Best Tactical Pistols

The title of this article might have you thinking, what makes a pistol tactical? Tactical means of tactics, and it’s a term that gets tossed around the gun world a bit too much. Is a stock standard revolver tactical if used in a tactical manner? Anything can be tactical, and in the gun world, most things are tactical or at least labeled as such. Defining what a tactical pistol is is the first step in picking tactical pistols.

Features of Tactical Pistols 

With that in mind, a tactical pistol is an ultra-modern design. It’s the bleeding edge of modern handguns. I think a tactical pistol needs to have a few qualities to make the list. Not all are necessary, but a combination of the following helps make it a tactical option. To be a tactical pistol, the gun needs to be optics-ready. That’s step one. 

Next, it should come ready with an accessory rail for lights, lasers, and similar items. We should also see features like suppressor height sights, threaded barrels, or maybe bonus features that aren’t quite common but give the pistol an added edge. Things like compensators, extended magazines, and ambidextrous controls certainly help. 

These guns should come in a modern caliber with a competitive capacity. I’m talking double-stack magazines at a minimum. We should also see a degree of ergonomic modernization with the weapon. Small improvements that make it stand out compared to the standard world of pistols.

Best Tactical Pistols 

Best Tactical Pistols

Best Overall Arex Delta Gen.2 Tactical		Optics Ready Threaded Barrel Cowitness Ready Sights	Check It Out
Best Budget CZ P09 Nocturne		Double Action Massive Controls Optics Ready	Check It Out
Best Optic Ready HK VP9 Tactical O.R.		Optics Ready Cowitness Height Sights Grip Customization	Check It Out
Best Ambidextrous FN 509 Tactical		Optics Ready Cowtiness Height Sights Extended Magazines	Check It Out
Best Concealed Carry SIG P365 FUSE		Duty Size and Slim 17 to 21 round magazines Optics Ready	Check It Out
Best Versatile Springfield Armory Echelon		Ambidextrous Controls Easy to Use Optics Ready	Check It Out
Best Ergonomics Staccato HD P4		Optics Ready Cowitness Height Sights Low Recoil Design	Check It Out

Best Tactical Pistols Reviews 

Arex Delta Gen.2 Tactical Review

One of the best options you can get at a great price is the Arex Delta Gen.2 Tactical pistol. The Arex Delta Gen.2 builds on the earlier model by making a more modern, more ergonomic pistol that pushes the limits. Somehow, they did all this and produced an extremely affordable pistol at the same time. The Arex Delta Gen.2 series are polymer frame, 9mm handguns, and the Tactical model incorporates a number of features that push the gun into the tactical world of handguns. 

This includes an optics-ready option with a number of plates to accommodate a ton of different optics. The gun also incorporates a set of suppressor height iron sights and a threaded barrel. Of course, the Arex Delta series comes equipped with rails for lights, lasers, and more. If tactical was on a gauge, it would be pegging to the right hard. It really swings in with all the points. 

Beyond a set of neat and shiny features, we get a solid pistol. The trigger is flat-faced and provides a fairly crisp and light pull. It’s not a match trigger, but it’s not bad for a duty-style handgun. The magazine release is extended and quite impressive. It comes setup for right-handed shooters, but an included button allows you to swap it for lefties. 

My favorite feature of the Arex Delta Gen.2 Tactical pistol is the grip. Somehow, they found a way to make a grip that houses a double-stack magazine quite svelte. It just fits perfectly in your hand, and the grip is designed to encourage a nice high grip on the gun, which allows for excellent control overall. 

While the Arex Delta series isn’t as proven as other, more popular gunmakers, it’s performed without a problem at the range. I’ve become a huge fan of the Arex Delta series, and the Tactical model is a shining light in an affordable collection. For less than 500 bucks, you are getting a fantastic weapon. The downside is that the aftermarket sucks, and finding holsters can be tricky.

Arex Delta Gen.2 Tactical Pros and Cons

CZ P09 Nocturne Review

CZ USA presents us with an updated polymer pistol at a highly competitive price point. While some shooters prefer the simplicity of striker-fired options, there is a dedicated cult of us who still prefer the old school classic DA/SA design. The Nocturne series updates the beloved P-09 line, slotting it into the realm of full-size and compact defensive firearms that challenge the G17/G19 benchmarks.

The P09 C Nocturne immediately brings the pistol up to current standards. Most notably, it arrives optics-ready, featuring a direct mill for the RMSc or Holosun K patterns. What is excellent about this is the slide cut depth, allowing the factory iron sights to achieve a clean lower-third cowitness. The slide itself features deeper, more aggressive serrations for easier manipulation.

