Looking for a small, reliable pistol/sidearm for a lady

[Mamzelle]

Have small, weak hands and I play an instrument and am an artist and don't want to hurt my hands. Menfolk seem to want to encourage me to pistols too large, heavy and complicated. Seems to me if I cannot handle a weapon properly, it won't matter how big the bullets are that it can shoot because I won't manage to shoot at all. I want something small even if the bullets are small, too, because I'll have more confidence in shooting it.

[Frantzie]

Good point. Holding the gun in your hand will give you a good idea what feels right. Talking with other ladies or a female salesperson or instructor is invaluable. There are a lot of ladies out there with the same questions. After the election, a lady I know said she wanted to get a gun and a carry license. I was shocked. She never had an interest before. My guess is a lot of women have the same questions now.

[nodumbblonde]

My Mom has had a gun for as long as I can remember but it never left the house. She was so apathetic that she actually lost it for about five years when she hid it from us kids and couldn’t remember where she hid it. (She only found it when my brother moved out and it fell out of a chair he was taking with him. lol)

After the election she’s decided to get another gun and get her CC permit, too.

[angelsonmyside]

One thing to think about, NEVER carry it in your purse. All to often women in parking lots have their purses snatched off their shoulder by some perp and there goes the very protection you might need. I have very small hands and a 32. Kel Tec is great, very light weight, easy to handle and you can get holsters to fit on your belt. If you live in a state where they must be concealed the size is something you need to consider. A S&W 38 revolver is nice but for me hard to pull the trigger and the 9MM Glock 26 is great to shoot but is a bit harder to conceal.

A lot of the ranges have ones you can rent that would be the best bet. Just find what ever is comfortable for you. I would strongly suggest taking some courses. Even if you are comfortable with them they can always give you great tips to tighten up your groupings.

[Secret Agent Man]

A nice small Walther semi-auto pistol.

[pankot]

Check out the Bersa Thunder .380 calibre. Small but I’ve carried it in slacks pocket. My whole hand covers it. 7 rounds semi auto double action. And if you think a .380 is small,check what it does to a can of soda! And it’s loud to boot. (Can be had with fancy gold gilding on trigger and hammer—quite nice looking package for something so lethal.)

[SoldiersPrayingMom]

I was visiting in TX over the Thanksgiving Holiday and spent some time with my oldest son looking at handguns for myself. I too have small hands and it is hard for me to press down on the release levers and cycling(pulling back on) the slide. I tried the Kel-Tec P-11 and It is a small gun that fits well in my hand. I was also recommended a Lady Smith and Wesson. I tried one of them that was hammerless and also had a laser on it. It felt really good in my hand, so I'm considering getting on of those. I don't know that the laser is all that necessary, but if an intruder looked down and saw a red light on his chest, that just might be a good deterrent .......I don't think I would hang around long if I were the perp! LOL

You might get in contact with a ‘Second Amendment Sisters’ group. It is a ladies group that might be very helpful and they also have special get-togethers to teach you how to shoot and to find just the right gun for each individual. Their instructions are one-on-one, I believe....that way you can get a lady's perspective. With men....it's easy for them to say, right? I'm sure that SAS(2nd Amend.Sisters) has a website you can go to for info.

Hope you find what is best for you too. If it doesn't feel right to me....I'm not gettin’ it ‘til it does. Holding different guns in a shop and actually trying them out by firing them is the only way to go. Happy hunting.

[livius]

You’re right, the important thing with a weapon is being prepared to use it. My son in law and I have been trying to convince my daughter to get a gun, but at the same time, I know she wouldn’t be prepared to use it and I’m not sure what it would take to get her in that mindset. I think she would use the Bear Spray though. It’s a great solution, many thanks.

[Frantzie]

You are welcome.

[Mogwai]

I’d say a Kahr K9. It’s a compact 9 mm (9 x 19) semi-auto with a single-stack magazine that makes it suitable for those with small hands. It also sports a rugged black finish that doesn’t require wiping down every time you touch (unlike admittedly nice-looking blued pistols). I really wouldn’t recommend going for a caliber less powerful than 9 x 19, 9 mm Parabellum / Luger (various names for the same caliber); that’s the minimum I’d care to count on to stop a big guy. Ammo-wise, in 9 x 19 I’d go with some Cor-Bon 115 grain hollowpoints. Kahr also makes a variant of the same pistol in .40 S & W — a rather better stopper, if the caliber suits you. Good luck, and try to have a go firing pistols of different calibers before you buy.

