[TjMag]

My Mother has just recently moved out on her own. She wants a gun for the house and she likes what she has seen of the pocket .22 autos. I would like her to have a larger caliber and preferably a revolver because she will not practice very often and may forget to click the saftey off in an emergency. Any suggestions?

[mesinge2]

I would recomend a 38 SPL Snubbie if you want a gun with no safeties or complications. If the recoil is to much you could also go with a 32 caliber revolver. The double action pull of a snubbie will act to safeguard against an AD and there will be no safety that she could forget.

[reb27]

A 4in 38spl/357 mag revolver. She'd be able to hit more accurately with a bit longer barrel than the snubby, especially since you said it would be a home defense weapon, and not a CCW gun.

[woad_yurt]

A S&W 4" K-frame. An old, beater Model 10 or something will do just fine. .22 ammo, even the best, is nowhere's near as reliable as centerfire stuff. What happens when the gun jams? Also, what happens when she hits her target and he keeps coming?

Snubbies take practice if one wants to be proficient. A K-frame with a 4" barrel is a natural shooter. If it's only for the house, bigger and heavier makes for more manageability.

[Kleanbore]

Centerfire cartridges are somewhat more reliable, have a longer shelf life, and above all, are more effective in all but a few cases.

However, they do have more recoil, and that's a bigger issue in lighter guns. For a "gun in the house" a snub is probably not indicated.

Revolvers are less complicated and more reliable than semiautomatics.

.38 Special ammunition is effective, widely available, and not too costly.

Try before buying if you can, and let her choose.

[JImbothefiveth]

Is she going to carry it with her around the house? If not, a shotgun or something in .223 might be better.

[kludge]

A S&W 4" K-frame. An old, beater Model 10 or something will do just fine. .22 ammo, even the best, is nowhere's near as reliable as centerfire stuff. What happens when the gun jams? Also, what happens when she hits her target and he keeps coming?

Snubbies take practice if one wants to be proficient. A K-frame with a 4" barrel is a natural shooter. If it's only for the house, bigger and heavier makes for more manageability.


Exactly. S&W Model 10, 15, 19, 66, Ruger Security/Service Six, GP100.

If she reallyreally wants a pocket gun to have with her all the time, then a Kel-Tec P32 at least, or a Bersa Thunder 380 CC.

But a steel snub .38 with a "hip grip" is an all around better option than a .22 Auto. (steel for less recoil)

If she is dead set on a .22 then Taurus and Smith make some nice higher capacity Airweight revolvers in .22 Magnum. (No you can't load them with .22LR)


Edit: Where are my manners? Welcome TjMag!!!

[mesinge2]

I'd perfer a 4" for her as well. I just suggested the snubbie so that the size was closer to a pocket pistol, which is what she said she liked.

[gazpacho]

A compact lever action in 357/38. Easy to aim, easy on recoil, easy to reload/top off, makes a comforting cocking sound and is highly reliable. Also makes a good club.

[woad_yurt]

Let's not forget a lariat.

[Photoman]

Model 10 or 64 with 4" light barrel and 148 wadcutter ammo. Try different grips to find the one she likes best.

[007BondJamesBond007]

Would a Tauras Judge Work 45 / 410. With the 410 round all she will have to do is point the gun. I have loaded 45 410 in every other cyl. I do not know how recoil sensitive she is but when your scared the you are 10x stronger and will not notice it.

[Hawk]

Give her a reading assignment to start.

http://www.corneredcat.com/

[TjMag]

These are all really good suggestions. I was thinking about takeing her to the range and renting a .38 for her. See how she likes the recoil on it and then go from there.

[RevolvingCylinder]

She's not going to practice with it and you want her to have a DA revolver for a home defense weapon? It takes more skill to be proficient with a revolver than an auto. The DA trigger and reloading a cylinder is harder to pick up than hitting a simple lever, not to mention there are semiautos now that do not have safety levers or they are integrated into the trigger. You said that she prefers the semiautos anyway.

If it is going to strictly be a home defense weapon, I would avoid pistols all together. A semiauto or lever action carbine is far more sensible. It would be a superior and easier to use weapon if she ever had to use it.

[JImbothefiveth]

Would a Tauras Judge Work 45 / 410. With the 410 round all she will have to do is point the gun. No
Even with a 12 bore shotgun, you have ti aim. The .410 has a lot less shot. In addition, the .410, especially out of a handgun, woudl probably have very poor stopping power. I have loaded 45 410 in every other cyl. I do not know how recoil sensitive she is but when your scared the you are 10x stronger and will not notice it.
It will still make second shots slower. In addition, .45 colt has less stopping power than .45 ACP, perhaps because most hollowpoints for .45 colt are hunting bullets.

[searcher451]

Don't pick the gun out for her; don't select a gun based on size or shape or color or marketing; and don't buy a gun for her based on what the guys on the forum have to say, regardless of how well-intentioned they might be. Take mom to the range and let her try a variety of guns and calibers and manufacturers and sizes and all the rest of it. She'll eventually find the right fit for her hand and eye, and that is the gun that she should get.

[Knightrider03m]

I would steer her towards a .45 if its for home defense. But like Searcher451 said. Have her shoot a few guns in different sizes/calibers and have her pick which gun feels better and shoots better. You don't want her to "defend" herself with a gun that she is unable to handle.

[TjMag]

i'm taking her to the range in a few days. I've got several different calibers for her to try. I've got a a .22 LR, a .22 Mag, a .357 with .38 rounds also. A 9mm auto, A Judge, and i might rent a couple others. I want her to choose her own gun. All this feed back has been very helpful. Thank you all.

[sohcgt2]

If she likes the pocket .22s then I'll assume she has small hands, and so I would recommend either a Ruger SP101 or S&W J frame in .357 and start her off shooting some light .38 loads. Definately try to steer her away from any autos.