I need a handgun

[Texasgirl]

Ok, maybe I don't actually need it, but I want it. What better way to support gun ownership than owning a gun, right? I'm looking for something lightweight, small enough to easily conceal but big enough to hold a decent number of rounds. Any advice?

[Medusa]

Glock 19? Walther P99 Compact? These are light and have a reasonable capacity..

[ChristopherG]

I'm looking for something lightweight, small enough to easily conceal but big enough to hold a decent number of rounds.

Congratulations on your decision to get a handgun. They're fun and useful.

I and many other people think that the right answer to your criteria is a small-framed revolver, probably something like a model 642 made by Smith and Wesson.This is a simple-to-operate, safe, no-nonsense carry gun. It achieves the 'small and lightweight' parts better than the 'number of rounds' part, since it holds only 5 .38-caliber rounds. However, 5 rounds is 5 more than you're ever likely to need; and reported experience indicates that the vast majority of actual Self Defense shootings involve 3 or fewer shots.

Be aware that a small gun like this is not easy to shoot with target accuracy; and a light gun like this makes the perceived recoil of any round greater. However, these are legitimate compromises in a gun that's intended primarily for concealed carry.*

You'll get plenty of advice and other options, so I won't bother to say more here. Below is the 642 at S&W's site.

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10001&productId=14793&langId=-1&isFirearm=Y

*Hopefully, you've already begun the research on concealed carry licensing and laws in your state.

[HighVelocity]

Welcome to THR Texasgirl.

Your going to get a lot of suggestions on this one. To narrow it down you should provide some more info.

Are you over 21 and do you plan to get or already have a CHL? (Concealed Hangun License)
Have you ever fired a handgun?
Do you know the difference between a revolver and a semi auto? If so, which would you prefer?

Not knowing the answers to any of the above makes it difficult to offer any suggestions.

[Lennyjoe]

Welcome aboard ma'am!

So many choices out there in handguns that it will make your head spin. Best thing to do is pair up with a local gunny and hit the gun shops or a gun show. Handle as many as you can. Also, check out the local ranges and see if they have rentals. Fire the ones that interest you and go from there.

I'm sure there are some fellow Texans here at THR that would be more than happy to help you get started. ;)

[bubbygator]

You're right - "need" is such an all-consuming word.

For many decades, a single shot was considered a wonderful thing. Later, 5 shots was the frontier standard. Now we look for a minimum of 6 shots in a revolver, and 10 (or more) in an automatic pistol.

Modern desires in a firearm are usually shaped by the imagined results. Thus, a person imagining to shoot at bullseyes would not desire a 2" barreled revolver, regardless of the number of shots... and someone wanting a self-defense gun typically wouldn't desire a .22 auto, regardless of it's having a respectable 10 shots.


Share with us your vision of usage, and we may perhaps be more able to shape your desire to fit.

[kennyboy]

A Glock sub compact or compact model. Accurate, extremely light, reliable, rugged, tons of aftermarket accessories, popular, and reputable.

[aguyindallas]

Go to a few ranges that allow you to rent guns. Hold a lot, fire a few see what you like.

I am a fan of the Glock 17 or 19. I am also a fan of the XD Pistols.

If you are in need of training, take a lood at www.tdsa.net because they have a great all ladies beginner class. My wife took it and she really enjoyed it.

[ugaarguy]

Welcome to THR Texasgirl. Some good advice already posted here. To expand on whats already been said and based on your post I have a couple questions for you.
1. What is a decent number of rounds to you?
2. How do you plan to conceal it? In a handbag? On your person? If on your person your physical size will partly answer this question. For example my friend's wife who is 6'1" can easily conceal a full or midsize handgun; whereas my sister who is 5'3" would have to carry a midsize at most and subcompact handgun preferably.

The answer to #2 may answer #1. An example of this is a Ruger P94 holds 11 rounds of 40 S&W; whereas a Glock 22 holds 15 rounds in a similar sized but lighter package. To me the Glock holds have a more reasonable capacity. Then there are ultra compacts like the Rohrbaugh R9 and Kel-Tec PF9 that only hold 6 and 7 rounds of 9mm respectively. Yet given that they're the size of 32 autos with similar capacities these pistols have a more than acceptable capacity.

