Co-worker wants to know what is best for her.

[razormanxx]

I would hope whatever she decides, that she will eventually not lock it in a box in the car, but conceal carry it. M & P shield 9mm or 40 are great.

 

[PiratePast40]

My wife has a 4" GP100 with full lug. Easy recoil and very easy to shoot. She very rarely shoots it double action but it's not a problem when she does. For those of you who haven't shot one, the GP100 as well as the SP101 are smooth as silk. For range time, the 4" barrel is fantastic. Feels great with minimal recoil. She doesn't care for shooting the .357 magnums and I don't load them for self defense either.

If she's planning to put it in a purse, yes, the SP101 might be a better idea.

Like others have mentioned, it's important for her to handle and if possible, shoot the gun first. People have and allways will have different ideas about revolvers vs semi-autos. If she wants to check out a semi-auto, by all means do so but make sure she can comfortably rack the slide and that it's not going to be painful to shoot. Keep in mind that her range time should be about learning how to shoot and being comfortable with the gun. Not painful or spending time clearing jams.

 

[CJ1089]

Had a similar situation as OP at my work. Took Jane Doe out to range and let het shoot a dozen pistols/revolvers. Talked about carrying, storing and deploying the options. Her favorite was 686+ in 3" followed by a SA XD-C in 9mm. Eventually, she bought a Ruger GP-100 w/ 3" and loads 38+P. She loved shooting the semi's but when I required her to load, fire, clear and reload (slipping in an occasional dud) she decided the revolver was her preferred first option. Now she is a small framed female, but operating the slide became as issue if stress was applied (me talking at her during operation) and she liked the 'just pull the trigger again' simiplicity of the revolvers. She ain't no Rambo and doesn't want to train to a much higher level.

My wife's selection is a GP-100 w/ 3" also but the 686+ is her second. The Ruger is heavier and easier on her wrists.

As always, whatever gun will be available and get used when it is needed is the best gun to have. IMHO

 

[RicInOR]

Home defense - 20ga shotgun (or 12ga)

Pistol - what is her need - if she has someone to heard - like children, the infirm or elderly, then a light weight gun is needed. If not - then everything is available.
I'd also suggest a laser for HD.

For $600 - if she is open to used, then she could get both a shotty and a revolver for that. 0r, the revolver + laser.

 

[thorborg]

Skn might have hit the jam problem. I have no experience but have read atleast 5 popular monthly gun magazines for nearly twenty years with sooner or later all reporting "limp wrist" as a major cause of semi auto jams all other conditions being eliminated, with light weight bullets comming in second.

 

[mattdomes]

Smithy Governor! Shoots .410, 45ACP, & 45Colt

+ .410 Home Defense loads

 

[phatdoughnut]

I think you should post pictures of your co-worker to better help fit a gun to her needs.

 

[Lange22250]

I am more than a little frustrated with the way people seem treat firearms like some kind of magical talisman. A lot of these post read the same as voodoo practitioners debating red rooster feathers vs. opossum bones for arthritis cures.

If you don't have a solid grounding in how and under what circumstances to use a firearm having one is probably a bad idea.

The first response to "Hey, I'm looking to get a first gun. What should I get?" is "Sign up for a good class and I'll loan you a simple pistol for you to use."

Only after the person has had a GOOD into class or two (that does not mean a casual trip to the range, picking guns up from a table and putting rounds at a static target.) then it's time to see what best suits their needs.

BTW you can refer to a firearm as reliable after going through 1000 plus round without ANY failures. Until you have personal knowledge of that with a specific firearm don't comment. Magazine articles don't count.

 

[phatdoughnut]

I am more than a little frustrated with the way people seem treat firearms like some kind of magical talisman. A lot of these post read the same as voodoo practitioners debating red rooster feathers vs. opossum bones for arthritis cures.

If you don't have a solid grounding in how and under what circumstances to use a firearm having one is probably a bad idea.

The first response to "Hey, I'm looking to get a first gun. What should I get?" is "Sign up for a good class and I'll loan you a simple pistol for you to use."

Only after the person has had a GOOD into class or two (that does not mean a casual trip to the range, picking guns up from a table and putting rounds at a static target.) then it's time to see what best suits their needs.

BTW you can refer to a firearm as reliable after going through 1000 plus round without ANY failures. Until you have personal knowledge of that with a specific firearm don't comment. Magazine articles don't count.

What happens if you start carrying it and you have a failure at 1001?

 

[deen_ad]

And of course the Classic Charter Arms BULLDOG PUG in .44spl. with a cowboy load my son when he was five could handle the recoil. So its no trouble for an adult women and the .44spl rates very high in the FBI one shot ratings. With a 240gr HP at 800-900 fps they tend to give it all into the middle of a target.

