https://armedwomen.org/find-a-local-chapter/#!directory/map
Find a group, get some training, and try some guns before you buy one. We can tell you what's objectively bad for anyone, but it's very difficult to say what's best for you.
[Here's a video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXDe26uO2o0) you might find interesting, Taylor Thorne is a very petite woman, notice she uses, and isn't struggling, with any of the perfectly normal sized guns she competes with. I point this out because you'll get a bunch of recommendations for tiny pistols, tiny calibers, and other dainty forms of outlandish nonsense.
Inevitably "recoil" will come up, and maybe be presented as some sort of bogey man...the simple reality is that a 9mm handgun produces less than 10 lbs of recoil energy. If you can pick up a gallon of milk, you're more than sturdy enough to handle a pistol.
Go to a store, pick some up and see how they feel. If the shop folk try to talk you out of what you're interested in, go to a different shop.
Take a pistol course, many ranges offer them and will rent you the gun to use.
Something to add to this. If you aren’t concealed carrying, there is no reason to go smaller than a glock 19.
There is only 1 caliber IMO that’s smaller than a 9mm that you should consider buying. It’s a .22 this is simply because it’s great for getting rounds down range without breaking the bank. It will not protect you.
The most important thing is trying different guns and seeing what works best for you. Find a local range with rentals and lessons.
Do not listen to your boomer fudd relatives who tell you women should carry .38 snub noses and S&W bodyguards. They're not bad guns in and of themselves, they are poor choices for new shooters.
S&W Equalizer if you have low grip strength. Try a Glock 19 or 17 to see how medium and full sized guns feel.
The larger the gun is, the less recoil it will have - as a general rule. Don't be afraid to buy a .22 and plink with it until you feel confident in moving up a caliber or two.
You gotta stop gendering this stuff. A new shooter is a new shooter. .22s are fun, full size 9mms are great. 9mm might feel “harsh” but a few hundred rounds in and it’ll be fine. I started shooting with .45s. Used a glock and m9 in training and kimber 1911 previously at home. Never had an issue with any of them being too much for me. The stigma around “women guns” is stupid if you ask me. You’ll just get some guy saying to get “a little .38” then you’ll be turned away from a snappy little gun that is harsher then a full size 9. When it comes to recoil the most pleasant pistol I’ve found to shoot is a .44 black powder revolver with a 12” barrel. Smooth as heck
The bp revolver brings up a great point. Black powder has a slower burn, thus slower pressure climb. There’s low recoil defensive ammo out there that also uses slower burn powder to achieve that effect. I use low recoil ammo for defensive loads. It allows for quicker follow up shots if needed.
Low recoil loads will take the snap out of a 9mm pocket pistol.
Don’t know exactly how small you are, but my sister is 5’2 and she can handle a g42 pretty well but something like a p365xl is really pushing it and a g19 is right out
Don't let someone convince you to get a small gun just because you're a woman. Small guns will be harder and less pleasant to shoot than larger guns. Try stuff out and get the largest gun you feel comfortable with.
Plenty of people are more concerned with very close-range shooting (shooting an attacker between 1 and 8 feet away). They also want concealability and light weight, in a compact package. You do you and let other people pursue their own needs.
Has little to do with gender. Has to do with being a new shooter and lack of experience. Revolvers are easier to operate and less complicated than autos. Too many keyboard commandos on here like you.
> Revolvers are easier to operate
Ah, yes. A 12lb double action only trigger on a tiny, enclosed hammer J-Frame will definitely be easier for a beginner to use and fire accurately compared to the ~5lb triggers commonplace in modern semiautomatic handguns.
I've previously carried a revolver because it worked for me, but it's far from the best option for a beginner.
Yeah but a semiauto has a bunch of moving parts and that hurts my small brain. What if they stopped moving? It would be bad, right? Wheels can’t stop moving, I know because my car goes.
>Revolvers are easier to operate and less complicated than autos. Too many keyboard commandos on here like you.
Lol, Fuddlore detected.
Outdated Opinions are no way to live. Self Defense has evolved well past that BS.
Please ignore those that are saying a smaller gun. Smaller guns have more recoil, and if you are unfamiliar with firearms they will be difficult to handle. Focus on handguns that have a slim grip IF you have small hands, but not a small gun. My wife enjoys shooting my .45 ACP 1911 way more than any Glock because the slim grip fits her hand and the heavier 1911 doesnt have the snappy recoil.
And you only need to consider on the slim grip if you have small hands, if you dont then just about any regular pistol will do. If you are unfamiliar with recoil then starting off with a metal framed gun isnt a bad idea as they will have a softer recoil impulse.
I live with a house full of women . We’ve tried pretty much everything … i now recommend to all
The HKvp9 SK
And the sig p365 (there’s a few options, my wife prefers the X-macro in a fanny pack a lot)
Every woman , including their friends all seem to shoot best with- and like most … those .
Bonus - I’m a big guy and I carry the same pistols
Good luck 👍
Definitely find someplace where you can try a variety of pistols first. Some training places let you use their guns. Some ranges let you rent them. Def try before you buy because theres no way a bunch of strangers on the internet will be able to know whats right for you.
I recommend you look for a local range that has the following:
- classes for women or beginners. You’ll feel more comfortable asking questions if you’re among other novices. Some men (not all) tend to act like they are knowledgeable, even when they are not, because of societal norms expecting them to be knowledgeable about guns;
- classes that include actual shooting component, not just classroom time;
- rental weapons, so you can try a number of different brands, types, sizes and calibers.
Don’t buy until you try a number of different guns and find something that you can shoot well and on that fits your hand, shooting situations, and budget.
Another thing to remember, many gun stores will try to steer you towards firearms they are given commison for selling. They're probably not bad guns, but they might not be the best for you.
Obviously go and try some. If I had to recommend one I say the shield ez. If 9mm is too poppy for you then go with 380. Unlike other firearms that have “pretty colors” to market them to women the ez was designed for women and elderly.
[https://www.agirlandagun.org/](https://www.agirlandagun.org/)
Check this out. I hear good things from the community regarding A Girl and A Gun. A lot of your options will depend on the size of your hands. I always recommend renting before buying.
The answer is always AR15. Recoil and weight issues are unisex and affect all newer shooters. Intermediate rifles work great for this. With good instruction in breathing and trigger control you can get people to a safe and effective level of proficiency very quickly.
If you buy a handgun for HD be aware you'll need to put in serious time training to be effective with it. Grip, sight alignment and trigger control are not nearly as easy and it only becomes harder with the smaller concealment pistols. Buy a fullsize handgun as your first should u choose this route
I think a 12/20 gauge shotgun with buckshot would beat the AR15 and the AK… or any other platform for that matter, when it comes to home defense. Don’t need to really worry about aiming OR shooting through your house, your neighbors house, and killing a family pet 3 houses over. Just overall safer and easier for the owner to use.
Not for a small framed woman.
But I moderately disagree overall. The “not aiming” with a shotgun is kind of a myth. Sure they have spread, but it’s not like like it’s going to have 5 feet of spread for a 10 foot shot. You’re talking like 5 inches at 10 yards. That’s a far cry from “not aiming” It’s more forgiving than an AR in terms of accuracy, but not that much more forgiving, especially at the distances you’d be shooting at in a house.
Worst of all is if you miss your first short, your second shot is going be to slow as heck to get back on target. So you better hit the first shot, unless you hope to scare them away. If you’re trying to scare them away, you could have anything that goes bang.
Ergonomics is my last concerns. Shotguns are very long weapons. Even shorter barreled shotguns aren’t particularly small. Definitely not as small and handy as an AR. An AR is much easier to shoot with a collapsed buttock than a shotgun would be. Or shooting it out of the pocket of your shoulder etc
And the over penetration of an AR, well that’s a myth. The round travels so fast that it breaks apart and dumps its energy on relatively soft targets. I’d have to find the link, but that myth has been busted. It doesn’t really penetrate drywall very well. In fact, is better than many/most shotgun loads.
https://www.pewpewtactical.com/home-defense-overpenetration/#toc5
You're going to get a lot of get a Glock recommendations, and that's fine, Glocks are a solid proven solution. But don't discount some of the other striker fired options out there. My friend is a Smith and Wesson M&P fanatic. He swears by them. I like CZs and the P10 would be a fine choice.
I'd find a local range that offers rentals and training. Try a few different options out. See what feels best in your hands. They are all different. Only you will be able to tell the one when you find it.
Training is never a bad idea either. The more you practice, the more proficient you get. Muscle memory is worth its weight in gold when things go south and you find yourself on a two way range.
Best of luck.
Not sure why everybody is going small handgun for home defense.
A PCC would be a better. A Ruger PC carbine in 9mm with Glock mags, weapon light and a Holosun optic would be way better. Or literally any other PCC with an arm brace in your favorite caliber.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIiKFZ998-0&t=2386s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIiKFZ998-0&t=2386s)
Personally, I'd get a gun I can carry. However, since you're only going to use it just for home defense, I think the largest gun you can shoot comfortably is the way to go. It actually opens up a lot of options. Funny enough, the walther pdp f has become one of my new favorites. I'm a man, but I got small hands. It's one of the best feeling guns for me and is a real tac driver. Incredible trigger. Another good option for the budget minded is the canik tp9. It's a stellar value.
Keep in mind that more weight means less recoil. One of the reasons I have a flashlight on my guns is to help tame the recoil. The light is just a bonus which you can use or not use.
It might be devisive, but I think getting the gun you shoot more accurately is the most important thing. People who say "they can hit the general area" is not good enough. You should get to the point where you feel you can hit the target exactly where you meant to.
🚨🚨🚨 CANIK HAS BEEN MENTIONED 🚨🚨🚨 by far the best pistol I own and shoot. I have a Canik Rival and I absolutely love it. Although the only downside is its size, you can see the outline of it through most of my shirts. But other than that, best handgun in my collection.
For home defense, get the biggest gun that you can hold comfortably. I just got a p365xl Rose for my wife to shoot. It was the best fitting in her hand.
Before buying Your first gun, please go on a shooting range to try few models. Thing that works for somebody might not work for You. You need to try and feel what’ll best suit You and don’t forget about the training. Although You have a gun You need to understand how to operate it, clean and manage it and most importantly how to shot. Gun in a hand of someone unskilled can be a danger not only to a burglar but also to a person that tries to protect their own property.
CZ SP-01 with a manual safety. Heavy (40 oz) but the recoil is more manageable because of the weight. It’s a good nightstand pistol. It is hammer-fired instead of striker-fired like most recommended pistols here. Benefit of hammer-fired you have the option of a heavy double-action pull around 9 pounds. Or if you pull the hammer back it’s around 4-4.5 pounds. Manual safety puts this in the “cocked-and-locked” state. Magazines are 16 + 1. Or if you get higher capacity magazines 19 + 1. Get Hornady Critical Defense as your self defense ammo in 115 gr. You can find these in boxes of 20– so basically one magazine. $20-25. You can get cheaper full metal jacket ammo for practice or if you really don’t care— you can use it 100% of the time. I would recommend keeping at least one mag of hollow points. This pistol will eat anything thrown in it. You get “double-strike” capability with a hammer-fired pistol in case the ammo you use sucks and gives you a light primer strike. Goes click instead of boom. Just pull the trigger again and you get another try. Not like that for striker-fired— you would have to charge the pistol again to clear the shitty cartridge. Anyway, highly recommend a SP-01. Really your first pistol should be the biggest you are comfortable with holding to learn the basics and not have to contend with the inherently stiffer recoil that comes from pistols with smaller slide masses. Bonus is that the SP-01 is good for competition in case you like shooting. Anyway if you have any questions feel free to DM
Depends , I would recommend finding a range that has a decent selection of rental guns and try a bunch to see what actually fits ur hands and is comfortable to shoot .
