For concealed carry, try this baby:
Smith And Wesson Model 649 Five-Round .357MAG / .38+P
For concealed carry, try this baby:
Smith And Wesson Model 649 Five-Round .357MAG / .38+P
Posts# 2, 3 & 27 pretty much sum it up. Don't worry about the debate -- it will go on forever. $:-) I carry various semiautos myself, but that means I also have to deal with more complexity, more maintainence, and more regular training.
One thing that must be taken into supreme consideration when making the decision of choosing a firearm for the purpose of self-defense: The person's mindset must be adapted to actually being able to pull the trigger on another human being. This is not something to take lightly, and if this isn't considered and decided beforehand in the affirmative, it's better to never even show a weapon.
For people who cannot find it in themselves to kill if and when the need arises (and there certainly are such people and that's OK), flight is better.
Training is a MUST. I'd hate to see it become a legal requirement, but it really IS one of those things that everyone should stop and take the time to do. Even if it's only a couple hours with an instructor at a range. You have to have faith in your tools, what they do, and how you use them.
For you.... "large" martial artist that you are. Anything belt fed should do the trick. Unless you know how to low block a 9mm slug moving at 900fps, try and find something in .40 S&W or .45 ACP flavor. Teppo Do beats Akkido 10 times out of 10.
I haven't read through all the posts but in addition to visiting ranges, etc and trying guns, your wife needs some education in situational awareness and how to manage the one big projectile she has control of now, her car.
The lug behind her should not have had the opportunity to approach her vehicle and bang on it.
Count me among the revolver dudes. Once you get into shooting, you'll find that you just can't have too many revolvers around. They're a joy to shoot, and full of advantages.
How about a 45mm? That ought to have enough punch to discourage road rage incidents.
From another thread ( http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1718207/posts ), where a teacher got suspended for having a "toy gun [that] strongly resembled a 45 mm gun," I understand that they are small enough to put in your back pocket.
As long as the clip isn't in it, that is.
Is she ready to USE a gun (before the bad guy can take it from her) and to use it effectively -- to STOP the guy?
Can she say, "I was in fear for my life and safety and I shot to eliminate the threat, and now I'd like to talk to my lawyer, please."
Then, she probably needs a gun to practice with so that when the battle-flag goes up she's at least used to pulling the trigger, and knows how close the guy has to be before she can put one where she wants to.
And that means, her first gun probably won't be her last. One's tastes change as one shoots. And those itty-bitty titanium wonders hurt to shoot. I'm done in abougt 25 rounds with mine -- actually I'm done in about 2 rounds.
So I carry a Sig p239. It's fun to shoot, so I practice with it. And it works. In 9 mm they're a dream. But that's just MY hand and MY eye.
I'm agin purse-carry. Get your purse snatched and you're in some kind of trouble and you have on your conscience that your gun is in the hands of a bad guy. I could see fanny pack carry. I don't mind if a cop knows I'm packing. But strong side IWB is my choice.
I don't think it's good to try to find an inexpensive and convenient way to defend your life. Yeah there are budged and other constraints. But, again, when the battle flag goes up --as it has, I have taken comfort in drawing my good weapon with which I am familiar from a holster which kept it concealed but put it nicely into my hand, and in the confidence I have had that EVEN though the adrenaline is pumping through my system, time has dilated, I am hearing nothing but me and the bad guy, who somehow looks further away than he really is but still well within my range of accuracy -- it's a confort to know that I can do what has to be done, I've trained, I've thought it through, and if he doesn't have a sudden change of plan it's going to get funky.
I'm not swaggering (well, maybe a little). I am saying that it's more than a conveniently concealable gun involved. It's saying, "My life is worth saving. My spouse, my friends, my kids need me alive. I am ready and willing to do what the situation calls for." I think anything less than that kind of personal prep means things could turn out very badly.
Here endeth the rant.
Glock 19
Smith&Wesson has a number of light weight, small frame revolvers that would be great for your wife(my mom has one that she is very happy with). For a larger frame, durable and reasonably priced revolver I would look at the GP100 from Ruger even though I'm still angry with Ruger for bending over for the anti-gunners.
We keep our car guns in lock boxes
My dad got me a nice, semi-auto 9mm. It fits my hand and I can hit my target. I love Arizona. We can all walk around with our guns on our sides and it's perfectly legal. Generally, nobody bothers the ones who carry weopons on their sides.
BOTH!
For this specific purpose a smallish revolver in .38 Special would do nicely. Slightly larger frames will accommodate .357 magnum, which isn't much fun to practice with but is an outstanding self-defense caliber when matched with the proper bullet. My 77-year-old Mom tried half a dozen firearms before she settled on her own LadySmith.
Far, far more important is to get her some lessons and practice, practice, practice, and then more practice. By all means pursue concealed carry licenses. In some states - I don't know about Florida - it makes it much easier just to carry the piece to the range for practice. And it means that in times when sphincters start to tighten you'll be carrying legally, and that makes a lot of difference to a nervous LEO.
Lastly, study the laws pertinent to your area. HERE are the Florida laws. I'd recommend www.packing.org for anyone else who might be curious about their own state's laws.
And as someone else said, if you're really in a quandary about which gun to buy, buy both. ;-)
I also say the small to medium frame 38 or 357 (revolver obviously).
No jams, easy to understand and operate. Best choice.
Brand? S&W, Ruger, Colt, Taurus
Glock makes a very fine, compact 9mm which would be an excellent self-defense pistol. Also, after my grandfather died, my grandmother bought herself a .38 which she got to like and became quite proficient with.
http://www.thearmedcitizen.com/gunladys/
As a beginner, stay away from Glocks and any pistol with the safety on the trigger. Keep the pistol on you instead of in a purse like someone already mentioned. Your defensive calibers start at .38 special or nine millimeter. Don't use anything smaller. Try to rent before buying. Look at reputable manufactures like Colt, Smith, Taurus, Ruger, Kimber, Springfield Armory. Don't even think about a Derringer.
Buying a firearm for defensive use is now your new hobby and obssesion. Get a good instuctor and practice as much as you can.
