hovisimo

so i've been after my soon to be fiance to start packing for a while. she insists that nothing will ever happen to her and no one will ever try to assault/rape/kill her. while i feel the chances of anyone ever assaulting/raping/killing me are slim, i still conealed carry a taurus PT145 .45acp. we don't live together, but she spends a fair amount of time at my home all alone when i am on the road or working late. i live the the country and close to a major interstate. we have never had a problem that required a firearm. but i insisted that she learn to use my two home defense weapons, a remington 870 tactical 12ga and a taurus 65 4" .357mag.

the revolver was too much for her shooting .357 110gr hollow points. hell i don't blame her, it's alot of gun even for me. however shooting .38spl 130gr hollow points, she loved it. but she doesn't want a revolver. i suggested a hammerless 2" .357 7 shot loaded with .38spl hollow points, but she wants a pistol. she shot the .45 and was able to handle it and place a decent shot at 10 yards, which is about all the longer this thing is good for. she feels the .45 is a little too much power for her. what about a .40 caliber? most important thing is getting the most stopping power she can reliably handle in a small pistol that can be concealed IWB or in a purse. i still think the 2" .357 would be perfect, but what do i know

crobtex

It only takes one time...........................

Try her out on a .380 or 9mm. Loaded with HydroShocks they have a lot of close range punch....and a spray of 8 or 9 shots. It's better for her to have a little bit smaller caliber than a big caliber that she is not comfortable with. If she is comfortable with it, it will give her more confidence to use it when needed.

Tiny

I agree on the 9mm. With 10 rounds to play with, she need not be an expert shot, and can still protect herself. 9mm is a good round, just need to place shots a little better. For a woman it is all she will need.

Fronty Owner

I wouldn't put her with anything smaller than a .380.

Depending on her build, a 9mm would probably be a better option if you go with a pistol rated for +P ammo.

smokindog

Here's a good question to ask yourself. Is there anyone in close proximity to her when she is alone? Kids in another room? Neighbors house really close?

A 9mm has such a high velocity even with JHP's that it will scoot through walls like they aren't there. You know the purpose of a defense weapon (knock down now!). Look at something light grain and slow that has a 2X expansion. You're not after a performance piece here.

I wish I could offer a specific caliber, but I am a .45 guy and can teach anyone to shoot it comfortably. My last important someone was 5'4" maybe 105lbs. if she was lucky and could shoot any of my .45's at 25 feet just as well as I could. She would complain that the grips were too big, but she adapted and did well. The new PARA LDA carry with the 3.5" barrell in .45 was to tiny for me, but she did very well with it.

I will agree that it is extremely important for her to being 100% comfortable with the firearm in order to be able to use it in a hostile situation.

Take your time and make the right choice. Go to the range and use their firearms to see what she likes. Talk to other women that have carry weapons. You get the idea, just make sure it is the right firearm for her.

newriverSpecon

I agree with the hydra-shocks or some equiv. I have read multiple (3-5) articles and tests on personal protection rounds comparing caliber and manufactures.
.357 and .40 were tied at 93% one shot stop (not nessarily {sp} dead but at least incapacitated). They were the best. 9mm was about 89%. The beloved 45 was around 85%. The 9 was to weak and 45 just punched through with little damage. The .357 & .40 made some nasty and large hole in the gel. The problem with all that is the person pulling trigger has to be comfortable with the gun and be able to control it. My wife does not like my Beretta 96D. But she loves to shot a 7mmRem Mag. Mainly find her some thing she can handle and likes. I would try to stay in one of the two calibers, but with 89% chance on 10 rounds from a 9mm would probably work. BTW She won't even try my Super Black Hawk with 180, but I tell her that just the muzzle blast would incapaitate most people within 20 feet.

Randy

smokindog; must have been typing at the same time.

Fronty Owner

for home defense, the pump 12 gauge is the best on many levels.
1. lack of penetration (loaded appropriatly with bird shot)
2. no specific targeting required. You get it in the general direction and its going to change most peoples minds.
3. Rock solid reliablity. I have yet to find a gun besides a break open that is going to cycle and shoot EVERYTIME and flow thru when a shot fails to fire.
Some things I hadn't thought about before it was pointed out to me.
4. Reconizable sound. You jack the slide on a pump shot gun and most people recognize the sound.
5. the activity of pumping the gun and the noise awakes the user making them more alert.
6. Less lethal shot options. First shot of rock salt will send all but a junky fleeing. the second shot of #8 will usually change their minds too.

