[welleah]

Hi there. I've lurked on THR for quite a while (mostly on the activism board), but never got around to posting until now... Here's the situation:

I'm pretty new to guns - the men in my family hunt, so I've been exposed to guns all my life, but I have very little experience with handling them myself. I'm moving to a rather bad part of town, by myself, in the next few weeks, and since I've been interested in guns for quite a while, I figure now is a good time to get myself a gun for home defense. I won't be able to carry, since I work at a college and they don't allow guns on the premises, and money is tight, so I'd like to not spend more than five hundred or so. I like semi-autos, but mostly for aesthetic reasons, so I'm open to revolvers, too. The only handgun I've ever shot before was my exboyfriend's 9mm Glock (not sure what model), but it felt nice and was fun to shoot, so I'm partial to that sort of thing, but I don't think I can afford a Glock.

Additional info: I'm 22, female (small hands, y'know), and in central Pennsylvania. There's a decent (from what I hear) gun shop (with a range and beginner classes that I'd like to take) in the city I'm moving to, but I like to be informed in advance, so that's why I'm asking here.

Any information, advice, etc., would be very greatly appreciated. :)

[lloydkristmas]

You can find a Glock for under 500 if you look, shouldnt be too hard. Glocks are known to be very reliable, and thats important for a beginner. That was my most important criteria when searching for a defensive handgun. I wanted something I could trust, and trust always. Thats not to say some familiarization and practice isnt in order, but it sure is nice to have a gun you know for sure will work when you need it. So yea, check out the Glocks, Springfield XD series (very similar), and maybe the Smith and Wesson M&P series. All are very simple, beginner friendly guns.

[Ohio Rifleman]

Well, if you have small hands (like I do) and can't afford a Glock, then I'd suggest a Sig Sauer P6. I know, I know...I've been reccomending this to everyone, but they're just so nice. I have small hands too, and it fits me perfectly. They can be had for around $300. It's in 9mm, which is still relatively inexpensive. And despite what some say, modern hollowpoints in 9mm is plenty of gun for defensive purposes. If you can't find one in stock at your gun shop, they might be able to order one for you if you ask nicely.

Or, a .38 or .357 revolver would be good too. The grips on revolvers are very customizable. You can shoot any kind of .38 special ammo through a revolver chambered for .357, so you have the advantage of cheaper practice with less noise and recoil with the option of full magnum rounds for defense. Revolvers are also very user-friendly and simple to use. Rossi and Taurus both make revolvers in those calibers at very reasonable prices, around $300, maybe less if you shop around.

[only1asterisk]

The best advice is to shoot as many handguns as possible and see what fits you best. THR members are thick in central PA and I can think of several offhand that would be delighted to allow some range time for you to try various handguns.

David

[Hawk]

Nobody's linked Cornered Cat yet?

http://www.corneredcat.com/

From the linked site:

Choosing Firearms

Gun Store Miss Adventures - when women get guns
Trying On a Handgun (all about gun fit)
Semi-Auto or Revolver?
Semi-Auto or Revolver: Another View by Ryan McAndrews
Which Gun Should I Get?
Home Defense Choices: A Handgun for Home Defense?
Home Defense Choices: A Long Gun for Home Defense? by Larry Correia

[rondog]

Lady Smith revolver in .38 Special, or any of the small .38 revolvers.

[Drgong]

http://www.corneredcat.com/ is great.

I would recommend you if you get a chance to fire a number of guns. Both in the sense that you find out what you like and how much recoil you can stand. I would recommend trying to stay with "Name" brands if you can. Glock, Sig, Kel-tec and Ruger are all good choices. And don't underestimate the usefulness of a Revolver. And you may be able to find a revolver used that will be a great deal. However get whatever fits YOUR needs.

[Goblin]

I think you would really be better off with a .38cal revolver. 2 1\2in barrel would be easy to handle and shoot without foul-ups. Taurus and Smith & Wesson make several appropiate models!!!:)

[Wedge]

You said you like your ex's Glock. I bought mine NIB for $479+tax. If you liked shooting it that's a great one to get. I like mine.

[Butter]

Perhaps I would go differently if this is to be an exclusively home defense weapon. I would actually look at a shotgun. Get a youth stock for it, say a Remington 870.

