Best Handguns: Annual and Usage-Based Guide

Estimated reading time: 18 minutes

How would you do it if you were to break down the evolution of handguns and choose the best handguns ever? I took on that task and decided the best way to do it was by year. It was a tougher task than I imagined. 

How far do I go back? You can go quite far, but how far should I go forward? I quickly learned that adding one gun for the last few hundred years would be too tough. Instead, I started with the first mass-produced military sidearm and got to 2024 with some gaps. 

These are the best handguns by year, and I picked them based on their history, use, capability, and staying power. I couldn’t have possibly gotten them all, so please let us know what I missed in the comments section. 

1738 – Heavy Dragoon Pistol 

The British Pattern 1738 Heavy Dragoon Pistol was the first mass-produced, standardized military sidearm. The gun fired either .56 or .66 caliber balls and was intended for the cavalry. The British Pattern 1738 Heavy Dragoon Pistol would go on to see action in every major 18th-century conflict the Brits participated in, including on both sides of the American Revolution.

1805 – The Harper’s Ferry Flintlock Pistol

The Harper’s Ferry Model 1805 U.S. martial flintlock pistol is arguably the best handgun of 1805 because it was the first pistol produced at the American National Armory. These flintlock pistols fire .54 caliber projectiles and were produced in pairs to serve as horsemen’s pistols with the dragoons and cavalry. To this day, a pair of crossed Model 1805 pistols serves as the insignia of the U.S. Army Military Police Corps.

1836 – Colt Paterson 

The Colt Paterson revolver wasn’t the first revolver, but it was the first successful, commercially sold revolver. It packed five shots of either .28 or .36 caliber ball rounds. The guns saw limited use by the U.S. Army during the Second Seminole War and were praised for their firepower. The Colt Paterson series wasn’t just the best handgun of 1836, it laid the groundwork for an American firearms icon. 

1851 – Colt 1851 Navy Revolver 

Between 1836 and 1851, Colt revolvers underwent massive changes. The Colt 1851 Navy was one of their most popular revolvers in the cap-and-ball era. It fired six shots of .36 caliber projectiles. The 1851 Navy was a stout, capable gun preferred for daily carry over the hefty Army model. Famed gunmen like Wild Bill Hickok, Buffalo Bill Cody, Doc Holliday, Ned Kelly, and Ulysses S. Grant preferred the Colt 1851 Navy Revolver.

1857 – S&W Model 1

The S&W Model 1 wasn’t a big revolver used by soldiers and gunfighters but a pocket-sized gun with seven .22 short rounds. Its bigger claim to fame was being the first cartridge revolver to use a bored-through cylinder, eventually becoming the standard of all revolvers. The little guns did see some popularity among soldiers during the Civil War as private-purchase weapons, and a variant of the Model 1 would even be carried by a samurai who fought off assassins with it. 

1870 – S&W Model 3 

The S&W Model 3 guns are notoriously underrated and were easily the best handguns of this era. The S&W Model 3 holds the honor of being the first standard-issue cartridge-firing revolver in U.S. Service. This six-shot, metallic revolver came in numerous cartridges and armed a dozen different military forces. The unique top break design allowed for rapid reloading, and they produced them in various sizes. Famed users include Jesse James, Wyatt Earp, Teddy Roosevelt, and Billy the Kid. 

1873 – Colt Single Action Army 

Colt’s Single Action Army helped lift the company into a new era of success and innovation. This six-shot, metallic cartridge revolver was one of the highest-quality production revolvers in its era. It was incredibly rugged and capable, as well as expensive. It became the standard issue Army revolver in 1873 and served until 1892. Its list of famed users would be too long to list, and to this day, it’s the most popular old-west reproduction revolver. 

1893 – Borchardt C-93

The Borchardt C-93 is the first successful semi-automatic pistol. It uses a toggle lock design borrowed from the Maxim to provide a locked breech handgun. It fired a fairly stout 7.62x25mm Borchardt from an 8-round detachable magazine. The U.S. Army and Navy tested the pistol, but it was expensive, and the recoil was a bit intense. Still, it’s easily the best handgun of 1893. 

