Pistol for my wife

   / Pistol for my wife #1  

lakngulf

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My wife would like to get a pistol for security here at home and to take in her purse or car on occasion. I just don't know enough to give any decent advice. What would you recommend as a standard, easy to use, dependable gun? Are there ammo shortages for certain calibers? What to avoid?

Thanks
 
   / Pistol for my wife #2  
For a first time user a simple reliable gun and easy to use.I would recommend a revolver in .38 Special.With quality ammo this should be adequate.Ammo should be available and not too expensive.
I would get some inexpensive practice rounds and then load with quality ammo for defensive use.
You may even find decent used guns.
They can be shot;double action or single action(manually pull the hammer back).
Lots were and are produced by all manufacturers.
Smith&Wesson ,Colt,Taurus to name a few.
 
   / Pistol for my wife #3  
Carrying & using a weapon - without proper training - is false security. And can present more problems than it solves. Find a good training facility - have your wife take a firearms training course and then consider what weapons is needed.

For home use I can think of nothing better than a 12 gauge shotgun with buckshot. There are a myriad of additional things to consider if you are going to carry. A good firearm training course will cover all aspects and provide enlightened solutions.

Most folks will hesitate when faced with the decision to take another persons life - proper training will bring knowledge and skills to this moment.
 
   / Pistol for my wife
  • Thread Starter
#4  
Carrying & using a weapon - without proper training - is false security. And can present more problems than it solves. Find a good training facility - have your wife take a firearms training course and then consider what weapons is needed.

For home use I can think of nothing better than a 12 gauge shotgun with buckshot. There are a myriad of additional things to consider if you are going to carry. A good firearm training course will cover all aspects and provide enlightened solutions.

Most folks will hesitate when faced with the decision to take another persons life - proper training will bring knowledge and skills to this moment.

Spot on. She will be going thru a training class with local law enforcement.
 
   / Pistol for my wife #5  
I have both auto's and revolvers and think both have their advantages. I would take her to the store and see what she feels comfortable with. A double action semi auto is going to be the easiest to carry around. I like the smaller calibers for carrying because the pistol is going to be lighter, which makes it easier to carry. You really don't need nock down power or a bunch of bullets, just being able to pull it and have a couple of rounds will solve any problems that you may encounter. Bad guys do not want to get shot and even a small hole into one of them is going to discourage them from what they had in mind. .380 is an excellent round, but so are all of them. Just look on the shelves at the store and see what they have plenty of.

For around the house I like my 357 mag the best. It has a 6 inch barrel and it's very accurate. I shoot a couple dozen raccoons with it every year. I've also taken a couple of hogs with it when they get too close to the house, but mostly for hogs I prefer my 44 mag with the 12 inch barrel. Neither are very good for carrying around. Too big and bulky.

You might also take a look at Bond Arms and their derringers. They have quite a few options to choose from.

While everyone has an opinion on what is the best caliber or brand, I strongly suggest sticking with the bigger name brands and finding one that fits her hands the best. If she isn't comfortable with it from day one, she isn't likely to become proficient with it by practicing using it.

Good luck,
Eddie
 
   / Pistol for my wife #6  
To put training in perspective, I was an Army officer and foreign weapons instructor for my unit. and an NRA Pistol Instructor. I still took a three day CCW course and take a refresher every couple years. It's not something to skimp on and you need to know the laws governing the use of lethal force.

Personally while revolvers have some advantages, a semiautomatic pistol is flatter and the manual of fire is no more complex. There are some very small, lightweight pistols that may fit her hand.

Smith & Wesson has Shield and Bodyguard models, as well as the M&P (Military and Police) Compact. Ruger makes the LCP series.

A few tips. Many of these pistols are designed for women and/or have changeable grips: it must fit her well to be accurate. Most assaults (something like 80%, not sure) occur in low light conditions so high visibility sights make the weapon much more practical. There are specially designed purses and pocket carry holsters but she needs to be comfortable acquiring the weapon as when under threat it may be harder. Finally, there are many conceivable situations where an incapacitating spray is a better self defense choice than a gun, so having both is a good idea. Also you can usually take those sprays into places that prohibit firearms.

Buying used can work but most people go to a gun shop. Some gun shop staff (like the owner, usually) are knowledgable while many gun shop employees are poorly trained or completely untrained, so don't hesitate to walk out if things If you know a state trooper or sheriff or local police officer they will often give you and your wife good advice, both in terms of equipment and laws.

Training courses aren't too expensive if you are buying the ammo, and some will provide a weapon at no charge. We're fortunate to have the Sigarms Academy in SNH, and they let you try any of their pistols in any course, and give you a discount coupon to boot. You may have a similar facility nearby.
 
   / Pistol for my wife #8  
I think most women prefer .380 or 9mm in pistols because of the lighter recoil. Either of these are usually in stock and decently priced. I recently bought some 9mm for less than $10 per box and that was less than many places were selling .22 for.
Take her to a gun shop so she can hold the gun in her hand and see if it is comfortable. Many places will have shooting range where the gun (or one like it) can be rented and test fired. I would recommend doing this also.
 
   / Pistol for my wife #9  
For a handgun to be effective, you have to have it on you ALL the time. I carry a Ruger LCP in a wallet holster in my back pocket. Carrying in a purse is a nice option but when she's home it probably won't have it with her. In my opinion small autos suck for shooting, they are small, have bad sights, but they are very small and easy to carry. As the saying goes the most important thing to have in a gun fight is a gun. Something big and heavy gets left behind. There are lots of good small, easy to carry autos on the market and lots of good holsters for them. When I first got my permit to carry I was sold on a 5 shot revolver. I have always shot revolvers better but when I tried to slip one in my pocket, they are just too large in my opinion.
 
   / Pistol for my wife #10  
My wife has a Ruger LCP for carry and a glock 19 for the house.


They are both point and shoot guns, there is nothing to think about or diddle with. Pick it up, point, pull trigger.
 
 
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