Hard to argue with a 12 gauge as a superlative defensive gun and even with skeet loads, it would be something not too many people would like to face.

Classes whether for a handgun or a defensive shotgun are highly recommended.

[aquapong]

Some questions for you:

Do you want a manual safety? This prevents the trigger from firing the weapon unless the safety is disengaged. However it works in the opposite way as well...accidentally engaging the safety may prevent the gun from firing when you really need it to.

Do you want one consistent trigger pull? Some guns have one trigger pull of the same weight and length. Others have one long and heavy trigger pull followed by short, lighter trigger pulls for subsequent shots. The idea is that the first pull is much less likely to occur unintentionally since it is longer and heavier.

[SimpleIsGood229]

I think the first thing here is to handle as many different handguns as you possibly can, then go from there. The handgun must fit your hand and work for you. That is always the first thing.

Also, without sounding arrogant, I would suggest not getting too hung up on the dollar amount. Afterall, this is a device with which you may have to save your own life.

[strat81]

Glock 19
Stoeger Cougar
Springfield XD
S&W 5900-series (used) (This might be too big for your hand)
S&W M&P
Ruger SR9
Sig 229 (Get a Certified Pre-owned)
CZ-75B or variant thereof (P-01, SP-01, PCR, Compact, etc.)
S&W Model 10, 19, or 686 (Revolvers)
Ruger SP-101, GP-100, Speed Six, or Security Six (Revolvers)
Colt Trooper or Lawman (Revolvers, used)

And by all means, take the NRA Basic Pistol Course. My sister took it in June and loved it. She had next to no experience with guns and it helped her immensely. She just purchased a Beretta Cougar for her first gun.

[Defensory]

Springfield Armory XD9 Subcompact

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqISCXcO1KI

http://www.springfield-armory.com/xd.php?version=59

[Trebor]

You can get a used Glock for less then $500. You'll need to shop around a bit, and maybe do a private sale instead of getting it from a gun shop, but they are out there.

If you already like the Glock, it would be a good choice.

As far as fit, each Glock model fits the hand just a little different. For the 9mm Glocks, see if the full size Glock 17 or the mid size Glock 19 fits you better. My bet would be the 19.

Read through Cornered Cat and ask more questions.

You should also consider taking the NRA Basic Pistol class or a similiar intro to handguns class. There is nothing like hands on instruction from a good instructor.

[XDShooter07]

skimmed through this very slightly but I would echo butter. If you're not going to carry and are going to use it purely as home defense.......especially if you're going to be living in an (apartment?), then I would get a remington 870 in 20 gauge with the youth model stock (if that's your size; you made it sound like you're smaller) and a shorter barrel. Then load it with "00" buck. You won't have to worry about shooting your neighbor from penetration if your in an apartment complex and under stress as a new shooter you'll be more likely to hit what you want to with the shotgun vs. the handgun. The 870 won't set you back too much and if you still want a handgun then you can save up money over a period of time for that purpose and not short yourself out of the gun you want. But most importantly whatever you get you should take a class on how to handle home invasions and self defense. How you react is probably 10 times more important than what you're using.

[onebigelf]

For home defense I would recommend a Ruger, Taurus, or Smith and Wesson .357 magnum loaded with a good 38 special hollow point round. There are lots of grips so you can find something that fits your hands, the larger .357 frame soaks up the recoil of even +p (high-pressure) 38 special loads, and there's no safety to mess with when Joe Crackhead is kicking in your bedroom door. I have a fairly good gun collection, but what is in my wife's bedside table is my grandfather's 1951 S&W Combat Masterpiece service revolver with a 4" barrel. I think my grandfather would have liked that, too.

John

[lee n. field]

Good beginner's home defense handgun for under $500?

Under $500? You have so many choices!

It's down to what fits you, and what can you handle, and is this strictly a home gun or will it also go with you (as in, concealed about your person).

Try some out, take the class.

[eatont9999]

You may have good luck with a used 4" .357 Magnum revolver. See what the gun shop has. Don't buy anything that has been beat up, but surface condition is not as important as functionality. Spend the other $200-$250 to buy a bunch of .38spl and .357 Mag ammo to practice with. Like with any firearm, you must practice regularly and be familiar with it. I personally am not familiar with a gun I cannot field strip with out thinking about it. Revolvers are so simple, it is easy to field strip (take apart for cleaning.)