[CodeToad]

A little Kimber Ultra Carry 1911. Shoots great, is very slim, and can be carried in a purse. Plus, is shoots a man-stopping 45.

[livius]

Thank you all for interesting comments. I have been dithering about this for the last few weeks, and now I have a lot of websites to check out and I think I will go to my local range as well. I went into Gander Mountain a few weeks ago but I wasn’t quite sure how to explain what I wanted without sounding like an idiot and I felt a little overwhelmed so I left without getting anything.

[dr_who]

Can it take out a tarantula?

[Judith Anne]

I agree completely. Good post.

[petertare]

Sure. The two legged version. Most will flee at just the sound, but shot placement is important. Practice regularly to maintain proficiency.

[frog in a pot]

Lots of good info on this thread for you. As mentioned upthread - THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT - is to go to a gun shop that has a range and rent/shoot different sizes, actions, models until you find the right fit. It may even take more than one trip.
Buy from a shop; try to deal with the owner, if he turns you over to someone else in the shop that person will probably be well qualified. Avoid the “sports shops”, they may or may not specialize in handguns and probably will not have the best prices.

If you buy an automatic shoot it quite a bit when you first acquire it to assure its newness doesn’t cause it to jam - most don’t but some may be factory-tight and require “breaking in”. It could require 500 rounds before it becomes jam-free. Which is another reason to start with a revolver.

And then shoot a lot. Handgun proficiency is a perishable skill.

[VeniVidiVici]

You need two. I'm serious. A larger one for the home and to practice/have fun with often, and a smaller one to take with you.

Although, a smallish (not tiny!) heavy, revolver such as a Ruger SP101 is OK. The SP101 is heavy duty enough for .357Magnum but is a pussycat when shooting .38Special.

I would recommend a 4" or 6" S&W686 for the house and a S&W 332 or 432 to carry.

The 686 is a .357 but also shoots .38s, which are very easy/comfortable to shoot out of this gun.

The 332 or 432 is a .32H&R Magnum revolver. Very lightweight. It can shoot .32S&W Longs, which really feel like a cap gun, or the more powerful .32H&R Magnum rounds. Practice with the Longs to get your basics down, the practice with both rounds.

I saw a lady at the range not long ago that had to be in her 80s. She did not look happy and you could tell she was in tears because she didn't like shooting the gun... that her husband just bought her.

When it comes to women guys just LOVE buying guns and lingerie for that someone special. Unfortunately, in both cases, we usually get something that, while attractive, has too many doodads attached to it or is too small ;-) Too small for a new shooter is hard to handle and not fun to practice with. Regardless of what you read here, try to fire and choose your own weapon.

[smokingfrog]

she said it better than I could (#66)

[BruceysMom]

Glock 23. Just be sure you control the recoil. If you don’t they have been known to misfire. I have small hands and some paralysis in the left arm. I never have a problem with my Glock. Very light and tolerates being neglected while still being reliable.

[MarkL]

If you're looking for something simple and concealable, you might want to check into the Smith & Wesson "Ladysmith" range of revolvers. I'm not sure that they still make them, but they were designed specifically for ladies.

Mark

[MarkL]

Oops! Sorry

If you're looking for something simple and concealable, you might want to check into the Smith & Wesson "Ladysmith" range of revolvers. I'm not sure that they still make them, but they were designed specifically for ladies.

One of the reasons I like revolvers over semi-autos for people who are new to shooting is that they're far simpler to operate. YOU are the "safety." A (modern) revolver won't fire unless you squeeze the trigger, even if you were to drop it on the hammer. It's possible, but extremely rare for a revolver to jam. And it's VERY easy to see if a revolver is loaded, and to render it "safe." Just swing open the cylinder, and you can see if there are any more rounds to fire. Plus, while the cylinder is "out of battery," (open) the handgun is rendered completely safe.

Mark