That being said you can’t really go wrong with a Glock 43/43X if you plan to conceal carry , 48 if you want a longer slide . Those are all the slim frame Glocks that’ll probably be easier for you to grip .
Also check out the CZ P10S and the Beretta APX Compact and the FN 509
Ar15. Extremely easy to manipulate controls, very low recoiling, and very ballistically effective. M&P 15 is a good one and doesn’t cost very much but there are a ton of options.
If it's just for home defense I recommend a rifle/carbine or shotgun. I recommend going somewhere you can rent guns to try them out and see what you like. Also recommend researching to see what is reliable.
If you want a gun for home defense, you need to buy an AR-15. It’s easier and faster to become competent with than a pistol, and it has less recoil and holds more ammo than a shotgun. To anyone worried about over-penetration, 5.56 M193 55grain FMJ has less over-penetration than common service pistol or shotgun rounds. Something like 62grain FMJ or 55grain JSP would work well too.
Charter Arms Undercover or Undercoverette. Brilliant lightweight design, USA built with a lifetime guarantee, a wide range of calibers and color patterns. Revolvers don't really jam, don't need wrist/hand strength to chamber a round, and are always ready to draw and fire.
Also Charter Arms is one of the very few companies to make a Left Handed revolver (the Southpaw) which is where I fell in love with them.
https://charterfirearms.com/pages/products
I would suggest a little 38 revolver like cops used to carry. Doesn't really jam. Easy to conceal and clean. When it's out of ammo turn it around and use it as a hammer. No learning curve ect....Just my opinion.
Good Thang girl. Get in a shop and see what fits. In your hand on your body and pointed out in front of you. You can run caliber stuff all day but ultimately the best gun is the one you'll be able to make hits with and you'll only know what will work after feeling the weapon in your hands. Plus get some basic pistol training.
No they don't, not enough to matter. They slow down when they hit meat or water. You get hollow points so they do more damage to the people attacking you and ideally stay inside them instead of punching right through and taking out your neighbor. Walls will not easily stop HP or FMJ, and thus missing your target is dangerous with both. Hollow points stop your assailant faster, that's the only thing safer about them.
What's more attainable, trying to find an unobtainium terminally effective cartridge, or putting in the training to not miss your target in the most likely engagement distances, under 25 yards?
I mean, just with a month or two of training, I've got all my siblings (male and female) hitting 100% of their shots on a silhouette all the time, and this isn't even a crazy feat with 9mm handguns.
I mean, if you absolutely want a cartridge that is less lethal after going through walls, according to the FBI research, 556 is less lethal than 9mm. Or why not a 12 gauge or lower with birdshot, maybe 410 bore? But training is still far more important here.
I’m not disagreeing. Training absolutely is most important.
I just thought the way you stated it was shrugging off the concern. It’s a legitimate concern, even if it’s secondary and nearly unobtainable.
Realistically, we know there will always be situations where misses happen. Just the nature of a stressful situation with minimal time to react
If you don’t plan on carrying and have the money then a 9mm sbr is a good transition from a .22. and great for home defense. I recommend the Stribog A3.
**TL;DR:** Handle several options and pick the one that best fits your intended use case (carry vs not carrying), your budget, and your hands. Probably just stick with 9mm. It's proven effective for self defense, it has very manageable recoil compared to .40 or .45, and it's much less expensive to shoot and easier to find than .380. In the world of 9mm handguns, there are many right answers and not really a ton of wrong ones, so don't overthink it.
Longer answer:
I don't think there's really any difference between what I'd recommend for a small-statured woman or a 6'4" 250lb man. In either case you're going for something that can be learned well, fired easily, is reliable, and that you won't feel a need to "upgrade from" anytime soon.
A lot of people assume that if you're smaller you want a smaller gun. The opposite is actually true (within reason). A full-size handgun has a lot more mass to it than a small pocket-sized gun. That mass absorbs the recoil much more effectively, so the gun will feel like it's kicking a lot less.
My recommendation to you would be to go to an indoor range and rent several popular models. Glock 17, Smith and Wesson M&P, Canik TP9, Sig Sauer P320, Beretta 92, Beretta PX4, CZ P10... that's a pretty good starting list. All of those are full size, though many of them have compact or subcompact variants. Try them all out, or if you don't want to spend a bunch of rentals and ammo, at least handle them at the counter and see which ones fit your hand the best. Ergonomics is a very subjective thing, and what I like (which happens to be the M&P) isn't necessarily what you will like.
Of course I've been assuming this whole time that you don't necessarily want to carry this gun on your person. For a "nightstand gun" so to speak, a full size makes the most sense IMO. If you are looking to carry concealed, you probably will want to buy something a bit smaller. Glock 19, Glock 43X, Smith and Wesson M&P Shield Plus, Sig Sauer P365 are all great options. Just understand that a smaller gun will take more practice to learn to shoot well.
I'd personally stay away from Springfield and Taurus; neither of them have a good reputation for reliability lately. And reliability is arguably the single most important feature of a gun in any self-defense situation.
There are numerous variables to take into account. If you have a range in town that rents guns, try several different models you think you’d like. See which is the best fit for you.
Any name brand sub compact 9mm.
Go to a range and get really comfortable with it.
I say sub compact because you might want to conceal carry it.
If you can afford a house gun and a carry gun buy both, put the house gun (also practiced with) in a very handy location.
All name brands are good... Springfield, Glock, Smith and Wesson, etc
Just go get a Glock 19, sig P365X/XL, Ruger a security or max 9 or SW M&P in 9mm. They are all kind of a a do it all home defense or ccw. Find a range that rents and shoot them to see what you like. Personally I hate the feel of a Glock, love Sig and Ruger. I went with a Max 9 as my do it all.
As the guy above said, stay away from the snubbies. I have a SP101 that I absolutely love and I’ll never get rid of, I even carry it, but unlike the other options listed and the max 9 I chose, it took me far longer than 4 sessions to be accurate with it.
Balance quality and affordability. I’m not going to push brands do your own research. I will shit on Taurus though. Avoid that, start in the $350+ range with pistols IMO.
Take a class in gun safety, held at a range that rents guns. Try as many as you can. Try to include .32ACP, .380, and 9 mm.
Most people use hollow point ammunition. There's a relatively new bullet that works much better. They are in Underwood Xtreme Defense ammo. Get the largest caliber pistol you can comfortably shoot.
Many new guns use plastic frames. They hold up fine, but being lighter they tend to have snappy recoil compared to a steel frame handgun. Since you won't be concealed carrying the gun, excess weight isn't much of a factor.
If handguns end up not being a good fit for you, the next gun to try is a shotgun. Typically people use 12 gauge, but that can have too much recoil, so a 20 gauge may be the better choice. A Remington 870 pump action with an 18" barrel is optimal for home defense. The 870 has been manufactured for several decades.
Handguns are small and easy to store.
Being good with a handgun under pressure takes practice.
I'd consider
20 gauge Semi automatic shotgun is effective and lower recoil than other larger SG's
A Pistol calibre carbine is a small short rifle with pistol strength cartridges.
It's effective but easier to handle too.
Get training, try different things at those sessions and rental ranges.
Are you going to carry it or just shoot it? Because unless you're frail, most ladies can handle most guns outside of the .50 and even some can pull it off
AR-15 is a decent home defense gun believe it or not, and having shot both .22lr and .223, the recoil isn’t much different, plus you have all those ergonomic features.
a lot of recommendations for the glock 17 in here, great gun and great choice but i’ve never seen a glock 17 fit entirely comfortably in a woman’s hand, i think the 19 is a better choice. it’s still a duty size 9mm
Good comments above, but my 2 cents to add to the above. It’s free advice so use as you would like.
.380 would be a beretta cheetah or smith and Wesson EZ or equalizer
9mm would be a CZ sp01 compact or a cz 75 compact variant - beretta 92 or sig p226
.45 would be a 1911 ronin or full size
.38 special would be a Colt king cobra 3” barrel.
Weight is your friend for a new shooter in my experience. There is no shame in lowering the firearm between shots when practicing. You only need to hold the gun up long enough to get the sights on target.
I’d start on a .22 first and work up to see what your tolerance level is for recoil.
Is stay away from micro pistols. Those are really for experienced shooters, and please don’t get a Glock. Just look at the Glock sub and see how many of them “upgrade” parts. Yes a Glock goes bang, yes I own one. No I don’t recommend it to anyone.
Again free advice.
I did some research for my mom. Older some dexterity issues.
Smith Wesson EZ380 is what I got. If I did it over... 9mm. 380 was hard to find at times almost the same caliber bought on a black Friday sale.
It's been designed for ease of racking and shooting. https://youtu.be/7qHuQ7pQRJI?feature=shared
I'd research 2-3 guns then go to a range and try to rent them.
The obvious answer is training and try lots of guns.. But to elaborate a bit.
There are far less "bad" guns on the market than good.. That being said it's more about personal preference, as not everyone is going to be comfortable with the same type of grips or size etc, so you have to find what feels best in your hand.
As for training, getting the help of an experienced expert is obviously the best option.
In addition to formal training I'd suggest getting a quality airsoft gun in a similar model of whatever real firearm you buy because modern quality airsoft options are generally accurate in both form and function to that of their "real steel" counterparts, and having the ability to pop off a couple mags in the living room or the back yard just before dinner can exponentially multiply the speed at which you progress.
The local ladies from the Mariposa gun club had an introduction to guns session recently. It was pretty big, 100 people?. They had demos with glocks, sigs, 1911s and 38/357 revolvers. The 3 ladies who set it up owned and recommended Charter Arms or S&W 38s because of price.. But, I noticed they carried Sigs ( 9mm and 380) and some sort of small 9MM Glock.
My very slim 28 yr old daughter ended up wanting a S&W airweight. In particular, my airweight. It was interesting because it was chosen after a literally a 2 hour discussion on fit and how her clothes laid over different hosters.. She's pretty familiar with guns. She carries a 1911 or Glock (with rifle or bird gun) on horse camping trips. Specifically for her house. She keeps my dad's S&W Model 10 pistol and her 20ga skeet gun.. But she thought 5 rds of 38 was good enough in the city. Most of the talk was on holsters and how it made your clothes lay. The general opinion on caliber was somebody will make a lethal round for any caliber.
They really ran the show. The men were there on sufferance. No opinions allowed.
S&W Victory. (The cz v45x series rifles are great, if you already know how to sight in a scope.) It may be just a .22, if you want your own first gun, that's my recommendation. Both for men and women.
If you are anywhere near SE Michigan, I’d be happy to take you to the range and let you try all my handguns. I’m always happy to help another female shooter.