I carry one of my Kimbers in .45, but my car gun is a Bulldog with defensive ammo in it. Both have CT lasers.

A LCR would should also be considered, I have one in .38 but if she gets one in .357 mag then she can choose which load to carry.

 

[Phillyfan]

I am more than a little frustrated with the way people seem treat firearms like some kind of magical talisman. A lot of these post read the same as voodoo practitioners debating red rooster feathers vs. opossum bones for arthritis cures.

If you don't have a solid grounding in how and under what circumstances to use a firearm having one is probably a bad idea.

The first response to "Hey, I'm looking to get a first gun. What should I get?" is "Sign up for a good class and I'll loan you a simple pistol for you to use."

Only after the person has had a GOOD into class or two (that does not mean a casual trip to the range, picking guns up from a table and putting rounds at a static target.) then it's time to see what best suits their needs.

BTW you can refer to a firearm as reliable after going through 1000 plus round without ANY failures. Until you have personal knowledge of that with a specific firearm don't comment. Magazine articles don't count.

Thanks so much for letting us know who shouldn't be allowed to own a firearm, maybe you would like to suggest that one to the anti-gunners. Now we need to take classes to be ordained worthy? And, maybe you missed it, but she did take a class.

Also, the clarification on what the definition of "reliable" was very helpful. Good thing you were here to load us up on the "facts."

And to all of you silly gun magazine readers, please feel free to let me know if you happened to have read an article in the past that might enlighten me in some way, I might have missed it and it may be exactly what I need to know.

Know it all brow beaters feel free to move along.

 

[optiontrigger]

I would be cautious with your statement about shooting .38 Special for practice and then loading with .357 Magnum. If she can't hit with the .357 Mag under normal situations, all of the range practice with the weaker .38 Special will mean nothing under the fear and stress that accompanies an emergency. Not to mention, the larger recoil and flameball out the muzzle that comes with the Mag. Cocking the hammer might help with that first shot but all subsequent shots will be double action with a heavier trigger if a bad guy is quicky running towards her.

As for the unreliable Glocks, some ranges do not keep their firearms maintained. I've rented guns that were so worn out that not only could I not hit the target, there was more burned powder residue coating me in black flakes than going out the muzzle. Just an FYI.

I would also refer to the January incident in Georgia when a wife with kids fired six shots at the intruder and hit him five times out of six with a .38 Spl and he survived. The outcome could have been worse if she missed even one more time and didn't have a reload. There is no magic caliber or bullet. Just make enough hits on target until he gives up, runs off, or changes shape.


?Shoot Him Again! Shoot Him!?: Husband Coaches Wife to Shoot Home Invader in Chilling 911 Audio | TheBlaze.com

 

[Botte Hork]

Smithy Governor! Shoots .410, 45ACP, & 45Colt

+ .410 Home Defense loads

That is not a small gun (I own it), and instead of the Winchesters, I'd go for the Hornady 410 Critical Defense. A hollow point bullet/slug followed by two .35 balls. The pellets in the PDX still spread quite a bit and in a home defense situation you don't want to find multiple neigbors sueing for endangerment, mental trauma, damages and what not because a pellet hit their house. Penetration power is not particularly high, but the aftermath could be an issue. It's not a bad round though.

Does pack some punch, so that might not be the first choice for a female shooter who would otherwise go for 38 special.

 

[TonsOfOregonBrass]

The best gun for her is the one that will fit her frame, her style of dress, where she travels, what level of concealment she need. And since she is a woman, what ever one is cutest to her. You cannot pick a gun for a woman, just like you cannot pick out her favorite bra, or pajamas. She needs to go to a store and handle them. Not all stores are just about getting your money. Some actually do want to help you find the right gun for you.

 

[tacticalgunner]

The best gun for her is the one that will fit her frame, her style of dress, where she travels, what level of concealment she need. And since she is a woman, what ever one is cutest to her. You cannot pick a gun for a woman, just like you cannot pick out her favorite bra, or pajamas. She needs to go to a store and handle them. Not all stores are just about getting your money. Some actually do want to help you find the right gun for you.

+1 on that. I think the best thing is for her is to handle a bunch of different firearms and find the one that feels comfortable as you said. Buying a gun is like buying a motorcycle. You can't test ride one to see if its the right bike for you. Unfortunatly you can't rent one around here at a good price point (Threat Dynamics does but you gotta sell your house to use their range because its so expensive), so the only thing you can do is find a friend that has a gun and go from there if you want to trial a gun.

 

[Ligito]

I let my wife shoot chief special, Glock 9mm, Glock 45 ca, 380 etc.

She found that shooting and handling a 45 wasn't so bad, after all.

Teach her to rack the slide quickly and it will make a lot of difference in her perception of
difficulty. Rack it slowly and it's harder to do.