[Clean97GTI]

my ex loved the FNP-9 I bought her. She was very picky as well. It cost me quite a bit in rental time to find a gun she liked, but it was worth it to see her smile when we went shooting.

For smaller hands, the FNP-9 and the Walther P99 would be my choices. A Sig P229 would be good too although you should handle one first. The newer CZ75 P-01 reportedly has a recontoured trigger so it doesn't suffer from the long reach of some of the other guns.

[scott22]

The Sig P6 as mentioned is still a very good option for you. You can get them for ~$300+FFL xfer fees, and it is a fine shooter in deed. I have pretty darned small hands too, and it fits mine just perfectly. You can then use the extra $200 for range fees, ammo, and training. Good luck!

However, the Glock is a little more neglect friendly. You can run those dry and dirty with no problems for quite a while, trust me I went almost 2k rounds without cleaning just to try and see when the Glock would start having some problems. It never did and I had to give in before it did. I just couldn't stand to see her so dirty!

[tblt]

A revolver would be simpler to operate my choice would be a Ruher SP101 357.You will be able to shoot 38 spl. in it and if you can hanle them 357 for home defence.

A auto would give you more shots but a little more complex.A good reliable auto is a Glock but I like the Springfield Xd-9 4" model just as reliable.A lot of auto's have wide grips and you need to handle and shoot some if you can.

[Ohio Rifleman]

Another thing I forgot to mention about the Sig Sauer P6 is that it is ridiculously easy to field strip, which, as another poster mentioned, simply means to take the gun apart for cleaning. It took me all of 5 minutes to master it.

The most important thing is what works for YOU what feels right to YOU. And, as others have mentioned, if you want a strictly home defense gun, you might be better suited by a shotgun. But if you want home defense and CCW at some point, get yourself a handgun.

Or just buy both :evil:

[John Wayne]

My girlfriend, who just started shooting this year, has trouble hitting the target with just about any handgun. She has no trouble keeping all her shots within an 8" spread at 50 yards with my Kel-Tec carbine.

You might want to look into a pistol-caliber carbine or 20 ga. shotgun. Either of these will greatly increase your hit probability (which is always a good thing) and offer more stopping power with more manageable recoil. Handguns are not the best choice for personal defense, as they are the least powerful and hardest to hit with.

Many shotguns and a few carbines are available in the price range you listed, including:

Mossberg Model 500
Remington 870
SAIGA

Kel-Tec Sub 2000 carbine

Also, it wouldn't be a bad idea to start out shooting with a .22. Ammo is inexpensive, and recoil is non-existant. Many scoff at this round, but I know that a.) I sure don't want to get hit with one and b.) I would pick this over a much more powerful weapon if I knew the recoil of it kept me from shooting it. If you can't hit what you're aiming for, then you are relying on the giant "BOOM" to scare off your attacker.

[daveit]

Springfield XD

Ruger P345

[1/7GRUNT]

There is a great forum you should look to for advice...

pafoa.org

Thats the Pennsylvania Firearms Owners Assoc. I am sure you could get some info on ranges and gun stores near you.

[C-grunt]

First thing is to go and try (hold at least, shoot if possible) every handgun you can and find the one that feels nice. My advice would be:

If you end up buying a revolver dont buy one of the little ones. They are hard to master and kick like a mule. Get a full size revolver, Smith and Wesson 686 or Ruger GP100 for example. The bigger revolvers will recoil a lot less and be easier to aim.

If you decide on an auto I would say a Glock as you already have experience with it. But in reality any gun from a reputable company should workout for you.

[Guns and more]

I think for a new gun owner, and home defense (not carry) I'd suggest a revolver. My first H/D gun was a Smith & Wesson Model 65 with a 4" barrel. I shot .38 at the range although it could do .357. I still have it and I think it was a good choice. It's a stainless version and I don't think it's ever been cleaned. (shame on me) For a woman, a LadySmith.

[strat81]

I would get a remington 870 in 20 gauge with the youth model stock (if that's your size; you made it sound like you're smaller) and a shorter barrel. Then load it with "00" buck. You won't have to worry about shooting your neighbor from penetration if your in an apartment complex and under stress as a new shooter you'll be more likely to hit what you want to with the shotgun vs. the handgun.
Midway doesn't list 20ga 00 buck and neither does Winchester. I'm pretty sure it does not exist.