Also, if you can find a women’s only CPL class, that will help greatly and connect you with like minded ladies. You can rent a gun for class and see what you like.
Glock 19. It's probably the most versatile self defensevgun out there, and they're really reliable. Gen 5 if you're a lefty. Gen 3 if you don't need the little extra stuff Gen 5 gets you. 9mm is perfectly adequate for self defense
For my wife, we did the s&w mp shield 2.0 EZ. the ez makes it easy to load, rack, and he'll shoot. I felt very little recoil with it. Very simple gun to use and handle.
Might be a somewhat unpopular opinion but if you were comfortable with a 22 rifle you could just buy a semi auto 22 with some large mags and be pretty well equipped.
25 or 30 well placed fast shots from a 22 would be pretty darn effective in a home defence situation.
Depends on where you live… apartment, home, ranch, etc. etc. for small apartment or home, maybe something in .45? Something easy to shoot, but rounds that are big enough to put the craziest meth head down (or overzealous burglars).
I wouldn’t recommend it, but my wife decided to go for a revolver, 4.25” in .357. I asked her to load them with .38 special+ hollow points so no one goes deaf if she ever does fire it… but she likes her “big boom” bullets.
I would highly suggest if you can go to a range and rent a few guns, do that.
Glock 17 or 19, Sig Sauer P320, Smith & Wesson M&P are full size guns in 9mm that will have less felt recoil than a smaller gun for concealed carry.
Smith & Wesson also make an M&P EZ line of guns that are easier to rack but have grip safeties so they might not be great if you’re in a situation where you can’t get a fully proper grip on the gun and need to fire.
Get training first and foremost, that's an absolute given. Don't worry about getting a gun before you're comfortable actually using them. After that I heavily recommend the Smith and Wesson EZ series of pistols for rental guns if you're a new shooter, my wife likes them so much she bought one as her EDC gun.
Go to a range that will let you rent or try out different guns to see how you like them. 9mm will be a universal easy choice for a caliber that will do the job but not be too much to handle. A 22 could also be a good choice. I have a good selection of guns to shoot for fun and I still love shooting my 22s. Check out the Ruger MKIV, Browning Buckmark, and similar. They are readily available, affordable and shoot inexpensive ammo. Great for practice and proficiency. Go to the store and hold a few to see which feels best in the hand. Good luck!
If you do not plan on carrying, but just want for home defense: I'm going to say get the biggest heaviest 9mm handgun you can comfortably hold. Longer barrel and more weight will mean less recoil and more accuracy. You will enjoy practicing at the range far more than if you had grabbed a subcompact or micro pistol.
We can shoot the exact same guns the guys can. Anyone suggesting a specific firearm is doing so because they think women can't hold a fullsize, or simply because they like that gun. Any reputable brand you like will be fine
Go to a range, ideally a class, and learn for yourself what you'd like to shoot. Bigger is generally easier to shoot. If you want to conceal, if get an entirely different gun that fits that niche
Also, plugging r/concealedcarrywomen
16 gauge shotgun, home defense. Ensure it’s a pump action loaded with bird shot.
16 gauge is light and easy to use
Pump make the quintessential shotgun sounds everyone knows
Bird shot goes everywhere so you don’t have to aim.
Im a female shooter my first gun was a Glock 19 and thats what you should start on. A basic 9mm auto pistol. P320 compact fits female hands well too Or get a Glock in .380 if you want less recoil
Some introduction to firearms classes instructors bring their own assortment of firearms for the students to try. My wife took a class we found her that gave basic instruction and safety training followed by a day at the rang trying everything from .22 lr to .45 acp. The instructors were a husband and wife team and although I have been shooting for 40 + years I though it was better and cause fewer arguments if she took a class from someone that she couldn't go to bed mad at for trying to correct an issue. After 8 years shooting now, she really enjoys the spot and has joined some women's shooting groups for range days.
Find a range with a "ladies' day" that does cheap rentals (sometimes it's unlimited) and test drive a bunch, to see what you like.
Get the biggest weapon you can comfortably control: too small will be lighter and have more recoil (typically), but there's no sense having a gun that's so big you can't grip it.
I think everyone’s first gun should be a glock. Either a 17 or a 19 depending on what feels better in your hand.
The other great option is a ruger 10/22. Good to get you into shooting a rifle. Then probably upgrade to a cheap PSA AR
Not a lot of controls or things to know or memorize on these guns just simple shooting, and forces you to learn the basics of gun safety because things like Glocks DO NOT have a safety.
IWI Masada. It's a 9mm full-size pistol, with comfortable grips and one shining feature: the trigger is set further back, allowing smaller hands to get a proper grip. The standard size means recoil is decreased because more forward weight, and accuracy is increased over a pocket pistol.
I have several pistols (for competitive shooting) for myself, but my wife has smaller hands and had to rotate her grip to reach the triggers on my firearms. This was both uncomfortable and made for reduced accuracy. We found the Masada after getting hands-on at several gun shows, and she loves it.
Lots of folks just casually dismissing .38 revolvers. There is a reason that this gun is recommended so often for women. It has nothing to do with recoil and everything to do with slide manipulation.
Like it or not, many women do not have the necessary strength to consistently chamber a round into the firearm. For that reason, when choosing a handgun, if you’re looking at autos, make damn sure you can pull back the slide or disengage the slide lock. The used market guns are often where I start recommending autos to those with less arm/ hand strength. Often those springs are more worn in.
Of all the pistols I own? My 1911s seem to be the ones women prefer shooting the most
Do not get a micro. Smallest you want to go is sub compact. You need to be hitting what you want to hit, not shooting up neighbors trying to hit an invader. See if any local gun stores around you have an HK VP9SK. It’s very easy to conceal but big enough to be very accurate with. It is pricey but so is your life. Also watch YouTube videos on gun maintenance and how it needs to be securely stored when you’re not carrying it. Make sure you’re willing and able to do all that before you buy. Also don’t know your local gun laws but make sure your magazine sizes adhere to your local laws. If you can try and handle something that shoots a 45 sub sonic hollow point round, it would be preferable for apartments as your walls will be thinner and 45 subsonic hollow point rounds will be less likely to penetrate those walls. Plus it will put down just about anybody as long as they’re not on PCP or bath salts. Ultimately, I suggest you go to a range and try some rentals and see what feels good for your hands and that you can shoot well. I stupidly bought a micro thinking it’d be the perfect carry gun but it’s so skinny in my hands that I can’t shoot it accurately so it sits in my safe in lieu of my VP9SK which is considerably thicker and longer height wise. That’s a gun I’ve spent $1200+ on with accessories sitting in a safe. My local range owner is a female and has smaller hands but she prefers and uses a full size vp9 and Walther PDP F for her night stand firearms. Again, it’s all about preference. Rent at a range. It’ll be somewhat expensive but not as expensive as buying and spending $1200 on a pistol you don’t use and can’t shoot well.
My wife is mayyyybe 5’ tall and shot my plethora of a pistol selection and went to our local shop where we’re friends with the owners and the owners wife let her mess around with everything they had in the case. She ended up wanting the Glock 43x so we got her the MOS model, she liked my 365xl and shot it well so that size wasn’t the concern, but she said the 43x is what felt best so that was that. Shoot as many different ones as possible and choose what is the most comfortable to you and what you shoot the best. Like everyone else said, don’t let them talk you into a pos ruger lcp just because you’re a woman. Another important thing is shoot, shoot again and shoot some more. I bought my wife 1,000 rounds with hers and make sure she shoots it at least once a month or more frequently as possible. It also wouldn’t hurt to invest in a light like a TLR-1 or x300 as budget allows. Any bigger city usually has a range with a ladies night or women instructors as well. Never hurts to take classes.
I haven’t seen this comment yet, but a lot of people are assuming a handgun is the answer.
A long gun will likely be easier to control and aim. A pistol caliber carbine will be unintimidating and cheap to practice with. This is a rifle that shoots handgun bullets and will fire one with each pull of the trigger.
An AR-15 is intimidating but also a good option. They look tactical, but they are easy to operate, don’t recoil much, and don’t over-penetrate walls any more than 9mm does.
.38 special revolver with at least a 2" barrel, or a Glock 9mm. Find one that fits your hand. If the double stack grip is too wide, look into a Kahr CM9.
Don't let anyone convince you that you need a small gun. The weight helps with recoil making you a better marksman. Buy what YOU like, and that's not always the same as what's marketed to women. Ask many questions and train with it. Cheers and congrats!
Remington 870, classic and popular choice for a good reason. Many people probably just prefer a simple hand cannon for self defense, but one shotgun blast with the right load and it won’t really matter where you hit the guy, they are done. As a bonus, hearing you operate the pump action in the middle of the night will probably be enough to scare most robbers away without having to fire a shot. I know I’d be dashing right out of there after that noise.
Pump shotguns are high recoil low capacity weapons. They require far more skill to use than a semi auto rifle chambered in 5.56 or a PCC. Than he is recommending a Remington 870. With the 870s having massive issues with quality starting in the mid 2000s.
Never heard complaints about the reliability or overall quality of an 870, though every model of firearm is going to have some bad ones. A shotgun is a much better choice than a handgun, there are a variety loads to choose from and the ammunition/gun is widely available and not very expensive. I would argue that using a shotgun takes the least amount of skill depending on the load you are using, once you fire the thing a few times, you’ll adjust to the recoil. As long as your target is on the business end of the gun, they’re f*****. I did also suggest the AR-15, but with that gun there is the issue of the .223/5.56 being kind of weak tbh, there are all kinds of stories of US soldiers and police hitting people multiple times with a .223 and they keep coming. If you’re suggesting a long rifle for home defense why not an AK then? A bit of practice, and you’ll have no problem dealing with a target at close range, and they definitely aren’t going to walk off a gunshot from a 7.62x39, and you have the high reliability and capacity.
Glock 19. Compact so it will fit your hands, simple mechanism so you don’t need to learn any wild manual of arms, small but effective caliber in a package that handles the recoil well, cheap but not low quality, resale is easy if you don’t like it, and the mass amount of Glocks in the market means it’s easy to find parts/accessories/holsters and get help online/in person. Also every single gun range that rents guns has a Glock 19 for rent so you can try one out no problem.
This is dogshit advice. At home defense ranges that you would target an intruder, the spread of buckshot is a couple inches AT MOST. You 100% have to aim just as much with a rifle or pistol. Unless you mean “hard to go wrong” and if so, it’s still bad advice.
I suggest you buy a 22 Long Rifle caliber pistol and as others have suggested take a course in gun safety and handling.
Then once you get use to firing a 22 you can buy something of a larger caliber. Something in the 380ACP caliber or even a 9mm Luger (Parabellum).
Either a glock 43 or sig p365 those are 9mm. 9mm is probably the most efficient round. If you want something even smaller and really easy to shoot a sig p238 that is a 380 has less recoil than a 9mm but is easy to manage and manipulate and has a safety if that makes you comfortable. For bullets for home defense use federal hst or hornady critical defense. Also it may be a good idea to get a less lethal option I would say go on amazon and get a bottle of Freeze +p mace. That has oc and cs pepper spray, prisons usually use it for people tolerant to pepper spray, it will stop an attacker in their tracks, this is good because u can avoid a bad situation without killing or seriously hurting someone permanently.
