Top Ten Firearms For Females: Your Best Shot for Personal Defense

Petite Guns ^ | Unknown | Content: Sarah L & Graphics: Chynna P

[Immerito]

Top Ten Firearms for Females

Content: Sarah L & Graphics: Chynna P

Personal defense means always having the means to defend yourself at any time and in any situation. With the continued rise in crimes and attacks against women, it's even more important for females to stand their ground and protect themselves. When pepper spray and stun guns are no longer enough to get the job done, it's time to look for a personal defense weapon that is more powerful and effective. With this in mind, we've compiled a list of what we believe to be the top ten handguns for female defense. Each of these handguns are light, compact and easy to carry whether it be in a pocket or a purse. With their easy operating capabilities and excellent power to weight ratio, these handguns will allow you to walk more comfortably and more confidently because your personal safety is something that should never be taken for granted.
Note: The following firearms are in alphabetical order
	Many female shooters prefer the 9mm Glock 19 pistol because of its simple design and lightweight build. The Glock 19 handgun uses nearly half as many components as other handguns, making it easy to operate and maintain. Glock 19 pistols are also designed with a high-tech polymer frame, making them 86% lighter than other steel frame handguns. Designed with safety in mind, the Glock 19 features the Glock Safe Action System, which uses three different safety mechanisms to help prevent accidental discharge. With its compact design and safe and reliable performance, the Glock 19 pistol has become a favorite among many female shooters.
For a compact pistol that is both safe and easy to operate, it doesn't get much better than the Heckler & Koch P2000 pistol. Featuring a LEM (Law Enforcement Modification) trigger system, the H&K P2000 compact pistol combines a cocked striker component with the ease of use of a double action hammer system, allowing you to quickly fire an additional round without having to pull the slide back to re-cock the pistol in case of a failure to fire. The 9mm Heckler & Koch P2000 comes with an ambidextrous magazine release and dual slide release lever, making it easy to be handled and fired by both right and left handed female shooters.
Small in size yet large in power is the Kahr Arms K9 Compact Pistol. Weighing in at only 15 ounces and 5.8 inches in length, the Kahr Arms K9 Compact is a double action only pistol that is known for its reliable performance and easy handling. Chambered for 7 rounds of 9mm ammunition, the Kahr Arms K9 Compact Pistol is equipped with a 3.6 inch barrel, manual safety, drift adjustable white bar-dot combat sights and a soft, textured polymer grip for a comfortable hold.
It never hurts to have a Guardian watching over you and with the North American Arms (NAA) .32 ACP Guardian Pistol, you can be sure there is always a Guardian by your side. The NAA .32 ACP Guardian Pistol offers the perfect combination of a small sized handgun with accurate performance and great stopping power. Only 3.3 inches high, 4.4 inches long and 13.5 ounces when unloaded, the NAA .32 ACP Guardian Pistol comes equipped with an Integral Locking System (ILS) safety that allows you to lock the hammer in place to keep the gun from firing, giving you an extra measure of safety and security.
Lightweight and compact, the name of the Ruger LCP (Lightweight Compact Pistol) says it all. Chambered for six rounds of. 380 ACP ammunition, the Ruger LCP weighs an unheard of 9.4 ounces when unloaded and is only 5.16 inches long, making it one of the smallest and lightest pistols available. Since it first hit the firearm market, the Ruger LCP has been considered one of the most reliable and accurate compact pistols, making it the perfect pistol for female shooters that want a compact personal defense pistol that is easy to handle and conceal.
Another Ruger handgun that is worthy of our list is the Ruger LCR revovler. Chambering five rounds in the .38 Special +P caliber, the Ruger LCR features one of the most advanced revolver designs on the market, complete with a chemical-resistant polymer housing that holds all of the firing controls as well as a lightweight and durable aluminum frame. Weighing only 13.5 ounces, the small frame LCR is 6.5 inches long and features a pinned ramp front sight, U-notch integral rear sight and easy to hold Hogue grip for continuous comfort and control.
	The only thing that may be able to offer you more protection than an actual bodyguard is the Bodyguard 380 Pistol or Bodyguard 38 Revolver from Smith & Wesson. The newest line of firearms designed for personal protection, both the S&W Bodyguard 380 Pistol and 38 Revolver feature integrated laser sights for optimal accuracy and polymer frames and grips for a lightweight and comfortable design. The S&W Bodyguard 380 is a semiautomatic .380 ACP pistol that has a compact frame with a 2.75 inch barrel, overall length of 5.25 inches and weighs an incredible 11.85 ounces. The 38 S&W Bodyguard Revolver is the first polymer framed revolver to ever be built with integrated laser sights and is chambered for five rounds of .38 Special +P firepower. With its 1.9 inch barrel, internal hammer and overall weight of only 14.3 ounces, the S&W 38 Bodyguard Revolver may be small in size but is large in power.
Keeping it classy yet threatening is the Smith & Wesson Model 642 Centennial Revolver. With its pink synthetic grip and lightweight aluminum alloy frame, the S&W 642 Centennial Revolver is only 6.31 inches in length and weighs only 15 ounces when unloaded. Capable of shooting five rounds of .38 Special +P ammunition, the S&W 642 Centennial Revolver is equipped with an integral front sight, fixed rear sight and an internal hammer for a snag free design that is perfect for concealed carry and all day wear.
The Springfield XD 9mm pistol is another handgun that has found a home among female shooters due to its ease of use and overall safety. The subcompact Springfield XD 9mm pistol is equipped with an ambidextrous magazine release, loaded chamber indicator and the famous Springfield Ultra Safety Assurance (USA) Trigger System that helps prevent accidental discharge. With its natural pointability, easy no-tool disassembly and fast shot to shot recovery for quick follow up shots, the Springfield XD 9mm pistol provides female shooters with a comfortable and safe pistol that is as easy to fire as it is to maintain.
The Taurus Millennium Pro 111 Pistol is another light and powerful gun that fits comfortably in the hands of female shooters and features a single action/double action trigger, blue steel finish and slim polymer grip with a single stack magazine. The 9mm Taurus Millennium Pro 111 Pistol is one of the safest pistols on the market and includes Taurus' unique key operated security system that prevents the pistol from being fired or cocked and also prevents the manual safety from being disengaged while the security system is activated.