And yes, neighbors will have to worry if you're using a shotgun loaded with buckshot. According to the Box of Truth, a 12ga shooting "only" #4 buck will penetrate 6 layers of drywall.
http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot3.htm

If it will penetrate a human enough to stop them, it'll penetrate many walls. Novices and pump shotguns are a good combo for hurt shoulders and short stroking. A shotgun is not the best choice for a newbie, especially one without training.

[givo08]

Well, if you have small hands (like I do) and can't afford a Glock, then I'd suggest a Sig Sauer P6. I know, I know...I've been reccomending this to everyone, but they're just so nice. I have small hands too, and it fits me perfectly. They can be had for around $300. It's in 9mm, which is still relatively inexpensive. And despite what some say, modern hollowpoints in 9mm is plenty of gun for defensive purposes. If you can't find one in stock at your gun shop, they might be able to order one for you if you ask nicely.

I would strongly advise against this. P6's are not designed to feed hollowpoints and usually have a problem with them. Sig 225's (basically the same gun) has a different barrel than the P6 and is designed to feed them. If you do get a P6, I would strongly recommend buying a Sig P225 barrel replacement for it.

[Quoheleth]

As a 6'4", 280# man with VERY small hands, I have some thoughts...

Sig P6 - DA length of pull is too long, as are CZs. Good guns...too big.

Taurus PT92 is inexpensive, <$300 used, and trigger may or may not be too far to reach. High cap 9mms give plenty of firepower. Tarurus bashers will even agree this is one model that is reliable.

Smith & Wesson model 10 and (dash)variants in .38 Special can be found for <$200 on auctionarms.com and local pawnshops. Great guns, good prices, good value.

Smith & Wesson Sigma, new @$300. Heavy DA trigger, but in a defensive setting some argue that to be a benefit...help prevent accidental discharge.

Bersa Thunder - 9mm is about $350, .380 @ $270. Good guns...all-steel...reliable if unglamorous.

Ruger Sp101 already mentioned...fits me well.

Couple of thoughts...

Q

[BigO01]

If you find a gun you really like and shoot well don't just assume you can't afford it , many good gun shops will let you put it on a Layaway plan but you have to ask , they rarely put up a layaway sign like a Mart store does .

The ones I've dealt with wont even hold you to the time limit as long as you are actually making payments on the gun , just don't plop down X dollars and not make a payment and then call them up when it is suppose to be paid for and ask for more time you have to go in and put down $20 more here and there and they'll usually work with you .

[Beagle-zebub]

You might want to look into a pistol-caliber carbine or 20 ga. shotgun. Either of these will greatly increase your hit probability (which is always a good thing) and offer more stopping power with more manageable recoil. Handguns are not the best choice for personal defense, as they are the least powerful and hardest to hit with.

+1

A 20 gauge shotgun would be perfect for this, and even some pretty classy new pump guns fall within your price-range.

Pistol-caliber carbines can be had for cheap, too, if you count lever action ones. (Which I would.)

[XDShooter07]

Midway doesn't list 20ga 00 buck and neither does Winchester. I'm pretty sure it does not exist.

yep, sorry, only for 12 ga. The biggest I found from federal for the 20 ga. was #2 buck. But I don't think I'd like to stand in front of that either.

A shotgun is not the best choice for a newbie, especially one without training.

First thing I learned to shoot on. Easier to aim. Sloppy trigger control doesn't affect the gun as much. And the advantage of a spread. Why not?

And yes, neighbors will have to worry if you're using a shotgun loaded with buckshot. According to the Box of Truth, a 12ga shooting "only" #4 buck will penetrate 6 layers of drywall.

Pretty good link. The #1 and #4 penetrated six boards of drywall and stopped. I imagine maybe that #2 out of a 20 ga. wouldn't penetrate quite as much because of less powder? Dunno. But it also said 9mm and .45 penetrated all 12 boards. Six is less than 12, but yeah it's still a fair amount.

[Shade00]

As others have said, if the gun fits, shoot it. You need to pick up as many as you can. I like the idea of a Glock 26 - 9mm subcompact. You can definitely find one in that price range.