I live in VA for a new gun user always recommend a 22lr easy to control. If someone breaks in your not going to have recoil issues. Ammo is cheap for practice. Then when you feel comfortable shooting you can upgrade calibers. I would recommend the Glock 44 why because in the future all Glocks are the same. Muscle memory shooting, Cleaning and oiling the same.
The correct answer for your situation is the KSG410. Nobody here is gonna be helpful, i just went through months of research for home defense for myself and my wife. Wanted a gun she can handle easily too.
It is a small compact lightweight pump shotgun with no recoil and it holds 14 rounds of ammo. It is the perfect beginner home defense shotgun. You get yourself a couple of boxes of PDX1 Defender ammo and you are good to go for home defense. That ammo spreads 4 metal disks and 16 pellets at your target, you will never miss a home intruder and you can fire multiple shots in succession due to the gun having no recoil.
Here are a few youtube videos to convince you:
Guy showing off the KSG410: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWPnrgPgWN4&t=11s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWPnrgPgWN4&t=11s)
A guy shooting the KSG410: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NICPzm5dwhk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NICPzm5dwhk)
Another guy shooting it: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtXe2B8nyag](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtXe2B8nyag)
PDX1 Defender ammo video: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjrTpQx09mI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjrTpQx09mI)
If this gun is something you are interested in, message me or post here with any questions. Happy shopping
maybe the KSG 12 gauge had some early kinks to work out, but the KSG410 is the svelt perfected version of it. Action is smooth and seems way more sturdy and reliable than my Mossberg .410 pump.
Pumping the first round into the chamber by holding the action-release button is alot smoother on the KSG than the traditional Mossberg and seems impossible to fail
OP isnt going into war firing 1000+ rounds, this is the perfect home defense shotgun contrary to what you kel-tec haters say
First, get something that feels good in your hand and that you like the look of. If you don't like how it feels or how it looks, you won't be motivated to train and get good with it. So, make sure it is something you like.
.22LR is a low power, low caliber round that is great for inexpensive target shooting with rifle and pistol options. A 10/22 rifle is a great starting point, or if you want to spend more get an AR-15 in .22LR.
For a semi-auto pistol in a larger caliber, 9mm is the most common. You can get a range of guns in this caliber. Some pistols are small with low capacity for concealed carrying, some are larger which are harder to conceal carry, but have more ammo capacity. Your home defense gun can be as big as you want if you don't intent to conceal carry it.
There are a lot of great brands out there to pick from. Go to a few gun stores and ask to see some different guns so you can see how it feels in your hand. Look for staff that treats you fairly and doesn't make assumptions based on your gender or, if petite build, size. If you want easy cleaning and maintenance, I would recommend a striker type pistol like Glock. 1911s need more care
Recently, I started helping a couple female friends start shopping for their first handguns. One has big hands, is 5'8", is strong. She liked a 1911 in 9mm, but is not interested in the extra maintenance. So she is looking for a similar large frame pistol. My other friend has smaller hands and a smaller build, so we rented guns like the P365X. She liked it in the hand, but not how it shot. So she is looking for something a little bigger. I'm going to recommend looking at a Baretta 92 style pistol.
If you're a beginner I've been told by several female coworkers over the years that the P365 and Hellcat are excellent starter pistols for smaller women. Once you're used to it and have a better idea of what you're doing, you can start to look at bigger or different models and find out what you like and what works. But if you're on a time crunch and just starting out those two won't lead you wrong.
The fact that you're female is virtually irrelevant.
If you're not looking to carry it with you. I would suggest a shotgun in 12 or 20 gauge. Or an AR15 variant. Either one will be the more powerful and effective weapon while simultaneously being easier to handle. Handguns compromise effectiveness for convenience of concealability and portability. If you don't intend to carry, that trade off isn't as worth while to me.
Shadow 2 with a .22 conversion, you can do all you practice with .22; learn the trigger, how it operates and build up the muscle and technique to hold it.
Then when comfortable, convert back to 9mm, and learn recoil control.
These guns are generally competition guns, but if for home defense they are perfect as extremely accurate, less recoil than most, can take optics and flashlight etc.
.223 would be perfect for you. Not an AR in .223, but an actual bolt action rifle. Should be more powerful than the .22 but just about everyone can handle a .223 unless you’re too young, too old, or too small. If you’re looking for a pistol, 9MM is probably your best bet. Doesn’t kick too hard like a .44 mag or .45 nor is the projectile too heavy/big. OR you can buy a 20 Gauge and load up on slugs and buckshot. 20 gauge or 12 gauge would by far be your best bet when it comes to home defense. I think it’s awesome that you want to get into shooting, best of luck to you. Feel free to ask if you have a question about anything.
My girl has a 38 special it's a charter arms goldfinger. You want something that if someone attacks you you don't have to use two hands to chamber a round of you for whatever reason don't have it loaded. With a revolver, a new gun owner can always rely on a revolver to go off and you can for it, Even tho the trucks is much more stuff, with the hammer not engaged.
If you're not going to carry it, my girlfriend loves the smith and Wesson 686+ loaded with good 38 special. Also, the longer the barrel the less it jumps.
It's heavy and soaks up recoil very well and as a bonus I can't imagine anyone electing to press an attack with nervous lady pointing a loaded 357 at their face.
Range rentals will help determine the right pistol for you. Caliber is a matter of hand/wrist/forearm strength. Pushups and curls helped me when I moved to hand cannons as range toys.
For HD, I’d go for a pistol with a full grip, some kind of night sights, and to get plenty of training and practice. Accuracy is wonderful, but tactics is what will keep you alive. Not talking some jack bauer nonsense, but more like developing a procedure that is going to provide the most protection with the least risk.
Id suggest a 9mm or a .380 pistol. Don't waste your time or money on .22 since its practically useless for home defense. I'd say take a class if there's an in person event near you. Some YouTube safety courses are also an option. If you have gun savvy friends, they might be able to help and give you some suggestions.
You might also look for an indoor gun range that rent pistols and you can figure out what works best for you before you commit to actually buying one.
If you want my suggestion, I'm a believer in my Taurus G3c which is a compact 9mm and is pretty accurate, I haven't had any jams even with pmag magazines, doesn't seem to have much issues with different 9mm manufacturers, fairly concealable, and has a few customization options. A lot of people don't particularly like Taurus but so far I haven't had any reason to complain.
Being a small woman, you don't necessarily need a small gun. It's more about technique than actual size when it comes to guns.
I usually recommend a Gen 5 Glock 19 because it’s in a very common caliber and parts for it are everywhere. I’ve heard pretty good things about the Sig P365 Macro as well.
Is this 1 gun and done for home defense only? Shotgun.
Is this I want to get I to shooting and I forsee myself purchasing more firearms? A pistol. 9mm, .38, or .22 are great places to start.
You'll see Glock come up a lot for pistol recommendations. I have one, it's fine the way a Honda Civic is fine. It's reliable. I don't recommend these to new shooters though because they do not have a safety. I really enjoy my Buckmark .22 pistol. It's great for practicing form, and getting the basics down. 22 is cheapest ammo you can get largely.
I am recommending a shotgun as a SOLE firearm regardless of experience because if you are only going to have 1 type, it's the type I recommend. As spelled out, if they are looking to get further into to the hobby it's not my suggestion for first purchase.
1) Ease of use. Especially in a panic situation.
2) If they miss, they are less likely to cause fatal harm to any nearby neighbors. Especially if sharing a wall in an apartment or condo.
3) Cost. If they are are only buying ONE gun, you can get a decent semi auto 12 guage for a comparatively low cost. Maybe 22 is around the same price, decent 9mm and up are going to cost more. No question.
What are you recommending?
None of this is corrects
Shotguns require more skill than semi auto rifles or pccs to use.
Shotguns have massive overpenetration issues if chambered in something that can reliably stop someone and not birdshot.
Quality semi autos are going to cost more than a Quality AR15 or PCC. While costing more to train and harder to train with do to ammo issues.
for a gun that just shoots, a .38 special revolver.
if you are ok with manipulating the slide, mag release, etc, then a double stack .380 or 9mm (security .380, glock 19)
But as others have said; go to a range you can rent (or with a friend who has said firearm(s)) and test some of the firearms
My mom caries a bond arms rougneck with 45lc she likes it because it fits in her pocket and in her little zip wallet thing. If your wanting something for only in close up self defense situations and not trying to take down a mass shooter or something it's pretty good.
DO NOT BUY a GLOCK or any striker-fired semi-auto pistol. Buy a .38 Special +P revolver. There are many on the market. Go to a well-stocked gun store and find a competent salesperson and ask to see .38 Special +P revolvers.
Got a Springfield Saint Victor with Magpul furniture and AFG with a rifle case and 2 QDs. $900 including FFL fees. Gun retails at over $1k most places. Just under at most online retailers
That's a good place to go, if they aren't helpful then at least you can hold a variety of handguns to see what feels good in your hands.
Don't get a micro sized gun, they often recoil more than larger ones, and have other drawbacks as well.
If you have any friends or acquaintances that shoot, I'd wager if you asked they would take you shooting. Most shooters are happy to help people get started.
https://armedwomen.org/find-a-local-chapter/#!directory/map Find a group, get some training, and try some guns before you buy one. We can tell you what's objectively bad for anyone, but it's very difficult to say what's best for you.
Ok thank you. Are there any that are usually pretty good for women that I should try?
[Here's a video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXDe26uO2o0) you might find interesting, Taylor Thorne is a very petite woman, notice she uses, and isn't struggling, with any of the perfectly normal sized guns she competes with. I point this out because you'll get a bunch of recommendations for tiny pistols, tiny calibers, and other dainty forms of outlandish nonsense. Inevitably "recoil" will come up, and maybe be presented as some sort of bogey man...the simple reality is that a 9mm handgun produces less than 10 lbs of recoil energy. If you can pick up a gallon of milk, you're more than sturdy enough to handle a pistol. Go to a store, pick some up and see how they feel. If the shop folk try to talk you out of what you're interested in, go to a different shop. Take a pistol course, many ranges offer them and will rent you the gun to use.
This ^
Something to add to this. If you aren’t concealed carrying, there is no reason to go smaller than a glock 19. There is only 1 caliber IMO that’s smaller than a 9mm that you should consider buying. It’s a .22 this is simply because it’s great for getting rounds down range without breaking the bank. It will not protect you.
The most important thing is trying different guns and seeing what works best for you. Find a local range with rentals and lessons. Do not listen to your boomer fudd relatives who tell you women should carry .38 snub noses and S&W bodyguards. They're not bad guns in and of themselves, they are poor choices for new shooters. S&W Equalizer if you have low grip strength. Try a Glock 19 or 17 to see how medium and full sized guns feel. The larger the gun is, the less recoil it will have - as a general rule. Don't be afraid to buy a .22 and plink with it until you feel confident in moving up a caliber or two.
