Which Pistol if you only want one sidearm?

For me it’s simple. Glock 17

The Glock 17 is considered a full-size double stack handgun with a standard capacity of 17 rounds. Using Glock’s SAFE ACTION® System from Glock’s original design, three automatic independently-operating mechanical safeties are built into the fire control system of the pistol.

As the trigger is pressed, the three internal safeties disengage sequentially and automatically re-engage when the trigger is released. This gives Glock pistols a consistent trigger pull for every round fired and eliminates the need for a separate, external safety.

This system also prevents accidental discharges from things like drops and allows the guns to operate in temperatures from -40° to 122° Fahrenheit.

The Glock 17 is chambered in 9x19mm and has a barrel length of 4.49 inches. The overall length of the slide is 7.32 inches once the gun is assembled, with an empty weight of 22.05 ounces. Adding an empty magazine ups the weight to 24.87 ounces, and fully loaded it comes in at 32.28 ounces.

The trigger pull weight is 28 Newtons, which equates to a little over 6 pounds of force, a common range for modern striker-fired pistols.

Even though the Glock 17 is a full-sized handgun, its slim grip (at 1.26 inches) makes it easier to grip than many other full-sized handguns. Later models, like the Gen4 and Gen5 G17s include variable backstrap sizes for fine-tuning hand placement, but even without any modifications, the G17 provides an approachable grip size for people with smaller hands.

Concealed Carry

Glocks of all sizes are used for concealed carry. There is not a one-size-fits-all gun that everyone should use for concealed carry. A carry gun is a personal preference and includes decisions that are important to an individual, like comfort, the weight of the gun, good holster options, concealability, and reliability.

Even though the Glock 17 is a full-sized gun, it is used as a concealed carry gun and can make for a great high-capacity carry firearm.

Home Defense

Home defense can be achieved with handguns, shotguns, rifles, or any combination, so the right answer is truely subjective.In general, you should always consider a high-capacity firearm for home defense and outfit the gun with a light, laser, and/or night sights, all of which a G17 can accommodate.