If, however, you are looking to save as much cash as possible, then I would look no further than a wheelgun. Revolvers are generally super values. My wife, who is a tiny 22-year old with tiny hands, finds that a Smith & Wesson J-frame with the stock grips fits her hands better than any other gun. Her choice is a Model 37. She doesn't like the extra weight of an all-steel gun. If you can tolerate the weight for carry, then you've just opened up a huge number of options. A J-frame snubnose loaded up with .38 Spl +P is nothing to sneer at. Just look around; there are plenty of quality S&W J-frames available.

[Defensory]

A pump shotgun is a poor home defense choice for a female beginner of small physical stature and small hands.

Plenty of full sized, experienced male shooters have trouble wielding a shotgun while navigating narrow hallways, doorways etc.---especially when under the extreme stress of a home invasion or similar situation.

A 9mm semi-auto pistol like the Springfield XD9 subcompact is ideal. It does fine in small hands, and the recoil is quite manageable even for beginners. There are multiple videos on Youtube of female beginners firing the XD9sc without any problems.

[45crittergitter]

Ma'am, call Tom Gresham on a Sunday afternoon during his GunTalk radio program (guntalk.com, 1-800-TALKGUNS), and ask him to put you in touch with an instructor in your area, who can in turn help you with this most important decision.

[woad_yurt]

See if you can check out a Makarov somewhere before you buy anything. The most reliable, user friendly semi-auto I've ever experienced.

[John Wayne]

A pump shotgun is a poor home defense choice for a female beginner of small physical stature and small hands.

Plenty of full sized, experienced male shooters have trouble wielding a shotgun while navigating narrow hallways, doorways etc.---especially when under the extreme stress of a home invasion or similar situation.

A shotgun is harder to navigate hallways with. However, unless you have been trained to breach doors and clear buildings, your best course of action in the event of a break-in is to lock yourself in your room and phone the law. For this purpose, a shotgun is almost impossible to beat. It's plenty maneuverable enough to cover the doorway from across the room and affords you the power to shoot through the door, if necessary.

Recoil is quite managable with a semi-auto 20 gauge S/A such as the SAIGA. I would feel confident with a .410. If you are concerned about over-penetration, #4 (turkey) loads should work quite well.

[pps]

I've got to say that I agree with the advise for a shotgun, 18-20" barrel 20 or 12ga depending on how much recoil you can handle. As noted above, the shotgun is a great weapon for a situation where you are having to hunker down in one room.

If you still have your heart set on a handgun, then the Glock is a fine weapon. I like the fact that there is no safety. I would still go to the range and try several others. My wife ended up with the Kahr PM9 that she appendix carries.

[-v-]

Well, back to the original question of a good home defense handgun for under $500, I would also recommend browsing this site: http://www.best9mm.com/, while it's dedicated to the 9mm flavor, all of the guns featured there can also be had in .40 S&W and some in a .45 flavor. I would say all are good choices, although some models tend to be more...basic (Hi-Point) then others.

In pistols, I am a 9mm man. I think with good JHP ammo, the 9mm is quite sufficient to stop most threats. I personally stoke my 9mm with Federal 115gr +P+ (9BPLE). As far as one-shot-stop's goes, statistically, it seems that ~94% of people hit with it stopped in their tracks.

I think the pro's (excellent stopping power) and con's (shortstroking and hearing a click instead of bang) have both been covered sufficiently. Its up to you to decide if you are comfortable with the Con's enough to justify the Pro's.

[Defensory]

Posted by John Wayne:
A shotgun is harder to navigate hallways with. However, unless you have been trained to breach doors and clear buildings, your best course of action in the event of a break-in is to lock yourself in your room and phone the law.

You're making major unfounded assumptions here, John. :) Who said anything about breaching doors and clearing buildings?!

I'm talking about something along the lines of her sitting in her living room with the shotgun in the corner. Multiple armed assailants bust down her front door and are virtually on top of her almost immediately. There's no time to run to a "safe room". Home invasions go down surprisingly fast, so "grab and shoot" is often your only option.

Being that she's inexperienced with firearms of any type, and a small-framed woman with small hands, a 7.5 pound shotgun that's forty inches long doesn't move as quickly in her hands, as it would in the hands of a grown man who's physically larger, stronger and more experienced with shotguns.

