She has probably never shot a gun before in her life. I don't want anything high-end or extreme. What is a good hand gun to get for her? Something not very expensive but would get the job done. Thanks in advance.
Question for the chat. I want to get my wife a gun to keep at home for safety while I'm at work.
- Thread starter ClrDawg
- Start date
A lightweight 9 mm or .380 handgun or as I taught my wife a 12 gauge shotgun with 00'buck. Whatever you get make sure she gets full instruction on use and safety and gets multiple sessions on shooting at targets no farther than 25 feet. Also periodic refresher programs are essential!
you might want to consider a revolver in either 38 or 9mm , it's easier to use than other types . give her lots of training and range time , she needs to understand the laws in your state that cover home defense . good luck .
The Judge, it'll put a baby crater in somebody. Perfect for home protection.
I would say a 9mm . This will sound funny but a 22 probably would be the best thing . Most if not all handguns( 22 cal) are lightweight and a 22 bullet is the deadest bullet .
A lot of women like a 22 because the "kick" isn't there and they can place the round between the eyes .
When I did citizens firearms classes when I was a deputy a lot of women had 22 and the patterning when they fired it and hit target was tight .
A lot of women like a 22 because the "kick" isn't there and they can place the round between the eyes .
When I did citizens firearms classes when I was a deputy a lot of women had 22 and the patterning when they fired it and hit target was tight .
Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I really appreciate it. She will absolutely go through the proper training. Will go with some version of a 9mm.
I know you said it was for home protection BUT I would highly recommend that you and her do a citizen firearm class . Your local police department or county sheriff office should have one .
They will work with her on proper grip and stance
Let her shoot
And talk about the use of deadly force and what will happen if she or you ever are face with that . Its not different than what would happen if a officer took a life .
They will go over state title code for deadly force.
This class should be free or it may not be . Was free for us.
They will also teach you how to break down the gun to clean it and put back together.
I highly recommend it
Forget pistols. A complete waste of money and effort. 1) "youth" 20ga. pump shotgun; cut the barrel down to 18"; saw off the stock behind the grip. Just the sound alone of a pump being racked is normally enough to make a bad person crap their pants. 2) Taurus Judge pistol that'll fire either .45 / .4570 cal or .410ga shotgun cartridges. Load up with No. 1 Buckshot. You might pick either up at a pawn shop for cheap; you just want something that fires not looks good or has some special junk feature like "laser sights" that will never be used in a hurry. The absolute simpler the better.
No real aiming with either of these weapons; just point in the general direction of trouble.
98% of folks couldn't hit jack if they had to under pressure. See it all the time with cops who even "qualify" monthly. You want something very loud that covers allot of area and doesn't require Annie Oakley or Wyatt Earp skills or a bunch of wasted practice to deal with a remote possible threat. Both of these fit the bill. AND either'll fit in a car if you need too.
PS - You could also use a .410ga pump (Academy Sports - $269) if you can find it or a double barrel. This essentially a Taurus for far less dollars / time / effort.. She'll only have to fire one round to discourage anyone with almost zero practice.
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go to a local gun store w a range. They will let you shoot different pistols. Most professionals will tell you the best choice for someone who is going to only shoot occasionally and wants a reliable self defense weapon should use a revolver. Judt point your finger and squeeze the trigger. A shotgun is great for the home, but first have your wife fire one w a cut down stock.., it's not recoil friendly. Any gun you decide on you should get training and enough range time to feel confident using it. We are heading out this am to put a few hundred down range. Practicing concealed draws. Good luck.
just remember Joe Bidens advice, take your shotgun, carefully load a couple of shells, step out onto the balcony, fire two shots, Will work like a charm, guaranteed to scare bad guys away, bring cops running just like on TV
Save your money and realize that we don't live in a war zone. Absolutely no need for a gun for personal protection unless, of course, you wear tin foil on your head and think the government is out to get ya!!!!!!!!!
Guns are like an insurance policy. You hope that you go through life and never need it. If you do, it is kind of idiotic not to have it because of political ideology or being naïve about the real world.
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Been a while since a politician has been gunned down, innocent civilians get gunned down several times a day. Think we should disarm the politicians and their security, they don't need it.
how are things in disneyland ?
Lol. Keep drinking the koolaide.
Not happening. In the world we live in today, I want my wife to feel safe. Read the news. Shoot I hope she never has to use the thing once after she learns at the range. I hope it's the biggest waste of money ever. Believe me, I'm not a tin foil hat guy but I don't live under a rock either.
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I wanted my Mom to have something as she lives alone. One of her friends got abducted (got away with no injuries........gal was 75 and outsmarted 2 35 year old knuckleheads). Anyway, Mom doesn't know much about guns and at 85, ain't going to learn much, so I wanted to keep it simple. An auto requires racking the slide, or clicking off the safety, or it has no safety other than the trigger..........just trying to cover all my bases in anticipation of someone arguing with me.
I bought her a S&W Model 10 .38 with a 4" barrel. Point it and pull the trigger 6 times. No cocking the hammer, racking the slide, checking the safety, just point and fire 6 hollow points.
The best thing is a 20 gauge pump that is too short for me to hunt with, but it's under my bed at home. I just thought it was too much for her though.
I bought her a S&W Model 10 .38 with a 4" barrel. Point it and pull the trigger 6 times. No cocking the hammer, racking the slide, checking the safety, just point and fire 6 hollow points.
The best thing is a 20 gauge pump that is too short for me to hunt with, but it's under my bed at home. I just thought it was too much for her though.
All I have is my own life experience. I have never held a gun, and I have never needed one EVER. I believe the statistics will back my life experience up. I understand the NRA and fear mongers want everyone to see EVERY bad story out there, but it just is not the norm in the vast majority of society...That said, I am all for the second amendment...If you want to waste your money, have at it...
Reading the news is the problem...They sensationalize to get you to keep reading. Those stories are the vast exception and not the rule...
don't know how the news affects gun ownership, except when the politicians start trying to redefine the constitution , then purchases go through the roof . disneys and tree huggers talk a good game until they are involved in a threatening situation , then they go and buy a gun . in other words , the real world comes crashing in !
I agree with most of this. I wouldn't go with the cutdown stock on a shotgun, a regular stock is just fine IMO.
As OldDawg84 has said, go to a local indoor gun range. They will have used weapons for rent, including some of the most popular models. Pay for her to take a lesson and let her shoot some different guns. Get her something she is comfortable with. Revolvers are simple in their operation but the long, heavy, double action trigger pull makes it harder to be accurate with them IMO.
My wife used to have a .38 revolver that she shot very well. It had a combat trigger (so it wouldn't get snagged if she was carrying in her purse for example - she never wound up carrying it) so it had to be fired double action. When we bought it she shot it well. After we had kids she went years without shooting it. We were at the range so my daughter could practice with a rifle to get ready for deer season and my wife found out she was no longer very good with that revolver at all (I don't know why, maybe as her vision changed the sights were no longer ideal, or maybe she had lost strength in her hands). I handed her my biggo Glock 22 (their largest .40 cal). It shouldn't even have been comfortable with her small hands but she shot it much better than her .38. Long story short we went to the indoor range and rented a Glock 19, then the range master let her shoot his Glock 26 free of charge. She shot them equally well and much better than she had been shooting her revolver, but she liked the 26 better than the 19 (both are 9mm's but are different size weapons) so I traded in the .38 and bought her the 26. My 12 year old daughter isn't bad with the Glock 26 either and she is tiny for her age.
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