1896 – Mauser C96

The Mauser C96 might be one of the most reproduced firearms of European origin. The C96 series used a short-recoil operation that was complicated but reliable. The gun used a forward-mounted fixed 10-round magazine and initially fired the first high-velocity pistol round. Dozens of military forces wielded the C96 or its clones, and it chambered everything from the 9mm and .45 ACP to the odd 8mm Gasser. 

1899 – S&W .38 Hand Ejector Model of 1899 

It’s tough to pick the best handgun of 1899, with both S&W and Luger introducing excellent guns. S&W wins out with the .38 Hand Ejector Model of 1899 simply because it’s still produced and outlasted the Luger. The .38 Hand Ejector Model of 1899 has changed names several times and is most popularly known as the Model 10. This six-shot, double-action revolver featured a swing-out cylinder and laid the groundwork for the modern double-action revolver. It served the United States military and was the quintessential cop revolver for generations of lawmen. 

1907 – Savage M1907 

The Savage M1907 might be one of the most underrated pistols, but it was revolutionary in its era. The gun was a striker-fired handgun, and it used what seems to be the first double-stack magazine in a handgun. It held ten rounds of .32 ACP and featured a locked breach. The little gun served the French in World War 1, but I didn’t see much other military or police use. In many ways, it was the P365 of its day, and I’m confident that it was the best handgun of 1907. 

1911 – Colt M1911

Did anyone doubt the best handguns of 1911 wouldn’t be the Colt M1911? It’s a legendary firearm that served our military for more than 70 years as the main sidearm and for more than a hundred in special ops roles. The M1911 is a short-recoil, operated, single-action-only pistol that most commonly shoots the .45 ACP round. To this day, they are mass-produced by dozens of different companies. That’s true staying power. 

1927 – Colt Detective Special 

The snub-nose revolver is a cornerstone of concealed carry guns. The Detective Special was the first mass-produced snub-nose revolver, based on the Fitz Special design. It came in three calibers, with the .38 S&W Special being the most popular. A six-shot, double-action revolver with a two-inch barrel and swing-out cylinder. It laid the groundwork for the modern concealed-carry revolver. 

1929 – Walther PP

The Walther PP series introduced and popularized several concepts that were widely copied. While not the first DA/SA gun, it is arguably the first successful example. The gun used a fixed barrel that doubled as the recoil spring guide. It introduced a very small automatic that chambered cartridges like .380 and .32 ACP. It shrunk into the PPK to be even more compact. Plus, it’s James Bond’s gun! 

1935 – Browning Hi-Power 

Browning’s final design, which the man himself didn’t finish, still left a lasting impression on the firearms world. It was the first wonder nine, meaning a modern 9mm pistol with a double-stacked magazine and a hammer. The Hi-Power series offered 13 rounds of 9mm in a time when seven rounds were standard. While it was never as popular as the M1911 in the United States, around the world, it was the standard for professional military forces. 

1949 – Ruger Standard 

The Ruger Standard is what happens when Bill Ruger turns a drill into a handgun. It is a semi-automatic .22LR handgun that is the most successful and influential. The Standard series has remained in consistent production since 1949 and has continually evolved to be better and better. It’s a slick setup and a reliable option for anyone doing a little plinking. 

1955 – S&W Model 29 

Another tough year to judge the best handguns, with both the Model 29 and the Python premiering. The Model 29 gets the cake for providing what was, at the time, the most powerful production firearm on the planet. The N-Frame design could easily digest full power .44 Magnum loads and was quite accurate. Films like Dirty Harry spurred it to legendary status, and it’s remained one of the most popular .44 Magnum revolvers.  

1975 – CZ 75 

The CZ-75 is a sleeper hit. It’s one of the most cloned guns ever, and Jeff Cooper thought it to be the best 9mm service pistol ever made. The gun combines features from the SIG P210 and the Hi-Power to create an easy-shooting, accurate, and reliable DA/SA semi-auto wonder nine. The gun continues to be produced in various formats, including the original by CZ and dozens of foreign companies. It’s not just the best handgun of 1975 but of the entire 1970s. 

