Go away troll, he asked for handgun advice. Get a S&W 686 in .357. 7 shot, accurate, and as a revolver is more reliable than a semi0auto. You need something you can use reliably. You don't need to be fumbling around with magazines, latches, and decockers if you're trying to defend yourself in the middle of the night.
chow, how is that new HK? Can you compare it to a USPc? I used to have a USPc and have been wondering how the two compare.
Excellent idea- in Beaumont we go to Legere's gun range on Hwy 90- they will rent the pistol to you so you can try it. I'm sure there are several in Houston. My wife likes the 9 mil Glock. I am reluctant to buy from a pawn shop or gun show. I like Carter's country on I-10 the Katy -lots of good info.
Go to a gun range and rent different guns. The caliber isn't as important as being able to hit center of mass consistently. 1. Find a gun she is comforatble with.I suggest a 9mm. Glocks are very reliable. 2. Practice with the same weight practice round she will be loading in the gun for home defense. 3. Practice with the rounds that she will use for defense to assure the gun likes it. 4. Practice some more. Caliber is not as important as shot placement.
Glock is perfect in this manner. With one in pipe, you're ready to go...point and click. Trijicon night sights are a plus. Glock 19 and a 15 round hi capacity magazine sound like the answer...but don't limp wrist.
Definitely agree with this. She should feel completely comfortable with whatever she gets, and the only way she will "get there" is with a lot of practice. She should feel good enough about it that if she gets in a potential situation where it might be called upon, she will be busy evaluating the situation, not wondering how to use the weapon. By the way... I support having a dog. They rarely crap on a couch!
I was going to say, that it might be good to load up a bigger caliber gun with light loads for range and pratice use. Then, when storing at home......load the same gun with more powerful ammo. If God forbid you were ever in any situation you'd be forced to use it; you or your wife would never hear the gun go off, or feel a thing in terms of recoil anyway. Ask anyone that hunts.
The most effective caliber you can use is the one you can hit kill zones with. I'd rather shoot a .22 if I could hit what I'm aiming at rather than a ginormous caliber and miss every shot.
Shoot the same caliber you will shoot in a SHTF scenario. Follow up shots are very important. If you're not used to the caliber, you'll squeeze the trigger differently. Hunting and life/death scenarios are two completely different scenarios.
Of course hitting your target is the most important. However, ANYBODY will shoot a .22 better than a .44 mag. Why then don't cops carry .22's? They'd obviously group better with .22's. Power matters, knock down power matters. That's just what I want......6 rounds of .22 center mass, and some 250 lb coked up dude stabbing me while I wait for him to bleed out of 6 tiny little holes. All I'm saying about the hunting thing, is I've killed MANY deer in my life. I can honestly say I've never felt recoil in the act of shooting one. If some guy was running at me with a knife, I don't believe the fact I'm shooting a hand cannon would ever enter my mind for a single second.
Maybe I did not make my statement correctly...You shoot the largest caliber you can accurately shoot. There is no such thing as "knock down power" in a handgun. Typically, you use your handgun to fight your way to your 12 gauge/rifle, but in your scenario, I would rather put 6 .22 caliber holes in a guy than miss 6 times with the .45 (BTW, I shoot the .45 better than I do my .40, but I like the capacity of the .40) I also like the Federal HST as my carry round in a .165 grain load.
Glocks are reliable???? Bull$hit. A friend broke the firing pin on the first shot of a brand new glock .45 a few yrs ago. I don't understand people's fascination with Glocks, i have heard nothing but horrible things about them. I would suggest a SIG P239 9mm, it is a good size, it has no safety so you can pick up and shoot, double action the first shot. We have 2 sigs and have never had a jam, and have fired thousands of rounds. . Also the Kahr Arms MK9 and PK9 are very good size, a very quality pistol, but they have a safety.
I love these kind of discussions -- everyone starts big and gets bigger -- a little 22 will do her fine and will be easy to handle.
You might want to let her try out a few at the range to see what she likes. I bought my wife a P22 and now it is my favorite target pistol (great gun) but she hated it and went with a revolver. She said it fit her hand better.
