To be useful, a handgun needs three things:

1. To be present when you need it
2. To be of a sufficient caliber to solve your problem
3. To possess flawless reliability

The first rule is painfully obvious. We’ll assume you’ll have your gun with you when you need it. Bravo.

The second is the most debatable regarding handguns (but there are definitely some wrong answers). It's also a personal choice, so we’ll mostly leave that one alone today. But regardless of your choice of caliber, the reliability factor is indisputably important.

Not all guns are created equal — and that’s a good thing. Competition in the market has encouraged manufacturers to make reliable and accurate guns that hold oodles of bullets and won’t break the bank.

That said, there are duds released every year, and a few turds that are the stuff of gunshop legend (see below). There’s also a lot of BS spewed around the gunshop counter. But true reliability isn’t just a measure of how long a brand has been around or how many new features a certain model has. Brand reputation plays a role, but it really comes down to whether or not you can trust a gun to operate as it should in a time of crisis.

New technology and design innovation tend to help increase reliability, and it isn’t just the old heads that own the scene here. In fact, the list of “most reliable handguns” that your local Fudds talk about simply ain’t up to snuff these days. At the same time, there are new manufacturers and guns that flannel-wearing Boomers will write off out of instinct. But they’re wrong (most of the time).

Let’s take a deep dive into the most trustworthy firearms on the market. Here’s our top list of reliable handguns that won’t let you down in any situation.

What Makes a Gun Reliable?

Does it shoot every time you pull the trigger? Good. Does it jam? Not good. Does it work as it should? Good. These are the basic tenets of reliability.

But you don’t have the time (or the ammo budget) to test these metrics yourself. That would require firing thousands of rounds through thousands of handgun models and picking the one that fails the least. We’ll leave that to the US military (see MRBS below).

Instead, let’s look at a few indicators that can tell you a lot about reliability before you buy:

Design

The parameters for reliability are pretty straightforward, but making a handgun that works 100% of the time is not. You need a proven design that pulls bullets from the magazine into the chamber — then out again through the barrel.

The handful of designs and actions on the market all work well enough that one or the other shouldn’t be discounted based solely on its operation. Some shoot softer (roller delayed) and others are more accurate (fixed barrel).

Single-action revolvers are one of the few examples of a design that probably isn’t as reliable these days, unless you’re a collector. They're archaic, don't hold many bullets, are a pain to reload — but some people still love to use them. They’re like Model Ts. Sure, you could drive one as your regular vehicle, but you’re making things a bit hard on yourself just to look cool.

Magazines

Truth be told, most malfunctions are caused by magazines because designing an effective one is tough. It needs to present a bullet within the split second the slide races rearward, ejects the spent case, and begins traveling forward again.

Spoiler Alert: Glock takes the cake in reliable magazines. It’s why so many other guns and (even rifles) use Glock magazines to feed them. Why reinvent the wheel when the gold standard is readily available? If you’re looking for a reliable handgun, a Glock-style magazine or similar is a good sign. Sig Sauer and Smith & Wesson are two good examples.

MRBS

Rather than taking some Reddit joker’s word for it (and he’s probably lying anyway), there are quantifiable criteria for determining a gun’s reliability. The military and other government agencies have a standard that records the mean (average) rounds between/before stoppages (failures). This is called MRBS.

In short, they get a gun and shoot the piss out of it until it stops for whatever reason, then shoot it some more until they have enough data to get a mean. The FBI has a minimum MRBS of 2,000, meaning a gun can’t choke before first expelling 2,000 rounds. Put it this way — if it’s been adopted by the military, or scores of police departments, consider it proven.

Longevity & Time in The Market

Another good way to judge a handgun’s reliability is seeing how long it’s been around. Yes, the 1911 has been around since its namesake year, and for some, it’s heretical to include any pistol other than a 1911 on a list such as this. The fact of the matter is that the original design was good, but they generally required some tuning and hand-fitting to run perfectly. But nobody has time for that (except maybe Staccato — more on that later).

Other than Staccato, the guns on this list are all striker- and hammer-fired semi-auto pistols. This is where the industry has settled for reliability, longevity, accuracy, and plain old easy function. It’s a design that’s been tweaked into scores of fantastic handguns.