1982 – Glock 17

Glock had to overcome a lot to become the behemoth it is today. They proved that polymer pistols could work, that simplicity matters, and that a high-quality, reliable gun is better than a flashy one. The Glock 17 was the first Glock, but not the last. Every Glock after was almost 100% based on the Glock 17. This semi-automatic gun formed the basis for Earth’s most popular pistol series. 

1985 – Beretta 92FS/M9 

The Beretta M9 had a tough job. It had to replace the beloved M1911 and did so with a few hiccups, but ultimately was a fantastic handgun. The Beretta M9 is a short-recoil-operated pistol that falls into the Wonder Nine genre. It’s a stout and capable all-metal design that was replaced after more than three decades. It continues to be a beloved firearm and is produced in numerous variants. 

1990 – Para Ordnance P-14-45  

Some of the best handguns currently produced are double-stack 1911s and 2011s. The Para Ordnance P-14-45 was the first mass-produced, commercially available double-stack 1911 design. This 14-round .45 ACP pistol came from our neighbors to the North and was a popular, reliable, and heavy-hitting handgun. Its popularity helped spur the current trend of 1911-like designs with double-stack magazines. 

1993 – HK USP 

HK dominated the 1990s special operations community. Across Western nations, HK was the go-to for reliable, robust, and capable firearms. The USP famously offered one of the world’s toughest, most reliable, and robust handguns. It was a DA/SA design with a short recoil system and a famed recoil-reducing dual recoil spring assembly that has become fairly popular in other pistols. The HK USP series served so many specialized counter-terrorism forces, special operations teams, and SWAT teams that it would be impossible to list them all. 

1999 – KelTec P32 

The P32 wasn’t the most popular handgun, but it’s the best handgun of 1999 because it laid the groundwork for the modern pocket pistol. It’s a DAO polymer frame pistol that’s extremely slim and compact. The gun has rounded edges and minimal sights and was designed for deep concealment. Guns like the P3AT, LCP, the S&W Bodyguard, and numerous others would copy this layout and become immensely popular.

READ ABOUT OTHER KELTECS: The KelTec Sub 2000 – A Folding Phenomenon

2009 – FNX-45 Tactical 

The FNX-45 Tactical wasn’t all that crazy as a gun. It was a double-stacked .45 ACP pistol, but it was most notable and earned its place among the best handguns due to its combination of features. In 2009, the FNX-45 Tactical was radical due to its threaded barrel, optics-ready design, suppressor-height sights, and light rail. Many of those features are standard these days, but were radical in 2009. It set a standard that’s now become the norm. 

2012 – S&W Shield

The S&W Shield series didn’t do anything radical. It is a polymer frame, striker-fired gun. S&W and the Shield popularized the single-stack subcompact 9mm handgun as a concealed-carry firearm. In 2012, these things were the hot commodity and were sometimes selling for double MSRP. The S&W Shield was the people’s choice of best handgun of 2012. The single-stack 9mm genre exploded after the popularity of the Shield. 

2018 – SIG P365 

I still remember reading the press release for the SIG P365. I couldn’t believe it, and it wasn’t until SHOT and I handled one that I was convinced it would be the future. The SIG P365 introduced the stack-and-a-half magazine, which packed ten rounds in a small, flush-fitting magazine. The P365 created the micro-compact pistol genre, and they’ve replaced most genres of carry pistols. 

2024 – S&W 432 UC 

The S&W 432 UC is what I think was one of the best handguns of 2024. The 432 wasn’t a new design, but the 432 UC improved everything about the original. It helped reinvigorate the .32 H&R Magnum cartridge and show its various benefits. The UC model features an excellent trigger, grips, sights, and more. The 432 UC and the UC lineup, in general, helped redefine what a carry revolver can be and what they can do. 

The Best Handguns By Year 

 I’m one man with one man’s knowledge, and there is no way one man can take on such a daunting task. With that in mind, if you have a best handgun for a certain year, please chime in below with the gun, the year, and why you think it deserves a spot. 

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