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.

[TalonDJ]

Why such small caliber pistols?

Some women can't shoot larger ones. Really. The bones, tendons, muscles are all different. Some women will get literally physically injured shooting a larger gun for too long. I read a story about tendinitis in police women shooting 40s. They had to switch to 9s in order to get enough practice in without hurting themselves.

[hiredhand]

I've got three friends who purchased the Ruger LCP. One returned the pistol before finishing a full mag of Speer Gold Dot. It suffered some sort of failure and I don't remember the details other than to say that he wasn't seriously injured, but he picked up the parts from the surrounding area and put them in a ZipLoc bag before sending it back to Ruger for repair. The DID say that it was covered under warranty.

As for the other two, one tells me that it's just a tad small and light. He said that if one were to shoot it for an afternoon at the range, it would probably put a blister or raw spot on your hand just because of its size. I didn't like hearing this because it's very important that one gets trigger time on a regular basis...and pistols that put a raw spot in the web of my hand are something I try to avoid. :-)

Anyway... take care. :-)

[CodeToad]

Nope. Shoots smooth and accurate. She hits targets 75 feet away like a pro.

[TalonDJ]

With proper training most women should be able to rack and LCP. You just have to hold it right and ‘push’ instead of just trying to grab and pull.

[Hoffer Rand]

Smith & Wesson M&P Compact. Comes in either 9mm or .40cal (same size). Also comes with three sizes of back strap so you can adjust the grip for your hand. Doesn’t kick like a mule. I’ve never had any trouble racking the slide. Love it!

[ArrogantBustard]

Khadaffy is still a Colonel, after all these years.

[Uncle Miltie]

What are your thoughts on 12 Ga. 28” barrel v. 9mm sub-compact?

I have two concerns:

Lockup
* I want my firearms secured against wandering children
* the shotgun needs a big safe, and I don’t want that in my bedroom
* I keep the 9mm in a locked box under the bed, with the key very handy and very hidden; I can be armed and pointed in the right direction in about 4 seconds....

Lenght / Weight
* My Browning BPS 28” barrel is probably too heavy for my wife to use in any circumstance. She’s 5’ 0” and not strong.
* The barrel length doesn’t go around corners very well or quickly.

Your Thoughts?

[WayneS]

Well, to be truthful, it hasn’t even worked ONCE so far...

.. but a guy can DREAMM, right?

[TalonDJ]

An LCP is like a spare tire. You can't drive it all over town, have it blow out, and then complain it is not good enough. It isn't a regular tire. It is an emergency tire. Shoot it just enough to know it works and then practice on something made for real shooting.
I love mine. It works great. The only failure I have had was when I squibed a poorly reloaded round. My own mistake with the press and nothing to do with the gun.
Best of all I can carry it anywhere and everywhere with comfort. I can't carry my kimber as easily in a pair of jogging shorts.

[TalonDJ]

Also think about this. At night, in the dark, which one gives you one hand free to comfort a child, hold a flashlight or turn a door knob?

[WayneS]

I do know this: A 12 gauge shotgun with a 28” barrel is a bit harder to carry concealed than a 9mm sub-compact.

;-)

[NavyCanDo]

“I carry a Beretta Tomcat in .32cal”

I had a Tomcat follow me home from the gun store too.

Nice little gun. I have a Ruger P89 9MM that I can shoot very accurately, but its really too heavy and bulky for carrying it all day. So more often than not, I left it at home. The Tomcat however can fit in a pocket or in a belt holster, and you barely know its there. The result is I carry almost always. And as they say any gun is better than no gun.

[Still Thinking]

;-)

[WayneS]

Mine accidently got put into the same safe with my wife’s “Hello Kitty” AR-15 and the next thing we knew we had half a dozen MAC 10s roaming around the house...

[TalonDJ]

Did she do it the right way? Hold the gun around belly button height pointed across your body. Grab the slide right across the top like you are gripping a shopping cart handle or a lawnmower. Now pinch hard with your offhand while PUSHING with your main hand. This works for many women when the usual method does not (point down range and pull with the offhand).

If that fails have her get a larger XD. The full size and the tactical size are easier to rack.

[mickie]

Thanks for posting...

[JohnG45]

Damn... guy=gun. Im not a queer. Just on a phone with auto spell... sheesh.. lol

Oh yes you are.

It's too late. You already "outed" yourself. It is all over the internet.

[hiredhand]

Awesome! Then if it ain’t broke, no need to fix it! Nice pistol BTW. :-)

[muir_redwoods]

Just a general reaction but several of the very fine guns recommended are configured as lightweight or “airweight” type designs. Given what looks like a presumption that the female shooter is not as robust as the typical male, wouldn’t a bit heavier firearm facilitate second shot capability by reducing felt recoil?

[SkyDancer]

Then too, I read where people go to the gun range and shoot at pistol targets 50yds. out. Why? A mugger is up close and personal. My dad says shoot center mass. You can’t miss from 12 feet. If they’re 50yds out there’s no threat.