scarecrow

bigger is not always better...if you are a good shot a .25cal will be more than enought and sometimes it will cause more damnage for example a 380 or bigger has potential to go thru the person where a small cal bulit will enter and bounce around...but you need to be a good shot... so i will have to agree with hoss that a minimum for her should be a .380 cal

Hoss

You're right that bigger isn't ALWAYS better, but in the case of handgun ammunition, bigger and faster is USUALLY better. As I said before, using good hollow point ammo greatly decreases the chances of your shot going through a person. That's why anyone with the sense of a doorknob will tell you to NEVER use ball ammo (full metal jacket) for self defense. It tends to go all the way through, which increases your chances of hitting an innocent bystander.

I hear lots of people say that a .22 or a .25 is "all you need". While I wouldn't volunteer to be shot with one, I certainly wouldn't depend on such a small caliber to save my life either. "Sometimes" isn't good enough for me. How many law enforcement officers or soldiers do you see carrying around anything smaller than a 9mm?? There's a reason for that.

Redleg

Have her try a 9 and a 40 to see what she likes. A lot of police dept. were hesitant to go to 40's because of female employees needing to keep control of their firing. Never compared the glocks, but there was only a little difference comparing sigs. Don't know if maybe the heavier slide and a steel frame equals out the recoil compared to what Hoss experienced? Maybe the recoil would be close in other steel framed guns too? Not that she shouldn't practice a lot, but a smaller framed gun is gonna take a bit more practice and familiarization to keep it under control, than a heavier frame, same with a snubby.

mestdagh

In an emergency situation, a revolver is the only way to go. Then you don't have to worry about the safety. Just pull the trigger. Accuracy is secondary. 1st shot goes into the floor anyway. That'll scare the invader off 99% of the time.
Sure, train enough and she'll remember the safety but she probably has no interest in training so ...

Caliber: Get one she feels comfortable with, in case she needs accuracy for the other 1%.

scarecrow

i am gonna disagree with ya on that one.....accutacy is everything.god for bid you are ever in an incodent where you do pull that trigger be prepaired to take that persons life do not give them a chance to run. because that chance to run could also be used for them to pull there gun and take your life or someone you love...if there is a question in your mind about takeing someones life when they are threating yours then you should not have a gun!

Jeff in TD

Well, my GF likes her .40 Glock just fine. I don't think my 40 glocks kick much different than my 9mm glock. I actually find my 380 Wather ppk to be less pleasant to shoot with hot loads, probably because of the narrow grip, but on the other hand it is easier to conceal.

The Glock's internal safeties all disengage passively when you pull the trigger, so no safety to fumble with, but the flip side is they require a secure holster that completely covers the trigger guard to be safe.

Anyway, as someone noted above, I'd first have her take some formal training courses. In Oregon many places offer certified training required to apply for a carry permit, and there also could be an opportunity for her to try a variety of guns.

Secondly, she needs a gun in a caliber that she's comfortable with and can shoot accurately, and stopping power is a secondary consideration to that. A hit with a .380 is better than a miss with a 454. Even a .22 is a finer weapon than a hat pin, as the saying goes.

Along those lines, if this is to be a carry gun, it needs to be light and small enough that she would actually, realistically want to carry it...

Anyhow, can't overstress the need to start by getting formal, documented training by certified instructors. Particularly something that covers your state's laws, as well as safety, marksmanship, and general firearm knowledge.

Hoss

I'm gonna have to disagree pretty strongly with some of your statements. No offense, of course, but let me explain.

Accuracy is EVERYTHING. If you can't hit what you're aiming at, even under stressful situations, then you shouldn't have a gun in the first place. Stray bullets kill INNOCENT people. Stray bullets kill your child in the next room. Nobody wants that. If you're going to shoot then you need to hit what you're aiming at. Period.

Second, if a bad guy isn't scared by the fact that you HAVE a gun, he is going to be even less scared if you shoot the gun and the 1st shot goes into the floor, or the ceiling, or the wall five feet away from him. Think about it. Not only do you now have one less round to stop the threat, but you have just demonstrated to the bad guy that you can't hit squat. If HE has a gun, you're now dead. If he doesn't have a gun, he is most likely going to charge you and take away YOUR gun. Again, you're dead. No offense, but that was some pretty BAD advice.

I don't know anything about your background, but the suggestions you are making go against EVERYTHING that I've been taught in the defensive handgun classes I have taken AND they go against common sense. It's just not smart to say that accuracy is secondary. There's just too much at stake.

Regarding revolvers, they have their place but the poster said that his lady wants a semi-auto. That is why I suggested a Glock. If you keep one in the pipe, which you should, they are no different than a revolver. Just aim and shoot. No external safeties to mess with. Simplicity at its best. That said, with training and practice (which everyone who owns a gun should do), the safeties on all semi-autos can be disengaged quickly and easily before you ever even start to take aim.

Again, no offense, but let's be smart about the advice we're giving people. We're talking about potentially taking lives here. It's a very serious issue.

gunracer1

9mm glock, simple, reliable and easy to shoot.

CSAGrey1

Just thought I would chime in here with my .02..
I agree with the idea that a revolver is the way to go for a carry. You may consider the Tuarus (as I see your already a fan of) in a tatanium 2". You can get them with the concealed hammer and they weigh NOTHING! They come with 1" of porting from the factory and usually a "Ribber Grip" witch allows for larger cal. ammo (ie. .44spl - .45LC) to be fired with minimum felt recoil. Oh and they come in pretty colors too (big with the women). As far as ammo goes I always suggest carrying the same thing that your local PD is carrying. If over penetration is a concern I highly recommend 'Safety Slugs" or large cal bird shot.

Redleg

Further, most better, modern guns have the firing blocked until you squeeze the trigger. You can drop them on the hammer and they don't fire. They hammer let-down takes place of the safety and also keeps the pin blocked as the hammer is released. This allows you to carry with one in the chamber. Most revolvers are gonna require you to carry with the hammer/pin down on an empty chamber... now your down to 5 rounds.

gunracer1

revolvers also have a firing pin block, at least any made in the past 20 years by decent firms. the old six gund were bad about hitting the firing pin but it is not a issue any more.

Haulin_in_Dixie

for many years, since 1975 or so, I carried an OMC (AMT) Backup. I am in favor of stainless for carry. Now I have for a few months a Colt Pocketlite .380. I am impressed with it, light accurate, small. It stays in my front jeans pocket all the time. Where I load and unload in the middle of the night regularly, I have to have something. I also have a couple of .25's. I always found the revolver a little big for conceiled carry. Have a S&W five shot .38 special.

CSAGrey1

The most popular concealed carry/back up handgun ever made.

HOHN

Odd that no one mentioned the HK USP Compact? In a 9mm, they are great.

I like the HKs, but they are spendy..

There are also some nice para-ordnance hybrids that are SWEET carry guns. I mean, smaller than you'd ever guess, but still packing 10+1 of .45!

hovisimo

excellent responses, too many to quote! thanks for the advice. at this point i think we'll just go to a range and try difference calibers. i agree accuracy and training are important, whatever we decide on, she'll target practice with it as much as i do with my two handguns. we're leaning towards taurus because of the price/quality ratio and the free NRA membership.

now, off to work on placing a 25 yard head shot with the .357 talk about practice.