Handgun recommendations for a First time Female Shooter

[~JM~]

To the O/P. Why are you concentrating on the autoloaders vs. a dual action revolver?

You would be doing both your G/F & yourself a huge diservice by not trying a revolver. Nothing beats a D/A revolver for being able to sit in a drawer/night stand, etc for years (maintenance free) & than being ready for service at a moments notice. Usually they are easier to shoot accurately, especially when you are suffering from an adrenaline dump. I have a couple of autoloaders including a 1911, but my most trusted handgun is my Ruger .357.

~JM~

 

[Dreamn4GN]

JM- Im not against the revolvers at all. I will be buying these guns under my name, and not that im against the revolvers( which is one handgun that I have shot alot) I just dont like them in the usual calibers, Id be getting a Judge if I get any revolver. I wanna get a gun that she can use/shoot and be confortable with, but in the end its going to be MY gun so that gun needs to suit my needs as well. thats why I was looking at a 9mm . Just bc were together now, doesnt mean we will be together in a yr or so. So just buying a gun soley on her needs isn't going to happen, Unless she applys for the proper permits and buys it herself. I took her to the gun range yesterday and she shot , My muzzleloader ( with only 80grains of bp) My single shot 16 gauge shot gun and both my pump and semi-auto shot guns. She did great. Even hit a few clay pigeons. She said she likes the shot guns, but she likes shooting a handgun better( she shot an 9mm sub compact at a local gun shop). It takes about 6-8 weeks to get permits , So I still have plenty of looking/reading to do. Im going to the range this saturday with cop buddy of mine, he has a glock 26 and XDM 40 cal, Both of these guns are high on my list. i was thinking of getting the Glock 27 for me to shoot mainly and get her an XDM 9mm So we will see. After shooting this saturday I will be abkle to narrow down what Im looking for or start the search all over again,

 

[~JM~]

Another beauty of the revolver is that its not as popular as compared to all the new plastic guns, etc. Usually the cost is very reasonable & you get far more gun for your money. I bought my G/F a S&W Model 10 38 Special as HER first handgun. She can hit with that gun better than anything else. She has always wanted a PPK. She just likes the look of them & always has. I recently bought her one. She is having trouble learning to make that gun run all the time & it's very reliable for an autoloader. Take your Gal to a range were you can rent a revolver & see how well she does.

Good luck
~JM~

 

[Dreamn4GN]

Thanks JM I wish I could do that. NJ sux. Not any places around here to rent guns

 

[GNX#017]

a good home defense gun is a Remington model 870 HD tactical 12 gauge with #2 shot, for women (my wife) a S&W revolver .32 titanium hammerless ( cannot get caught on anything in the pocket book) with hot / street loads. For a 1st time shooter a revolver is less complicated, and more reliable and easily managed, no need to retract the slide, etc.,

 

[charlief1]

If you buy the gun and she doesn't live with you that's a big no-no where you live. Think seriously before you do this or you may end up in trouble with the law.

 

[scot w.]

And that is exactly why I believe in bird shot inside a building. Even #6 shot won't go through sheet rock with enough force to do damage in the next room. Buckshot will! Also just the sound of a pump shotgun racking a shell is enough to make all but the most desperate run for an exit.:biggrin:

Charlie,

Check out what these people have to say about "Birdshot vs Buckshot" http://www.ar15.com/content/page.html?id=176

 

[charlief1]

Charlie,

Check out what these people have to say about "Birdshot vs Buckshot" http://www.ar15.com/content/page.html?id=176

I understand what you're saying Scott, but if you're in a building with several other people in it then it's safer to use something that won't penatrate through a wall and hit a loved one or a neighbor. A frangable bullet is used in the air marshal service for a reason. If it goes through the wall of an air plane or ricochets then you have a disaster. It's there for a reason. Same reason I won't use buck shot in a house if anyone's in it other than I am.

 

[~JM~]

Thanks JM I wish I could do that. NJ sux. Not any places around here to rent guns

Sorry to hear that. Wish you were closer & could take you to one of the local ranges.

Good luck
~JM~

 

[YouLikeThat]

Charlie,

Check out what these people have to say about "Birdshot vs Buckshot" http://www.ar15.com/content/page.html?id=176

WOW. I was always told at close range birdshot was very effective. I also found this test that shows not even 6 inches of penetration on a gelatin block http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/...l&s=96d4982e454bdfb10f474d2ceeeb3313&

 

[Dreamn4GN]

Maybe she should just get her own Long gun/shotgun ID card and get a shotgun or something , bc its just a big headach for me really. Ill get two handgun for myself to use and let her shoot em with me at the range. Let her get her own ID card and pick up a nice 870 with the slug gun combo Get her into hunting which she already is. Kill two birds with one stone id say. Jus swap barrells and load her up with bird shot.. Im already loaded up with bird shot at the bedside.

 

[turbodave231]

I don't know what your gun ranges are like in NJ......but here in Michigan we can rent nearly anything you might consider buying. Take her to a good range and shoot several until she finds something that she is comfortable shooting. As stated earlier, revolvers are SAFE!! But it seems like not too many people like revolvers these days!! After her purchase, enroll her in a basic self defense course. She will get comfortable loading, unloading and safely handling the weapon.

