Need small handgun for defense

[marie1]

Any recommendations on a small easy to conceal handgun under 300$ for carrying at work and in my purse?

I work at a womens' medical clinic that has been receiving lots of bad publicity and threats from the local extremist lunatics

Any help would be appreciated

 

[Bill_G]

Ruger LCP with ball ammo. $300 new.

Smith J frame with gold dots loaded. about $300 used.

 

[76shuvlinoff]

No one can honestly tell you what will work for you and your situation, too many variables. Do you have any previous experience? Do you have hand strength to rack the slide on an auto? Do you prefer a revolver? Etc Etc.
Go fondle a few maybe rent a few, shoot a lot. Just don't let your local macho gunpusher tell you what a "little lady" needs.

.02

 

[Drail]

Big +1 on "don't let your local macho gunpusher tell you what a "little lady" needs". And let me assure you, you will run into a lot of that in gunshops. It is very prevalent. Try to go a range or a shooting club and shoot as many different types of guns as you can. If some "guy" offers to let you shoot any kind of magnum just smile and say "No thank you" and walk away. I am a NRA instructor and I used to teach women's self defense classes. Find out if there are any NRA courses offered in your area. They won't try to sell you any "macho" garbage.

 

[bobalou]

Beretta 21a Bobcat, 22. Tip up barrel. Hardly any kick and cheapest to shoot. You can't practice if you can't afford to shoot. You practice with cheap stuff, keep it clean, and keep it loaded with stingers. You can always move up in caliber with more confidence. With practice you'll be able to get off 7 shots in less that 2 seconds and hit your target. Bullet placement is the most important factor in stopping your human predator along with much practice. Everyone is going to tell you that it's too small a caliber. For what you need, it will be perfect. Most people can't afford to practice with the higher calibers and therefore not proficient with the weapon. Practice enough and it will come to you automatically without having to even think. It's called muscle memory. Other than that you could also opt for a 38 snub airweight, very easy to use but expensive to practice with and has a lot of kick or recoil which decreases the amount of shots being able to get off in a short period of time with accuracy. Seven shots in 2 seconds will stop anyone. Seven shots increases the shock factor exponentially. Like getting shot by a 12 gauge shotgun with double ought buck. Just remember, no matter what anyone says about it not being powerful enough, if you can't control the gun or afford to practice with it, you might as well buy a can of pepper spray or a stun gun. I keep a 9mm (second cheapest round ) in my car and a beretta 22 in my pocket. Bring it on.

 

[mbruce]

check the local laws with the women's clinic. I know in Louisiana guns are prohibited from hospitals and their satelite doctor's offices.

Doctor's offices who are not affiliated with a hospital has their own rules i guess.....

p.s. my wife loves her 5" 9mm and my combat FNp .45acp.... so +1 on don't get persuaded to get a "woman's gun"... One day she'll trade her CCW 9mm in for a CCW .45acp

And you'll be surprised at how well Blastknucles and Bear Spray work.... google both and see what ya think. Less legal implications and i'd say just as effective under most altercations involving a medical facility. Some men may laugh at woman who pulls a gun....but no man will laugh at 900,000 watts of blastknuckles going off...and it's scary loud.

 

[Shadow 7D]

GET TRAINING (actually not a bad idea for the whole place)

Make sure it's OK to carry in the clinic, and if it is, try to get the director to pay for a CCW class.
sorry but, in a situation like that, it is better to train the whole place in put in SECURITY MEASURES than have one or two people think they are rambo.

That said, your issue isn't just 'need a gun' look at how most of the murders have been done, bombs and assassinations via firearms, both are really hard to stop, as they don't tend to talk or yell first, just walk in shooting, or snipe you getting in your car.

 

[DeepSouth]

I've just got say if it's so bad you really fear for you life you might want to find a new employer. With that said the Ruger LCP is probable the most common "pocket pistol" for 300ish. You may love and you may hate it, buying pistols is pretty much a personal preference kind of thing...As already stated training is also a great idea, and also be sure to check the State & Fed laws.

 

[Onward Allusion]

marie1
Need small handgun for defense
Any recommendations on a small easy to conceal handgun under 300$ for carrying at work and in my purse?

I work at a womens' medical clinic that has been receiving lots of bad publicity and threats from the local extremist lunatics

Going on the assumption that you are a relatively new shooter because you did not mention your experience level.

Here are a few thoughts...

*If you're a complete newbie to handguns, a double-action revolver will be less complicate to manage as all you have to do is point and pull the trigger.

* .38 Special snub revolvers are NOT good for the newbie shooter regardless of how much the local gun store clerk recommends it as a "women's gun". Recoil is uncomfortable even for me who shoots a few hundred rounds of 9mm & 40 S&W every week. It's not the caliber that is bad, it is the light weight of the gun that generates the felt recoil.

* .22 Caliber is a on par with a 25 ACP out of a short 2" or less barrel, BUT a .25 ACP is more reliable out of the same type of weapon. However, neither is a good defensive round especially in light of the plethora of small light handguns in larger calibers out there.