Beyond these modern must-haves, the core CZ DNA remains. The grip retains its brilliant, svelte ergonomics, now paired with a more aggressive texture pattern that locks the hand in place. This high grip meshes perfectly with the minimalist slide, resulting in minimal felt recoil and muzzle rise, which is key for speed. From a low ready, I achieved a fast six-round group on an A-Zone in just over two seconds. It’s built to be flat-shooting and highly controllable.

The primary sticking point remains the tried-and-true Omega trigger. The double-action press is stiff, and the single-action reset is quite long. While this doesn’t tank accuracy—hitting steel targets at 50 yards was achievable—it is the one component that feels dated compared to the rest of the package. Capacity is standard for the platform, which is a huge plus.

The Nocturne’s greatest strength is that CZ simply listened. The controls are improved, the capacity is high, and it’s ready for a red dot out of the box. That’s a capable defensive pistol well-suited for duty or home defense.

CZ P09 Nocturne Pros and Cons

HK VP9 Tactical O.R. Review

When tactical is in the name, you can expect something pretty awesome. The HK VP9 Tactical O.R. is what happens when HK pushes the gas pedal to the floor on the VP9 series. I’ll give you two guesses what O.R. stands for, but I bet you’ll only need one. If you don’t like games, O.R. stands for Optics Ready. HK is famously great at making guns but slow at making them better. With that said, the HK VP9 O.R. took things to the next level. The HK VP9 Tactical O.R. gives us all the tactical goodness we could ever want. 

The HK VP9 Tactical O.R. uses a series of adapter plates, so you can use any number of dozens of optics out there with your HK. This includes popular options like Trijicon, Holosun, and many more. The gun comes with suppressor height sights that make it easy to co-witness with your optic. The barrel is also threaded, so you might be using suppressor height sights for an actual suppressor. To top off the tactical features, a rail lets you attach whatever accessory you could ever want. 

One of the VP9’s best features is its ergonomics. The ability to truly customize the grip takes things to the next level. In training new shooters, I’ve found the VP9 to be one of the best weapons for those with smaller hands. Plenty of smaller shooters flock to the VP9 once it’s set up properly. 

As you’d imagine, HK would refine the striker fire trigger to a new level. It’s not like most Glocks or M&Ps. It’s more refined, more consistent, and lacks the plastic-on-plastic feeling of most striker-fired handguns. The K Vp9 O.R. Tactical might be HK’s most modern pistol, and it’s certainly an outstanding option for self-defensive, duty use, or the competitive market.

HK VP9 Tactical O.R. Pros and Cons

FN 509 Tactical Review

I remember the MHS contest like it was yesterday. I remember hearing about entries from SIG, S&W, and FN and wondering without much patience about which one would win. Eventually, we all know SIG took the crown, but FN wasn’t going to let their FN 509 pistol fade away. Unlike other FN pistols, the FN 509 would receive FN’s full support. The FN 509 went on to become the LAPD’s pistol of choice, and FN released an arsenal of 509s, including the 509 Tactical. 

Listen, I swear I followed my rules about picking tactical pistols. It’s not my fault they have tactical in the name. The FN 509 hits that sweet tactical milestone with features like the FN optic’s cut and plate system that gives you access to a number of optics for the FN 509 series. These include all your favorites, and it’s a fairly robust system. FN backs your optic up with suppressor height iron sights that are even shielded to prevent the rear sight from getting bent. 

The barrel is threaded, and I hate feeling like a broken record, but the gun does feature an optic rail. Tactical guns are not supposed to be small guns, so the gun’s 24-round magazines aren’t afraid to be a bit longer than most. I applaud the use of bigger magazines, especially for a weapon designed for tactical use. Tactical use is self-defense in our case, but there is also the competition circuit that appreciates such things. If you want flush-fitting, then you also get a 17-round magazine, but that’s nowhere near as fun. 

FN invested heavily into the idea of a modern pistol, so it’s not a surprise the controls are ambidextrous. Who wants a right-handed only option? FN also uses a cold hammer forged barrel with a target crown to drive the accuracy up to levels a bit higher than awesome. What I pick on most with the FN 509 series is the dedication to an average trigger. If I’m spending a grand, I want more than average.

FN 509 Tactical Pros and Cons

SIG P365 FUSE Review

SIG called their newest model the FUSE, but what are they fusing? They fused the P365’s slim design and efficient magazine with the size and capacity of a modern duty pistol. SIG used the narrow frame that made the P365 famous and stretched it out with a 4.3-inch barrel and a full-size grip module, making it feel more like a Glock 19 than a concealed carry pistol in terms of shootability, but remaining significantly thinner than other compact designs. 

