Beretta's APX A1 Carry is a slim 9mm semi-automatic sized for concealment, finished in Olive Drab Green on a polymer frame. The barrel is 3 inches, overall length 5.63 inches and unloaded weight 20.8 ounces. It holds 8+1 with the one magazine supplied, uses a trigger safety rather than a manual thumb safety, and the slide is cut to accept a compatible red dot. The A1 update brings a shorter, lighter trigger pull and added modularity.

In South Carolina this is a carry gun first, and the 3-inch barrel and 20.8-ounce weight keep it comfortable inside a waistband all day. Picking one up at a dealer means showing photo ID, filling out Form 4473 and clearing the federal NICS check, and many dealers take a current South Carolina concealed weapons permit in place of that check. The state keeps no firearm registry, and state law bars handing a handgun to anyone under 18.

Key features

• 9mm, 3-inch barrel, 8+1 capacity
• 20.8 ounces, 5.63 inches overall
• Optic-ready slide, standard sights
• Polymer frame, Olive Drab Green finish
• Trigger safety, no manual safety

Handguns ship only to a South Carolina FFL dealer, where you fill out Form 4473 and the dealer runs NICS before you take delivery; you must be 21.