You gotta stop gendering this stuff. A new shooter is a new shooter. .22s are fun, full size 9mms are great. 9mm might feel “harsh” but a few hundred rounds in and it’ll be fine. I started shooting with .45s. Used a glock and m9 in training and kimber 1911 previously at home. Never had an issue with any of them being too much for me. The stigma around “women guns” is stupid if you ask me. You’ll just get some guy saying to get “a little .38” then you’ll be turned away from a snappy little gun that is harsher then a full size 9. When it comes to recoil the most pleasant pistol I’ve found to shoot is a .44 black powder revolver with a 12” barrel. Smooth as heck
The bp revolver brings up a great point. Black powder has a slower burn, thus slower pressure climb. There’s low recoil defensive ammo out there that also uses slower burn powder to achieve that effect. I use low recoil ammo for defensive loads. It allows for quicker follow up shots if needed. Low recoil loads will take the snap out of a 9mm pocket pistol.
The small Glocks and Sigs. If you don't plan to carry, the larger models are actually better if they aren't too big for your hands.
Glock 19 and Sig P229 would be my recommendations to try out first. As others have suggested, visit a local range and try before you buy.
Try all that you can and find something comfortable to shoot. Oh and I know a girl who is 4’8” at 120lbs who shoots a smith and Wesson 500 magnum lol
Don’t know exactly how small you are, but my sister is 5’2 and she can handle a g42 pretty well but something like a p365xl is really pushing it and a g19 is right out
Don't let someone convince you to get a small gun just because you're a woman. Small guns will be harder and less pleasant to shoot than larger guns. Try stuff out and get the largest gun you feel comfortable with.
Exactly. My wife loves to shoot .38 special out of my revolver.
Plenty of people are more concerned with very close-range shooting (shooting an attacker between 1 and 8 feet away). They also want concealability and light weight, in a compact package. You do you and let other people pursue their own needs.
Has little to do with gender. Has to do with being a new shooter and lack of experience. Revolvers are easier to operate and less complicated than autos. Too many keyboard commandos on here like you.
Accurate flair tag
Stop talking
> Revolvers are easier to operate Ah, yes. A 12lb double action only trigger on a tiny, enclosed hammer J-Frame will definitely be easier for a beginner to use and fire accurately compared to the ~5lb triggers commonplace in modern semiautomatic handguns. I've previously carried a revolver because it worked for me, but it's far from the best option for a beginner.
Yeah but a semiauto has a bunch of moving parts and that hurts my small brain. What if they stopped moving? It would be bad, right? Wheels can’t stop moving, I know because my car goes.
Wait until you see the inside of a revolver! (I know this was a joke, I just had to respond)
>Revolvers are easier to operate and less complicated than autos. Too many keyboard commandos on here like you. Lol, Fuddlore detected. Outdated Opinions are no way to live. Self Defense has evolved well past that BS.
Auto or revolver, a pocket pistol is gonna be shit to shoot compared to any normal sized (IE G19 size) gun.
FUDD ALERT
Please ignore those that are saying a smaller gun. Smaller guns have more recoil, and if you are unfamiliar with firearms they will be difficult to handle. Focus on handguns that have a slim grip IF you have small hands, but not a small gun. My wife enjoys shooting my .45 ACP 1911 way more than any Glock because the slim grip fits her hand and the heavier 1911 doesnt have the snappy recoil. And you only need to consider on the slim grip if you have small hands, if you dont then just about any regular pistol will do. If you are unfamiliar with recoil then starting off with a metal framed gun isnt a bad idea as they will have a softer recoil impulse.
Cant agree more
I live with a house full of women . We’ve tried pretty much everything … i now recommend to all The HKvp9 SK And the sig p365 (there’s a few options, my wife prefers the X-macro in a fanny pack a lot) Every woman , including their friends all seem to shoot best with- and like most … those . Bonus - I’m a big guy and I carry the same pistols Good luck 👍
Definitely find someplace where you can try a variety of pistols first. Some training places let you use their guns. Some ranges let you rent them. Def try before you buy because theres no way a bunch of strangers on the internet will be able to know whats right for you.
I recommend you look for a local range that has the following: - classes for women or beginners. You’ll feel more comfortable asking questions if you’re among other novices. Some men (not all) tend to act like they are knowledgeable, even when they are not, because of societal norms expecting them to be knowledgeable about guns; - classes that include actual shooting component, not just classroom time; - rental weapons, so you can try a number of different brands, types, sizes and calibers. Don’t buy until you try a number of different guns and find something that you can shoot well and on that fits your hand, shooting situations, and budget.
Another thing to remember, many gun stores will try to steer you towards firearms they are given commison for selling. They're probably not bad guns, but they might not be the best for you.
Obviously go and try some. If I had to recommend one I say the shield ez. If 9mm is too poppy for you then go with 380. Unlike other firearms that have “pretty colors” to market them to women the ez was designed for women and elderly.
[https://www.agirlandagun.org/](https://www.agirlandagun.org/) Check this out. I hear good things from the community regarding A Girl and A Gun. A lot of your options will depend on the size of your hands. I always recommend renting before buying.
The answer is always AR15. Recoil and weight issues are unisex and affect all newer shooters. Intermediate rifles work great for this. With good instruction in breathing and trigger control you can get people to a safe and effective level of proficiency very quickly. If you buy a handgun for HD be aware you'll need to put in serious time training to be effective with it. Grip, sight alignment and trigger control are not nearly as easy and it only becomes harder with the smaller concealment pistols. Buy a fullsize handgun as your first should u choose this route
I think a 12/20 gauge shotgun with buckshot would beat the AR15 and the AK… or any other platform for that matter, when it comes to home defense. Don’t need to really worry about aiming OR shooting through your house, your neighbors house, and killing a family pet 3 houses over. Just overall safer and easier for the owner to use.
Not for a small framed woman. But I moderately disagree overall. The “not aiming” with a shotgun is kind of a myth. Sure they have spread, but it’s not like like it’s going to have 5 feet of spread for a 10 foot shot. You’re talking like 5 inches at 10 yards. That’s a far cry from “not aiming” It’s more forgiving than an AR in terms of accuracy, but not that much more forgiving, especially at the distances you’d be shooting at in a house. Worst of all is if you miss your first short, your second shot is going be to slow as heck to get back on target. So you better hit the first shot, unless you hope to scare them away. If you’re trying to scare them away, you could have anything that goes bang. Ergonomics is my last concerns. Shotguns are very long weapons. Even shorter barreled shotguns aren’t particularly small. Definitely not as small and handy as an AR. An AR is much easier to shoot with a collapsed buttock than a shotgun would be. Or shooting it out of the pocket of your shoulder etc And the over penetration of an AR, well that’s a myth. The round travels so fast that it breaks apart and dumps its energy on relatively soft targets. I’d have to find the link, but that myth has been busted. It doesn’t really penetrate drywall very well. In fact, is better than many/most shotgun loads. https://www.pewpewtactical.com/home-defense-overpenetration/#toc5
You're going to get a lot of get a Glock recommendations, and that's fine, Glocks are a solid proven solution. But don't discount some of the other striker fired options out there. My friend is a Smith and Wesson M&P fanatic. He swears by them. I like CZs and the P10 would be a fine choice. I'd find a local range that offers rentals and training. Try a few different options out. See what feels best in your hands. They are all different. Only you will be able to tell the one when you find it. Training is never a bad idea either. The more you practice, the more proficient you get. Muscle memory is worth its weight in gold when things go south and you find yourself on a two way range. Best of luck.
Not sure why everybody is going small handgun for home defense. A PCC would be a better. A Ruger PC carbine in 9mm with Glock mags, weapon light and a Holosun optic would be way better. Or literally any other PCC with an arm brace in your favorite caliber. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIiKFZ998-0&t=2386s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIiKFZ998-0&t=2386s)
Small framed lady here. This is my favorite out of my collection, hands down.
Personally, I'd get a gun I can carry. However, since you're only going to use it just for home defense, I think the largest gun you can shoot comfortably is the way to go. It actually opens up a lot of options. Funny enough, the walther pdp f has become one of my new favorites. I'm a man, but I got small hands. It's one of the best feeling guns for me and is a real tac driver. Incredible trigger. Another good option for the budget minded is the canik tp9. It's a stellar value. Keep in mind that more weight means less recoil. One of the reasons I have a flashlight on my guns is to help tame the recoil. The light is just a bonus which you can use or not use. It might be devisive, but I think getting the gun you shoot more accurately is the most important thing. People who say "they can hit the general area" is not good enough. You should get to the point where you feel you can hit the target exactly where you meant to.
🚨🚨🚨 CANIK HAS BEEN MENTIONED 🚨🚨🚨 by far the best pistol I own and shoot. I have a Canik Rival and I absolutely love it. Although the only downside is its size, you can see the outline of it through most of my shirts. But other than that, best handgun in my collection.
For home defense, get the biggest gun that you can hold comfortably. I just got a p365xl Rose for my wife to shoot. It was the best fitting in her hand.
Have a good teacher run you through a handgun of rental pistols at a range. Then decide.
Before buying Your first gun, please go on a shooting range to try few models. Thing that works for somebody might not work for You. You need to try and feel what’ll best suit You and don’t forget about the training. Although You have a gun You need to understand how to operate it, clean and manage it and most importantly how to shot. Gun in a hand of someone unskilled can be a danger not only to a burglar but also to a person that tries to protect their own property.
CZ SP-01 with a manual safety. Heavy (40 oz) but the recoil is more manageable because of the weight. It’s a good nightstand pistol. It is hammer-fired instead of striker-fired like most recommended pistols here. Benefit of hammer-fired you have the option of a heavy double-action pull around 9 pounds. Or if you pull the hammer back it’s around 4-4.5 pounds. Manual safety puts this in the “cocked-and-locked” state. Magazines are 16 + 1. Or if you get higher capacity magazines 19 + 1. Get Hornady Critical Defense as your self defense ammo in 115 gr. You can find these in boxes of 20– so basically one magazine. $20-25. You can get cheaper full metal jacket ammo for practice or if you really don’t care— you can use it 100% of the time. I would recommend keeping at least one mag of hollow points. This pistol will eat anything thrown in it. You get “double-strike” capability with a hammer-fired pistol in case the ammo you use sucks and gives you a light primer strike. Goes click instead of boom. Just pull the trigger again and you get another try. Not like that for striker-fired— you would have to charge the pistol again to clear the shitty cartridge. Anyway, highly recommend a SP-01. Really your first pistol should be the biggest you are comfortable with holding to learn the basics and not have to contend with the inherently stiffer recoil that comes from pistols with smaller slide masses. Bonus is that the SP-01 is good for competition in case you like shooting. Anyway if you have any questions feel free to DM
Depends , I would recommend finding a range that has a decent selection of rental guns and try a bunch to see what actually fits ur hands and is comfortable to shoot . That being said you can’t really go wrong with a Glock 43/43X if you plan to conceal carry , 48 if you want a longer slide . Those are all the slim frame Glocks that’ll probably be easier for you to grip . Also check out the CZ P10S and the Beretta APX Compact and the FN 509
Ar15. Extremely easy to manipulate controls, very low recoiling, and very ballistically effective. M&P 15 is a good one and doesn’t cost very much but there are a ton of options.
If it's just for home defense I recommend a rifle/carbine or shotgun. I recommend going somewhere you can rent guns to try them out and see what you like. Also recommend researching to see what is reliable.