The FUSE uses the P365 Macro Grip Module, featuring aggressive, crater-like texturing on all sides of the grip to ensure a firm, non-slip purchase, even when shooting quickly. SIG went with the excellent flat-faced, nickel-plated trigger common to the X-series. This trigger provides a short, crisp pull that has very little overtravel. It’s a little mushy, but fantastic overall

A major selling point is its efficient magazine capacity. It ships with a 17-round flush-fitting magazine and 21-round extended magazines. If you have to reload, the FUSE comes with a removable magazine well flare. Of course, it comes optics-ready for RMS-c footprint optics, with the iron sights positioned low enough to allow for a lower 1/3 co-witness.

While it bridges the gap between micro-compact carry and duty use, its size is an important consideration. This model is less concealed carry-friendly compared to other P365 variants. 

Overall, the FUSE is positioned as a versatile, single-gun solution: small enough to be concealed but large enough to shoot exceptionally well, with great capacity right out of the box.

SIG P365 FUSE  Pros and Cons

Springfield Armory Echelon Review

The Springfield Armory Echelon was a nice surprise for shooters. Springfield and HS Produkt has traditionally brought XD pistols to the world of handguns, but the XD series wasn’t universally beloved. It seems like both companies took the criticism to heart and produced a gun that was radically different. The Echelon is an advancement on the XD and was such an advancement that it rated an escape from the series. 

The Echelon packs on the tactical pounds with the best multiple-optic mounting system I’ve ever seen. The VIS uses a series of threaded slots and removable recoil bosses to accommodate a ton of different optics. It doesn’t need plates and sits the optic so low that your normal sight co-witness with most optics. The Echelon comes with a threaded barrel if the user opts for it, and, of course, a rail for all your accessories. 

One bonus feature is the use of the COG system, which uses something similar to the SIG’s FCU. You can remove the fire control unit and swap between different grip modules that are properly sized for different hands. The Echelon is a 9mm only, striker-fired handgun that comes with 17-round magazines. The Echelon is a fantastic pistol with an excellent trigger and an outstanding grip design. 

It’s slim and svelte. If the stock is too big or too small, there are two other grip modules available that are sized differently. They just launched a shorter 15-round magazine rip module that’s a bit more compact for daily carry. 

The Echelon handles like an absolute dream. It’s super easy to shoot and works well for quick and rapid-fire shooting, as any duty or tactical pistol should be. Hitting the range reveals the Echelon made some smart departures from the XD series. Little features like ambidextrous controls top everything off. As of right now, the biggest downside is that it’s not as proven as competing designs.

Springfield Armory Echelon Pros and Cons

Staccato HD P4 Review

Staccato broke from tradition with the HD P4. It’s a big shift towards the duty market. While the cost will be a barrier for many, you gotta shoot this thing to understand the price point. The P4 is essentially a modernized 2011 platform built around one massive concession: it uses common, inexpensive Glock-pattern magazines. 2011 magazines aren’t cheap; in fact, they can be brutal. Glock magazines are not expensive and are common. The P4 frame size is comparable to a full-size pistol like the Glock 17.

The HD P4 packs all the necessary modern tactical upgrades. It features the HOST optic mounting system, allowing direct mounting of optics like the RMR HD while positioning the rear iron sight forward, negating many plate issues. The slide serrations are mean little things that grab your hand like you owe it money. The frame is all-steel and boasts an extremely aggressive, almost sandpapery texture that keeps your hand from moving under recoil.

Staccato eliminated the traditional grip safety. John Browning didn’t design the 1911 with a grip safety, but the Army wanted it. Staccato just returned to Browning’s original vision. Dropping the grip safety allows for a higher beavertail and grip, and drops a potential point of failure. Speaking of safety, the HD series incorporates an active firing pin block to ensure the gun is drop safe. The controls are now fully ambidextrous, and the included steel magazines are designed by Mec-Gar.

I love this trigger. It’s a crisp single-action break, averaging about 4.5-5 lbs, which is perfect for a duty gun but a little heavier than their race models.

The Staccato HD P4’s main hurdle is its price, starting around $2,499. That places it firmly in the high-end market segment. Staccato makes fantastic guns, and they make them in America using skilled craftsmen. Expecting a low price point just isn’t realistic.

Staccato HD P4 Pros and Cons

Why A Tactical Pistol? 

Why go tactical? Tactical pistols tend to offer you the best bang for your buck. They offer a blank canvas to attach all manner of accessories and goodies that will take your gun to the next level. Being able to mount suppressors, optics, lights, and more might not be necessary at first, but give it enough time, and you’ll be itching for your next accessory. From a defensive standpoint, these guns offer you access to the most modern goodies to make your firearm more effective and easier to handle. 

Choosing which one seems to be the hardest part. There are tons and tons of different options out there, and heck, I couldn’t narrow it down past seven. Hopefully, we’ve given you a few options to consider. Which would you go with? Let us know below.