* .380 ACP & 9mm compact semi-autos are plentiful and run the gamut of affordable to expensive. The 9mm is an acceptable defense round.

* Lot's of folks will tell you that a .380 ACP is the smallest you should go for a defensive weapon especially with the availability of the Ruger LCP or the Kel Tec P3AT. I disagree. When it comes to strictly the gun - Shot placement is key, caliber is second, and capacity is a close third. Of course, situation awareness and training is above all else.

Based on the preceding (if you're a complete newbie), I would recommend a revolver chambered in .32 S&W Long or .327 Federal Magnum. You get six shots -vs- 5 shots from a traditional .38 spl snubbie with less recoil. .32 S&W Long ammo cost is on par with the .38 spl. If you choose a revolver chambered in .327 Fed Mag, you can use .327 Fed Mag, .32 H&R Mag, .32 S&W Long, & .32 S&W Short. If you choose to stick with .32 S&W Long, there are plenty of used H&R 732's in near mint condition out there. IMO, those things are probably the most undervalued 6 shooters out there. I would load the .32S&W Long with Lead Round Nose (actually more like semi-wadcutters) cartridges from Sellier & Bellot.

Now if you are NOT a complete newbie, I would recommend the Kel Tec P32 because ballistics of the cartridge is not too different than the .380 ACP and the gun is extremely lightweight and compact. Yes, it does have less momentum and energy but you get 1 extra round (KT P32 -vs- KT P3AT or Ruger LCP) which can mean the difference in a stressful situation. I personally load mine with either Buffalo Bore or Fiocchi 60 gr JHP in the chamber and Sellier & Bellot 73gr FMJ in the magazine.

BTW, both the KT P32 and H&R 732 can be had for less than $225 each.

Good luck.

 

[Rich223]

Keltec pf9

very simple

 

[DeepSouth]

After thought:

Holster, you'll need to use one even if is in your purse. You need to keep the trigger covered.


I'll also recommend a site my wife likes. www.corneredcat.com

 

[gatornavy]

my wife loves her taurus m850 38 spl, double action only, no hammer to snag on, and if for some reason you squeeze the trigger and it doesnt go off, you simply pull it again, one out of five WILL go off, and at close range, lets say ten feet or so, a 38 spl+p has pretty much the same energy as a 357 magnum. No magazines to worry about, no slides to rack, and pretty decent sized bullet to stop an attack, though this is my wifes preference, it may not be yours, though it is in the price range and it is 100% reliable for her, biggest thing is everyone can say what they want about handguns but in a high stress situation you want as few variables as possible to ensure success, IMHO a DOA revolver does just this, though practice is paramount with any weapon you choose!
Now the recoil is a negative however my wife doesnt mind and she is probably considered petite at 5'2'' and 105 lbs

 

[Telekinesis]

I don't mean for this to be a self advertisement, but I am selling a Bersa .380 for $250 right now. Comes with 100 rounds of defensive ammo too. Its in the classifieds here or you can PM me.

Anyway, back to the advise part of the thread...
I typically consider .380 to be the smallest caliber I would consider carrying for defense. Some other things to consider are the size of your hands, overall strength (racking the slide on a semi auto) and grip strength (being able to pull a double action trigger).

Gun wise, I like the Bersa as you can probably tell, the Makarov is in your price range and is a good, reliable weapon, but the triggers can be heavy. If you're ok with going used, a P6 (basically a Sig P225) is a good gun (though not sure about the price on it). It will have a heavier trigger for the first DA pull. It is also a 9mm so it has a bit more power than the .380s.

If you're willing to increase your price range, HK P7s (in 9mm) are great guns. Really accurate and safe/easy to shoot. The only downside is that they've been out of production for several years, so any gun you would get would be used...

 

[Bananna bore]

One in the purse

You might want to try a CZ82--cheap (around $250), reliable (before I gave one to my wife I even shot it with a two finger hold and worked very well), holds twelve shots, and the army could not destroy them!

 

[Shadow 7D]

Corneredcat (a member here)
puts a lot of great info out

Here is some COLD WATER

A gun is not a Majic Talisman of SAFETY
It is a DEADLY TOOL
That you must be trained in how you use it
AND once you do use it, you will spend $20,000+ proving that you were Justified in committing the CRIME of murder or attempted murder....

 

[Nushif]

Here is some COLD WATER

A gun is not a Majic Talisman of SAFETY
It is a DEADLY TOOL
That you must be trained in how you use it
AND once you do use it, you will spend $20,000+ proving that you were Justified in committing the CRIME of murder or attempted murder....

Oh yeah, that'll make her want to use a gun to defend herself.
Why don't you just tell her "I'm the only one professional enough to defend myself." Cause you're really helping the second amendment right now.

All of this aside though, some training is a good idea. My first step would be to sign up for a CCW course (if your state permits), secondly, make sure the clinic is kosher with you carrying (or rather, has no written rules against it) and then get some women specific training. Because I gather those classes are really great and have some fun purse-involved shooting.

That way you know how to carry smart and well.

