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MamaBear129

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So my dad sent me this way to hopefully get some more helpful advice. He's a big gun enthusiast and it's definitely rubbed off on me. For more reasons than one. Im hoping to get some suggestions and advice on different handguns to get. I am definitely a shotgun type of girl, I love mine dearly and it is my number one form of home protection and protection in general. Other than my pretty big dog of course:) Here is my situation.. This Is where I could use some advice. I live in an apartment building that is kind of rough. Were trying to get moved, but unfortunately it wont be immediate. I have to take my son to doctor appointments pretty regularly And I'm by my self until pretty late at night, and I have to take the dog out and I like to take my son out to play, but I feel very uncomfortable with doing these things. I feel the immediate need for a handgun. As I can't really tote around my beloved 12 gauge haha. I have been wanting to get my concealed carry license and so I want to get a handgun soon so that I can start working towards that asap. Originally I was going for a Ruger Lc9 and got ripped off pretty badly with that so it fell through. My funds are kind of limited at the moment because of some medical issues that have come up with my son. I am kinda desperate for anything reliable considering a recent incident that happened right outside my apartment. So, any thoughts on a good, reliable, concealable handgun? Revolver or automatic, Im open to any suggestions. I would like some thoughts and suggestions, please! Thanks in advance!
 
First off, let me say that I hope that you get to move out of the sketchy neighborhood you're in as soon as you can. Secondly, does your father have a firearm he can lend you? I ask because while there are some low priced guns out there I have heard varying reports as to their reliability.

If option "A" is out, you might look at a used revolver like a S&W Model 10 (or Military and Police as they were known). They are out there every where and can be had for a modest price. In fact due to your budget, I would say that your best bang for your buck, so to speak, is going to be something that has been preowned.

At this time I would recommend staying away from an autoloader as they typically take much more practice to become proficient with. Also, the less expensive auto's are precisely the ones that seem to have the most troubles.

Remember that just buying a firearm does not guarantee your safety. It will make you better able to defend yourself, but only if you are properly trained in the use of the particular firearm you have.
 
I agree with the above poster about getting one from your father, but I would hope if he had one that he would have already offered. You say you love your shotgun so obviously you have experience but what handgun experience do you have? Cornered Cat has some really good advice I would recommend for anyone to read.

For the absolute budget conscious person CDNN has some good deals on new revolvers. Maybe a local shop has some good deals on used guns. If I was looking for the cheapest way to carry, I would go with a revolver. There are some inexpensive semi's but I might worry about their reliability. Kel-Tec has some inexpensive guns that people are very happy with, but I have heard that the perceived recoil can be high.

Welcome to THR and good luck.

Shawn

Edited to add: If you are not already I would start carrying some pepper spray as well.
 

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Dad, due to his own financial situation, is down to two handguns...a Colt Police Positive in .38 S&W and a Ruger SR9c, his EDC (either of which he would happily loan once he returns from a flurry of business trips).

She has shot the Ruger, but experiences functioning issues due to wrist technique. The Colt she shoots pretty well (and is part of her meager inheritance), but she needs practice, and lots of it. I can't even afford to shoot that Colt much. I'm of the opinion that with her current handgun skills, she may cause herself more problems than solutions (make no mistake...she learns well and this WILL change). She's absolutely lethal with her pump.

Long term, she wants to get started down her own road of gun ownership. I agree that revolver is a great start, but something in 9mm will make frequent range trips possible, so looking for a balance choice. I've no doubt that she develop technique to overcome her wrist issues.

Some of you have opined that Hi-point guns are the ugly enough to work well. Dad sent her here for more knowledge than his own.
 
If she's having problems with the 9mm due to a limp wrist then why not go the revolver route? .38 special is only a couple dollars a box more than 9mm. The manual of arms for a revolver is much simpler than a semiauto and would allow her to develop competency (read protective capability) quicker than a semi auto.

You can pick up an older .38 special for super cheap
 
Dad, I would gladly accept the Colt. But given my situation I would not turn down the Ruger. (GLADY babysit the Colt permanently if you wish)

I do know more about shotguns, but I have been doing a lot more research on handguns and I have no worries at all that I will be able to handle it with practice. I agree with anyone who says that a gun owner that's not practiced with it is more of a danger to themselves. I have a friend that lets me shoot at her house so I absolutely plan on shooting it very often. I wanted the LC9, one reason being because of the 9mm round, which I preferably want. And still want, might I add. From talking to people, and from what I have read, I would like 9mm ammo rather than .38. But for the time being a revolver might be the best option for me? That was my original plan when I started looking for a handgun a long time ago. I just could not for the life of me decide which one I wanted to get. I will be going the next couple of weekends, and any weekdays I have free to look around at some shops. I want something most reliable, given I usually have my son with me. But being at my apartment my thought would be getting back into my house to get to my shotgun. Trust me though, that I plan on calling the landlord first thing in the morning to tell her exactly what happened and that I want to be moved asap. Thanks for all the help!
 
