Allow me to rain on your parade.
The best way to find out which gun is YOUR gun is to shoot a lot of different guns.
To some extent you get what you pay for. A good reliable pistol is going to cost you.
If it was up to me, everyone would get a Sig p239, and those who want a small gun would get one in 9mm. I love shooting 9 mm out of Sigs.
But a .22 can be deadly. It’s maybe not so often FAST deadly. But a nice .22 revolver is really fun to shoot and cheap too. a .22 sic gun emptied into a bad guy should give him something to think about while you take cover, haul out your speed loader, and reload.
I would imagine a little Glock in 9 mm, maybe with a race frame, would be light and easy shooting, but I have an irrational aversion to Glocks, probably because it freaks me out to have to pull the trigger to disassemble them.
This is not a light choice. Go to the range. make friends, borrow guns. Then decide. Or just buy a Sig p239 in 9mm, a good holster a couple of extra magazines and repeat to yourself,”Two in the chest and one in the head // oughtta leave the bad guy dead.” (or words to that effect)
Thanks. I plan on going to a gun store and trying a few, but I thought it would be nice if I had a couple of recommendations to start. :)
The best way to find out which gun is YOUR gun is to shoot a lot of different guns.
Big and heavy with a light load (like 9mm) will be the easiest and least pleasant to shoot (she never mentioned whether you planned to conceal.) 45 is very comfortable for many ladies too, so she should try for herself.
Revolvers tend to be less comfortable in the hands, but one needs to test for onesself.