Hiccups

Hiccups are things like recalls. Basically, if a handgun has had more than one recall, it ain’t on this list. Sure, sometimes it may take a bit of time to iron out a new piece and get it fully operational. But you usually don’t want to buy a new model car in its first year. With any new design, problems are almost inevitable. Most hiccups are forgivable, but repeated offenses are disqualifying for this list.

Manufacturer Support/Reputation

This might not affect a gun’s reliability, but it’s nice to know that if you run into an issue, you won’t be left holding a dud gun. Most of the manufacturers on this list are well-established firms with a long history of success.

Others are more recent arrivals on the market, but their guns have, for the most part, been stellar. Like your own reputation, it’s hard to repair once it's damaged. There are some companies and guns that were very close to making the list (Taurus) because of the work they’ve done recently to improve their reputation, but they’re not quite there yet. The ghosts of missteps in decades past still haunt them.

Legendary Turds

Before we go whole hog into some real gems, let’s look at some bad examples of reliability:

• The Credit Card Gun - Laughably clumsy.
• The USFA Zip 22 - So unreliable, it torpedoed its manufacturer.
• The Japanese Nambu - It likes to relieve itself of bullets at will.
• The Colt 2000 - This model wanted to integrate the feel of a double-action revolver trigger on purpose. It was the worst trigger EVER.
• The [hilariously unreliable] Tec-22 - A rimfire version of the gangbanger’s fave, the Tec-9. It sucks.

Let’s not forget about the myriad pot metal “Saturday night special” revolvers and anything made by Jiminez, Raven, and the like.

The Most Reliable Handguns

One caveat: We can’t stress how close the results actually are. Today’s manufacturing practices have yielded spectacularly reliable guns, and the tech is getting cheaper to produce, hence this crowded list, which is the result of the above criteria. It’s been vetted by industry veterans and those who really know guns.

We tried to remove subjectivity and only include models that are hard to argue with. That said, there will always be debate over lists, and that’s a good thing. We all learn from each other.

But our list is better than yours. Enjoy.

Glock 19 (Source: https://us.glock.com/en/pistols/g19)

1. Glock (G17, G19)

Yes, of course the Austrian plastic poppers top this list — with little room for debate. The late Mr. Gaston’s creation comes close to “perfection” as their marketing department maintains. That said, the longevity, trusted nature, adoption by tons of militaries and police around the globe, as well as the wealth of models, calibers, and styles make Glock pistols the clear winner in this category. Sure, other manufacturers have attained the same level of reliability, but Glock surpasses them in terms of “it just works” and “it’s boringly reliable.” Boring, in this case, is good.

Glock 17 (Source: https://us.glock.com/en/pistols/g17)

The Glock 17 is the original Glock, with the G19 released shortly thereafter. They’re both still heavily relied upon by armies and police around the globe, as well as scads of armed citizens.

SIG P226 (Source: https://www.sigsauer.com/firearms/pistols/p226.html)

2. SIG Sauer (P226, P229)

This is one all the boomers will probably agree with.

SIG has a long history of producing premium service-grade weapons for elite military units. The Navy SEALs previously used the P226 as the Mk25 — a spec’d out version just for them. The P229 is a smaller version of the P226.

SIG P229 (Source: https://www.sigsauer.com/p229-nitron-compact-2.html)

We would’ve included the P320, but early indications of the guns going off in holsters or when dropped prevented their inclusion. The newer concealed carry line of P365 pistols are very promising, but questions surrounding the metallurgy of certain components add a big question mark.

But, SIG’s reputation among its steel-framed pistols is impeccable and any list would be remiss to leave out SIG. Most of their steel guns are hammer-fired and have remarkable accuracy, a great trigger pull, and of course, unimpeachable accuracy.

H&K VP9 (Source: https://hk-usa.com/hk-models/vp9/)

3. Heckler & Koch (VP9, USP)

Yes, we know the jokes about H&K hating its customers, but we don’t completely buy it. This Teutonic arms manufacturer has a full line of legendary guns such as the MP5, G3, USP, Mk23, and the VP70 (the first polymer-framed pistol). The company has built its reputation on the strength of fantastic small arms that not only work, but are the standard bearers for their category.