It's about training, not surrender.

 

[MikeE]

Actually, Lange22250 makes very good points. The more I train, the more I realize how little I know, and how complex and possibly ambiguous many threat situations can be. The scenarios I have done at OFA and other places were sobering, and I usually ended up 'dead'. Training is way more important, and instills more confidence, than hardware.

 

[Lange22250]

Thanks so much for letting us know who shouldn't be allowed to own a firearm, maybe you would like to suggest that one to the anti-gunners. Now we need to take classes to be ordained worthy? And, maybe you missed it, but she did take a class.

Also, the clarification on what the definition of "reliable" is was very helpful. Good thing you were here to load us up on the "facts."

And to all of you silly gun magazine readers, please feel free to let me know if you happened to have read an article in the past that might enlighten me in some way, I might have missed it and it may be exactly what I need to know.

Know it all brow beaters feel free to move along.

I have had about 800 people through what I consider to be an intro level live fire class going through 350 rounds in a day.

The most consistent thing new shooters take away is how much they really didn't appreciate and understand about what it really takes to run a pistol efficiently and accurately. After you have a good grounding in technique then you can make a well reasoned decision about what firearm meets your individual needs and fits your anatomy. When you make those decisions prior to taking a GOOD class you don't typically make good decisions. This has been proven time and time again by the students who have decided to buy a different pistol at the end of the class.

I have never seen a "natural" shooter. Every one of the students in the class who were good from the start had taken previous training. Nothing about running a pistol is natural.

Unless a class involves LOTS of live fire it is not teaching you how to use the firearm. Sending 50 rounds down range will not take you very far. The vast majority of CCW classes do nothing to cover actually using a firearm correctly.

Before you choose to trust the articles in the major forearm publications understand that if a product appears in an article the manufacture probably paid to have it put there. I know a gun writer who have received firearms to review that didn't last 5 round before breaking and the only repercussion to the manufacturer was the review was not printed. I have also had to show other writers how to load shotguns in the middle of matches. I have only met 3 who were really competent shooters.

I have also had the requirement that students make sure that the pistol they bring is reliable and works with their ammo and magazines. To a student they all say that their pistol is a good gun and runs well. Then all too often they actually fire more than 200 rounds in a couple of hours for the first time and find the pistol failing. This is more prevalent with some manufactures and models than others but happens across the board. I have watched over 200 thousand rounds fired just during that class so you can take my opinion for what it's worth but seriously consider how much real life experience you have.

Finally you can take it as brow beating OR as advice from someone who has had a lot of opportunity to learn from real life mistakes and successes from a lot of real people.

 

[Phillyfan]

Actually, Lange22250 makes very good points. The more I train, the more I realize how little I know, and how complex and possibly ambiguous many threat situations can be. The scenarios I have done at OFA and other places were sobering, and I usually ended up 'dead'. Training is way more important, and instills more confidence, than hardware.

They are good points, just came across heavy handed I thought. Maybe I'm just tired and cranky.

 

[Phillyfan]

I have had about 800 people through what I consider to be an intro level live fire class going through 350 rounds in a day.

The most consistent thing new shooters take away is how much they really didn't appreciate and understand about what it really takes to run a pistol efficiently and accurately. After you have a good grounding in technique then you can make a well reasoned decision about what firearm meets your individual needs and fits your anatomy. When you make those decisions prior to taking a GOOD class you don't typically make good decisions. This has been proven time and time again by the students who have decided to buy a different pistol at the end of the class.

I have never seen a "natural" shooter. Every one of the students in the class who were good from the start had taken previous training. Nothing about running a pistol is natural.

Unless a class involves LOTS of live fire it is not teaching you how to use the firearm. Sending 50 rounds down range will not take you very far. The vast majority of CCW classes do nothing to cover actually using a firearm correctly.

Before you choose to trust the articles in the major forearm publications understand that if a product appears in an article the manufacture probably paid to have it put there. I know a gun writer who have received firearms to review that didn't last 5 round before breaking and the only repercussion to the manufacturer was the review was not printed. I have also had to show other writers how to load shotguns in the middle of matches. I have only met 3 who were really competent shooters.

I have also had the requirement that students make sure that the pistol they bring is reliable and works with their ammo and magazines. To a student they all say that their pistol is a good gun and runs well. Then all too often they actually fire more than 200 rounds in a couple of hours for the first time and find the pistol failing. This is more prevalent with some manufactures and models than others but happens across the board. I have watched over 200 thousand rounds fired just during that class so you can take my opinion for what it's worth but seriously consider how much real life experience you have.

Finally you can take it as brow beating OR as advice from someone who has had a lot of opportunity to learn from real life mistakes and successes from a lot of real people.

I know you meant well, it was just the delivery. Sorry, shouldn't have been such an ***.