..in all seriousness though, whatever you or your wife can handle
Doogle
Small to medium .38 Special revolver, or a .357 Magnum, which will also shoot the .38 Special round. Of course, this somewhat depends on your Wife's hand size and strength.
Whatever you chose, go take classes so you know how to use it properly, and safely.
Ping to part of the bang list that I kow off the top of my head.
Generally, how big is your hand vs the grip size.
I have a friend who carries a derringer in her purse. I can't advise abou twhich weapon, but can advise you go to a gun store or a shooting range and discuss with people who already own weapons and are experienced with them. And then take lessons and practice practice practice.
..in all seriousness though, whatever you or your wife can handle
Doogle
IMO, I would not keep it in the car. If your car gets broken into or you get jacked, they have the gun and you are the owner.
As for handgun, little, light. .32 auto perhaps from S&W or a .25 auto. I can get to the links from work but, search S&W's site an look around.
Go to http://www.thehighroad.org or http:///www.packing.org
Go to a local gun store that has an indoor range. Rent some guns to find one she is comfortable with. Get one that is as powerfull as she can reasonsbly handle. Many women prefer the small .38 caliber revolvers. I prefer a semi-aut that has more capacity.
Whatever she gets, she needs training. Also, forget trigger locks and alsway keep the gun ready whenever it might be needed. Tigger locks are OK for storage, but you never want to confront a perp with an unchambered gun, or worse, one with a trigger lock on it.
Do not leave a gun in a car..., it will be stolen eventually. Also, a gun with a trigger lock is merely a very miserable club! Seriously, have your wife try out various handguns at a gunshop with a range (the largest caliber she is comfortable with should be selected). Then practice regularly and attend a concealed carry course, get the Florida license and pray she never has occasion to actually draw the gun!
Don't bother with any of the above if your wife is not fully prepared to shoot an assailant (she'll be disarmed if she is not)!!!
Good advice on these replies. Also, consider that your wife (with training) won't actually wave a handgun around unless she is ready to shoot someone. And, if she is going to shoot someone she won't want to advertise it in advance. That said, the confidence she will have knowing she can defend herself is a huge factor in keeping her safe. Consider an NRA bumper sticker, too. Think of it as an "early warning" system!
I just bought a matched pair of S&W 642s -- one for me (I'll carry it in a nifty "pocket holster") and one for my wife's purse.
Five shot, .38 special w/a 1.5" barrel and Laser sight. Nice shooters, though for some very strange reason, the lasers were zeroed at fifty feet! Both are now zeroed at 20'!
We still have to spend some time at the range with them, but so far, so good. We'll shoot wadcutters for now, and switch to people killers (125 gr. 38 Special +P Jacketed Hollow Point) when we get our concealed carry permits!
.38/.357 revolvers are nice, but are somewhat larger and heavier. I figure that 5 rounds of JHP .38 +P will do the job quite nicely!
Check it out, and bargain with your dealer -- I got mine for $500.00 each on a gun show special. List was $688.00.
FL Gun Laws: Packing.org
Stay safe, that area has seen a surge in violent crimes lately.
I will echo the try-before-you-buy sentiment - I tried a compact Glock and didn't like my pinkie hanging off the bottom of the grip, but the mid/full size Glocks were just fine. For me.
You were playing the odds, and they caught up with you. It could have been much worse, so thank your lucky stars or appropriate diety, and be better prepared for the next time...which may be the *worse one* you just missed.
- what weapon would be ideal for a woman in a car to own?
The next time trouble comes to visit her may well not be in the car. She may be getting in or out of it, at work, atr home, or otherwise. The car itself is a much better weapon than most handguns, if she knows how to use it as such- and is willing to do so.
What safety precautions, such as trigger locks would you recommend, in light of the fact that the weapon will be largely carried in a car? What laws are applicable? It would be simple enough for me to pick up a book (and believe me I intend to), but some things need to be filtered through human experience to get the most out of them.
I don't generally think much of trigger locks on weapons carried for personal defence, since most such devices require that the weapon be unloaded first. An exception, and suitable for automotive carry, is a small safe, bolted to the car floor, in which the weapon can be securely deposited for those instances in which it cannot be carried, such as courtrooms and airports. I used such an arrangement in both personal and company cars while working as an armed courier delivering jewelry and pharmaceuticals and receiving cash. The vehicular safe used was large enough for either the short shotgun or submachinegun I carried to be so stored with relative security, along with other materials yet to be delivered. Unless you are in that or a similar line, you can probably get along as well with something about the size of a lunchbox.
FYI, I can put you in touch with a Tampa-area friend who may be able to better advise you as to local custom; FReepmail me for details. The requirements of Florida law can be seen here, and considerations as to caliber and weapon type are better considered with a little more knowledge about the potential user:
left or right handed?
glasses or corrective lenses? left or right dominent eye?
Any considerations of clothing or accessories [bag or purse] that may influence or limit weapon type
The physical limitation you described makes it sound as if firearms self-defence would be pretty well the only option for her- but carry of a less-lethal alternative [pepperspray or Mace®] IN ADDITION TO her firearm would be a good starting point, and might assure cops/prosecutor/jury that any lethal defensive measures on her part were a final step, and last option. It's mindset that you'll need to develop.
I hope some of the female FReepers who carry for protection have some thoughts to offer for her. But such advice is usually better delivered firsthand.
Check out the "Lady Smith" revolvers, by S&W of course, in 38 special.
What safety precautions, such as trigger locks would you recommend, in light of the fact that the weapon will be largely carried in a car?
This may be redundent since I haven't read the other posts, but forget the trigger lock. Any gun that is unusable is a paperweight.
A handgun is a personal choice with many variables to consider. Foremost is that it goes bang when you pull the trigger.
And if she goes semi-auto, she needs to have one in the pipe.
There are many options for some nice purses for concealed carry that we fellows don't have.
She should try alot of guns before purchasing.
