Best Springfield Armory Concealed Carry Guns for Women - The Armory Life (2024)

By Laura Cromwell Starita

As a shooter with two X chromosomes, it warms my heart to see that there has been a steady rise in female gun ownership in recent years. To me, personal protection is everyone’s responsibility — especially for us womenfolk. Since women are statistically more likely to be victims of violent crime, I’m glad that more ladies are realizing that a gun on one’s person — along with effective training and safety — can be a highly effective option for self-defense.

Firearm manufacturers have risen to serve this demographic with a wide variety of handguns suitable for smaller hands and different methods of concealed carry. Springfield Armory has no shortage of handguns that are more than suitable to the needs of the beginner or advanced female shooter. Below is a list of what I think are the best Springfield Armory concealed carry guns for women currently on the market.

XD-S Mod.2

The XD-S Mod.2 OSP 3.3” Single Stack 9mm with Crimson Trace Red Dot is an excellent choice for concealed carry thanks to its compact size, enhanced grip texture for a secure hold in tense situations, a grip safety and trigger safety, and the Crimson Trace CTS-1500 Red Dot sight for quick and accurate target acquisition.

I for one am a major proponent of a red dot sight. As someone who is horrifically nearsighted, knowing that I just have to follow the red dot in the event of danger is a godsend. Mind you, I still practice my aim without the red dot because even without a bright red glow to guide you, your aim still needs to be on point.

As a single-stack magazine pistol, the XD-S Mod.2 9mm is extremely slim and easy to conceal. It’s also worth mentioning that shooters have two magazines to swap in and out — a 7-round and a 9-round.

Ronin EMP 3” 9mm

For ladies who love the look of the classic 1911 (honestly, who doesn’t?), the Springfield Armory 1911 Ronin EMP 3” offers a more elegant option for concealed carry.

Springfield engineered the classic 1911 handgun into what would become the Enhanced Micro Pistol (EMP), the smallest 1911 in the world. Chambered in 9mm, the 1911 Ronin EMP combines a comfortable grip with reduced recoil, perfect for long afternoons at the range.

[Read Massad Ayoob’s answer to the question “Are 9mm 1911 pistols reliable?“]

The fiber optic front sight plus the Tactical Rack white dot rear sights allows shooters to get on target quickly. Lastly, the lightweight forged aluminum alloy frame sports a sleek satin aluminum Cerakote finish to withstand years of use.

Hellcat

In my mind, the Hellcat 3” Micro-Compact OSP is a perfect choice for concealed carry. Springfield designed this pistol to offer ample firepower in a micro-compact package. Shooters can choose to carry either of the included 11- or 13-round magazines, depending on their needs.

The Adaptive Grip Texture and Tactical Rack U-Dot rear sights contribute to a secure hold and quick target acquisition — both necessary for confident concealed carry.

[Learn more about the Springfield Hellcat sights here.]

Like all Springfields that possess the OSP (optical sight pistol) system, the slide is milled for shooters to add a micro red dot sight. In addition, the Hellcat is cut to accept the Shield SMSc/RMSc footprint, so you can direct-mount these tiny red dot optics to allow for co-witnessing of the pistol’s excellent U-Dot sights. These are made up of a tritium-luminescent front dot and a U-notch rear.

Final Thoughts

The XD-S Mod.2 OSP 3.3”, 1911 Ronin EMP 3”and the Hellcat 3” Micro-Compact OSP are all great choices for concealed carry, but it’s important that you choose the right handgun for you and your situation.

Size, feel, price, function, and performance are all critical factors in determining which gun you bring home. Also, gun buyers need to ask themselves how they plan to carry, how often they plan to practice shooting, and how they intend to stay on top of cleaning and routine firearm maintenance.

Whether it’s your first gun or your twentieth, it’s a comfort to know that Springfield Armory has a selection of handguns that are suitable for the needs of the female shooter.

Ladies, you just can’t go wrong with Springfield.

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