We’re quickly approaching the end of 2025, meaning that it’s once again time for our Ballistic’s Best firearm rankings. Eight gunmakers sent us examples for the Compact Handguns category. These eight guns run from the subcompact classification to pushing the boundaries of full-size pistols. But that’s the nature of the “compact” tag these days, and that’s a good thing. Gun owners have more choices than ever to maximize their carry experience.
They also run the full spectrum in terms of price, offering insights into how much it really costs to carry an effective sidearm. We put a lot of thought into the value those price tags bring in a sometimes challenging market. You almost always get what you pay for with firearms, especially on the lower end. But we have identified some high-value handguns if your budget is tight.
Ballistic’s Best Compact Handguns Test Procedure
Each handgun made multiple range trips, where we shot them methodically and ran a few drills, including reloads. The guns fired at least 200 rounds each, with several getting a few more. They are all optic-ready, and three arrived with optics already installed. I dug into my personal gear to outfit the others, so all were on roughly equal footing.
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This was not a “burn down” session, but we tried to simulate normal operation while inducing mild to moderate stress on the shooter. The guns were not cleaned or serviced before or during the testing, aside from ensuring they were all properly lubed beforehand.
Scoring
The guns were ranked in nine separate categories on a scale of 1 to 5. We used decimals, such as “3.8,” for best accuracy and to avoid ties. We considered “3” to be an average score in each category. It’s nothing special, but it’s not bad. Some categories influence others, like recoil and accuracy. We tried to account for that in our scores.
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Some categories are more subjective than others, so shooters sometimes had very different opinions, which are reflected in the average values. I’ll point out notable differences in some categories, but our overall rankings were almost exactly the same, with only a slight deviation.
Four of the guns’ slide releases were all but unusable because they were so stiff. Some companies refer to the tab as a “slide stop,” indicating the stiffness is by design. But many trainers teach students to use the tab to drop the slide, so we dinged those guns for that issue, even though we are all comfortable with manual operation.
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Amazingly, we only experienced two malfunctions in the course of our testing, and they weren’t where we might have expected them. Those will be duly noted.
Meet The Evaluators
I was instructed to assemble a three-man evaluation team, including me. My first team member is my adult son, Will Lawson, who has been shooting with me for 18 years and helping me test firearms and gear since 2015. The second is our friend Ethan D’arpa, a patrol officer with the Roanoke, Virginia Police Department and longtime firearms enthusiast.
We talked about our evaluations a little, but we refrained from trying to influence each other’s opinions. Will and I have been shooting together for a very long time, and we have both shot with Ethan quite a bit. We respect each other’s abilities and understand that we each value different aspects and features.
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We shot at the Izaak Walton League of the New River Valley’s pistol range in our native Southwest Virginia.
Ammo-to-Go generously sent us a case of 115-grain Blazer Brass FMJ and a case of 115-grain Federal American Eagle FMJ for the project. We couldn’t have done it without their support.
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Ballistic’s Best Compact Handguns Contenders
The eight compact handguns will be addressed in alphabetical order, with the overall winner and final standings presented at the end.
Bear Creek Arsenal BC-102 Grizzly
Bear Creek Arsenal’s BC-102 Grizzly is a Glock 19 clone with some surprisingly nice features. The ported slide reduces weight, and the barrel is available with different finishes. They sent us the rose gold barrel, which does look pretty good. The company’s “Bear Fur” stippling is very effective, and the gun’s slide serrations make it easy to run the action. One mark against the Grizzly is that the slide release is so stiff that it’s mostly unusable.
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The Grizzly’s slide is cut for direct mount RMR footprint optic, though it lacks the front anchor lugs. That said, the optic held steady throughout our tests, and the luminescent 3-dot irons are effective. The Grizzly’s features are frankly nicer than those of a Glock 19. Note that I said “nicer,” not “better.” Claiming that a budget gun is better than a Glock would be nothing short of absurd. But the Grizzly offers what seems to be an above average gun at a price just about anyone can afford. Most important, the Grizzly ate everything we fed it with no stoppages. We can’t speak to long-term durability, but it worked well for us. We gave this gun high marks for value.
CZ Shadow 2 Carry
The CZ Shadow 2 Carry is a direct offshoot of CZ’s immensely popular Shadow 2 competition series. The Shadow 2 Carry feels awesome in the hand, and the textured Duralumin grips make sure it stays there. This was the only double-action/single-action pistol we tested, with mixed opinions. Will and I particularly like DA/SA guns, so its handling got high marks from us. Ethan strongly prefers single-action-only pistols, so the trigger challenged him more than it did us. The decocker and half-cock function make for a nice first trigger pull.
