In recent years it seems that compact/subcompact handguns are the preferred choice of buyers over full/duty sized guns. Or is it more of a 50/50 market?

That would really depend on the application, wouldn't it?

There are times when a full grip isn't feasible for concealment purposes, or for other reasons. I can't imagine too many situations where one might be in a gunfight and wish for a smaller grip and less rounds; I think it's certainly preferable to have a complete, full grip, adequate barrel, and as much capacity as one's able, given the choice. The choice isn't always given.

Some who carry professionally have little choice in what they carry.

Personally, my preferred carry for the present is the G32 with spare G31 magazines, but that's not the case if in a suit, where a smaller, lighter, more compact pistol may be appropriate, or when I may carry a snub nose revolver in the pocket and the G32 off body in a satchel. Neither is appropriate if I'm in the woods; I might prefer my Redhawk in 41, or a G20 for that application, or my Vaquero in .44.

My preference is full size where able, and whatever I need to do or can do any other time. I'll take a 5" government model 1911 if I have a choice in a 1911, but I have no problem with a commander size pistol, or a CCO pattern pistol, either. It all depends on the circumstance.

I think that in the commercial market at least, the pendulum had definitely swung toward micro pocket guns there for several years, with every manufacturer trying to come out with their tiniest, slimmest little .380/9mm possible, and buyers gobbling them up.

But the mid-size and full-size market has made a comeback here recently. I think it's back more towards 50/50 today.

My guess is that buyers are figuring out that you don't necessarily need a tiny little subcompact to easily and comfortably carry a concealed handgun, plus discovering that tiny little subcompacts are tougher for most folks to shoot well than larger guns.

Back in the dark ages before poly and strikers, I carried N frame Smith 4 inch revolvers and the full size 1911.
But it has how come down to more an issue of performance and not size. Now, most compact sized guns shoot as well as a full sized guns did in the past. And carry easier. The guns I have now that I would consider full size are my 220 and 1911s. My last 4 or five new gun buys have been compacts.

I am with the OP. Sure seems like a plethora of small guns are (have been) the rage. I think there are two reasons that it appears the smaller handguns are winning the retail wars...One, MORE and MORE first time shooters than ever before and more women shooters than ever before. They think little guns are more manageable and concealable.

Two, many of us (myself included) became enamored with how small a gun they could comfortably carry and still feel good about what they carried. Rogue is on point in that some of us are gravitating back to compacts from subs and micros.

What Rogue said. The teeny gun thing has been rocking since '90s, and there seem to be a lot more mid- to large-size handguns on the market today than there used to be.

As a dealer in a fairly high volume shop (for our area) the market is definitely oriented toward compact and smaller guns at the moment. We sell many more single stack type CC guns (G43/42, EC9S/LC9S, P365 and yeah I know it's not a single stack, Shield, etc.), compact (G19 size, etc.), and tiny (LCPII, and similar) than full size guns. Full size guns sell well, but not nearly as well as smaller ones.

We sell bucketloads of compacts and smaller. We sell a lot less full size. Nowhere close to 50/50; it's ALL about carry and for many a new owner, also about the perception that a smaller gun seems less intimidating, despite being informed that felt recoil will be more, in some cases considerably so. But try as we might they won't listen so whaddayagonnado?

Take there money, of course. After all, the buyer is 'always' right, no matter how wrong they are.

The only full size gun that we sell that comes close to kind of volume that single-stack subcomp models sell at is the G20. It's the go-to woods gun around here nowadays.

I was coaching a new guy at my agency, and he was having some difficulty with his Glock’s trigger.

I pulled out a Beretta 92 from my bag, as I find its double-action trigger a good training aid.

“Man, it’s big and heavy!” he exclaimed. I sort of blinked, and told him the Beretta was light compared to the 1911 (which I also had with me).

Guns seems to be getting smaller and lighter. Don’t see too many 6” 27s anymore on guys’ belts!

It’s all relative, I guess.

