She asked me about getting a gun...

[Suppressed]

Apologies if this should go elsewhere, but I just want to share my jubilation at a happening.

An old friend, who for decades has been anti-gun and argued against me, just admitted to me that she's looking at getting a gun for her defense.  She lives in California, and she's getting older...and realizes that she can no longer just "move to a safer area".

So I'm going to be helping her find something that fits her needs.  ^-^

[Sanguine]

 

[240B]

Don't get a 45.
Don't get a hand cannon.
Small 9mm. And do not empty the clip. Drag them back if they run.

[Taxcontrol]

Teach her the five rules of a gun fight:

1) gun beats no gun
2) a hit beats a miss
3) fast beats slow
4) bigger holes beat smaller holes
5) two holes beat one hole

[Meldrew]

Ladies like to learn from ladies.  Here are a few resources for her.


The Well Armed Woman  https://thewellarmedwoman.com/

NRA Women  http://www.nrawomen.tv/

Top 10 Gun Blogs for Women  https://welikeshooting.com/blog/top-10-gun-blogs-for-women/


The cardinal sin in getting women into shooting is plopping a 38 snubbie in front of them and telling them to have at it.  Smaller is not better. At least learn on a full size 22 then go from there. 

My wife is a ladies instructor. This is a "programmed" response on my part. It's also true. Sorry to be repetitive if you already know this. 

[Suppressed]

Thanks for sharing in my joy and the advice.

Since I'm across the country from her, I'm relying on a gun shop to help, but making sure she feels cofortable with what she gets.  And yup...no hand cannons!

[thackney]

Apologies if this should go elsewhere, but I just want to share my jubilation at a happening.

An old friend, who for decades has been anti-gun and argued against me, just admitted to me that she's looking at getting a gun for her defense.  She lives in California, and she's getting older...and realizes that she can no longer just "move to a safer area".

So I'm going to be helping her find something that fits her needs.  ^-^

Does she want to carry, or only for in her home?

[NavyCanDo]

Nearly every gun I own has a "Not Legal in California" label on the case so  her choices won't be as broad as for us who still live in America, but by wife loves her Glock 43. Sheld in 9mm is also a good choice.

[Suppressed]

Does she want to carry, or only for in her home?

Both carry and home.

[Suppressed]

Nearly every gun I own has a "Not Legal in California" label on the case so  her choices won't be as broad as for us who still live in America

I hadn't considered that.

but by wife loves her Glock 43. Sheld in 9mm is also a good choice.

Thanks!

[ConstitutionRose]

Thanks for sharing in my joy and the advice.

Since I'm across the country from her, I'm relying on a gun shop to help, but making sure she feels cofortable with what she gets.  And yup...no hand cannons!

I sort of fell in love with the Glock 43.  An older gentleman at the gun store gave me a list of guns to try at the local gun range.  I bought the Smith & Wesson Bodyguard M&P .380.  Perfect for me.  Nothing to cock, which is good because my hands are not as strong as they used to be and I've injured my right hand.  I struggled cocking any of the semi automatics.  It has a laser sight and it is dead simple to operate, clean and lubricate.  It will fit nicely in my purse when I get my concealed carry.  Best of all I put a big ragged hole right over the center of the target the first time I was at the gun range.

I bought a family membership at the gun range which allows husband and I to practice frequently  and to call on the instructors for help free of charge. 

I am comfortable and confident with this gun, which is what you want for your friend.  Ladies, especially older ladies may need something different than the average man.  You want her to have something that she is confident enough to use when the situation calls for it.

[NavyCanDo]

Found the video I was looking for yesterday. A great review by ladies fairly new to shooting using  popular carry guns. This was made before the G43. 


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7nWBMIeIXI

[r9etb]

She lives in California, and she's getting older...and realizes that she can no longer just "move to a safer area".

So I'm going to be helping her find something that fits her needs.  ^-^

[andy58-in-nh]

Once you go Gatling....

[Suppressed]

Great advice and humor!  You're an awesome bunch.  Thank you!

[driftdiver]

Don't get a 45.
Don't get a hand cannon.
Small 9mm. And do not empty the clip. Drag them back if they run.