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The CZ 75’s influence is apparent in the Shadow 2 Carry’s tapered, low-profile slide, which gives the gun a low bore axis but requires practice to rack effectively. The tapered slide also takes a subcompact optic, but the RMSc footprint is easily accommodated. Despite its somewhat unique characteristics relative to the other guns, the Shadow 2 Carry scored high marks for its performance and handling. It was very accurate and oh, so smooth. And it’s frankly a very sexy firearm, almost like a beautiful race horse. It was also 100 percent reliable through our tests.
Our only reservation is the price tag. The Shadow 2 Carry is a super nice gun, but the next most expensive gun in our trials can be had for half the price. Only you can decide whether the extra money is worth it.
Editor’s Note: Check out the Rotten Gun Reviews of the CZ Shadow 2 Carry here.
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IWI Masada Slim Elite
IWI seemingly remains one of the handgun industry’s best-kept secrets, offering quality guns at attractive prices. The Masada Slim Elite is no different, offering a slim profile with a double-stack magazine for a powerful punch in a small package. The slide has generous serrations for easy cocking and the stippled polymer grip is firm in the hand. The trigger is surprisingly good, though a step below the best ones we tested.
The only knock, if you can call it that, on the Masada Slim Elite is the ho-hum 3-dot sights. They’re fine, but we’d rather see the luminescent sights most of the other guns had. The direct-mount RMSc optic cut lets you make up for that if you want. The sights are, however, suppressor-height, so they can be used through the optic if necessary.
The Masada Slim Elite performed well across the spectrum of categories and was a favorite with all three shooters. The gun experienced zero malfunctions through our tests. We felt the Masada Slim Elite was among the best values of the guns we tested. You get a lot for the money from a proven company.
Rost Martin RM1S
Rost Martin is a relatively new gunmaker from Dallas, Texas, and they have a respectable line of affordable handguns. This was the first Rost Martin for me and Will, but Ethan owns a different Rost Martin model, so he was somewhat familiar with it. The RM1S is the company’s subcompact carry model. The gun’s features are solid and they work. We found the trigger to be average. I thought it was a little rough; Ethan thought it above average; and Will scored it right down the middle. Subjectivity strikes again.
The magazine ejector was also a bit rougher than the others, but it worked. The sights are a standard 3-dot affair and the slide is optic ready using the included RMR plate. The iron sights are not functional with an optic thanks to the plate. Suppressor-height sights would be nice. The RM1S was 100 percent reliable throughout our tests. The RM1S isn’t fancy, but it performed, and that’s what counts.
Ruger Max 9 4-Inch
Ruger’s Max-9 has been around for a few years and has proven to be a solid gun for a good price. I own a subcompact, 3-inch barreled Max-9, so I was interested to see how the 4-inch version performed. The barrel and slide length is the only real difference from the original Max-9, adding an extra inch of sight radius and bit more weight at the muzzle. The grip is firm and the slide racks easily. The trigger is pretty good and the tritium iron sights are excellent. The direct-mount RMSc and JPoint footprint provides nice optic availability.
Will and I liked the Max-9 4-inch better than Ethan. He didn’t care for the grip and the handling. None of us liked the all but unusable slide release, and we felt the Max-9’s recoil was a bit heavier than that of the other pistols. It wasn’t really bad, but it was just a little snappier. Will and I liked the Max-9’s looks, but Ethan disagreed. The Ruger was 100 percent reliable for us.This gun also scored high in terms of value.
Sig Sauer P365 FUSE
The P365 FUSE is Sig’s latest iteration of the wildly successful P365 line. The FUSE marries the P365’s slim profile to a full-size grip, creating a best-of-both-worlds firearm. The FUSE ships with one 17-round and two 21-round magazines, each featuring the P365’s double stack design. The grip’s stippling is very nice, and the FUSE had one of the two best grips we tested, along with the CZ. The flat-faced trigger is outstanding.
The deep cocking serrations help the smooth slide, which is cut for the SIG-LOC compact footprint. I don’t like proprietary rails and footprints, but that’s just what Sig does. They don’t try to hide it. The tritium fiber optic front sight is fantastic, and we thought it the best of the bunch. The gun is buttery smooth and very accurate, and we all gave it high marks.
Surprisingly, the FUSE experienced one of our two malfunctions. Ethan had a failure to feed while running a drill with the Blazer Brass ammo. He cleared it easily and we had no more issues.
Smith & Wesson M&P Shield X
Smith & Wesson’s M&P line is well-proven and we had high hopes for the Shield X. Building on the successful Shield subcompact pistol, the Shield X adds a longer grip for better purchase and higher magazine capacity. The slide operation is quite smooth and we all liked the grip. Very positive and comfortable. The trigger was good too, and the only operational problem was the non-functional slide release. Smith & Wesson is among the companies that call it a “slide stop.”
