Full Size Pistols – Pistol Buyers Guide

A full-size pistol has a long slide and a grip that fits your whole hand with room to spare. The extra size and weight make it the easiest kind of pistol to shoot well, which is why full-size guns are the top choice for home defense, the range and police duty.

Why choose a full-size pistol?

Pros

Softest recoil and fastest follow-up shots
Longest sight radius for better accuracy
Most rounds in the magazine
Best grip for larger hands

Cons

Hardest to conceal
Heaviest to carry all day
Usually needs an outside-the-waistband holster for carry

Popular full-size pistols

Model	Maker	Type	Why it is popular
G17, G45	Glock	Striker-fired 9mm	The original Glock and its compact-slide cousin
P320 / M17	SIG Sauer	Striker-fired 9mm	U.S. Army service pistol
M&P 2.0	Smith & Wesson	Striker-fired	Police favorite with a great grip
92FS / M9	Beretta	DA/SA 9mm	Served the U.S. military for three decades
VP9	Heckler & Koch	Striker-fired 9mm	Excellent trigger and ergonomics
Echelon	Springfield Armory	Striker-fired 9mm	Modular, optics-ready service pistol
CZ 75 B	CZ	DA/SA 9mm	All-steel classic, very accurate
Government 1911	Colt	Single action .45 ACP	The original 1911

Home defense tips

Add a weapon light so you can identify what you are aiming at in the dark.
Keep it in a quick-access safe, ready but away from kids and visitors.
Practice with the same ammo you keep loaded, and see Pistol Calibers for choosing a round.
Many full-size pistols can be carried well with a good outside-the-waistband holster. See Holster Buyers Guide.com.

Gear for your full-size pistol

We may earn a commission from these links at no cost to you. Learn more.

Videos

H&K USP 9mm DAO Review

Three Beretta 92 Pistols 9mm

Compare sizes: Full Size · Compact · Sub-Compact · All pistol sizes side by side

Specs are typical ranges. Always check the model you are buying.