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Originally posted by Cobra21:
I am with the OP. Sure seems like a plethora of small guns are (have been) the rage. I think there are two reasons that it appears the smaller handguns are winning the retail wars...One, MORE and MORE first time shooters than ever before and more women shooters than ever before. They think little guns are more manageable and concealable.

Two, many of us (myself included) became enamored with how small a gun they could comfortably carry and still feel good about what they carried. Rogue is on point in that some of us are gravitating back to compacts from subs and micros.

This and I also feel a lot of us long term gun owners have bought most all of the full size guns we want and not an incredible amount of advances in designs and stuff. Whereas the sub compact market has made game changing designs in bringing 9mm's into extremely concealable guns even pocket guns so it's enticed long term owners to buy.

But I shot with a relatively new female shooter about a year ago. And, that's all she owned were 3 compact or sub compact pistols. She didn't know how much nicer a full size was to shoot till she shot a few of mine. She had a Ruger LCP, LC9, and a .22 compact of some sort. She bought them because she liked the size for her size and could just throw one in her purse. LOL

For example my last purchase was a Colt Competition s/s 9mm government. But, I have 6 1911's, so how many 1911's does someone need to buy. (Don't answer that question hahaha).

I own plenty of compact pistols (P30, P228, P320 compact sized) double-stack sub compacts (P2000SK, P320 Subcompact sized), and single stacks in the sub-compact to micro size range.

The pistols I actually handle and shoot best from a draw (appendix kydex) are the larger sized subcompact single stacks. That would be Walther PPS Classic and M2, Kahr P9/CW9 with 7 or 8 rd mags. When the grip gets any shorter (Kahr PM9, Walther PPS with 6rd mag, LCP .380) I don't draw or shoot as well. When it gets thicker (traditional double stacks) I shoot as well under slow controlled conditions but don't draw or rapid fire as well. I wear a "large" glove in most makes, which I would say is just an average size male hand, and I'm lean so my fingers aren't thick.

What I'm saying is, other than capacity, nearly everything about a compact or fullsize doublestack pistol is actually a slight reduction in handling/shooting ability for me, as well as obviously harder to conceal. With a short little 6-round micro pistol it's much harder to draw and fire.

The sweet spot for me is the relatively recent size guns from Kahr, Walther, etc; thin, but not too short of grip.

I have a 365 on order; I'll be very interested to see if it gives me the bigger capacity (12+1) but still keeps the great handling of a 1" wide gun for me. Seems to in the store on static display, but I haven't practiced with one yet.

There's a lot of new gun owners in the past few years. They buy what they can stick in their pocket but probably never shoot it. So people want smaller/lighter and maybe less powerful caliber because it's more comfortable and convenient. Look at the proliferation of .32 and .380 pistols. The odds of ever having to use it are minute. But they want to have something should they need it.

If someone made an LCP sized pistol in a more powerful caliber, accurate, ergonomic, good sights and high capacity it could be a winner. Oh wait, SIG did it with the P365.

I generally carry a full size pistol. But I certainly see a need for subcompact or micro for certain situations.

IMO the advent of CCW in most of the states have given rise to smaller concealable handguns. It is just that simple.

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So people want smaller/lighter and maybe less powerful caliber because it's more comfortable and convenient. Look at the proliferation of .32 and .380 pistols. The odds of ever having to use it are minute. But they want to have something should they need it.

I'm an old (73) gun owner. When I was young I thought nothing of carrying a Colt .45 in an Allesi IWB or a PPK .380 in my front pocket. Now that I'm old I avoid bad areas & carry a Seecamp .32 in my front pocket, or maybe a Kahr CM9 if I go into the city (ref, above quote). Still own & shoot larger pistols but don't carry them.

The irony is that most people won't buy a full sized handgun unless they enjoy recreational shooting. The little guns that we all enjoy carrying rarely breed this enjoyment on range day.

Secondly, that paranoia that every new carrier feels just ensures that most of us have the little gun options, even if we rarely utilize them.