We found the Shield X to be very accurate, and it scored high with all three shooters. The Ameriglo Trooper sights are very good, and the direct-mount RMSc/K optic footprint means you can access them even with an optic if necessary. Perhaps it’s partially the M&P name, but we all expressed high confidence in this gun. We would all carry it without hesitation, despite the slide release issue. It ran like a champ, with no malfunctions.
Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro Comp
The Springfield Armory Hellcat is a popular subcompact pistol, so why not expand that line with some cool features? The Hellcat Pro Comp does just that with an integrated compensator for reduced muzzle flip. Even better, the ported slide and barrel don’t add extra length onto the standard Hellcat Pro. I felt the comp reduced the muzzle rise, but Ethan and Will disagreed. We didn’t have a non-comped Hellcat, but they thought the recoil was no better or worse than our other test guns.
The gun’s other features were fine, but no better than any of the others. I thought the cocking serrations should be deeper, though I had no trouble with the operation. The slide release doesn’t really work, so that’s disappointing. The trigger was average, though I ranked it higher than the Rost Martin. It bit me a couple times before I altered my grip just a bit, but it was fine after that.
We liked the Springfield’s grip, with its slight finger grooves and nice stippling. The luminescent sights are nice, and the rear U-notch frames it very well. The versatile direct-mount Springfield OSP optic footprint is also a plus. The Hellcat Pro Comp, however, had our other malfunction, with Will experiencing a failure-to-feed with the Blazer Brass ammo. Again, he cleared it easily and we had no further problems.
And the Winner Is…
We scored each pistol in the following nine categories: Aesthetics, Ergonomics, Sights, Trigger, Recoil, Reloading, Accuracy, Reliability, and Value. We averaged the scores between the three evaluators and came up with a final total score for each firearm.
Again, subjectivity weighs heavy on tests like this. Our final rankings were very similar, but we arrived at them in slightly different ways. Each shooter experiences the guns a little differently, and our preferences vary. The only difference in our final scores, however, were in the bottom two, where one of us reversed the order.
The clear winner was the Sig Sauer P365 FUSE with an overall score of 42.38 out of a possible 45. The P365 FUSE, despite its one reliability hiccup, stood out for us all. There was really no question, even with Will, who is a die-hard DA/SA shooter. It was just that good. The Sig had the highest score in seven of nine categories. The misfire lost it ground in reliability, while it tied for third with the Ruger in the value category.
Runner-Ups
The CZ Shadow 2 Carry’s second place finish also deserves mention, earning a 39.43 final score.The smooth operation and accuracy earned high marks across the board, but we all ranked its value lower than the other guns. Again, that is a subjective evaluation from three working stiffs who could buy two P365 FUSE pistols for the price of the CZ. Your situation may be different.
Perceived value in an inflated economy was front and center in our minds, and we feel the top-scoring guns deserve mention. The Bear Creek Grizzly, IWI Masada Slim Elite, Ruger Max 9, and Sig P365 FUSE all had aggregate scores of 4.5 or higher in that category. All the aggregate category scores, plus the final score, are included in the accompanying chart, which lists the gunsin order of their final placement.
Final Thoughts
These tests were fun and informative. Some of our findings surprised us, in good ways and not so good. I want to stress, once again, that these findings are subjective. Only the reliability scores are based on empirical evidence. Accuracy can also be empirical, though you should always account for the shooters’ skill levels. We are all experienced shooters, but none of us is competition level.
I think I should also note that Will and I view things as gun enthusiasts who count ourselves lucky to work in the firearms media. That gives us a wide range of experience with different guns, and the accompanying basis for comparison. Ethan, on the other hand, sees these guns in terms of his experience as a cop. He likes guns as much as Will and I do, but his primary angle is duty weapons and how they are deployed. His focus is necessarily narrower than mine and Will’s. That’s a big reason for his unfamiliarity with the DA/SA CZ pistol. Modern departments just don’t issue those kinds of guns anymore. He still ranked it second, just as Will and I did.
Overall, we gave these firearms a fair shake. We tried to filter out any inherent bias and judge each gun on its merits. I think we succeeded for the most part. Brand name carried minimal weight, though we all admit to having high expectations for the Shield X and we had to judge the Bear Creek Grizzly in terms of the gun it emulates.
We hope you found this project informative. We don’t expect everyone to agree with all our assessments, but we think we’ve provided you with a good-faith starting place if you’re shopping for a new compact handgun.
Specifications
Ballistic’s Best Compact Handguns Scoring
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