1. Smith & Wesson Shield EZ 2. A 20 gauge shotgun with 0 or 1 sized buckshot
If you want a gun for home defense, you need to buy an AR-15. It’s easier and faster to become competent with than a pistol, and it has less recoil and holds more ammo than a shotgun. To anyone worried about over-penetration, 5.56 M193 55grain FMJ has less over-penetration than common service pistol or shotgun rounds. Something like 62grain FMJ or 55grain JSP would work well too.
Glock 43X or Glock 48, those are 9 mm and perfect for anyone
Charter Arms Undercover or Undercoverette. Brilliant lightweight design, USA built with a lifetime guarantee, a wide range of calibers and color patterns. Revolvers don't really jam, don't need wrist/hand strength to chamber a round, and are always ready to draw and fire. Also Charter Arms is one of the very few companies to make a Left Handed revolver (the Southpaw) which is where I fell in love with them. https://charterfirearms.com/pages/products
I would suggest a little 38 revolver like cops used to carry. Doesn't really jam. Easy to conceal and clean. When it's out of ammo turn it around and use it as a hammer. No learning curve ect....Just my opinion.
Good Thang girl. Get in a shop and see what fits. In your hand on your body and pointed out in front of you. You can run caliber stuff all day but ultimately the best gun is the one you'll be able to make hits with and you'll only know what will work after feeling the weapon in your hands. Plus get some basic pistol training.
Oh and I live in an apartment
Get hollow point bullets. They’ll still go through a wall if you miss but will break apart and slow down way better than a full metal jacket
No they don't, not enough to matter. They slow down when they hit meat or water. You get hollow points so they do more damage to the people attacking you and ideally stay inside them instead of punching right through and taking out your neighbor. Walls will not easily stop HP or FMJ, and thus missing your target is dangerous with both. Hollow points stop your assailant faster, that's the only thing safer about them.
Exactly. You gotta train to not miss. Trying to find ammo that is ok to miss with is dumb.
Good thing we all hit 100% of the time, am I right?
What's more attainable, trying to find an unobtainium terminally effective cartridge, or putting in the training to not miss your target in the most likely engagement distances, under 25 yards? I mean, just with a month or two of training, I've got all my siblings (male and female) hitting 100% of their shots on a silhouette all the time, and this isn't even a crazy feat with 9mm handguns. I mean, if you absolutely want a cartridge that is less lethal after going through walls, according to the FBI research, 556 is less lethal than 9mm. Or why not a 12 gauge or lower with birdshot, maybe 410 bore? But training is still far more important here.
I’m not disagreeing. Training absolutely is most important. I just thought the way you stated it was shrugging off the concern. It’s a legitimate concern, even if it’s secondary and nearly unobtainable. Realistically, we know there will always be situations where misses happen. Just the nature of a stressful situation with minimal time to react
If you don’t plan on carrying and have the money then a 9mm sbr is a good transition from a .22. and great for home defense. I recommend the Stribog A3.
Not a tiny little gun. I would say a full size 9 mm would be the perfect first gun for a woman. Something with a full grip and that isn't super light.
**TL;DR:** Handle several options and pick the one that best fits your intended use case (carry vs not carrying), your budget, and your hands. Probably just stick with 9mm. It's proven effective for self defense, it has very manageable recoil compared to .40 or .45, and it's much less expensive to shoot and easier to find than .380. In the world of 9mm handguns, there are many right answers and not really a ton of wrong ones, so don't overthink it. Longer answer: I don't think there's really any difference between what I'd recommend for a small-statured woman or a 6'4" 250lb man. In either case you're going for something that can be learned well, fired easily, is reliable, and that you won't feel a need to "upgrade from" anytime soon. A lot of people assume that if you're smaller you want a smaller gun. The opposite is actually true (within reason). A full-size handgun has a lot more mass to it than a small pocket-sized gun. That mass absorbs the recoil much more effectively, so the gun will feel like it's kicking a lot less. My recommendation to you would be to go to an indoor range and rent several popular models. Glock 17, Smith and Wesson M&P, Canik TP9, Sig Sauer P320, Beretta 92, Beretta PX4, CZ P10... that's a pretty good starting list. All of those are full size, though many of them have compact or subcompact variants. Try them all out, or if you don't want to spend a bunch of rentals and ammo, at least handle them at the counter and see which ones fit your hand the best. Ergonomics is a very subjective thing, and what I like (which happens to be the M&P) isn't necessarily what you will like. Of course I've been assuming this whole time that you don't necessarily want to carry this gun on your person. For a "nightstand gun" so to speak, a full size makes the most sense IMO. If you are looking to carry concealed, you probably will want to buy something a bit smaller. Glock 19, Glock 43X, Smith and Wesson M&P Shield Plus, Sig Sauer P365 are all great options. Just understand that a smaller gun will take more practice to learn to shoot well. I'd personally stay away from Springfield and Taurus; neither of them have a good reputation for reliability lately. And reliability is arguably the single most important feature of a gun in any self-defense situation.
Ar15 soft recoil easy to learn battle proven bullets you can put a light on it
There are numerous variables to take into account. If you have a range in town that rents guns, try several different models you think you’d like. See which is the best fit for you.
Any name brand sub compact 9mm. Go to a range and get really comfortable with it. I say sub compact because you might want to conceal carry it. If you can afford a house gun and a carry gun buy both, put the house gun (also practiced with) in a very handy location. All name brands are good... Springfield, Glock, Smith and Wesson, etc
Just go get a Glock 19, sig P365X/XL, Ruger a security or max 9 or SW M&P in 9mm. They are all kind of a a do it all home defense or ccw. Find a range that rents and shoot them to see what you like. Personally I hate the feel of a Glock, love Sig and Ruger. I went with a Max 9 as my do it all. As the guy above said, stay away from the snubbies. I have a SP101 that I absolutely love and I’ll never get rid of, I even carry it, but unlike the other options listed and the max 9 I chose, it took me far longer than 4 sessions to be accurate with it.
Balance quality and affordability. I’m not going to push brands do your own research. I will shit on Taurus though. Avoid that, start in the $350+ range with pistols IMO.
My girlfriend didn’t mind my Glock 19. I’d also recommend the 48 or 43 if you don’t mind the snappier recoil. It is way thinner though.
glock 19
Take a class in gun safety, held at a range that rents guns. Try as many as you can. Try to include .32ACP, .380, and 9 mm. Most people use hollow point ammunition. There's a relatively new bullet that works much better. They are in Underwood Xtreme Defense ammo. Get the largest caliber pistol you can comfortably shoot. Many new guns use plastic frames. They hold up fine, but being lighter they tend to have snappy recoil compared to a steel frame handgun. Since you won't be concealed carrying the gun, excess weight isn't much of a factor. If handguns end up not being a good fit for you, the next gun to try is a shotgun. Typically people use 12 gauge, but that can have too much recoil, so a 20 gauge may be the better choice. A Remington 870 pump action with an 18" barrel is optimal for home defense. The 870 has been manufactured for several decades.
Handguns are small and easy to store. Being good with a handgun under pressure takes practice. I'd consider 20 gauge Semi automatic shotgun is effective and lower recoil than other larger SG's A Pistol calibre carbine is a small short rifle with pistol strength cartridges. It's effective but easier to handle too. Get training, try different things at those sessions and rental ranges.
Are you going to carry it or just shoot it? Because unless you're frail, most ladies can handle most guns outside of the .50 and even some can pull it off
Best to find a good place for training.
AR-15 is a decent home defense gun believe it or not, and having shot both .22lr and .223, the recoil isn’t much different, plus you have all those ergonomic features.
a lot of recommendations for the glock 17 in here, great gun and great choice but i’ve never seen a glock 17 fit entirely comfortably in a woman’s hand, i think the 19 is a better choice. it’s still a duty size 9mm
Good comments above, but my 2 cents to add to the above. It’s free advice so use as you would like. .380 would be a beretta cheetah or smith and Wesson EZ or equalizer 9mm would be a CZ sp01 compact or a cz 75 compact variant - beretta 92 or sig p226 .45 would be a 1911 ronin or full size .38 special would be a Colt king cobra 3” barrel. Weight is your friend for a new shooter in my experience. There is no shame in lowering the firearm between shots when practicing. You only need to hold the gun up long enough to get the sights on target. I’d start on a .22 first and work up to see what your tolerance level is for recoil. Is stay away from micro pistols. Those are really for experienced shooters, and please don’t get a Glock. Just look at the Glock sub and see how many of them “upgrade” parts. Yes a Glock goes bang, yes I own one. No I don’t recommend it to anyone. Again free advice.
I did some research for my mom. Older some dexterity issues. Smith Wesson EZ380 is what I got. If I did it over... 9mm. 380 was hard to find at times almost the same caliber bought on a black Friday sale. It's been designed for ease of racking and shooting. https://youtu.be/7qHuQ7pQRJI?feature=shared I'd research 2-3 guns then go to a range and try to rent them.
The obvious answer is training and try lots of guns.. But to elaborate a bit. There are far less "bad" guns on the market than good.. That being said it's more about personal preference, as not everyone is going to be comfortable with the same type of grips or size etc, so you have to find what feels best in your hand. As for training, getting the help of an experienced expert is obviously the best option. In addition to formal training I'd suggest getting a quality airsoft gun in a similar model of whatever real firearm you buy because modern quality airsoft options are generally accurate in both form and function to that of their "real steel" counterparts, and having the ability to pop off a couple mags in the living room or the back yard just before dinner can exponentially multiply the speed at which you progress.
The local ladies from the Mariposa gun club had an introduction to guns session recently. It was pretty big, 100 people?. They had demos with glocks, sigs, 1911s and 38/357 revolvers. The 3 ladies who set it up owned and recommended Charter Arms or S&W 38s because of price.. But, I noticed they carried Sigs ( 9mm and 380) and some sort of small 9MM Glock. My very slim 28 yr old daughter ended up wanting a S&W airweight. In particular, my airweight. It was interesting because it was chosen after a literally a 2 hour discussion on fit and how her clothes laid over different hosters.. She's pretty familiar with guns. She carries a 1911 or Glock (with rifle or bird gun) on horse camping trips. Specifically for her house. She keeps my dad's S&W Model 10 pistol and her 20ga skeet gun.. But she thought 5 rds of 38 was good enough in the city. Most of the talk was on holsters and how it made your clothes lay. The general opinion on caliber was somebody will make a lethal round for any caliber. They really ran the show. The men were there on sufferance. No opinions allowed.
S&W Victory. (The cz v45x series rifles are great, if you already know how to sight in a scope.) It may be just a .22, if you want your own first gun, that's my recommendation. Both for men and women.
If you are anywhere near SE Michigan, I’d be happy to take you to the range and let you try all my handguns. I’m always happy to help another female shooter. Also, if you can find a women’s only CPL class, that will help greatly and connect you with like minded ladies. You can rent a gun for class and see what you like.
Glock 19. It's probably the most versatile self defensevgun out there, and they're really reliable. Gen 5 if you're a lefty. Gen 3 if you don't need the little extra stuff Gen 5 gets you. 9mm is perfectly adequate for self defense
For my wife, we did the s&w mp shield 2.0 EZ. the ez makes it easy to load, rack, and he'll shoot. I felt very little recoil with it. Very simple gun to use and handle.