For this purpose, a shotgun is almost impossible to beat. It's plenty maneuverable enough to cover the doorway from across the room and affords you the power to shoot through the door, if necessary.

That's assuming she's lucky enough to make it to her room. Since the thugs aren't going to call ahead and advise her when they intend to forcibly invade the house, she's going to need close-by protection no matter where she's at in the house.

Handguns are much more maneuverable and portable. They can be easily carried on your person around the house, and easily placed on the dinner table, coffee table, bathroom counter and virtually anyplace else.

What if she has small bathrooms in her house, and the perps invade while she's in one of them? I've got small bathrooms in my house, and I wouldn't want to get "caught on the pot", trying to handle a 40" shotgun in a tight space. ;)

Recoil is quite managable with a semi-auto 20 gauge S/A such as the SAIGA. I would feel confident with a .410. If you are concerned about over-penetration, #4 (turkey) loads should work quite well.

Quite manageable for YOU. That doesn't mean it is for a small woman with no experience. She might be scared to death of shotguns to begin with. I've seen women on Youtube who've never fired a shotgun, and I've seen the "deer in the headlights" gripping fear in their eyes when their husbands/boyfriends attempt to goad them into shooting it.

With proper instruction/practice, a woman can become quite skillful at firing a shotgun. But a shotgun is NOT a good beginner's weapon for people who have no experience with firearms of any kind, whether male or female.

Also, many prominent self-defense experts advise that the .410 shotgun and birdshot are poor choices for self-defense. They've both been proven inadequate in many instances, some of which cost the people using them their lives.

A high capacity 9mm semi-auto pistol is her best bet right now. Hopefully she'll get professional instruction and practice regularly for a year. After that, she can start thinking about a shotgun or larger caliber handgun, if she wishes.

[memphisjim]

id suggest a medium sized 357 revolver
load it with 38 as a beginner you can always move up to 357's

[biggiesmalls]

you should start another thread asking for experienced people in your area for help. i'm sure some nice person on this board will meet with you and help you through the purchase or take you to the range to shoot a variety of guns. and you could post your thoughts again for input before you make a decision too. $500 is a lot to work with btw. let us know what you end up doing!

[makarovnik]

You could get a new .357 revolver for that price.

[Elvishead]

In a revolver, I'd consider the Ruger SP101 .357/.38spl. $425 from Budsgunshop.com and it will retain value.

Not sure if you know, but you can shoot lighter .38 cal loads in a .357, and the SP101 is small but medium in weight, so it soaks up recoil very well.

Also, maybe a S&W 637, 638, or a 642 Airweight revolver. Very light so felt recoil is a little more intense, but easy to carry. $400 buds. Good value too.

One thing nice about a revolver is, you can change to a grip that fit your hand.


In a Semi-auto, Walther makes a nice light and small 9mm called the PPS. Oppp, a little higher than $500, sorry.

Bersa Thunder .380 would work good to, with some good ammo. for less than $300, and they have a pretty good Rep. Not a real power house though. But better than a .25 or .32 by some margin.

Good luck, and I hope this helps.

[XDShooter07]

maybe since there's so much debate between a handgun or a shotgun she should just buy a taurus judge and call it a day.

[doc2rn]

I would suggest a S&W model 10, you can find alot of these used as they have an excellent track record and is the most copied revolver in history. I would look for a good 3" barrel like a 10-4 or a 10-5. Most can be had for around $200.

[LongRider]

