Help choosing a handgun.

[The Comedian]

Any sort of compact 1911 in .45.

This is your life we're talking about, and there is no screw-up wiggle room.

Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.

[mylife]

I suggest you find a range that will let you shoot few different kinds of pistols.

How do you intend to carry it?.
You can hide a big gun in a purse, And larger pistols are often more manageable for women than small pistols that have a lot of recoil.

[mylife]

You dont find the recoil harsh?
Most women are shocked at how hard a .38 air weight snubbie can kick.
Men too for that matter

[mylife]

I agree with you on the air weights.

[cgchief]

Springfield Armory, XD-40, 3 1/2 inch barrel, 12 round capacity.

[70times7]

Have you done much shooting in the past? If not, I’d suggest getting some training and try out some different guns to see what feels right to you.

Some of the best advice on this thread; the place to start if you have not done so already.

My father carried a S&W five shot .38 revolver that was a very nice small weapon. Good stopping power, small, easy to use, easy to conceal. He usually carried it in a magnetic belt holster in the small of his back. I expect it would also fit very well into a purse.

I'm sure there are various manufacturers of something similar. I would avoid the larger models and smaller calibers. The glock 9mm, for example, is too large a gun and the bullets are too small to provide the stopping power you want. Also, given the ergonomics of the average female, you will probably want a smaller weapon that fits your hand well.

[cgchief]

Springfield Armory, XD-40, 3 1/2 inch barrel, 12 round capacity.

[samadams2000]

Oldleft, may I enquire as to your set up? Regards.

[Salvavida]

What he (Ramius) said.

I would advise a revolver versus an automatic for a beginner, but Ramius is correct on all points.

If I were behind the counter, I’d start you out with a Smith & Wesson .357 Model 19 or 66 with 2 1/2 inch barrel. It can shoot .380 if you can’t handle the recoil of a .357, and you can always work up to .357 with practice.

Besides being incredibly reliable and accurate (adjustable sights), it just looks nasty.

Do NOT buy a pink gun. If you have to draw it, you want to be taken seriously, not worried about accessorizing with your make up. Nor do you want anyone to think it is a toy.

[BereanBrain]

taurus slim 709 because it has a real safety. 99 percent of semi-autos don’t....they trigger safety and/or hand grip safety will not prevent a novice from mistakes....

Test it at the store to see if you can rack “or work” it’s action....If you have very low hand strength, you may have to go to a 380 But this 709 is the size of a 380 with the stopping power of a 9mm

it should be around 3-400$

WhatEVER you choose, if you don’t practice with it at least once a month, you woud be better off without.

[ansel12]

WhatEVER you choose, if you don’t practice with it at least once a month, you woud be better off without.

Huh?

[oldleft]

That's not mine, but I do have a Desert Eagle .50, silver finish. I don't have a fancy Walther Multi-Dot sight, call me old fashioned. For a time I had a laser sight mounted under the barrel but I found I shot better just sighting by eye. For protection and/or urban combat the light is a must though so that's what I have under there now. If I go through a few boxes at the range my arms tired from holding the damn thing.

[mylife]

I have a SW 442 and folks recommend this stuff all the time.

The truth is that it conceals great BUT
It has horrendous to non existent sights.
The Trigger pull is so long and stiff that you tend to pull off target even when you are concentrating.
And with 148 grain bullets this thing hurts my hand.
I haven’t tried 110s
But with 148 grain semi wadcutters it is painful.
Women take one shot, shake their heads and put it down.

I hear the Ruger LCR really absorbs a lot of the recoil, but I have not shot one.

[woerm]

I would recommend the cornered cat website and thehighroad.org

one of the Mods on the highroad is the lady who runs the cornered cat website.http://corneredcat.com

for picking guns start here:
http://corneredcat.com/TOC.aspx#FirstGun

lots of useful stuff.

[Ramius]

I agree with Mr. Salvavida on the point that a revolver is the most simple and easiest to operate. I’m sure he meant that a .357 can also fire .38 special... which is true... not the .380... which wouldn’t be true.

[Wile E Coyote Genius]

Take it from me, a Mossberg is your best bet. A good pump shotgun is the best for home defense. It also comes in handy for hunting season.

[Salvavida]

Correct. Good catch :-)

[mylife]

I agree.

But the best point anyone can make is carry what you are comfortable with.

Wear it like clothing, wear it all the time.
Wear it at your nieces year 6 birthday party, wear it cutting the lawn....

A 1911 at home in the safe wont help ya should the unimaginable happen.

[Elixyveth]

Oooooh! Me likey!!

[SERE_DOC]

Kimber Ultra carry II