[panaxanax]

That’s REALLY nice!

Been saving up for one, but don’t think Mrs. panax would approve.

[yarddog]

Except for the heaviest and most powerful, the same guns as for guys. Some really petite girls might have trouble with weight. They could probably learn to deal with heavy recoil but why worry with it when there are plenty of effective gun/ammo combinations that are not difficult to handle.

I recall once when several of my Nieces and Nephews and I drove down to the creek on my parents property. We had a lot of fun shooting a .22 auto. Everyone had hearing protection tho I didn’t have enough eye protection for everyone.

I had a Ruger Super Blackhawk with a 7.5 inch barrel and shot it a few times. My Niece asked if she could shoot it. I told her that was probably not a good idea but she insisted so I showed her just a bit of how to hold it, cock it etc. Now this girl was fairly tall but slender. She looks a lot like her Father who is slender but strong. She formerly finished runner up in a large Southern State’s Miss America pageant.

To my surprise she handled it with no trouble at all. I personally think the hearing protection was more important than adapting to the recoil. I will say none of the other girls wanted to shoot it tho all the guys did.

[glock rocks]

P229 in .40. 13 rounds, it’s really no bigger to carry.

[Uri’el-2012]

I’d get a Kel-Tec before the NAA Guardian.

YES ! Kel-Tec

P3AT in .380 ACP

or

PF-9 in 9mm lugar

[smokingfrog]

I like the single stack 9mm.

[Abundy]

My wife loves “the Judge” and so do I for home defense. Can’t go wrong with 5 rounds of the new Federal ammo...

[paul51]

i’ll go with that. The P229 is an excellent piece but I prefer it with .357 Sig barrel. I have a .40 barrel in the safe somewhere that hardly ever gets used.

[Petruchio]

Hey! They dedicated a whole thread to you . . .

[grin]

[wastedyears]

I’m a guy, but some of these are a good idea considering I’m a small guy.

[Immerito]

Wow! Thank you to everyone who has responded. Lots of good information in here. I’m going to need to take time to go through it all.

[ModelBreaker]

“Do you disagree with anything on this list or wish something else had been included?”

My wife does not like the Ruger LCP much at all. Sights are way too minimal—basically a slot down the top of the barrel. She has a very hard time putting rounds on target with it and she’s a shooting instructor. She likes the Springfield .40 caliber a lot.

[Puppage]

My wife loves her Sig P238 Nitron.

[Ladysmith]

It’s all about MEEEEEEE!!!

LOL!

The one thing that irritates me to no end - pink grips. Seriously, how intimidating is that??! yeesh!!

Are you still in Illinois? If so, time to move north into CCW Land.

[OKSooner]

Ruger SP101.

[Titan Magroyne]

Haw!

>>> “I have a Lady Smith I carry IWB. When asked why I got a “LadySmith”, I tell them I don’t want any “Misters” getting into my pants!”

Great answer!

[Titan Magroyne]

>>> “The one thing that irritates me to no end - pink grips. Seriously, how intimidating is that??! yeesh!!”

LOL, I have agreed with that for a long time. And given the opportunity, we’re looking to intimidate our attacker into quitting the scene before we must shoot to defend ourselves. So we prefer that he not bust out laughing at those pink grips and grab us anyway, forcing a woman to ventilate his arse.

But if it’s nighttime, he’s not gonna see it, rendering the issue moot.

What about defending yourself later, in a court of law? The lights are on there. NOW how intimidating is your gun, and do you want average members of a hoplophobic public (your jury pool!) to view you as a monster?

In a sane state, things wouldn’t get that far. But what *if* you have to pull the trigger on someone. Those moments are supposed to be rare too.

Hey, as long as being a member of the weaker sex makes for a more appealing victim to an attacker, why not give ourselves a boost up when it makes it into a courtroom. I *want* the jury to laugh and immediately leap to the conclusion that I only shot in fear, not anger.

Note: None of my guns are pink or girly.

*cough*

As to the article, I’ll advise to go to as many well-stocked shows & stores as possible. Handle a lot of them to dismiss what feels wrong immediately. I dismissed all Glocks on that reason alone. Rent what’s left at a range that supplies a veriety. Again, dismiss the ones that didn’t make the cut. Now enjoy choosing from among those that haven’t been eliminated.

I carry only on my person. A gun in the purse is rediculous when that’s what the mugger is taking off you. One of mine is tiny with a single stack magazine. Try guessing where I’m wearing it on any given day. Another might be a doublestack compact that you can’t tell I’m wearing well above the waist. Own enough of them, and they’re just like shoes. (Don’t ask where the DA/SA revolver is at.) You sould see the variety of holsters. What can I say? Women like to accessorise.

I have a thing for the S&W model60, Ladysmith or regular, even tho I don’t own one. Ran outta $$$ too soon.

[CarryaBigStick]

[Petruchio]

Pink Grips:
For the most part, I agree with you. But, there is the other side of the coin to consider. If an aggressor sees pink grips and starts laughing, there is a good chance he will laugh hard enough to pee himself. At that point he would be too ashamed to continue an attack. Then you can shoot his sorry ass at your leisure . . .

[hope]

That is on my wish list!

[hope]

Pink grips are hideous.