Compact carry guns do not have to cost a week of wages. The Taurus G3c in 9mm uses a 3.2-inch barrel and a 12-round magazine, and the listed price puts it among the most affordable ways to carry a modern 9mm around Charlotte or Raleigh.

It is a small striker-fired pistol in black, sized to slide into an inside-the-waistband holster without printing through a shirt. Twelve rounds is a respectable load for something this size. The grip is short, so try it in your hand before buying and see how your pinky finger sits on the magazine.

Cheap guns still deserve proper break-in, so run a couple hundred rounds of the ammo you plan to carry before you trust it. Pick a holster made for this exact model, because a poor fit can ride badly or leave the trigger exposed. Many carry permit holders also keep a spare magazine on the belt.

This pistol is new. It ships to a North Carolina FFL dealer of your choice, where you finish the background check and pick it up.