Recommendations for handgun for petite woman?

[missycocopuffs]

Wondering if anyone has recommendations for a handgun for a petite woman (me...5'2", 110lbs). Have used a small semi-automatic years ago, not sure of caliber. FIL worries that I might lack strength for semi-auto; I worry that loading bullets under pressure vs. loading ammo clip would waste precious time.

Just curious what the ladies here are using? Going to gun range tonight and I think I will have the opportunity to handle a few different guns. Would like input to maybe weed out some choices that would be inappropriate for my size/needs.

Another question: we currently have no handguns in the house. If we could purchase only one gun for self-defense, what would be a good choice that balances stopping power AND ease of use for both me and my husband? Also, a gun that I enjoy taking to the range to actually *practice* shooting is a huge plus. /grin

Thanks in advance, Missy

[China Clipper]

Missy, I would take a SERIOUS look at the S&W series of lite compact revolvers in the .38 caliber range. Powerful enough, no messing with slides or magazines, it goes boom when ya pull the trigger, and it doesn't have the kick of a mule like its bigger .357 mag brother.

[JAKraig]

Try the Kel Tec .380.

It is very small and very lite.

[SonnyBubba]

Beat me to it. I like a .38 snub-nose. I also have a 22 magnum 5-shot mini revolver.

[Circle_Hook]

Walther PPK 380! Perfect for the petite woman! Make sure to put hollow points in it!

[70th Division]

I second that. I have a Bersa and love it. Also a third the cost of a Walther.

[catman67]

You might also look at the new Walther. It is in .380 ACP and only marginally larger than the P-22.

[Uri’el-2012]

FIL worries that I might lack strength for semi-auto;

Your FIL may be correct.

Many women do not have the chest or arm strength for any auto.

Blowback pistols require more strength than Browning locked breechs.
that is a 9MM may be better than a .380

Revolvers always work and do not require the upper body strength.

A .38 Special with Personal Protection ammunition is my recommendation.

I'm an NRA trainer of NRA instructors in personal protection
as well as a NRA trainer of Woman's shooting sports.

[Lexington Green]

Taurus Judge .410 revolver....

[redstateconfidential]

Do not accept a Lorcin/Jimenez,Bryco-Jennings or AMT even as a gift.

[Tenacious 1]

Some here won't like a Keltec P3AT(380), mines never had a failure to feed.And a lifetime

Many say these are great "lady" guns. My sister and mother carry them (One is the Tomcat). My father has one as well. Berretta, S&W, Taurus and Keltec....I have seen "the girls" have jambs with them all. My mother's Taurus had an old round jamb in the barrel and the next shot cracked the frame (lucky no one was hurt). My sister's Keltec jambed because she limp wristed a thrid shot. My father's Barretta is absolutely junk as I can't get a whole clip to go through it but about 50% of the time. I am sure there must be good one's out there. But they scare the hell out of me. I guess I have just had bad luck with them.

[FateAmenableToChange]

ArrogantBustard’s comment is spot on. Totally in the abstract and not knowing you, I’d recommend a good revolver — probably a smith & wesson — in .38special. But I don’t know you, nor does any other commenter. Good defensive rounds begin at the .38sp and 9mm range, and both are inexpensive (meaning you can practice more easily). My petite wife carries an HK USP compact in 9mm and can easily shoot a .45ACP pistol. If you’re not going to practice much (really bad, but people often have other things to do), then most people will recommend a revolver — no controls to screw with in the night, no mags to seat or drop out, and it goes bang with extraordinary reliability. But don’t limit yourself — the push recoil of a .45acp round in a good gun is potentially less snappy than a 9mm in a light pistol. Additionally, many pistols have radically different recoil characteristics even in the same caliber — a springfield XD (also a good semi-auto) has a sharp recoil up and twisted to the right, compared to a glock which seems to punch straight back and up. As AB said, try then buy.

Then practice. Take a class. Without training, a gun is a moderately dangerous lump of metal.

Finally, if you were going to get only one gun exclusively for home defense, a remington 870 in 20gauge is more powerful and dependable than any handgun you could fire. The purpose of a handgun is to give you time to get to your long gun.

[AlmaKing]

Yep. Walther PPK .22 for my wife who’s only 5’ 100lbs.

Fits her hand very nicely, not a lot of recoil. Very smooth compared to even my 9mm.