Now, I assume the topic is concealed carry weapons we are talking about. Thus leaving the shot gun out (unless you load the 9mm with rat shot)

newriverSpecon

The problem I have with LESS-LEATHAL option (which are availible for hand guns) is the law (in AZ) does not differentiate. If it comes out of a FIREARM it is comout of a FIREARM or any leathal weapon. I asked these question of a LEO that instructs at AZPOST (AZ acdemy) after I was nearly forced to use my hydra-shocks on an individual. The only thing that saved him was moonlight on his white finger on a black gun. I would not have missed him from 8' and I positioned my self to give a clear background and to be clear of my B-in-L's background.

I do agree with the shot gun for home depending on the situation. It can be clumsy in certian positions no matter how short you cut it.

Randy

gerry

I would stay away from the 2"... they are hard to aim and are basically a belly gun (got to have it in the belly to hit something). remember that if she comes to the point of having to use deadly force that there is going to be alot of adrelin causing her to loose some of her scenses and become tunnel visioned. For the 2" to be efficient she will probably have to be within 10 yards.. then under the stress she will be luck to hit the subject. If she is willing to maintain the gun than a semi auto is fine.. but if like most people it will just lay in the bottom of her purse and collect lint an dust than a revolver is the only option.. revolvers will function with low maintence, a semi can malfunction with lack of maintence. A good 4" loaded with 38 is a happy medium...

Rattlerattle

Got to be something that she can shoot comfortably and accurately. Any range around that you can rent a number of different types for her to try?

Hoss

For ladies who want a pistol I usually recommend the 9mm. It has very little recoil and it is plenty powerful enough to stop a threat when loaded with good hollow point ammo.

Personally, I don't recommend the .40 for a woman who doesn't do a lot of shooting. The .40, in my opinion, has a much sharper recoil than the .45 does. My wife complains that my Glock .40 hurts her wrist when she shoots it.

As far as WHICH gun to get, since she doesn't want a revolver my first suggestion would be a Glock 26. That is the subcompact 9mm. It's small, light and holds a lot of ammo for a gun its size. Not only that, but it is plenty accurate out to 25 yards and beyond....something your PT145 is NOT (trust me...I HAD a PT145). I like Glocks because they are simple and reliable....just like a revolver. I rented a G26 at a range one time for my wife and she had a blast shooting it.

That said, SHE needs to be the one to pick out her gun. Take her to a range that has rentals and let her try a bunch of different guns so she can figure out which one SHE feels the most comfortable shooting. Not the one that you THINK she will feel the most comfortable shooting.

Not that I've said that, let me make the most important suggestion I can offer...whatever gun she decides on...GET HER SOME TRAINING!! Anyone who carries a gun, in my opinion, needs to get some formal training on proper shooting techniques. Find a good beginner's handgun class in your area and take her to it...maybe even take it with her. And, from personal experience, I can tell you that it will be better for her if someone besides you gives her that training. If you're going to carry a gun you need to be very proficient with it. The "8 or 9 round spray" mentioned in an earlier post is a BAD idea. That's how innocent people get killed. Gun control is hitting what you aim at. Don't miss. And above all.....PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE....and when she's had enough of that get her to PRACTICE some more. Did I mention she (you) needs to PRACTICE??

Mcmopar

My wife loves my PPK, .380, very easy to conceal and the firearm has never let me down.

Hoss

Actually, performance is EXACTLY what you're looking for. And...lighter grain bullets equal MORE velocity....not less. Lighter grains also tend to have less penetration despite the fact that they're moving faster. The important thing is that, whichever caliber is used, you stick with a good, American made hollow point bullet. Doing so decreases your chances of your bullet going THROUGH your target instead of stopping INSIDE your target like it's supposed to do.

One of the absolute best 9mm rounds for self defense is a good 147 gr. +P loading. The Speer Gold Dot, Winchester Ranger T and the Remington Golden Sabre are all used extensively within the law enforcement community and are proven to be effective. Personally, I'd stick with one of those three.

The Federal Hydra-Shok that many folks here have spoken of isn't a BAD bullet, but it is a 20 year old design. There are better (read more effective) bullets available....namely the ones I mentioned above.

scarecrow

i carry a amt.380 backup very nice firearm not alot of money... and it is small. IMO it is the perfect weapon to conceal...a 380 w/ hydro shock hollow point rounds has plenty of stopping power....there will be 1 in my wifes christmas stocking this year...

Hoss

While I'm not a big fan of the .380 (it is the absolute MINIMUM I would ever want to go for self defense...and only if I had no other choice), if you do decide to go the .380 route then the little .380 made by Bersa is a fine weapon. I think it's called the "Bersa Thunder" or something like that. It's reliable and affordable and is a pretty sweet shooting little piece.