@240B
Get the gun that works for you, sometimes its a 45.

Its not a clip, its a magazine.  You should keep firing until the threat is gone.  If that means you reload then reload.

DO NOT drag or touch the body except to perform first aid.   If you don't have cause to use deadly force then don't.

[the_doc]

So I'm going to be helping her find something that fits her needs.  ^-^

The .38 Special revolver with hollow point ammo is a good ladies' gun.  It's simpler than a semi-auto.  Also, it doesn't require the kind of grip strength the user needs for racking the slide. 

I would recommend a revolver with a hammer, so she can cock it to make the trigger pull lighter when she fires.  If the trigger is too tight, but she wants to be able to fire it without cocking it every time, a gunsmith can ordinarily get a lighter spring assembly installed for her.

BTW, there is such a thing as a gun being too small, especially for a female.  The gun needs to have enough mass to absorb a decent amount of the recoil.  I once test-fired a very compact .38 Special revolver for my wife to see if she could handle it, and I could barely stand the kick myself.   

[Sanguine]

The .38 Special revolver with hollow point ammo is a good ladies' gun.  It's simpler than a semi-auto.  Also, it doesn't require the kind of grip strength the user needs for racking the slide. 

I would recommend a revolver with a hammer, so she can cock it to make the trigger pull lighter when she fires.  If the trigger is too tight, but she wants to be able to fire it without cocking it every time, a gunsmith can ordinarily get a lighter spring assembly installed for her.

....

Totally agree!  I really like this one:  http://www.academy.com/shop/browse/SearchDisplay?searchTerm=Taurus+Model+85+Ultralite+.38+Special

[the_doc]

Totally agree!  I really like this one:  http://www.academy.com/shop/browse/SearchDisplay?searchTerm=Taurus+Model+85+Ultralite+.38+Special

Yep!  The Taurus is a good weapon.  The +P is a good round.  Still, I would recommend that Suppressed let his friend try out a rental gun at a shooting range before making a purchase.  She might prefer a slightly heaver gun. 

My wife and I wound up getting her a Smith & Wesson .357 that also fires .38 Special.  She keeps it loaded with the .38 Special rounds.  (Our S&W is a little large for CCW, but it works okay in a regular purse or a medium-sized fanny pack.  OTOH, the price is certainly right for the Taurus you linked me to.)

[Frank Cannon]

An old friend, who for decades has been anti-gun and argued against me, just admitted to me that she's looking at getting a gun for her defense.

You plan on also mocking her unmercilessly correct?

[Elderberry]

The cardinal sin in getting women into shooting is plopping a 38 snubbie in front of them and telling them to have at it.  Smaller is not better. At least learn on a full size 22 then go from there. 

I feel a new handgun shooter should start out learning the fundamentals with a 22 of the same style as the self defense handgun.

And if a 38 Special is chosen, then start out shooting Target loads. A good load to start with would be 148gr Wadcutter ammo.

[Suppressed]

Found the video I was looking for yesterday. A great review by ladies fairly new to shooting using  popular carry guns. This was made before the G43. 

I just got a chance to watch that video, @NavyCanDo.  It's really good!

[NavyCanDo]

I just got a chance to watch that video, @NavyCanDo.  It's really good!

When my wife was looking for her first gun I had her watch that video, then took her to a few gun shows and ranges where she could rent and try out guns. She chose the Glock 43 9mm. Do note, about the G43. We changed the Glock sights to 3 dot FIber Optics and had some trigger work done. The stock trigger was awful. My Shield we never had to spend a dime on.

[Sanguine]

Wow....quite the couch potato's armament.  Looks like it would be fun hunting hogs with that thing.  Of course they'd never hear you coming...lol.

Isn't that one of those special wheelchairs for wounded warriors? 

[Gefn]

Apologies if this should go elsewhere, but I just want to share my jubilation at a happening.

An old friend, who for decades has been anti-gun and argued against me, just admitted to me that she's looking at getting a gun for her defense.  She lives in California, and she's getting older...and realizes that she can no longer just "move to a safer area".

So I'm going to be helping her find something that fits her needs.  ^-^

I'd love to have one in my home too. A little one. @Suppressed