It shoots when you pull the trigger and doesn't when you don't. Doesn't rust. Not very heavy. List $707 not cheap either, but nothing is perfect.
Posted on 10/12/2006 12:05:09 PM PDT by domenad
I am positively ripping over here right now. About an hour ago, my wife calls me to tell me that someone behind her in traffic got out of the car, slammed his fist on her window and threatened her for not blowing through a "Yield" sign fast enough. This is the third time something of this nature has happened. Florida is growing at a meteoric rate, especially the Tampa area where I live. As with all growth, some is good and some is bad, and a surge in the number of physically aggressive, downright threatening people on the roads is one of them.
I've always supported the rights of any non-felon to own a weapon, even though for some reason I never chose to own one for myself. This is probably because I'm a large individual who is experienced in martial arts. My wife, on the other hand, is petite and has a bad back, making a physical confrontation unwise as well as unadvisable. In the back of my head, I always secretly figured on some level that my family and I were safe enough that we did not need firearms. Today has proven me wrong, and so I am turning to my fellow Freepers for advice - what weapon would be ideal for a woman in a car to own? What safety precautions, such as trigger locks would you recommend, in light of the fact that the weapon will be largely carried in a car? What laws are applicable? It would be simple enough for me to pick up a book (and believe me I intend to), but some things need to be filtered through human experience to get the most out of them.
This is good advice. Revolvers are simple. Point and pull the trigger. I would add three things:
(1) I would recommend a hammerless revolver. The upside is there's nothing to snag pulling it out of your purse. The downside is that if you are ready for a confrontation, you can cock a gun with a hammer and your first shot will probably be more accurate. After that, hammerless and with hammer revolvers are the same. IMHO, it's unusual to have time to cock the hammer and she will probably forget to anyway in the heat of the moment.
(2) Get a weapon with a ported barrel, especially for a woman. A well ported gun hardly jumps at all after you fire a round. So your second and third shots are WAY more accurate. Also, it will be a lot easier for her to get used to.
(3) Unless she's strong, a .357 is probably too much gun.
Also, remind her that an automobile is a mighty weapon. If someone is crazy enough to be threatening and standing behind the car, all she needs is forward or reverse, depending on her judgment of which leads to a safer solution. Getting out of your car because you feel protected because you have a gun is frequently not the optimal response.
There are always debates about what is better, revolver or pistol. The plus for the revolver is it is somewhat simpler to use and check to see if it is loaded. However, the self-loading pistol may well have a higher degree of practical accuracy, by virtue of having a lighter trigger pull (~5 lb versus about 12 lb).
If it is a revolver, buy one that will fit the hand. Be sure to buy one chambered for .357 Magnum. It is also possible to shoot .38 Special loads for practice and familiarization. My advice is to do some practice with .357 loads, also. This is so the increased recoil and noise will not be a complete surprise. Some of my recommendations are the Ruger SP101 and GP100 guns, as well as those by Smith & Wesson. Taurus also makes several good models.
On self-loading pistols, I recommend both the .40 S&W and the 9mm cartridge. If you shoot accurately, both will do the job. I have a preference for the Glock full size models, the Glock 17 in 9mm and the Glock 22 in .40 S&W. The Browning Hi-Power is also available in those calibers, as well as firearms from Beretta, Springfield Armory, and other manufacturers.
Don't base the purchase on just purchase price, buy a firearm that has a really good reputation for reliability. Remember, if the SHTF, you want something that will go bang! every time you squeeze the trigger.
What's the difference between this book and the plain "Effective Defense" (the one with red cover, with three pictures of Gila)?
I cant stress that enough, You have a heavy burdon and must live with a smile
The Peoples' Democracy of New Jersey doesn't allow you to own full auto does it?
..ahhhh...errrr....ah, nope
Doogle
That's not a gun, that's a cannon!
It shoots when you pull the trigger and doesn't when you don't. Doesn't rust. Not very heavy. List $707 not cheap either, but nothing is perfect.
When I first got mine I was wondering why people next to me at the range moved away !!
I don't think you can emphasize this too much, especially for someone who isn't familiar with firearms or Florida Laws. One split second decision can ruin many lives.
I would suggest pepper spray and a cell phone. I would also not pull over if someone appeared to be out of control. Drive to the local police station or call the police and meet them somewhere.
My little lady loves the sig 380. Be sure to check it out.
I've told this story here before on similar threads, but I'll tell it again. We were in the process of moving and my wife was in another city setting up things on that end. She got into a dispute with a man at work and he started stalking her. I went to the gun store and bought her a KelTek P-11 9mm to carry in her car. It's simple, lightweight, and packs enough punch to discourage a bad guy. She fired it once and refused to shoot it again. It didn't fit her hand, it was too loud, and the recoil hurt her hand. She ended up taking my Colt Diamondback in 38 special. It's a medium frame revolver that doesn't have the sharp recoil of a lighter gun.
The lesson is that you'll waste your money if you try to pick out a weapon for your wife. Let her try out several guns and pick the one that suits her.
I agree. I never purchased a gun that didn't "fit" right. Because every person's hand is different, its simply not possible to buy a pistol (or even a rifle or shotgun) for another person.
Pahahahah! What the hell kind of gun is that? It looks like something that should be mounted on an imperial Star Destroyer!
That's another that keeps coming up. Looks like the first ones I'll get her try are the .380, the Makarov, and the .357 snub and go from there.
Personally, I wouldn't choose a self defense weapon by how quiet it was. I want a couple of things from a self-defense (handgun) weapon:
1. Effective
2. Goes bang every time I pull the trigger
Number 2 pretty much rules out semi-automatic weapons. I don't want to bet my life on the remote possibility of a stovepipe jam or a bad primer. For women and some men, the possibility of a "limp wrist" jam is also very real. A revolver is on the top of my list for reliability and ease of use.
Number 1 pretty much rules out pistol rounds smaller or weaker than .357. The 38 special +p is a realistic choice, but it's pretty noisy too.
That leaves revolvers of 38 special +p and up on my list. A .45ACP with a half-moon clip is a good alternative. The availability of good self-defense rounds for the .357 make it my choice.
Fire a .357 inside a car with the windows rolled up and get back to me.
(You won't hear any surrounding noise whatsoever for at least 30 minutes.)
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