 

[Remo223]

I disagree with the comments about 38 snubs being too much recoil. There's always cowboy loads. Wadcutters are pretty mild loads too. I have lots and lots of guns and some of them are pretty darn expensive. But you know what I carry most?

A 45 year old charter arms undercover I bought for under a hundred bucks. I load it with seller and bellot wadcutters. And I prefer the original old fashioned plain tiny wood grips. HOwever, I had to do some smithing on that little gun to make it work. A newbie probably should not buy a used charter arms unless its only a couple years old.

 

[Shadow 7D]

Uh, and what part is wrong, I'd rather have her carrying SOMETHING SHE WOULD USE, like peperspray or a C2 Tazer, than pull a gun and freeze, there is more to it than just waving a hunk of metal

BTW, my first post

GET TRAINING (actually not a bad idea for the whole place)

Make sure it's OK to carry in the clinic, and if it is, try to get the director to pay for a CCW class.
sorry but, in a situation like that, it is better to train the whole place in put in SECURITY MEASURES than have one or two people think they are rambo.

That said, your issue isn't just 'need a gun' look at how most of the murders have been done, bombs and assassinations via firearms, both are really hard to stop, as they don't tend to talk or yell first, just walk in shooting, or snipe you getting in your car.

The cold water is to point out that there IS MUCH MORE to it than just buying a gun, like taking the class, filling out the paperwork, actually finding the right way to carry, where you can legally carry etc.
And in the end, you have to train yourself, and have the WILL to use your gun when you need, that last step often is lost in the rush to
EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT

thats the LAST step
mindset, training, equipment.....

 

[heeler]

I'm with Remo on this and in fact I recommend the simplicity of the .38 Special 2 inch barrel snubnose with your typical blister pack Uncle Mike's retention strap pocket holster found almost any where guns are sold.
Even a cheap one made by Rossi will get it done for what's needed at the price point the original poster stated.
If the owner buys some 148 grain wadcutters the recoil will be skimmed down considerably.
Also even though a nifty .32 or .380 semi auto mouse gun would be great for a more experinced user a beginner,especially a lot of women,even racking the slide may not be all that easy on a gun that is new because until most are fired a few hundred rounds that recoil spring is quite stiff.
And unless they already know something about the mechanics of pistols if and when they find themselves in a high stress situation which they actually have to use it what are they going to do when that fairly new and not broken in little .32 ACP or .380 ACP semi jams due to newness,limp wristing,etc??
My 27 year old daughter has a .38 Special revolver.

 

[FruitCake]

Please take a look at the Keltec P32. The wifey loves it very much with the pinky extension. Very low recoil and the size is perfect. Out of all the guns I have she only carries this one all the time because of its small size, low recoil and its been very reliable with everything we have fed it. That little thing will do some damage with shot placement. Remember Keltec P32.

 

[Cosmoline]

I work at a womens' medical clinic that has been receiving lots of bad publicity and threats from the local extremist lunatics

Pepper spray is fine for stopping some grabby drunk, but she's talking about a much, much more serious threat than that. Lots of people have been killed in these circumstances, and doubtless more will be.

I'd suggest by getting training as Shadow7d suggests and shooting a variety of small arms. The micro-size handguns are the most difficult of all to shoot well, and you need to pick one that will work for your hands.

Obviously the clinic needs to have layers of security and should have plans to deal with a variety of problems, but these loons will often target people outside the clinic, even following them to church or home.

 

[bigfatdave]

I know what I would pull out of my safe and have you try out if you were here in person ... and I think most of the above posters are thinking along those lines as well.

Until you have tried a pile-o-guns out, and know what features you do and don't like ignore any specific instructions. You need someone or somewhere with that pile-o-guns and some range time.
A pocket gun is not always a beginner's weapon, for example the LCP (or the original Kel Tec design Ruger copied, the P3at) tends to be a snappy little bastard in the hand, and so will a snubby .38 revolver with most commonly available loads. I'm a fan of .32 in pocket guns, if you were in my area I'd offer you a chance at a KelTec P32 and some other simple, inexpensive compact/subcompact/microcompact pistols (I only have one revolver, a NAA mini I picked up mostly as a toy, you'd be welcome to try it, but I doubt you'd enjoy it for extended shooting)

Look for someone local to you with a similar attitude and a selection of guns, offer to buy them some ammo of their choice and/or lunch, read up on corneredcat's site and know/understand the four rules of gun handling, be ready for a safety briefing and a rundown on range rules. An informal range is best for a new shooter, but you might be stuck with a rental/hourly range, so be ready to maximize range minutes by doing all the unloaded handling and safety briefings elsewhere.

 

[Lazyshooter]

Ruger LCP

 

[Onward Allusion]

carrying at work and in my purse?

BTW, don't carry in your purse if you can help it. Purses get rifled through or snatched and are a pain to get your gun out of.

At my office, I would have a hard time concealing a compact weapon much less a full-sized one, so I'm limited to pocket pistols - KT P32 or NAA Mini.

 

[Wild Country]

Hi Point .380 ACP. $139.00 out the door!