I’m also looking for a good deal on a smaller handgun. A Christmas present for my wife. She loves shooting my 9mm but it’s more that she can handle and she needs something to keep in her purse. A friend suggested a Ruger SR22 - about $350.
Terry,
I purchased a Sig Sauer Pro 250 9mm semi auto. I have small arthritic hands and this piece fit my hands and I find does not have a lot of recoil. $399 at Academy Sports, or at least it was when I purchased 6 months ago. I highly recommend. It comes with a 15 round mag and one in the pipe makes it 16. Christmas is coming and would make a great gift for your lady!
For a woman...check out the Browning Buckmark Micro semi-auto pistol (if you can get your hands on one, it will be about $350)...or for stopping power without too big of a kick, the Ruger SP101 327 Federal Magnum revolver (yes that is a 327 not 357..)...about $500...the 327 also takes 32...best 327 ammo is a Low Recoil version that would be woman friendly also...ammo will not be cheap for the 327 like it will be relative to the 22 of course.
a great gun for you and her wouild be ruger’s LCR. she could get the 38+p, and you could get that one or the .357 rated one, which can also fire 38+p.
Consider a Ruger GP-100 revolver in .327 Federal Magnum. 7 shots and more reliable than a semi-auto (for the inexperienced shooter, anyway).
http://www.ruger.com/products/gp100/models.html
Ruger LCP in 380. Excellent firearm. $320.