[Pistol Toter]

Assuming that you do not have a boy friend or husband to help you; see if you can find you a lady down there who owns, shoots and carries a gun and ask her to help you. Do not depend on a gun shop clerk, they will tell you anything and everything. Find someone who will take you under their wing and truly guide you through the process. What you are doing is a serious matter and a cavilier attitude will not work. Again, assuming that you are old enough to purchase a handgun and if you are going to carry it get sme training and GET THAT PERMIT! Do not carry without it. As other have said there are many choices of shape, sizes and weights of hand held weapons / guns and many parameters effect how well they are fired. It would be wonderful if you have a range available that rents guns to fire on their range thus alloing you to try all these different types. Being a big man it is very difficult to say what a petite female would be comfortable with. I conceal carry a Ruger SP101 which is a 5 shot, short barrel moderatly heavy revolver loaded with 125 gr .357 mags which even with the added weight over say a Titanium / Scandium S&W still recoils like being kicked by a mule. Small but quite powerful. I also frequently carry again concealed a GLOCK 21 which is a fairly large 14 round, .45 acp; has great big grips and requires a big hand, but not nearly as violent in the recoil as the smaller revolver. Find you someone close to you that can advise and help you. :) Regards Pistol Toter

[XLMiguel]

Honey, you needs to hook up with the Second Amendment Sisters [http://www.2asisters.org/], an absolutely sterling group of women who support the right to keep and bear arms (RKBA) and foster responsible firearms ownership among women. They're quite active in Texas and can likely hook you up with other women of like mind, provide advice on a good choice of handguns for you, and help you find appropriate training.

And wlecome to THR, good luck, and stay safe.

[Ala Dan]

Hi And Welcome Aboard Texas Girl-

I will have to second the opinion of Christopher G, in recommending
the very fine S&W J-frame model 642 .38 Special. In a defensive
weapon, you definitely want something that is RELIABLE first, and
CONCEALABLE second; with enough FIREPOWER to terminate the
threat. One of these small revolvers loaded with 125 grain JHP's
surely would do the job; PROVIDED that you do your part in
placing your shots. Add to this, another 5 rounds as carried in a
Bianchi Speed Strip and I think you will be well protected~!:D

[ravencon]

I have to respectfully disagree with those who suggest a snubby. For your first personal protection i would suggest a gun that lends itself to acquiring a satisfactory level of accuracy quickly. A snubby is difficult to shoot accurately and this can lead to a great deal of frustration for a newbie shooter.

Glocks have many virtues but the grip may not suit you. Try before you buy.

My vote would be for a Sig 239. A great gun that conceals fairly well and is easy to shoot accurately.

[sm]

Welcome to THR.

I would first suggest doing a search here on THR in regard to training the brain first.
NRA classes, Classes near you held by training facilities that do new shooters introductions.
Books such as those by Ayoob, Givens, Gila Hayes for starters.

There is more to Reponsible Firearm Ownership - than Firearms.

Educate the brain, then be brutally honest with yourself, if after reading you want to continue...

With another lady that is a seasoned shooter, or better yet an Instuctor, Range Officer, Safety Officer, etc. Talk with them, again listen and be brutally honest with yourself.

From there ask this person to go with you, and let you try a variety of guns.

If you still wish to continue, get training of the brain , body and mental, using a gun that fits YOU.

AS a rule, and what I did, the gun was more or less the last matter addressed, other than gun safety , the other matters came first, then the gun. Reality check on what all this fiream bit is about, including LEGAL.

Yes , we have had folks , men and women, state " I need to think this thru before I continue" , we had some say "we are not ready at this time for a personal firearm" - we had one or two when it came time for CCW, WE did not sign off on, their attitude (brain) was not condusive to CCW or firearms period. We were brutually honest too. We had to be Responsible in our actions as well.

J- frames and small semis - IMO are NOT the best guns to learn on.

.22 caliber wheelguns, then semiautos. Then I/we went to Medium frame Revolvers and 9mm semi autos. WE had a variety of Guns, in various platforms, calibers. We even had Six model 10s alike - except for stocks...same gun feels and shoot different for differnt folks.

Gets into Gun Fit I and others harp about.

Crawl before you walk, walk before you run.