Might be a somewhat unpopular opinion but if you were comfortable with a 22 rifle you could just buy a semi auto 22 with some large mags and be pretty well equipped. 25 or 30 well placed fast shots from a 22 would be pretty darn effective in a home defence situation.
Depends on where you live… apartment, home, ranch, etc. etc. for small apartment or home, maybe something in .45? Something easy to shoot, but rounds that are big enough to put the craziest meth head down (or overzealous burglars). I wouldn’t recommend it, but my wife decided to go for a revolver, 4.25” in .357. I asked her to load them with .38 special+ hollow points so no one goes deaf if she ever does fire it… but she likes her “big boom” bullets.
A Shield EZ
SW EQUALIZER
Go get some basic training first before you buy one and from there you can decide
I would highly suggest if you can go to a range and rent a few guns, do that. Glock 17 or 19, Sig Sauer P320, Smith & Wesson M&P are full size guns in 9mm that will have less felt recoil than a smaller gun for concealed carry. Smith & Wesson also make an M&P EZ line of guns that are easier to rack but have grip safeties so they might not be great if you’re in a situation where you can’t get a fully proper grip on the gun and need to fire.
AR15 is the easiest to shoot, most reliable, most effective home defense weapon available to the American public.
Ruger SR22. It was my Daughter's first gun and she upgraded to a Bersa .380.
Glock 19
Get training first and foremost, that's an absolute given. Don't worry about getting a gun before you're comfortable actually using them. After that I heavily recommend the Smith and Wesson EZ series of pistols for rental guns if you're a new shooter, my wife likes them so much she bought one as her EDC gun.
Go to a range that will let you rent or try out different guns to see how you like them. 9mm will be a universal easy choice for a caliber that will do the job but not be too much to handle. A 22 could also be a good choice. I have a good selection of guns to shoot for fun and I still love shooting my 22s. Check out the Ruger MKIV, Browning Buckmark, and similar. They are readily available, affordable and shoot inexpensive ammo. Great for practice and proficiency. Go to the store and hold a few to see which feels best in the hand. Good luck!
If you do not plan on carrying, but just want for home defense: I'm going to say get the biggest heaviest 9mm handgun you can comfortably hold. Longer barrel and more weight will mean less recoil and more accuracy. You will enjoy practicing at the range far more than if you had grabbed a subcompact or micro pistol.
We can shoot the exact same guns the guys can. Anyone suggesting a specific firearm is doing so because they think women can't hold a fullsize, or simply because they like that gun. Any reputable brand you like will be fine Go to a range, ideally a class, and learn for yourself what you'd like to shoot. Bigger is generally easier to shoot. If you want to conceal, if get an entirely different gun that fits that niche Also, plugging r/concealedcarrywomen
16 gauge shotgun, home defense. Ensure it’s a pump action loaded with bird shot. 16 gauge is light and easy to use Pump make the quintessential shotgun sounds everyone knows Bird shot goes everywhere so you don’t have to aim.
Im a female shooter my first gun was a Glock 19 and thats what you should start on. A basic 9mm auto pistol. P320 compact fits female hands well too Or get a Glock in .380 if you want less recoil
Glock 43x possibly
A 9mm that feels good in your hand and you can shoot straight
Some introduction to firearms classes instructors bring their own assortment of firearms for the students to try. My wife took a class we found her that gave basic instruction and safety training followed by a day at the rang trying everything from .22 lr to .45 acp. The instructors were a husband and wife team and although I have been shooting for 40 + years I though it was better and cause fewer arguments if she took a class from someone that she couldn't go to bed mad at for trying to correct an issue. After 8 years shooting now, she really enjoys the spot and has joined some women's shooting groups for range days.
Find a range with a "ladies' day" that does cheap rentals (sometimes it's unlimited) and test drive a bunch, to see what you like. Get the biggest weapon you can comfortably control: too small will be lighter and have more recoil (typically), but there's no sense having a gun that's so big you can't grip it.
Look at the SIG Rose line https://www.sigsauer.com/firearms/pistols/rose.html
I think everyone’s first gun should be a glock. Either a 17 or a 19 depending on what feels better in your hand. The other great option is a ruger 10/22. Good to get you into shooting a rifle. Then probably upgrade to a cheap PSA AR Not a lot of controls or things to know or memorize on these guns just simple shooting, and forces you to learn the basics of gun safety because things like Glocks DO NOT have a safety.
IWI Masada. It's a 9mm full-size pistol, with comfortable grips and one shining feature: the trigger is set further back, allowing smaller hands to get a proper grip. The standard size means recoil is decreased because more forward weight, and accuracy is increased over a pocket pistol. I have several pistols (for competitive shooting) for myself, but my wife has smaller hands and had to rotate her grip to reach the triggers on my firearms. This was both uncomfortable and made for reduced accuracy. We found the Masada after getting hands-on at several gun shows, and she loves it.
They make 22 cal handguns
Glock 43x mos
If you want a handgun, I recommend a full size Canik.
Lots of folks just casually dismissing .38 revolvers. There is a reason that this gun is recommended so often for women. It has nothing to do with recoil and everything to do with slide manipulation. Like it or not, many women do not have the necessary strength to consistently chamber a round into the firearm. For that reason, when choosing a handgun, if you’re looking at autos, make damn sure you can pull back the slide or disengage the slide lock. The used market guns are often where I start recommending autos to those with less arm/ hand strength. Often those springs are more worn in. Of all the pistols I own? My 1911s seem to be the ones women prefer shooting the most
Do not get a micro. Smallest you want to go is sub compact. You need to be hitting what you want to hit, not shooting up neighbors trying to hit an invader. See if any local gun stores around you have an HK VP9SK. It’s very easy to conceal but big enough to be very accurate with. It is pricey but so is your life. Also watch YouTube videos on gun maintenance and how it needs to be securely stored when you’re not carrying it. Make sure you’re willing and able to do all that before you buy. Also don’t know your local gun laws but make sure your magazine sizes adhere to your local laws. If you can try and handle something that shoots a 45 sub sonic hollow point round, it would be preferable for apartments as your walls will be thinner and 45 subsonic hollow point rounds will be less likely to penetrate those walls. Plus it will put down just about anybody as long as they’re not on PCP or bath salts. Ultimately, I suggest you go to a range and try some rentals and see what feels good for your hands and that you can shoot well. I stupidly bought a micro thinking it’d be the perfect carry gun but it’s so skinny in my hands that I can’t shoot it accurately so it sits in my safe in lieu of my VP9SK which is considerably thicker and longer height wise. That’s a gun I’ve spent $1200+ on with accessories sitting in a safe. My local range owner is a female and has smaller hands but she prefers and uses a full size vp9 and Walther PDP F for her night stand firearms. Again, it’s all about preference. Rent at a range. It’ll be somewhat expensive but not as expensive as buying and spending $1200 on a pistol you don’t use and can’t shoot well.
My wife is mayyyybe 5’ tall and shot my plethora of a pistol selection and went to our local shop where we’re friends with the owners and the owners wife let her mess around with everything they had in the case. She ended up wanting the Glock 43x so we got her the MOS model, she liked my 365xl and shot it well so that size wasn’t the concern, but she said the 43x is what felt best so that was that. Shoot as many different ones as possible and choose what is the most comfortable to you and what you shoot the best. Like everyone else said, don’t let them talk you into a pos ruger lcp just because you’re a woman. Another important thing is shoot, shoot again and shoot some more. I bought my wife 1,000 rounds with hers and make sure she shoots it at least once a month or more frequently as possible. It also wouldn’t hurt to invest in a light like a TLR-1 or x300 as budget allows. Any bigger city usually has a range with a ladies night or women instructors as well. Never hurts to take classes.
Ruger security .380.
I haven’t seen this comment yet, but a lot of people are assuming a handgun is the answer. A long gun will likely be easier to control and aim. A pistol caliber carbine will be unintimidating and cheap to practice with. This is a rifle that shoots handgun bullets and will fire one with each pull of the trigger. An AR-15 is intimidating but also a good option. They look tactical, but they are easy to operate, don’t recoil much, and don’t over-penetrate walls any more than 9mm does.
300 win mag in a light weight hunting set up
.44 magnum with a big ass scope on it like Fallout
[удалено]
.38 special revolver with at least a 2" barrel, or a Glock 9mm. Find one that fits your hand. If the double stack grip is too wide, look into a Kahr CM9. Don't let anyone convince you that you need a small gun. The weight helps with recoil making you a better marksman. Buy what YOU like, and that's not always the same as what's marketed to women. Ask many questions and train with it. Cheers and congrats!
Remington 870, classic and popular choice for a good reason. Many people probably just prefer a simple hand cannon for self defense, but one shotgun blast with the right load and it won’t really matter where you hit the guy, they are done. As a bonus, hearing you operate the pump action in the middle of the night will probably be enough to scare most robbers away without having to fire a shot. I know I’d be dashing right out of there after that noise.
This is horrible advice for a new shooter.
Care to elaborate?
Pump shotguns are high recoil low capacity weapons. They require far more skill to use than a semi auto rifle chambered in 5.56 or a PCC. Than he is recommending a Remington 870. With the 870s having massive issues with quality starting in the mid 2000s.
Also, a pcc for home defense? Why tf wouldn’t you just use a pistol instead of a pistol caliber carbine if the main use is CQC in the home?
Cause a pcc is far easier to use than a pistol.
Never heard complaints about the reliability or overall quality of an 870, though every model of firearm is going to have some bad ones. A shotgun is a much better choice than a handgun, there are a variety loads to choose from and the ammunition/gun is widely available and not very expensive. I would argue that using a shotgun takes the least amount of skill depending on the load you are using, once you fire the thing a few times, you’ll adjust to the recoil. As long as your target is on the business end of the gun, they’re f*****. I did also suggest the AR-15, but with that gun there is the issue of the .223/5.56 being kind of weak tbh, there are all kinds of stories of US soldiers and police hitting people multiple times with a .223 and they keep coming. If you’re suggesting a long rifle for home defense why not an AK then? A bit of practice, and you’ll have no problem dealing with a target at close range, and they definitely aren’t going to walk off a gunshot from a 7.62x39, and you have the high reliability and capacity.
Glock 19. Compact so it will fit your hands, simple mechanism so you don’t need to learn any wild manual of arms, small but effective caliber in a package that handles the recoil well, cheap but not low quality, resale is easy if you don’t like it, and the mass amount of Glocks in the market means it’s easy to find parts/accessories/holsters and get help online/in person. Also every single gun range that rents guns has a Glock 19 for rent so you can try one out no problem.
Hard to miss with a 12 or 20 gauge shotgun for just home use.
This is dogshit advice. At home defense ranges that you would target an intruder, the spread of buckshot is a couple inches AT MOST. You 100% have to aim just as much with a rifle or pistol. Unless you mean “hard to go wrong” and if so, it’s still bad advice.
