Top 5 Selling Handguns of 2016

[Plan2Live]

According to GunBroker, via an article posted by The Motley Fool, the Top 5 Selling Handguns of 2016 are; http://www.fool.com/investing/2016/11/26/the-5-best-selling-handguns-of-2016.aspx

No real surprises here but interesting to see what was popular, at least through GunBroker this year.

#1 - S&W Shield. Compact, light weight, reliable, satisfies most shooters' caliber preferences, can be purchase with or without a manual safety. S&W hit a homerun with this gun.

#2 - Ruger LCP. The ubiquitous option for deep concealment. The LCP is the .deep concealment equivalent of the .22 caliber, everybody has one.

#3 - Springfield XDs. Compact, reliable, offers shooters the added comfort of a grip safety. Available in 3.3" and 4" models. A little something for everyone.

#4 - Sig 938. Compact, reliable, lot's of models with various appearance packages, 1911ish design offers the 1911 crowd a smaller, more concealable option in their preferred platform.

#5 - Glock 19.

The gun toting community has spoken with their wallets.

 

[bannockburn]

Plan2Live

I agree, no surprises there. Definitely a strong buying preference for quality built concealed carry pistols. My own choices for CCW don't include any of the top sellers but pretty much mirror guns that are a similar size and caliber.

 

[Paleocon]

I must be the only guy who doesn't own an LCP. I do need a pocket pistol, and the new LCP II looks good. But, I'd prefer a Beretta Tomcat. Unfortunately, they seem rare, even though I understand Beretta is making them again. I the smaller caliber for less recoil in a tiny gun, and I also like the idea of a thumb safety. All my other pistols have a thumb safety. I am intrigued by Ruger selling the SAO LCP II without an affirmative external safety.

 

[JRWhit]

I would have assumed that Glock would have made the list with the G43 G42 or one of the sub-compacts. I wonder if LEO sales are figured in? The G19 just doesn't fit the trend laid out in 1-4.

 

[Kookla]

I would have assumed that Glock would have made the list with the G43 G42 or one of the sub-compacts. I wonder if LEO sales are figured in? The G19 just doesn't fit the trend laid out in 1-4.

Just about everything you read along with most videos you watch these days tout the Glock 19 as the gun to get. It being on that list is no surprise. It's the Colt SAA of our times. 150 years from now when they have Millenium Action Shooting, there will be those folks shooting great-great grandpa's Glock 19 and wearing their period correct Arc'Teryx softshells and Blackhawk cargo pants.

 

[JRWhit]

Just about everything you read along with most videos you watch these days tout the Glock 19 as the gun to get. It being on that list is no surprise. It's the Colt SAA of our times. 150 years from now when they have Millenium Action Shooting, there will be those folks shooting great-great grandpa's Glock 19 and wearing their period correct Arc'Teryx softshells and Blackhawk cargo pants.

Oh geez, I never even thought of that. I wonder if it'll be common place to flip it sideways?

 

[Plan2Live]

My own choices for CCW don't include any of the top sellers but pretty mirror guns that are a similar size and caliber.

Agreed, for now, although I did recently buy a LCP Custom. I preferred the larger sights and the aluminum trigger over the stock model. I wasn't happy about losing the re-strike capability that the original LCP had nor did I like dropping down to .380 but as I've said over and over again, "choosing any concealed carry handgun is a great big bundle of compromises". I can drop the LCP with its pocket holster in my right front pocket and no one sees it. I just have to remember my phone is no longer in that pocket when it rings. "Answering" my LCP would be awkward.

I am considering a Sig 938 Extreme as a middle sized gun to fit in between my normal carry pistol, a Sig 239, and the LCP but I'm still not 100% comfortable carrying cocked and locked so I haven't pulled the trigger on that purchase yet. Pun intended. If the 938 was a DA/SA with a decocker instead of a manual safety or even a DAO I would already own one.

 

[buck460XVR]

Since the biggest growth in the shooting sports right now is self-defense, it's no surprise that within the handgun platform, that handguns used for self-defense would be top sellers. Especially those within an entry level pricepoint and have been shown to be reliable.

 

[chicharrones]

I must be the only guy who doesn't own an LCP. I do need a pocket pistol, and the new LCP II looks good. But, I'd prefer a Beretta Tomcat. Unfortunately, they seem rare, even though I understand Beretta is majing them again. I the smaller caliber for less recoil in a tiny gun, and I also like the idea of a thumb safety. All my other pistols have a thumb safety. I am intrigued by Ruger selling the SAO LCP II without an affirmative external safety.

I don't have an LCP either, but I've fired a few due to the friends I have that own LCPs. I almost bought a Tomcat years ago, but the reports of frame cracking put me off from making that purchase.

 

[Cannibul]

I must be the only guy who doesn't own an LCP. I do need a pocket pistol, and the new LCP II looks good. But, I'd prefer a Beretta Tomcat. Unfortunately, they seem rare, even though I understand Beretta is majing them again. I the smaller caliber for less recoil in a tiny gun, and I also like the idea of a thumb safety. All my other pistols have a thumb safety. I am intrigued by Ruger selling the SAO LCP II without an affirmative external safety.

I don't own one nor to I want one. I've got my Sig P938. It's as small as I want to go.

 

[Indawind]

I don't own one nor to I want one. I've got my Sig P938. It's as small as I want to go.

Yep. My 938 with Corbon 115DPX +p will be just fine. It conceals beautifully so I have no need something smaller.

