I don’t qualify as one of the ladies here, but I do have one piece of advice to offer (free and well worth the price). What you want least is a gun that will anger an attacker without doing much else. The .380 is good, but the smallest gun I carry for defense is a S&W .38 Special with a 1.875’ barrel and a five round cylinder. (But fo course, if you choose any revolver, leave the hammer resting in an empty cylinder except at a range.)
You may not hit much at shooting range distances with a short barrel .38, but it will hit hard enough to stop most things that come out of alleys. Feel free to go larger, but think hard before going much smaller. (An FN Herstal 1911 .45 ACP with a fourteen round clip not only shoots great; it should double as a fine club; just a little bulky....)
If this weapon is going to be used in practicing, pick something in a high enough caliber to damage an assailant (the weapon needs to be larger than a 22 long but probably less than a .44 or .45, if you'r an average strength female at your height). Practice will teach you to handle the recoil and get back 'on target' naturally.
If this weapon is going into a purse, it needs to be hammer free so it will not snag on something under pressure of drawing to fire. It should also be heavy enough to be distinct in your grip as you seek to draw and fire. And unless you practice a whole lot, stick with revolver choices rather than auto loaders. If you anticipate needing more than six or seven shots, you need to change your expectations in life and the places you haunt. If this weapon is going to be carried in a holster on the waistline, consider a reliable autoloader with punch to it, like a slab-side .45 or .38sp.
What Darth posted is an excellent compromise for all the above. The .327 is like a hot .32 caliber, so it will penetrate to viatl organs through heavy coats, for instance. I carried a 22 semi-auto for long time as my carry protection, with the intent to shoot into the pevlic region if assaulted ... it will drop a cahrging perp with the exquisite pain cused by slamming into the nerve and blood and organ rich target. I've switched to a larger caliber as my eyesight and mobility have declined.
If you intend to practice regularly but will keep it at home, get a 20 gage pump shotgun and forget about protecting your home with a pistol. I helped a lady obtain a 20 gage birdgun pump and clipped the barrel off at 19 inches. This is an excdellent tool for home defense because there are many typed of ammunition, from slugs to buckshot to dual shot.
Finally, I would advise you stay away from lightweight revolvers because with small hands you will not practice regularly so you will not learn repeatable habits with the weapon. If you go for a revolver, pick one heavy, like a .357 in which you'll load .38 spl Jacketed hollowpoint +P ammo, and practice with the ball version of the same +P, to get used to the feel of the recoil and retuning to target naturally.
ping
Beginners should start with NRA Certified trainingI would recommend training
from an NRA Certified Instructor inRefuse to be a victim
NRA training for women
Basic pistol
Personal protection in the home
and the newly released
Personal protection outside the home
NRA Gun Safety Rules
Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction
Always keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot
Always keep the gun unloaded until ready to use
Taurus and Ruger make good, less expensive versions as well, although they are a bit heavier.
If you plan to carry the gun every day, spend the money and buy the lightest one available. If it is primarily a home defense weapon, slightly heavier is a better choice. Of course, a shotgun is best at home.
Give the Ruger LCP and the Kel Tec P-3AT a look. My wife purchased a Kahr PM9 a few years back. She liked the size but did not like the spring tension when pulling back the slide. She likes my P-3AT. It has been 100% reliable, was inexpensive, and is an easy gun to carry.
Dear Missy,
I suggest a Smith and Wesson .38 air weight. It’s a model 637, I believe. Five shots. Double action revolver, meaning you can simply pull the trigger, or pull the hammer back, cocking the gun and then pull the trigger. It is light weight, has a small grip for small hands and is as simple, uncomplicated and completely dependable a weapon as can be found. It is far safer for an inexperienced user than an automatic, will never malfunction and certainly gets the job done with any number of good ammunition choices. I’ve had one for nearly fifty years. You should be able to buy the weapon for about $430-$500.
I see you are a Nerd.Here are some recommended reading:
I recommend reading any thing by Masaad Ayoob
In the Gravest Extreme Role of the Firearm
for women I also recommend Paxton Quigley Armed & Female
You also might want to consider a “Youth Shotgun” http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/shotguns/model_870/model_870_express_jr.asp
SirKit and I attended Firearms Safety Class on Saturday. It’s required before we can apply for Class A Unrestricted license in MA. The state has a ‘may carry’ set up that gives the discretion to the local Police Chief as to whether or not one can get the license. Fortunately, our town’s Chief is one of the better in the State for allowing issuance. As part of the fee for the class, our instructor is offering an hour at the local Pistol and Rifle Range with him, and he’ll bring all kinds of guns for us to shoot. At the class, interestingly, one of my favorite guns to handle was the pump action rifle, though for shooting range purposes, and for less expensive ammo, I’d probably go with a smaller pistol.
It would help if you would post a picture so we can
judge petite for ourselves...
Self-ping
It very well may be that a “larger” auto like a 1911 type in 9mm may be the perfect fit. It fits smaller hands well and out of the pistols I own it's usually what women (and men for that matter) feel most comfortable with.
For home defense I personally don't see a pistol as a great choice. Granted a pistol is better then nothing, but I prefer a rifle to any pistol.
My wife carries a Colt Detective (snub nose revolver) with .38spl hollow point, low recoil rounds......
That's the 2.25" hammerless Ruger SP101 in .357 (it shoots .38 Specials just fine) with the factory installed Crimson Trace lasergrips.
The recoil is negligible with .38s and manageable (if a bit loud) with .357 Magnum. As Mrs. Knitebane is still a bit recoil (and big BOOM!) shy, she's currently carrying .38 +Ps.
I will say this, though. There are Ruger people and Smith and Wesson people. Mrs. Knitebane likes the way the Ruger fits in her hand and didn't care for the Smith. I know other people that have the opposite opinion. Best bet is to go down to your local gun range and see if you can try out both of them.
Taurus Ultralight .38 revolver or check out Ruger .380 LCP auto or Taurus 738 TCP.
Kimber Tac II 4”, .45 hollow points.
A good self defense handgun for small-handed persons is the Kahr P-9 9mm. It is a single stack and carries 7 or 8 rounds.
You may also opt for a smith and wesson airweight J frame snubby revolver such as the model 642.(what I carry)