The MP5 is the ideal 9mm subgun, the G3 is the meanest battle rifle there is, and the Mk23 has whacked more baddies than most handguns. The H&K guns on our list, the USP and the VP9, are among these greats.

H&K USP (Source: https://hk-usa.com/hk-models/usp/)

The VP9 is H&K’s newest pistol and a continuation of the firm’s excellence. These guns are freakishly accurate, certainly reliable, and very affordable — at least by H&K standards. The USP is the firm’s historic bread-and-butter handgun and is available in scores of variants and calibers, all created for the needs of different police and military forces. Suffice it to say, if you shell out the scratch for an H&K, you won’t be disappointed.

S&W MP9 (Source: https://www.smith-wesson.com/products/mp2-full-size)

4. Smith & Wesson (M&P Series or Basically Any Revolver)

Scads of guns from the fabled Massachusetts gunmaker qualify for this list, but for brevity, we picked two. Smith & Wesson made its name in the revolver world, and that tradition of excellence continues to this day.

First, any Smith wheelgun is flawlessly reliable (most revolvers are), crazy accurate, and have a fit and finish above many other manufacturers, save Ruger and Colt.

Next, look at Smith’s newest release is the M&P line. Granted, the name M&P isn’t new (it’s been in use for decades), but the polymer-framed, striker-fired semi-automatic guns currently called M&Ps are. The M&P guns represent a litany of sizes, calibers, and colors to suit pretty much any taste (or government contract). They’re eminently reliable, very shootable, and quite configurable with a robust aftermarket. From the subcompact M&P Shield to the full-size models, each M&P carries the weight of the name stamped on the side.

Canik TP9SF (Source: https://www.canikusa.com/tp9sf)

5. Canik (The TP9SF Series)

This one might rustle some feathers, but the Turkish firm has made huge inroads in the American concealed carry, duty, and competition markets with its lineup of semi-auto 9mms.

Their revamped TP9SF lineup includes competition guns that have won at pro-level IDPA events and 15+1 concealed carry models that rival Glock and SIG for daily carry supremacy. Canik came to the US with the original TP9 that had a weird decocker on the slide, but the firm listened to feedback and ditched it, and were rewarded with scores of sales.

Reliability and affordability are the company’s calling cards, and making guns people actually want to buy garnered them a spot on this list. YouTube is full of videos of skeptical shooters trying (and failing) to make their Canik choke. They just flat-out work and deserve consideration — especially from budget-minded gun owners.

Staccato C (Source: https://staccato2011.com/products/staccato-c)

6. Staccato (Staccato C, Staccato XC)

Staccato is a relative newcomer to the market, and they came in guns blazing with a modernized take on the 1911. They took Browning’s basic design and updated the feature 1911 shooters worry about most: magazine capacity.

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Staccato magazines have a double-stack configuration that permits as many as twenty-one 9mm bullets to be held, versus the original single-stack configuration, which carries ten 9mm/eight .45 ACP rounds.

Staccato offers a full lineup of handguns, but made headlines with their competition models. From there, the firm began chopping down their comp guns into concealed carry masterpieces. Amazing workmanship and utmost quality are the hallmarks of Staccato guns, found on every model.

Staccato XC (Source: https://staccato2011.com/products/staccato-xc)

Do they run? Oh, yeah.

You can’t win matches with a jammed gun, so reliability is of chief importance for comp guns, and by extension, concealed carry guns. It’d kinda suck if you’re getting held up and your blaster crapped the bed.

Final Thoughts

These days we’re spoiled with gun choices — especially handguns. With so many pistols available, those who don’t cut it get found out quickly and are demolished by YouTube videos, message boards, and other outlets.

However, be careful about “influencer” advice. Many of them have arrangements with manufacturers that guarantee glowing reviews and praise, at the expense of integrity.

All that said, the above list is as accurate as it can be based on the stated criteria. They’re all proven, vetted, and represent the best of the best in modern pistol designs.

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