Taurus TX 22 Compact 1-TX22131 22 LR, $329 (November 2023)
GUN TESTS GRADE: A
A friendly, reliable, and accurate firearm. We would choose this handgun for training anyone in need of hands-on instruction. Compact makes runs on steel plates and multiple targets faster than the others. As for bench accuracy, the Taurus TX 22 Compact is slightly behind the SIG P322, but not by much. The smallest group at 15 yards was 1.65 inch. This is quite an accurate pistol, and it is a Best Buy. Overall Length, 6.7 in. Weight Loaded, 18.92 oz. Barrel, 3.6 in. long. Magazines, (2) 13 round.
5 KelTec PMR-30 PMR30TACGY 22 WMR, $490 (April 2023)
GUN TESTS GRADE: A (BEST BUY)
The KelTec PMR-30 is the only pistol that did not fail to fire at least once, and while we really can’t count that against the Walther, it happened. The KelTec feeds everything, and even the non-recommended load worked fine. We feel that the light weight, ready accuracy, good handling and reliability of the PMR-30 make it a good choice. Not to mention 30-round magazines, even if loaded to only 25 rounds. Also, it features easy red-dot mounting and an accessory rail. We did not notice any loss in speed with the heel-type magazine release. Overall Length, 7.9 in. Weight Loaded, 17.8 oz. Slide Retraction Effort, 12.0 lbs. Barrel Length, 4.3 in. Magazines, (2) 30 round.
4 Ruger SP101 Model 5784 327 Federal Magnum, $749 (August 2021)
GUN TESTS GRADE: A
The SP101 in 327 FM offers excellent accuracy and versatility with the ability to fire multiple 32-caliber cartridges. It is heavy and that helped reduce felt recoil with hotter loads. Trigger pull was exceptionally smooth, but heavy. Overall Length, 8.0 in. Barrel Length, 3.0 in. Weight Loaded, 28.3 oz. Capacity, 6
3 SIG Sauer P365 XMacro Comp 365XCA-9-Comp 9mm Luger, $800 (September 2023)
GUN TESTS GRADE: A
The XMacro is in some ways a dream come true for concealed carry. The pistol is reliable and easy to shoot well. The compensator seems effective, the night sights are excellent, and the grip is comfortable. We truly believe the XMacro shoots as well as larger SIG P320 or Glock 19-type handguns. This is a good shooter, and the capacity doesn’t hurt.Overall Length, 6.6 in. Overall Height, 5.2 in. Maximum Width, 1.0 in. Barrel, 3.1 in. Magazines, (2) 17.
2 FN Reflex 66-101408 9mm Luger, $499 (February 2024)
GUN TESTS GRADE: A
Ranked our best-in-class pistol for 2024. After the smoke had cleared, the Reflex 9mm had exhibited no misfires, failures to feed, or failures to fire. Recoil is modest for the pistol’s size. Cocking serrations and grip treatment are well done. This is a well-designed pistol. Overall Length, 6.0 in. Overall Height w/flush-fit magazine, 4.5 in. Overall Height w/extended magazine, 5.0 in. Maximum Width, 1.0 in. Barrel, 3.3 in. Magazines, (1) 11, (1) 15.
1 Walther PDP F-Series 4-Inch 2842734 9mm Luger, $599 (June 2023)
GUN TESTS GRADE: A
The Walther PDP F may be designed for the female hand shape, but our male raters liked the gun as well. Our female raters do not like larger grips and found the PDP F to be an excellent fit. It is also a great shooter, well worth the tariff. While it is less expensive than the Shadow Systems MR920, it is a better shooter. Overall Length, 7.25 in. Overall Height, 5.4 in. Weight Loaded, 31.0 oz. Slide Retraction Effort, 14.0 lbs. Barrel Length, 4.0 in.
Note: All prices reflect actual retail purchase prices at the time of testing. Prices will likely have changed. Older pistols may still be available as NIB products or as used handguns.
As always, Gun Tests Magazine is supported by reader subscriptions only, so you can depend on these recommendations being free of monetization considerations on our posts or videos or social media traffic, and we don’t accept display advertising in the magazine. The sole basis for these recommendations is how the pistols worked during our testing with various shooters and various ammunition.
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