Best of luck,

Steve

[cz75bdneos22]

para-ordnance night hawg 9mm...;)
www.parahawg.com

[ball3006]

I suggest you go to a gun show and handle as many pistols as you can, or a fairly large gun shop. For example, I am 6 ft 250 lbs and my fingers are not long enough to properly shoot a large frame Glock and are marginal with a 9mm Glock. I use a Steyr S40 because the thinner grip allows me a correct pull of the trigger where I am not putting side force on the trigger throwing off my aim. My other carry gun is a Kel Tec 3AT, wonderful little pistol, light, accurate, easy to carry.......If this is your first pistol, look at one that does not have levers or switches you have to manipulate to make it fire. No need to complicate matters......chris3

[Sylvan-Forge]

some thoughts ...

Auto-Loading :
Heckler & Koch P2000SK
Glock 26
SIGarms P-232 or P-239
Springfield Armory XD compact
CZ RAMI
East German Makarov (used)

Revolvers :
Ruger SP-101
Smith & Wesson

[Jkwas]

Suggesting a gun for someone is tough. That's why there's so many. everyone likes something different. First, try a revolver and an auto. See what you prefer. If you get something too small, it will be a good concealment weapon, but probably won't be too much fun to shoot, and that will limit the amount of practice you will engage in, which as anyone here can tell you, practice is very important. I would suggest a small 9mm compact like a glock 26, or 19. Also, the Taurus Millenium Pro is a very good gun in this category. My wife absolutely loves hers. The Makarovs and 380 auto's have a fixed barrel and can be a little rough on the hand, but if you can, try them anyway.
The small 5 shot revolver is a good carry piece, but not for everybody. If you get an all steel frame instead of aluminum, it will absorb more of the recoil and will be easier to shoot. There is also low recoil ammunition on the market that will make things easier on the hands.
Try and handle as many as possible, and ask the clerk if he will let you rack the slide and pull the trigger. Have lots of fun with it.
Hope this helps

[MCgunner]

My votes because they have triggers designed for women and besides they're beautiful are....

Smith and Wesson J frame "Lady Smith" revolver in .38 special

http://www.womenshooters.com/wfn/wfnpix/ladysmith.jpg

Smith and Wesson 9mm M3913/3914 Lady Smith autoloader. Actually, I'd love to have one of these little jewels myself. It's an accurate, reliable little concealable 9mm and it's down right sexy. :D

http://www.thegunsource.com/show_productpic.aspx?idpic=9600

[Soybomb]

Above all be sure to try things out, you'll probably have the guys in the gun store telling you what you should get, but get what fits you. One of my friends had a ton of guys pushing things like subcompact glocks on her, but her hands were just too small to hold the gun comfortable and she wound up with a sig 239. Ymmv.

[GaryM]

.38 special or a .357mag revolver, snubnose if you plan on carrying it concealed.
Easily handled, reliable and still packs enough power to be a legitimate protection piece. You can't go wrong with a S&W, Ruger, Colt Taurus and a few other makes. Practice with .38 spl rounds and save the .38spl +p/.357mag ammo for when you are serious about having a gun with you.
Also it is ok to practice with the cheap ammo but get the best quality rounds you can for personal defense.
Just my 2 cents worth....

[CalamityJane]

Hi Texasgirl,

I am a little older (maybe more than a little--:) ) than you, but I just went through this process a few months ago. I ended up with a Smith&Wesson 640 revolver, which is heavier than the 642, but I wanted that heaviness to decrease the recoil. I got my permit to carry, and a good holster, and have carried it several times now, for the whole day. It is not uncomfortable, and actually, after a little bit, it feels very natural.

As for accuracy with a snub-nosed revolver, I have had pretty good luck hitting the center of the target enough to make a big hole after a few rounds; as long as I remember to focus on my front sight.

So, I guess what I'm trying to say, is, handle a lot of guns, and shoot them if possible. I am a petite woman with small hands, and have since acquired a 12 gauge shotgun and a .45 semi-automatic, and enjoy shooting both of them too. So it's really a very individual thing.

Good luck, and I'm proud of you for wanting this!

[Nortonics]

Whatever ya do, don't go gettin' one of those pink Taurus', or one of those mini NAA .22's with the cute fake pearl grips that we often must bear reading other ladies endorsing :barf: - that is if you want to be taken seriously.