I just posted this on another thread but it applies here too
Well as anyone who reads my post knows my first number one choice for an EDC is an XD.45 bar none it is the best carry gun there is 100% reliable, hits what you point it at, eats everything you feed it, no manual controls to slow you down when nano seconds counts. It is not the prettiest gun there is not even the most accurate but when my life is on the line it is the one gun I want to have in my hand. A good solid workhorse that gets the job done.
Now for a bargain gun I do not think there is any better buy than the Stoeger Cougar. The exact same gun made by Beretta at half the price. The gun that the Beretta Storms are based on, except the Cougar is an all steel gun. The rotating barrel makes the gun wickedly accurate and reduces recoil significantly. Beretta moved all of the original machinery, tools and sent all the Cougar supervisors to from Italy to Turkey to assure that the Stoeger Cougar was made to the same exacting standards of the Beretta Cougar. The difference being the cost of labor and production in Turkey makes the Stoeger Cougar cost half as much an almost $800 gun available for about $425. There is no better deal IMO. Beretta USA supports the Stoeger Cougar lifetime warranty. Mags, parts, after market accessories and holsters are readily available. We have one on layaway and a holster on order from K&D for it. I will do a range (backyard shoot) report as soon as I get it in hand. This is definitely a gun worth looking at. My bet is you will be very impressed with it I was, especially when you compare it side by side with $800 guns that it outshines and than realize it is half the cost. No other $400 gun I have ever seen comes even close.
Guns and Ammo article (http://www.gunsandammomag.com/ga_handguns/steoger8k_121106/)
Hand Guns Magazine article (http://www.handgunsmag.com/featured_handguns/cougarb_071807/)


http://www.gunsandammomag.com/ga_handguns/GAcougar_121106inset.jpg

[C/O]

Ruger SP101 loaded with .38 +P, would be perfect for a beginner with smallish hands.

[LongRider]

Oh I spaced the .380 Bersa Thunder is what my wife carries. Although .380 NOT what I would recommend for self defense it is a well made gun with excellent fit and finish. It is another gun that is better than many twice the price. The Bersa Thunder is a better gun than the Walter PPK (James Bond's gun). If you are going to use it be sure to use top of the line ammo my wife carries Remington Golden Sabers and practice A LOT the smaller the caliber the more critical your shots become you will need at least two .380 hits to equal one .45 hit

[jad0110]

First off, welcome to THR!

Plenty of good suggestions here, for both handguns and longarms. That in and of itself is a good indication that owning both is a good place to be :evil: . Right now, I know your budget probably won't allow it, but it is worth giving consideration to later. Which you go with first, is up to you. If I were in your shoes, I'm not sure which way I'd go, probably a handgun, for the following reason:

As Defensory pointed out, sometimes you don't have time to get to the longarm. When at home, I always have a handgun on me. Sometimes it is my snubbie S&W 642. Other times it is my 5" 1911 45 ACP. Lots of times it is both :) .

However, if I am able to, I will be retrieving my 12 gauge. As I posted elsewhere, it is nice to have a weapon that can hurtle 9 approximately 1/3" diameter lead balls at the threat with a single trigger pull (vs a single .357 or .451 lead projectile). You still have to aim, but that part is made much easier by the longer sight radius. Now, mine is NOT the best choice for small framed individuals, though a youth model 20 gauge may be an option. Used shotguns can be very affordable too (under $200).

But back to handguns.

Since price is an issue, 9mm may be your best bet, as it is typically the cheapest centerfire round. And used S&W semiautomatics can be very affordable and dependable, if you don't mind a long double action trigger pull for the first shot and a short single action for all subsequent shots. .40 S&W ammo isn't much more expensive, but some people don't like the recoil. In a revolver, 38 Special is getting kind of expensive, but don't rule it out. Try to test as many guns as possible before making a purchase. And since this gun is to be used soley for home protection, I'd give all steel guns a look. The extra mass won't be a hastle for carry, but it will soak up more felt recoil.

And since you are going to be living in a bad area, I'd buy a small quick access safe that can be bolted to a wall or floor in an inconspicuous location to keep your handgun in while not at home. I have a GunVault, and love it. Such a safe won't keep out a determined individual, but it may at least keep the smash-n-grab crowd out.

[Jeff F]

You can find a Glock for under 500 if you look, shouldn't be too hard. Glocks are known to be very reliable, and thats important for a beginner.
I would never rec amend a Glock as a first handgun, especially to someone without any previous training. There have been quite a few 'professionals' that have had AD's and couple have shot themselves with the Glock.

Get a good revolver, learn the fundamentals, the basics with it. Get some basic training, it does not cost that much.

[JohnnyGrey]

I have an XD9 and a CZ75 and I'd recommend either. If you like plastic guns, the XD is unbeatable. I prefer the old world all-steel guns though, and of those, the CZ is my favorite. I have smaller hands too and where Sigs and HKs feel chunky, the CZ fits just right. I would and do trust my life to either.