 

[375supermag]

I must be the only guy who doesn't own an LCP. I do need a pocket pistol, and the new LCP II looks good. But, I'd prefer a Beretta Tomcat. Unfortunately, they seem rare, even though I understand Beretta is majing them again. I the smaller caliber for less recoil in a tiny gun, and I also like the idea of a thumb safety. All my other pistols have a thumb safety. I am intrigued by Ruger selling the SAO LCP II without an affirmative external safety.

Hi...
Don't own one either.
Smallest I want to go is my Colt Combat Commander in .45ACP.
My concealed carry needs are pretty much covered by my Colt and a full-size Springfield Armory in .45ACP, although I do occasionally carry a Taurus DA .44Spl revolver when I run out to the convenience store at night. I also have a M&P .40S&W that has proved itself quite reliable and accurate that may eventually work its way into my carry options someday.

 

[Paleocon]

I don't have an LCP either, but I've fired a few due to the friends I have that own LCPs. I almost bought a Tomcat years ago, but the reports of frame cracking put me off from making that purchase.

I have an aversion to DA triggers. My four compact carry pistols are all DA/SA, but I've yet to fire any of them in DA. From practicing with my laser target, I know my SA groups are half as wide (four-times better) than my DA groups. With the price of ammo I can't afford warning or fouling shots, so I carry cocked & locked. The LCP II's SAO trigger eliminates this concern, but I'd prefer a thumb safety. Maybe Ruger will get around to making one an option, like on their non-Pro LC9s.

I think Beretta solved the Tomcat frame cracking problem by widening the slide, thus slowing it down, in 2008. The inox version has never had the problem, but the non-inox Tomcat is expensive enough.

 

[Sergei Mosin]

And me without any of those...

 

[Tallball]

I had a Tomcat and disliked it. The trigger was stiff, it was heavy, and fit my hand poorly. I traded. My P32 is a far better 32acp pocket pistol.

 

[Armored farmer]

I have an lcp.
Small, inexpensive, reliable.
It goes everywhere I go. Everywhere it's legal anyway.
The thing is.....i don't carry one in the pipe. I want to....just can't make myself.
I

 

[Paleocon]

I don't own one nor to I want one. I've got my Sig P938. It's as small as I want to go.

There is no question that, from a terminal ballistics perspective, a 9 Luger beats a .380 Auto, but I have peripheral neuropathy which manifests as a weak grip. I find myself dropping pens and similar tools. I've not dropped a gun, but I figure I'm best off with less recoil.

I'd be pleased with a SIG P238, but the darn thing is twice the price (based on MSRP) as the LCP II.

 

[MedWheeler]

I'm another who is lacking any of the list-makers. I have considered the LCP and, if I come across anyone looking to off one of theirs to upgrade to the LCP-II, I might be inclined to take it off their hands. However, my P32 is my go-to pocket gun, and I'm happy with it. A LCP would not likely replace it; it would just be another option.

 

[JRWhit]

I had the LCP for several years but to be honest. The trigger was considered to be good only comparatively to the Kel-tec P3AT. I traded for the upgrade in trigger from the LC9s Pro. Kinda surprised that one was not on this list.

 

[Cannibul]

And me without any of those...

I've got three of the five. Not the top two though.

I've got several XD pistols. Had all of them for years. I much prefer them over the Glocks.

 

[Paleocon]

I had the LCP for several years but to be honest. The trigger was considered to be good only comparatively to the Kel-tec P3AT. I traded for the upgrade in trigger from the LC9s Pro. Kinda surprised that one was not on this list.

What do you think of the LCP II's SAO trigger with only a tigger tab "safety." I understand the trigger pull is 6 lb. I've never seen the configuration before.

 

[Paleocon]

I've got several XD pistols. Had all of them for years. I much prefer them over the Glocks.

I'd likely opt for an XD or M&P over a Glock. Where does the M&P fit into your rating system among the three brands? Do you have an opinion on XD vs XDm?

 

[JRWhit]

What do you think of the LCP II's SAO trigger with only a tigger tab "safety." I understand the trigger pull is 6 lb. I've never seen the configuration before.

I haven't had the pleasure of the LCP II trigger but what I gather it is similar to the LC9s Pro. That being said I really like it. It isn't quite SA as the striker is about 90% of full travel. The squeeze of the trigger finishes the last bit of travel from the striker and then it is released to smash into the primer. For the money these are really good shooters and easy to get on target with. I treat it like a SA without a safety. It always first goes into the holster and then I put on the holster. I don't holster it IWB with one in the pipe because I feel it would be far to easy to snag the trigger. If I have to take it out to enter an excluded establishment it does not go back in without removing the holster. That tid bit is just my 2 cents and maybe worth less, but that's what I consider safe carry for a SA without safety IWB set up.

 

[Twiki357]

I don't have any of them. Been carrying a model 36 (More recently a model 37) since the late 1960s. Tried a 380, a 9mm and a 1911. I just keep going back to the J frames. As for #5, I just can't even get past the name.

 

[jeff-10]

I would have assumed that Glock would have made the list with the G43 G42 or one of the sub-compacts. I wonder if LEO sales are figured in? The G19 just doesn't fit the trend laid out in 1-4.

Doesn't fit the sub-compact mold but definitely fits in the whole overall scheme of handgun sales. It is economical, reliable, easy to use and compact. Perfect first gun, house gun or CCW for someone not looking for a pocket pistol. To me the P938 is the one that does not fit. Expensive and definitely a connoisseur's gun with its 1911 manual of arms. It's a very interesting list none the less. Notable for the fact that it has no revolvers or service pistols and that Springfield made the list.