[aerod1]

Try shooting the Kel-Tec P-11 or the Taurus PT-111 to see if they meet your needs.

[Srigs]

Good suggestions to go to a gun show or gun shop and hold different guns until one feels right to you. If you have friends with handguns, ask them to let you shoot them and rent some guns at the range for ones you like.

My suggestion would be the following:

General: A single stack 9mm handgun would be a great choice or a J-frame snubby.
Get training on how to use and own them properlly. This will go a long ways to making you feel comfortable with shooting and owning handguns.

Guns my wife likes are S&W 39xx guns, Kel-tec P32 and P11 and my K-frame 38sp revolver.

Good luck to you and keep asking questions. :)

[Matt King]

If yoare new to firearms (i suspect you are) then what ever you do DO NOT GET A SEMIAUTOMATIC PISTOL. You are much better off gettin a revolver, because of simplicity and reliability.(don't get me wrong i love automatics,but never for a begginer) I would recomednd the .357 Ruger SP101. A .357 can fire both .38's and 357 rounds, so you can practice with the lower recoil of the 38's.

Best of luck new shooter!

[pete f]

First of all. worry about what feels good in your hands. What handgun feels like it was made for your hands. Once that is found, then look to see what calibers are available for your desired firearm.

My wife and daughter are very comfortable shooting .45 ball. My wife also really likes a new browning hi power that followed me home one day. The one I bought was a 9mm and my wife is thinking she wants more and we are ordering a 40 from CDNN shortly. Try to handle a hipower, they are very nice postols, very well made and I have found a lot of women who have tried them at the range remark that they like the feeling of it in their hands.

There are a couple of models of Jframes (the smallest size revolver that Smith and Wesson makes, that have a 3" barrel. I find that the 3" barrel over the 2'' barrel makes things really more user friendly with very littly increase in weapon size.

One other topic. be not afraid of planning on buying a .22 cal handgun that is similar in appearance and function to the pistol that you want to carry.

.22's can be shot a lot more frequently that larger calibers in many instances. Less noise and recoil also mean that you concentrate much more on the target and less likely to develop a flinch. I shoot several boxes of .22 a week because it forces me to work on the basics.

[Texas Tass]

I've had my CHL for about a year now. I started and currently carry a .38 special revolver. Love it, am able to shoot consistently, but it is not as concealable as I would like (for me). It is a bit heavy when in the handbag, and a bit bulky when IWB. I am looking for a Semi-Auto to carry on my person.

I would also suggest starting with a revolver...get comfortable and then 'add to'.

Tass in Cypress

[DPB]

I would also like to respectfully disagree with everyone recommending the snubby revolver, for two reasons.

First, I think it is a mistake to start someone out shooting a gun with a 10-12 pound trigger pull. I believe that this has a high liklihood of them getting discouraged, and not enjoying shooting. As someone pointed out, it takes proportionally more practice to be good with a snubby, so why not start with something that you can get positive results with sooner? A larger (K/L frame/GP100), with real sights, will be easier to hit with for a beginner, even though it has the same heavy trigger pull.

Second, why does everyone assume that a new shooter, and especially a new woman shooter, is incapable of understanding the highly specialized and incredibly complex workings of the automatic pistol? I mean, you drive a car, right? An automobile has far more controls than an automatic pistol. I wouldn't tell someone I had never met "You're too stupid to drive a car," and likewise, I wouldn't tell them "You're too stupid to operate an autoloading handgun."

If you find that you like the revolver better, that's all right. But don't let anyone tell you that you should avoid the automatic becuase its too hard and you're not smart enough.

[LeonCarr]

TexasGirl,

Where are you located in Texas? Give us your general location, and we can probably direct you to the gun shops, gun ranges, and quality instructors in your area.

I personally would not recommend a snub nose revolver for a first gun, due to the increased muzzle blast and recoil when compared to standard sized (4 inch barrel or longer) revolvers and pistols. In my experience, most of the ladies I have been shooting with shoot best with the full size (5 inch barrel) 1911 .45, and this includes new shooters. The short, crisp trigger pull makes it easy to shoot for most ladies, and the recoil is manageable with 185 grain ammunition and good shooting form.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr