Posted on 01/23/2010 12:42:20 PM PST by Richard Kimball
Young lady I know is around twenty and wants to get a concealed carry permit. She knows the safety concepts and has been safely handling .22 rifles and other small arms for years. This would be her first handgun. In Texas, for a concealed carry permit, she must test with a caliber larger than .22. If she tests with a revolver, her carry permit is only good for a revolver. She is relatively small, so please no suggestions for .45s, .50 Desert Eagles, etc. (Like that ever stops anyone from suggesting them anyway ;o>).
Kahr P9 would be a good choice, small 9mm single stack, very easy to conceal and fits a small hand well. BTW, just because the zombies haven’t showed up yet they shouldn’t be counted out.
Pick up a Makarov (9x18)semiauto for about 200.00 and learn how to shoot it, then maybe upgrade. They are easy to shoot, accurate and ammo is cheap. Can’t go wrong.
Believe it or not, a .45 ACP is not a bad choice. My wife who has small hands, small wrists and is not “strong” carries and shoots a Kimber SIS Pro in .45 ACP.
Best thing to do is to go to a range, try revolvers and semis in a variety of calibers and let her choose something that she shoots well and is comfortable with.
Hoss.
That makes sense, and we’ll probably do some test firing. I’ve got access to everything except a 9, although I still think a .45 is a tad too big.
I have noticed, though, that kick isn’t just a function of caliber. Some .45s leave your arms in pain, while others have far less kick.
One thing to keep in mind is that a semi-auto uses the recoil in combination with the resistence provided by the hand/arms to cycle the round. It is possible to have a misfeed if the arms are not kept stiff enough during the recoil. This problem doesn't exist with a revolver.
Not sure it is much of an issue, but a potential consideration. Ultimately - it should be the firewarm that she is the most comfortable with. I'd recommend going to a range and having her try as many different types as possible.
A Ruger LCP in .380 ACP
or
S&W 642 with crimson trace DPX 110gr +p .38 Special
Browning is nice!!!!! Not exactly cheap, though. Are all firearms up since the Bamster got in? I use on occasion, but never joined the “firearm of the month” club, so I only check the market every few years.
“If she tests with a revolver, her carry permit is only good for a revolver”.
Whats with this?
I had a smith 9mm semi. Wonderful to handle but for me, not a pro shooter, I found it very hard to be accurate with. My brother didn’t have that problem so I think it was the operator. :(
Those are both excellent. Only problem is with the Ruger, I might want two. That is a beautifully designed small weapon.
Springfield Armory XD subcompact in either 9MM or .40 would be a good choice and it’s pretty economical. If you need to go a little less expensive, an S&W Sigma (not as refined but serviceable) or a used Glock 19 or 12 compact would also be good choices. I’m not big on Sig because they’re expensive and don’t feel as good as the Glock to me but they’re good choices if you can get a used one. Taurus model 85’s in .38 are good alternative to S&W and Ruger’s SP 101 in a revolver. I’ve never had an problems with my Taurus.
Besides the recoil of a Makarov is punishing. Most women do not have the upper body strength
to operate a blowback pistol like a Makarov.
A better choice whoud be a CZ-82
Sorry, meant a Glock 23 not 12.
If she intends to carry concealed I would suggest a simple S&W model 36 snub nose. It has stopping power and is concealable. If it is simply a house gun, a four inch .357 revolver loaded up with P+ .38spl rounds.
The class itself, I've taken it, is mostly about safety, concealed carry laws, and not shooting yourself, although you do have to shoot at least fifty rounds with a semi-reasonable degree of accuracy.
The state reasoning is that since semi-autos are more complex, you should test with a semi to carry a semi, but if you can handle a semi, you should be able to handle a revolver.
Then again, for certain methods of concealed carry (big purse) the Ruger SP101 is very popular, and it can be loaded, as a helpful old-time told me once, "with anything a sane person would shoot in it".
See my post #18.
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