Welcome to the forum.

Would you do an older guy a favor when posting? My eyes get lost when sequencing between lines in long paragraphs. Would you mind breaking them into smaller segments?

It is pretty hard to argue against a .38 revolver around $250 and would recommend it over a similarly priced S&W Sigma. But a new Ruger SR9 runs around $400 (from Buds) some you might look around for one on the used market...it's pretty hard to find a Ruger that doesn't work...even when abused
 
The small revolver route (38 spl) is probably your best bet, IMHO. Once your choices allow a 400-500 dollar gun, glocks are reliable semi-autos that are a fair price. 9mm is the way to go if you are on a budget with a semi.

Think about how you are planning on carrying also. If you wear a purse all of the time, it's kindof a no-brainer IMO. A couple modifications and a purse can make an excellent CCW holster, plus you are not as limited to size.

Something else to consider, if it is legal in your state, is a pepperspray. Check all of your local laws of course, but they can usually be obtained cheaply and offer some protection, which is better than none. There are multiple varieties.

Everything with CC is a compromise. What you gain in one area you loose in another, so make sure that whatever you decide, that it works for YOU.

my two coppers
 
The small. 38 specials snubbies are a good choice but not for a beginner.
They take a LOT of practice to be competent with.
The above mentioned S&W 10 would be an excellent choice. Police buy backs make them very affordable.
The only downside is it's a little big for concealment. But there are ways around this too.
I would suggest you don't carry in your purse. Your handgun should be on you. It's too easy to get seperated from it using a purse.
I know most people look down on carrying Fanny packs but an advantage is you can have it on you, and it conceals a larger handgun a little easier.
Also out of waistband holsters and a good gun belt with a cover garment.
Once you get to carrying you will find what works for you.
 
I carry my S&W mod 10 3" in an open top Galco High Rise, and when I wear a descent belt I sometimes forget its with me. I would recommend the S&W mod 10 ($259 from Buds.com) as the work horse of revolvers. It is the most coppied design by other countries. A Ruger GP 100 is also a fine proven product.
When deep concealment is the key I go with the LCP or LCR. These ultralights can be hard on new shooters, and often cause a flinch, so it is very important to be proficient first.
I hate to say it but I normally recommend a Browning Buckmark or Ruger Mk II as the first handgun. Either will teach you skills essential to handgunning, and if bought used can often be traded back in on centerfire handguns. Mine never left and it sees more range time than any other. I have had it since I was 11.
I would however recommend a S&W M&P 9mm over a Glock any day of the week. I prefer the out of production FNP-9 over both of these,YMMV.
 
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A resource you might want to check out is the faliaphotography on youtube. While not the best channel out there it's very good in the area of firearm and carry options for women.
 
Thanks for all the advice!! I am going ahead and getting the process started to get my concealed carry. I know that I will be carrying on my person at all times, and more than likely will be using a thigh or ankle holster since I am usually in dresses or skirts. But since that will take some time I had to go ahead and get something that would serve its purpose until then.

Since I am on such a tight timeline and budget to get something, I went to my local tactical shop and looked originally at a the s&w model 10 and I also looked at a hi point 9mm they had. Talking between my dad and the man working there, I went with the Hi Point. It felt better to me and I felt more comfortable with the 9mm round.

Of course this won't be my ccw, but for my situation I think it was my best bet. The person at the apartment has yet to be evicted, and so I do feel more comfortable now taking my dog and my son outside. I will be going shooting this week to break it in and get used to it!! It's not a Sig (sigh*) but I'm just glad to have a peace of mind walking out of my door.
 
I helped the wife of a friend of mine in a somewhat similar situation. She works as a visiting nurse, calling on people who can't get out to see their doctors, etc. As such a lot of times she has to travel into somewhat less than desirable neighborhoods. She had already obtained her CCW license but didn't like either of her husbands semi-autos (a Taurus PT-145 and a S&W Bodyguard .380).

I found a S&W Model 638 with a 3" barrel and got it for her. She liked that she could practice a lot with it using low recoil wadcutter ammo and still be able to use it with hotter SD loads. Since she also wore dresses or skirts while she was working, a belt holster was really out of the question. So we came up with the idea of her using a concealed carry purse; one that had the design and features that she wanted in a purse and also gave her quick access to her revolver by means of an internal holster located in an end compartment. I found one that was relatively inexpensive at a local gunshow and picked it up for her. Works very well for its intended purpose and she can take it wherever she goes to call on her patients.
 
it has been my experience that nurses and mothers with young children can actually make a fanny pack work.

A thigh holster is very quick to access and very concealable. I'd highly recommend supplemental support strap secured to the waist
 
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