[MarkL]

FWIW, I'm a big fan of revolvers. For a first handgun, you might want to start out with a 4" .357 revolver. They can be had relatively inexpensively, they're great for training, using .38 special wad-cutters (light target loads), and of course, the .357 Magnum is a substantial weapon for defense.

.38 special wad-cutters aren't intimidating for petite ladies, especially in a handgun with the additional weight of a .357.

Finally, they're about the safest weapon around. When the cylinder is out of battery, they're safe. It's that simple.

Mark

[GOP_Party_Animal]

Again, I know nothing about handguns- How is it you can fit a 38 caliber cartridge in a “.357” handgun? Can you use standard .357 cartridges and magnums in the same gun?