Today we’re talking about a huge step for Heckler & Koch—the launch of the HK CC9, their first handgun designed and built entirely in the United States, and specifically for the U.S. civilian concealed carry market.

HK spent about seven years developing the CC9, putting it through the same brutal NATO testing used for military rifles and running 750,000 rounds through it before launch. The result is a compact 9mm pistol with HK’s signature “no compromise” reliability and durability.

The CC9 has a 3.3-inch cold hammer-forged barrel, is optics-ready with an RMSC footprint, and comes with both a 10-round flush magazine and a 12-round extended mag. It’s surprisingly slim—less than an inch thick—and weighs just about 20 ounces. Reviewers are especially impressed with its ergonomics: interchangeable backstraps, a thoughtful undercut trigger guard, and a grip designed for a full hand purchase, so no “pinky dangling” like on many micro-compacts. Add in a crisp striker-fired trigger and fully ambidextrous controls, and you’ve got one of the most shootable small pistols on the market.

Now, here’s the challenge: HK is entering late. The Sig P365, Glock 43X, Springfield Hellcat—they’ve all been dominating for years. At $699, the CC9 isn’t cheap either. But what HK brings to the table is proven reliability, serious durability, and a gun built for performance rather than just smallest possible size.

Bottom line? If you value a pistol that will work when you need it most, the HK CC9 might just be the concealed carry pistol worth waiting for.