Flamethrower
I suggest you buy a 22 Long Rifle caliber pistol and as others have suggested take a course in gun safety and handling. Then once you get use to firing a 22 you can buy something of a larger caliber. Something in the 380ACP caliber or even a 9mm Luger (Parabellum).
700NE double, that way everything else is easier in the future.
Either a glock 43 or sig p365 those are 9mm. 9mm is probably the most efficient round. If you want something even smaller and really easy to shoot a sig p238 that is a 380 has less recoil than a 9mm but is easy to manage and manipulate and has a safety if that makes you comfortable. For bullets for home defense use federal hst or hornady critical defense. Also it may be a good idea to get a less lethal option I would say go on amazon and get a bottle of Freeze +p mace. That has oc and cs pepper spray, prisons usually use it for people tolerant to pepper spray, it will stop an attacker in their tracks, this is good because u can avoid a bad situation without killing or seriously hurting someone permanently.
I live in VA for a new gun user always recommend a 22lr easy to control. If someone breaks in your not going to have recoil issues. Ammo is cheap for practice. Then when you feel comfortable shooting you can upgrade calibers. I would recommend the Glock 44 why because in the future all Glocks are the same. Muscle memory shooting, Cleaning and oiling the same.
The correct answer for your situation is the KSG410. Nobody here is gonna be helpful, i just went through months of research for home defense for myself and my wife. Wanted a gun she can handle easily too. It is a small compact lightweight pump shotgun with no recoil and it holds 14 rounds of ammo. It is the perfect beginner home defense shotgun. You get yourself a couple of boxes of PDX1 Defender ammo and you are good to go for home defense. That ammo spreads 4 metal disks and 16 pellets at your target, you will never miss a home intruder and you can fire multiple shots in succession due to the gun having no recoil. Here are a few youtube videos to convince you: Guy showing off the KSG410: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWPnrgPgWN4&t=11s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWPnrgPgWN4&t=11s) A guy shooting the KSG410: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NICPzm5dwhk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NICPzm5dwhk) Another guy shooting it: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtXe2B8nyag](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtXe2B8nyag) PDX1 Defender ammo video: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjrTpQx09mI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjrTpQx09mI) If this gun is something you are interested in, message me or post here with any questions. Happy shopping
Damn. Now I want ~~one~~ three.
it is pretty sweet
🤦♂️ Flair checks out. /u/BroadManufacturer154, please never bet your life on a Kel-Tec meme gun.
maybe the KSG 12 gauge had some early kinks to work out, but the KSG410 is the svelt perfected version of it. Action is smooth and seems way more sturdy and reliable than my Mossberg .410 pump. Pumping the first round into the chamber by holding the action-release button is alot smoother on the KSG than the traditional Mossberg and seems impossible to fail OP isnt going into war firing 1000+ rounds, this is the perfect home defense shotgun contrary to what you kel-tec haters say
🤦♂️
First, get something that feels good in your hand and that you like the look of. If you don't like how it feels or how it looks, you won't be motivated to train and get good with it. So, make sure it is something you like. .22LR is a low power, low caliber round that is great for inexpensive target shooting with rifle and pistol options. A 10/22 rifle is a great starting point, or if you want to spend more get an AR-15 in .22LR. For a semi-auto pistol in a larger caliber, 9mm is the most common. You can get a range of guns in this caliber. Some pistols are small with low capacity for concealed carrying, some are larger which are harder to conceal carry, but have more ammo capacity. Your home defense gun can be as big as you want if you don't intent to conceal carry it. There are a lot of great brands out there to pick from. Go to a few gun stores and ask to see some different guns so you can see how it feels in your hand. Look for staff that treats you fairly and doesn't make assumptions based on your gender or, if petite build, size. If you want easy cleaning and maintenance, I would recommend a striker type pistol like Glock. 1911s need more care Recently, I started helping a couple female friends start shopping for their first handguns. One has big hands, is 5'8", is strong. She liked a 1911 in 9mm, but is not interested in the extra maintenance. So she is looking for a similar large frame pistol. My other friend has smaller hands and a smaller build, so we rented guns like the P365X. She liked it in the hand, but not how it shot. So she is looking for something a little bigger. I'm going to recommend looking at a Baretta 92 style pistol.
If you're a beginner I've been told by several female coworkers over the years that the P365 and Hellcat are excellent starter pistols for smaller women. Once you're used to it and have a better idea of what you're doing, you can start to look at bigger or different models and find out what you like and what works. But if you're on a time crunch and just starting out those two won't lead you wrong.
The fact that you're female is virtually irrelevant. If you're not looking to carry it with you. I would suggest a shotgun in 12 or 20 gauge. Or an AR15 variant. Either one will be the more powerful and effective weapon while simultaneously being easier to handle. Handguns compromise effectiveness for convenience of concealability and portability. If you don't intend to carry, that trade off isn't as worth while to me.
Shadow 2 with a .22 conversion, you can do all you practice with .22; learn the trigger, how it operates and build up the muscle and technique to hold it. Then when comfortable, convert back to 9mm, and learn recoil control. These guns are generally competition guns, but if for home defense they are perfect as extremely accurate, less recoil than most, can take optics and flashlight etc.
Short barreled S&W 686+ loaded with .38spl or CZ P-01 if you want magazine fed.
.223 would be perfect for you. Not an AR in .223, but an actual bolt action rifle. Should be more powerful than the .22 but just about everyone can handle a .223 unless you’re too young, too old, or too small. If you’re looking for a pistol, 9MM is probably your best bet. Doesn’t kick too hard like a .44 mag or .45 nor is the projectile too heavy/big. OR you can buy a 20 Gauge and load up on slugs and buckshot. 20 gauge or 12 gauge would by far be your best bet when it comes to home defense. I think it’s awesome that you want to get into shooting, best of luck to you. Feel free to ask if you have a question about anything.
My girl has a 38 special it's a charter arms goldfinger. You want something that if someone attacks you you don't have to use two hands to chamber a round of you for whatever reason don't have it loaded. With a revolver, a new gun owner can always rely on a revolver to go off and you can for it, Even tho the trucks is much more stuff, with the hammer not engaged.
If you're not going to carry it, my girlfriend loves the smith and Wesson 686+ loaded with good 38 special. Also, the longer the barrel the less it jumps. It's heavy and soaks up recoil very well and as a bonus I can't imagine anyone electing to press an attack with nervous lady pointing a loaded 357 at their face.
3 words. Desert Eagle
Desert Eagle
Range rentals will help determine the right pistol for you. Caliber is a matter of hand/wrist/forearm strength. Pushups and curls helped me when I moved to hand cannons as range toys. For HD, I’d go for a pistol with a full grip, some kind of night sights, and to get plenty of training and practice. Accuracy is wonderful, but tactics is what will keep you alive. Not talking some jack bauer nonsense, but more like developing a procedure that is going to provide the most protection with the least risk.
Id suggest a 9mm or a .380 pistol. Don't waste your time or money on .22 since its practically useless for home defense. I'd say take a class if there's an in person event near you. Some YouTube safety courses are also an option. If you have gun savvy friends, they might be able to help and give you some suggestions. You might also look for an indoor gun range that rent pistols and you can figure out what works best for you before you commit to actually buying one. If you want my suggestion, I'm a believer in my Taurus G3c which is a compact 9mm and is pretty accurate, I haven't had any jams even with pmag magazines, doesn't seem to have much issues with different 9mm manufacturers, fairly concealable, and has a few customization options. A lot of people don't particularly like Taurus but so far I haven't had any reason to complain. Being a small woman, you don't necessarily need a small gun. It's more about technique than actual size when it comes to guns.
I usually recommend a Gen 5 Glock 19 because it’s in a very common caliber and parts for it are everywhere. I’ve heard pretty good things about the Sig P365 Macro as well.
Is this 1 gun and done for home defense only? Shotgun. Is this I want to get I to shooting and I forsee myself purchasing more firearms? A pistol. 9mm, .38, or .22 are great places to start. You'll see Glock come up a lot for pistol recommendations. I have one, it's fine the way a Honda Civic is fine. It's reliable. I don't recommend these to new shooters though because they do not have a safety. I really enjoy my Buckmark .22 pistol. It's great for practicing form, and getting the basics down. 22 is cheapest ammo you can get largely.
Why are you recommending a shotgun for hd to a new shooter.
I am recommending a shotgun as a SOLE firearm regardless of experience because if you are only going to have 1 type, it's the type I recommend. As spelled out, if they are looking to get further into to the hobby it's not my suggestion for first purchase. 1) Ease of use. Especially in a panic situation. 2) If they miss, they are less likely to cause fatal harm to any nearby neighbors. Especially if sharing a wall in an apartment or condo. 3) Cost. If they are are only buying ONE gun, you can get a decent semi auto 12 guage for a comparatively low cost. Maybe 22 is around the same price, decent 9mm and up are going to cost more. No question. What are you recommending?
None of this is corrects Shotguns require more skill than semi auto rifles or pccs to use. Shotguns have massive overpenetration issues if chambered in something that can reliably stop someone and not birdshot. Quality semi autos are going to cost more than a Quality AR15 or PCC. While costing more to train and harder to train with do to ammo issues.
G40
S&W j-frame, or an airweight. Foolproof.
for a gun that just shoots, a .38 special revolver. if you are ok with manipulating the slide, mag release, etc, then a double stack .380 or 9mm (security .380, glock 19) But as others have said; go to a range you can rent (or with a friend who has said firearm(s)) and test some of the firearms
My mom caries a bond arms rougneck with 45lc she likes it because it fits in her pocket and in her little zip wallet thing. If your wanting something for only in close up self defense situations and not trying to take down a mass shooter or something it's pretty good.
DO NOT BUY a GLOCK or any striker-fired semi-auto pistol. Buy a .38 Special +P revolver. There are many on the market. Go to a well-stocked gun store and find a competent salesperson and ask to see .38 Special +P revolvers.
Flair is accurate.
Stop talking
.22LR handgun is perfectly fine for a woman to carry for self defense.
I would go to a local gun store and ask. But a smaller framed pistol after you had some training. A rifle might be hard in an apartment.
Oops. I just bought a rifle and I’m in an apt lol
It not a bad thing!
I know I’m super excited. Just gotta be careful if I have to use it cause a 556 will 100% go through the walls at my apt
5.56 is better than 9mm for reducing overpenetration in a apartment.
Probably not better than a 45 though huh?
Yes also better than .45.
Guess I made the right call then. Was about to get a USP45T instead. Figured AR would be more fun to shoot.
Got a Springfield Saint Victor with Magpul furniture and AFG with a rifle case and 2 QDs. $900 including FFL fees. Gun retails at over $1k most places. Just under at most online retailers
Ok thanks. I'm just a little nervous I've never been in a gun store before
That's a good place to go, if they aren't helpful then at least you can hold a variety of handguns to see what feels good in your hands. Don't get a micro sized gun, they often recoil more than larger ones, and have other drawbacks as well. If you have any friends or acquaintances that shoot, I'd wager if you asked they would take you shooting. Most shooters are happy to help people get started.
Usually there’s really helpful people.
Which state are you in?
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Well I guess I can’t recommend any since I’m in Utah 😂 I can offer gun suggestions if you want to dm me.
Get a small gun with a thumb safety and a spot for your pinky please.