Newly Single, 40+ female, Home Alone - What Would You Recommend (story)?

[rayra]

Add another '4" stainless .357 revolver' - survives on improper maintenance, excellent hitting power, easy to use with very little training or practice.

 

[larryw]

I'm not sure some understand how a shotgun patterns at in-home distances: one still needs to aim and hit. If your friend is inclined to do room-clearing drills chasing away the invading hordes, then perhaps a shotty with all the tactical gizmos and a laser makes sense.

But if she just wants something she can keep at her side, get into action quickly, is handy up to contact distances and effective, I'd say the 38 snubbie with some of the new SD ammo made specifically for these guns is a good option. Now a laser on a snubbie...that's an idea...

The most important thing is finding something she is comfortable with. I tried buying a gun for my wife, and boy, was that a mistake: I would've had better luck buying her shoes. After that dismal failure, she went out on her own, rented and shot everything she could get her paws around, and came home one day with a HK USP 45 Compact. In the end it came down to controllability; she shoots the autos much better than the revos, and with some coaching and practice is able to load and clear very quickly. And she likes the idea of making nine 1/2" holes if necessary, with eight more ready to fly.

Find a gun your friend likes and if the trigger is too stiff for reasonable accuracy, send it off to a smith like Teddy Jacobsen of Sugarland TX for an action job to smooth things up without harming reliability. Teddy used to give special priority to customers who sent him their SD gun for work; he's slowed down a bit, but it's worth a try.

Hopefully she'll grow so accustomed to her new "friend" that she'll take it everywhere she goes.

 

[280PLUS]

A short barreled SG will open up a spread fairly rapidly. My Youth 870 has a 20" barrel with a modified choke and at 15' with #4 shot will create about an 8" pattern. That gives you a little more room for error than a .38 would.

I prefer a SG with small shot as it limits overpenetration of bodies, walls, etc. Turn a .357 round loose in your house and there's no telling where it will end up.

 

[mustanger98]

I prefer a SG with small shot as it limits overpenetration of bodies, walls, etc. Turn a .357 round loose in your house and there's no telling where it will end up.

I know a guy on another board who says he keep a 12guage loaded with BB size shot. From the way he described it, it'd be a tough round to survive.

From many opinions (instructors, cops, various other shooters) I've heard, overpenetration by handgun bullets is part of why you're supposed to use HP's for defensive situations. Personally, I keep my 1911A1 loaded with FMJ's but everybody has an opinion.

 

[DonNikmare]

Talked to her again today. She is up for it and likes the rentals idea. We talked about the potential for making a decision to pull the trigger and she said she thought she could do it under home invasion circumstances.

Thanks again for the help and ideas!
Nik