25 High-Velocity Handguns, Ranked by Angelo Young

According to the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the number of firearms manufactured in the U.S. has tripled since 2000. Fueling this years-long gun-buying bonanza has been rising demand for handguns. In 2009, semi-automatic handguns began outselling hunting rifles, underscoring a consumer shift toward guns typically used for personal protection. (This is how many guns people bought in each state so far this year.)

A civilian-firearms market the size of the United States means buyers have a wide selection of revolvers and pistols to choose from. How much punch a handgun delivers is typically measured by the pressure on the bullet the moment the firing pin ignites the powder, measured in the U.S. by pounds per square inch (psi), and the velocity of the bullet as it leaves the muzzle, measured by feet per second.

But gauging the power of a handgun isn’t simply a matter of how much explosive pressure is put on the bullet, or even of the bullet type. Some popular handguns for personal protection have lower pressure than other guns but deliver faster muzzle velocity. For example, the Ruger Wrangler single action revolver using .22 LR ammunition has relatively low chamber pressure of 24,000 psi but its muzzle velocity is 41% faster than that of a Ruger LCP semi-automatic pistol firing a .380 bullet with a chamber pressure of 62,000 psi.

To compile a ranking of high-velocity handguns, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed a list of some of the most popular handguns in the U.S. as of July 2022 published by American Firearms, a firearms information site. We considered muzzle velocity – the starting speed of the bullet after the gunpowder has been ignited – as the primary criterion for our ranking. Recommended ammunition and price come from American Firearms and from other online sources. (Compare our list with our roster of the 50 most popular guns in the world.)

Click here to see the world’s 25 highest-velocity handguns.

Among the 25 handguns on this list, prices vary widely, from a Sig Sauer P266 for about $2,500 to a Heritage Rough Rider single-action revolver, which can be found for around $100. The most powerful one of all ranked here, the Ruger GP100 double-action revolver – which boasts a muzzle velocity of 1,525 feet per second – sells for about $950.

Smith & Wesson M&P Shield (CC BY 2.0) by James Case

 

25. Smith and Wesson Shield
> Velocity: 600 ft/s
> Recommended ammunition: .40 S&W
> Pressure: 35,000 psi
> Price: $499

 

Source: Courtesy of Smith & Wesson

 

24. Smith and Wesson 442
> Velocity: 830 ft/s
> Recommended ammunition: .38 Special +P
> Pressure: 21,756 psi
> Price: $422

 

Source: capcase / Flickr

 

23. Ruger LCP
> Velocity: 891 ft/s
> Recommended ammunition: 0.38
> Pressure: 62,000 psi
> Price: $319

 

Source: npps48 / iStock via Getty Images

 

22. Glock 48
> Velocity: 1000 ft/s
> Recommended ammunition: 9mm
> Pressure: 34,084 psi
> Price: $381

Source: Courtesy of Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.

21. Ruger Mark IV 22/45
> Velocity: 1032 ft/s
> Recommended ammunition: .22 LR
> Pressure: 24,000 psi
> Price: $346

Source: Courtesy of SIG SAUER

 

20. Sig Sauer P365
> Velocity: 1050 ft/s
> Recommended ammunition: 9mm
> Pressure: 34,084 psi
> Price: $500

 

Source: Courtesy of hk-usa.com

 

19. Heckler and Koch VP9
> Velocity: 1051 ft/s
> Recommended ammunition: 9mm
> Pressure: 34,084 psi
> Price: $584

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Pistola Taurus G2c (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Taurus Armas

 

18. Taurus G2c
> Velocity: 1052 ft/s
> Recommended ammunition: 9mm
> Pressure: 34,084 psi
> Price: $210

 

Source: Courtesy of SCCY

 

17. Sccy Cpx-2
> Velocity: 1060 ft/s
> Recommended ammunition: 9mm
> Pressure: 34,084 psi
> Price: $172

 

Source: Courtesy of Kimber America

 

16. Kimber Micro 9
> Velocity: 1,079 ft/s
> Recommended ammunition: 9mm
> Pressure: 34,084 psi
> Price: $486

Pistola Taurus GX4 (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Taurus Armas

 

15. Taurus Gx4
> Velocity: 1,100 ft/s
> Recommended ammunition: 9mm
> Pressure: 34,084 psi
> Price: $245

 

Source: Courtesy of Springfield Armory

 

14. Springfield Armory Hellcat
> Velocity: 1,123 ft/s
> Recommended ammunition: 9mm
> Pressure: 34,084 psi
> Price: $587

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Source: Courtesy of Glock

 

13. Glock 43
> Velocity: 1,168 ft/s
> Recommended ammunition: 9mm
> Pressure: 34,084 psi
> Price: $469

 

Source: Courtesy of Springfield Armory

 

12. Springfield XD
> Velocity: 1,173 ft/s
> Recommended ammunition: .45 ACP
> Pressure: 21,000 psi
> Price: $469

 

Cyber Gun Sig Sauer P226 Sprin… (CC BY 2.0) by Andrew Toskin

 

11. Sig Sauer P226
> Velocity: 1,180 ft/s
> Recommended ammunition: 9mm
> Pressure: 34,084 psi
> Price: $2548

CZ-75B (CC BY-SA 2.0) by ArtBrom

 

10. CZ 75B
> Velocity: 1,180 ft/s
> Recommended ammunition: 9mm
> Pressure: 34,084 psi
> Price: $1615

 

Source: Sig Sauer

 

9. Sig Sauer P320
> Velocity: 1,198 ft/s
> Recommended ammunition: 9mm
> Pressure: 34,084 psi
> Price: $529

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Source: Courtesy of Kel Tec Weapons

 

8. Kel-Tec PMR-30
> Velocity: 1,200 ft/s
> Recommended ammunition: .22 WMR
> Pressure: 24,000 psi
> Price: $381

 

Heritage Rough Rider (CC BY 2.0) by James Case

 

7. Heritage Rough Rider
> Velocity: 1,225 ft/s
> Recommended ammunition: 22 LR
> Pressure: 24,000 psi
> Price: $97

 

Source: rocksunderwater / E+ via Getty Images

 

6. Glock 45
> Velocity: 1,225 ft/s
> Recommended ammunition: 9mm
> Pressure: 34,084 psi
> Price: $569

Source: Malachy120 / iStock via Getty Images

 

5. Glock 17
> Velocity: 1,230 ft/s
> Recommended ammunition: 9mm
> Pressure: 34,084 psi
> Price: $620

 

Source: Courtesy of American Tactical US

 

4. ATI GSG 1911
> Velocity: 1,250 ft/s
> Recommended ammunition: .22 LR
> Pressure: 24,000 psi
> Price: $269

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Source: Courtesy of Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.

 

3. Ruger Wrangler
> Velocity: 1,255 ft/s
> Recommended ammunition: .22 LR
> Pressure: 24,000 psi
> Price: $145

 

Source: sand86 / iStock via Getty Images

 

2. Glock 19
> Velocity: 1,500 ft/s
> Recommended ammunition: 9mm
> Pressure: 34,084 psi
> Price: $560

 

Ruger GP100 (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Mitch Barrie

 

1. Ruger GP100
> Velocity: 1,525 ft/s
> Recommended ammunition: .357 magnum
> Pressure: 43,551 psi

> Price: $949

(I sure would like to know where in the Hell does he get these prices! Grumpy)