Posted on 08/24/2020 7:32:46 PM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom
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My recommendation is to get her to something like an NRA firearms safety course first.
Your main problem right now is the lack of firearms to select from. It’s too late for her to shop around in most places, and if you can find a gun, finding ammo is the next hurdle.
The best first step after safety training is to take her to a combination gun shop and firing range where guns can be rented to try out. Then let her shoot as many as are available to see what she likes.
I think anyone saying right off the bat to get her a small .38 revolver is someone who likes to buy lightly used .38 revolvers. With the exception of the Ruger LCR, they usually have heavy triggers. At 67, she may not have the hand strength to pull the trigger without waving the gun around.
Small .38s also have lots of recoil compared to other choices. Many women will shoot them a bit and never touch a gun again. How do I know? Well I have a very nice Smith and Wesson 642 Airweight that some guy thought would be perfect for his wife, and bought it without asking her. She shot about 5 rounds and now I’m the proud owner.
I second the M&P .380 Shield EZ for the first test gun, as Lurkinandloomin suggests.
By the way, she had better not be caught outside her home in Maryland or in DC with a handgun. She doesn’t live or work in a Free State. Apparently she has chosen to be a victim. Given that, she might be better off with a 20-gauge shotgun of some sort for home defense.
Ruger LCR .357 magnum
20 Guage shot gun for home.
Find a gun store with a range and shoot many weapons.
Buy the one you can hit the target with
Much depends on her physical condition and mind-set.
If she is frail, I would not be adverse to a good, light hi-cap .22 semi-auto, like the TX22 from Taurus, or he P17 from Kel-tec. Both of those are fairly new. I have a TX22 and love it, but the grips might be a bit large for her.
The P17 has gotten great reviews after a rocky start, they are nearly impossible to get on the market.
Try a bunch of guns, handle them, shoot them, then decide.
Unless she is willing to invest more time in training and practice, a double-action revolver is a very good choice. If she has large enough hands, a Ruger GP100 would be a good choice. Get a .357 Magnum, that way you have the option of shooting .38 Spl or full power ammo.
Semiautos are fine, as long as the user learns how to use it, clear malfunctions, and can work the slide without struggling.
Be prepared to spend $500 to $1000 or more. Gun, ammo, case, holster, cleaning kit, training fees, range fees, license fees - it all adds up.
Also, she lives and works in an area that is not gunowner friendly, so she needs to become intimate with the legal issues regarding owning and using firearms, especially when traveling by car and possibly crossing state lines.
I am a gun smith, a decades long comp shooter, retired US ARMY, a small arms instructor, and have been teaching firearms safety and the classes for concealed carry for many years.
Full Stop.
You sister should be commended but she needs training from qualified people and not from the person behind the counter who is trying to sell her a gun.
Good luck.
Please have her check with any local shooting club where she will find many people, men and women, who will help her in her quest.
I love the way she is headed but she needs to get there in the correct way.
This is just my 2 bits, Lady Smith and Wesson 38 special with standard 115 or 125 hollow points. Get a hammer exposed revolver. When they get in close get hits. Big hands big frame, small hands light frame light ammo. Home defense? 20ga and #4 buck in Mosseburg 500. Pull it, use it, kill it. Range time is the best time. SHTF? Lawyer up and be quiet. Boys, take care of your ladies.
I figured it would eventually. But I’ve had mine for six years and carry it in a soft holster, so far so good.
Anyone having problems getting hold of reasonable ammo for range practice? It’s ridiculous how expensive it is when you CAN find it in stock. Last time we checked online it was around 70 cents per round (9mm & .380)!
I agree, an 8 rd .22 revolver is perfect, none of that .380 cocked and locked carry crap, no safety to fumble with, a gun that goes bang is enough for a purse gun, nobody wants to get shot with ANY caliber, lol
Give her a gun she will enjoy shooting!
and .22 is still the cheapest ammo on the planet for her to practice all the time
Good luck finding a good gun to buy right now. Almost everything is on back order.
Taurus model 85 ultralight titanium hammer less 38+P I have a couple I’ve run thousands of rounds thru. They are reasonably priced very light and have Taurus lifetime warranty.
Usually priced under $300
something comfortable
if she is tiny, 22LR
Good luck trying to find the weapon you want. Same goes for ammo too. If you were not stocking up last year before all this COVID crap started you cant be picky now. You started too late.
Kenosha,WI is burning tonight with no letup in sight.
Tell her to quit her job and move to a red state for her safety and her sanity. This crap will be going on till the end of the year or longer.
Great thread on this topic here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/3865831/posts
I bought my wife a S&W 642 38 Revolver with laser just before we had the boating accident.
Best response.
Yes, become one with your gun!
I just bought some 9m for About $17 for a box of 50.
The gun store is limiting purchases on 9mm and .38 but not.22.
S&W Bodyguard .380 with laser sight. Point ‘n shoot.
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