I recently helped my son buy his first handgun. We rented and shot 2 compact semi-auto handguns. A Glock and a S&W M&P both in .45 ACP. He ended up buying the Smith in a 9mm caliber with night sights. The 9mm caliber wouldn't have been my first choice(I'm a 1911 type guy), but he liked the bigger capacity of the 9mm (15 rounds vs 8 for the .45ACP)

 

[Dreamn4GN]

I don't know what your gun ranges are like in NJ......but here in Michigan we can rent nearly anything you might consider buying. Take her to a good range and shoot several until she finds something that she is comfortable shooting. As stated earlier, revolvers are SAFE!! But it seems like not too many people like revolvers these days!! After her purchase, enroll her in a basic self defense course. She will get comfortable loading, unloading and safely handling the weapon.

I recently helped my son buy his first handgun. We rented and shot 2 compact semi-auto handguns. A Glock and a S&W M&P both in .45 ACP. He ended up buying the Smith in a 9mm caliber with night sights. The 9mm caliber wouldn't have been my first choice(I'm a 1911 type guy), but he liked the bigger capacity of the 9mm (15 rounds vs 8 for the .45ACP)

Our gun ranges are just places to shoot the guns you already have, Since all the land in the state of NJ is owned by the state practically haha its not funny but i cant do nothing about it but move outta NJ. Im going to my closest Glock and Springfield dealer tomm , Maybe they know some places we can shoot a few diff guns

 

[scot w.]

I understand what you're saying Scott, but if you're in a building with several other people in it then it's safer to use something that won't penatrate through a wall and hit a loved one or a neighbor. A frangable bullet is used in the air marshal service for a reason. If it goes through the wall of an air plane or ricochets then you have a disaster. It's there for a reason. Same reason I won't use buck shot in a house if anyone's in it other than I am.

I understand where your coming from completely on this and I agree 100% on not wanting anything to be going through walls..... frangable bullets will be in my gun very soon!

I seen that last write up and thought of you so I thought it would be cool to share....

 

[Dreamn4GN]

Sorry to hear that. Wish you were closer & could take you to one of the local ranges.

Good luck
~JM~

So I lucked out. Theirs a range bout 30 mins away from me that offers rentals on

Sig P226 9mm

Sig P226 40 cal

Sig P220 .45 ACP

Sig P238

Springfeild XD 9mm

Springfeild XD .40cal

Springfeild XD .45 ACP

S&W M&P 40 .cal

S&W 686 Revolver .38/.357 MAG

S&W M&P .45 acp

S&W M&P .9mm compact

S&W Mod 65

Tarus .44 mag

H&K USP .40cal (LEM Trigger)

H&K USP .40cal Compact

Beretta 92FS 9mm

Glock 17 9mm

Glock 22 .40cal

Im pretty stoked bc they offer the guns I was looking at purchasing and some I wasnt. Next day my gf and I have off we are going to this range. Looks like a top notch range . They got all types of other guns to rent as well..

 

[machinegun]

Ahh so you live in Nazi Jermany?

So much for the constitutional right to keep and bear arms without registration.

I love gun friendly states, it take about 30 minutes to walk out with my new handgun with instant BG checks

Only took us about an hour at the sherriff to get our carry permits, post the states minimum training certificate which took 16 hours.

This is the reason I left the north eastern US, too much stupid and not enough common sense in the government.

 

[Dreamn4GN]

Ahh so you live in Nazi Jermany?

This is the reason I left the north eastern US, too much stupid and not enough common sense in the government.

Trust me I know. I plan on only being a visitor of NJ in the next few years. I wanna move down south in the Carolina's Or in the Mid-west region. But go figure I can buy an M4 or any AR rifle in NJ with my long gun/shotgun permit. I woulda never thought they let them go without any crazy exspensive application process like they have for the pistol permits. I picked up some shells for my 16 gauge Winchester .. 17.00 bucks for 25 shells .. But not many places around me have these for sale anymore. hell I remember 10 yrs ago I could get them for under 3 bucks for 25 shells. Ill let the girlfriend play around woth the shot guns a little bit before we goto the gun range and rent some handguns out..

 

[~JM~]

That range has a nice selection! Looks like you could easily make a day out of it. Try that S&W Model 65 first & then maybe the 686.(depending upon your budget or time constraints) The #65 is built on the "K" frame & is good for smaller to mid-size hands. Only draw-back to the 65 is that it does not have adjustable sights. There are other K-Frame models that do have the adj. rear sight though. The 686 is an awesome 357, but is built on the next size larger frame which is good for taming recoil if it fits the hand, but not as easily concealed. Some of the 686 models hold more than 6 shots. It starts to have a fat cylinder when you house more than 6 rounds though. The cylinder diameter is usually the hard part to conceal on a revolver.
~JM~

 

[charlief1]

I understand where your coming from completely on this and I agree 100% on not wanting anything to be going through walls..... frangable bullets will be in my gun very soon!

I seen that last write up and thought of you so I thought it would be cool to share....

Now that I can answer you. It only tells part of the story though. Try shooting at a target in a typical close range and see what happens with different loads. An easy way to get an idea is to get some plain knox gelatin and mix it thicker than it's supposed to be. This is the basis of balistic gelatin. If you fill a gallon milk jug up and let it set up you'll have about the same matereal to do some testing. Also remember that organs in the body are less than 12" from the front to the back. I remember shooting rabits at short range with and how torn up they can be if shot with a full choke. Not a whole lot left over.

 

[SGRIM]

I am not sold on this frangible stuff yet.... I am still loaded with hollow points and LE buckshot...