[XDShooter07]

The handgun definitely has an advantage over the shotgun on being able to be carried with you at all times while at home but you need to be able to deploy it safely from a holster so that will need to be practiced just as shooting will. As far as CZ's go. A CZ-P01 would be perfect for smaller hands. But a Ruger SP101 would also be a very good choice for someone with small hands that needs a reliable and easy to maintain gun for a first handgun. Some houge monogrips would make it a very comfortable shooter.

[XDShooter07]

I wonder if she's still reading this though?

[Deanimator]

You can find a Glock for under 500 if you look, shouldnt be too hard.
Summit Gun Broker (http://www.summitgunbroker.com) almost always has excellent deals on police surplus Glocks. I got an ex-VA Beach Sheriff's Dept. Glock 19 from them. I was extremely satisfied.

[jad0110]

Summit Gun Broker is an excellent source. I don't remember the guys name who runs it, but people speak very highly of him. I talked to him myself, he is a really great guy.

In addition to Glocks, he often has S&W 9mms and .40s for as little as $275.

[danweasel]

Probably enough info on here already but...

Ruger is a good value and a good gun.

Springfield XD. My choice but a bit more than 500 bucks.

Glock. Never owned one but obviously they are good guns.

Oh, and DON'T buy a Taurus. They are cheap but are not 100% reliable and therefore, not for HD. (I have a Taurus and I like it but, It has failed the test to be a home D gun.

I think that you should find a way to shoot a bunch of different guns to choose the one you like.

[c1ogden]

I just posted this on another thread here, question was similar to yours -

Your biggest problem is the "keeping it under $375".

Its not really a problem but you'll be pushing that limit with my first suggestion which is a .38 Special or .357 Magnum S&W revolver. Get a good used J frame (small frame, 5 shooter) or a K frame (medium frame, 6 shooter). Don't buy the new ones, they have those asinine key locks in them (another solution in search of a problem) and they're way beyond your price range.

A Ruger SP101 is also a good choice.

Stick with the 3" barrels, they're a lot easier to shoot accurately than the 2" guns. 3" J frames are pretty easy to come by, the 3" K frames are scarce and more expensive. 3" Rugers are common.

.38 Special ammo is available in a wide variety of loadings and is available everywhere. It is more than adequate for defensive purposes.

I don't like autos for anyone other than "gun people" because most people won't follow through with the extensive training and practice needed to obtain and maintain competence with an auto. Revolvers are a lot more "user friendly". They are cheaper to buy and maintain, easier to learn, and more reliable.

That being said, if you must have an auto, get a Kahr K-9. At least one of the several that I own is always within arm's reach. I don't know of any decent auto that will meet you price limit and the Kahr is no exception. With a holster and a few spare mags you'll have to double your limit just to get started. Glocks are a bit cheaper and they carry more ammo but they have fatter grips that make them harder to hide. However, they are very good guns.

9mm is the cheapest centerfire autopistol cartridge and, like the .38 Special, is available almost anywhere in a wide variety of loadings. It costs quite a bit less than .40 and half as much as .45acp. The .40 and .45 both kick a lot more than a 9, especially in small guns. The 9 is more than adequate for defensive purposes.

I draw these conclusions from 33 years of shooting, 28 years as a cop, and 22 years of teaching other cops to shoot. I also live by my advice. The guns described above are what I carry 90% of the time.

[Elvishead]

The original poster never responded to the all the postings, I don't think she'd been online sense her original post.

c1ogden

Stick with the 3" barrels, they're a lot easier to shoot accurately than the 2" guns. 3" J frames are pretty easy to come by, the 3" K frames are scarce and more expensive. 3" Rugers are common.


With all do respect to your experiences, and your duty to the people. I "somewhat" disagree with the 3" barrel. I have the SP101 3 1/16" and a S&W J-frame 638 1 7/8".

I feel my SP101 is just as challenging to shoot as my 638 snub. And a shorter barreled revolver would be much harder to disarm, especially with a fuller sized grip.

That being said, I wouldn't discourage getting the SP101 3", because I'm sure that might be hard to disarm too.

[XD-40 Shooter]

I'd go with an XD-9....surpise!.:D I have an XD-40 and love it, straight up awesome guns.:D

[Gibbles]

Lady Smith is a nice gun, I got one for my wife.
It is over $500 new though.