[PeaRidge]

IMHO, you can’t beat the weight, balance, confidence, and fast response of the Walther PPK/S in .380. Plus, it is small and light enough to fit into anything you carry.

[JohnQ1]

I don’t qualify as one of the ladies here, but I do have one piece of advice to offer (free and well worth the price). What you want least is a gun that will anger an attacker without doing much else. The .380 is good, but the smallest gun I carry for defense is a S&W .38 Special with a 1.875’ barrel and a five round cylinder. (But fo course, if you choose any revolver, leave the hammer resting in an empty cylinder except at a range.)

You may not hit much at shooting range distances with a short barrel .38, but it will hit hard enough to stop most things that come out of alleys. Feel free to go larger, but think hard before going much smaller. (An FN Herstal 1911 .45 ACP with a fourteen round clip not only shoots great; it should double as a fine club; just a little bulky....)

[2nd Bn, 11th Mar]

Concur. Bought my two daughters S&W 637’s. The Federal(?) 110 grain non +P is decent to shoot, recoil-wise.

[MHGinTN]

The choice has several data points to consider: will you be concealed carrying this weapon; will this weapon be a 'nightstand' safety measure where there are children in the home; will you be practicing regularly with this weapon; are you fairly calm under stress?

If this weapon is going to be used in practicing, pick something in a high enough caliber to damage an assailant (the weapon needs to be larger than a 22 long but probably less than a .44 or .45, if you'r an average strength female at your height). Practice will teach you to handle the recoil and get back 'on target' naturally.

If this weapon is going into a purse, it needs to be hammer free so it will not snag on something under pressure of drawing to fire. It should also be heavy enough to be distinct in your grip as you seek to draw and fire. And unless you practice a whole lot, stick with revolver choices rather than auto loaders. If you anticipate needing more than six or seven shots, you need to change your expectations in life and the places you haunt. If this weapon is going to be carried in a holster on the waistline, consider a reliable autoloader with punch to it, like a slab-side .45 or .38sp.

What Darth posted is an excellent compromise for all the above. The .327 is like a hot .32 caliber, so it will penetrate to viatl organs through heavy coats, for instance. I carried a 22 semi-auto for long time as my carry protection, with the intent to shoot into the pevlic region if assaulted ... it will drop a cahrging perp with the exquisite pain cused by slamming into the nerve and blood and organ rich target. I've switched to a larger caliber as my eyesight and mobility have declined.

If you intend to practice regularly but will keep it at home, get a 20 gage pump shotgun and forget about protecting your home with a pistol. I helped a lady obtain a 20 gage birdgun pump and clipped the barrel off at 19 inches. This is an excdellent tool for home defense because there are many typed of ammunition, from slugs to buckshot to dual shot.

Finally, I would advise you stay away from lightweight revolvers because with small hands you will not practice regularly so you will not learn repeatable habits with the weapon. If you go for a revolver, pick one heavy, like a .357 in which you'll load .38 spl Jacketed hollowpoint +P ammo, and practice with the ball version of the same +P, to get used to the feel of the recoil and retuning to target naturally.

[redstateconfidential]

Maybe so ,I know 16 CCPs who carry them and have never had a FTF, I also know 7 Glock owners with consistent FTFs with their Glocks(3 as duty weapons), and a Glock Armorer who works on three of them.

[windcliff]

ping

[Tenacious 1]

a springfield XD (also a good semi-auto) has a sharp recoil up and twisted to the right, compared to a glock which seems to punch straight back and up.

My wife got me an XD .45 Compact for my birthday a couple years ago. It is a very very nice piece. It's getting to be winter around here so I will be able to start wearing coats again (hee hee).

The kick of this weapon is noticable different from the Glocks. Two friends of mine went to the range about 6 months ago. We compared my XD against a Glock .40 and a Glock 9mm. The XD .45 had less kick than the .40 and just a little more kick than the 9mm. We were all surprised.

[Uri’el-2012]

Beginners should start with NRA Certified training

I would recommend training
from an NRA Certified Instructor in

Refuse to be a victim
NRA training for women
Basic pistol
Personal protection in the home
and the newly released
Personal protection outside the home

NRA Gun Safety Rules

Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction

Always keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot

Always keep the gun unloaded until ready to use