I forgot: Stick with a more standard caliber such as .38, .357, 9mm, or .45. .40s have some great characteristics, but you can end up paying quite a bit more for ammo, and when ammo gets scarce, it can be harder to find. (Actually, I had a heckuva time finding .357 for a while in 2009.)
Also, forgot H&K in my list of good manufacturers. Oops. And I know some people who hate Glocks, while others love them.
Your wife's best gun: A firearm, that she can afford (ask "What is her life worth to me and my family?"), and that she can shoot accurately and is comfortable.
Get a used Smith and Wesson 38. Either a model 10 or a model 15 with a 4 inch barrel. A nice example of either can be found at most gun stores for under $400.
The 38 special round has plenty of power for what you want, and it is easy enough for anyone to become proficient .
The revolver is as simple as they come, they kept the peace for citizens, the police and the military for nearly 100 years, and work as well today.
You have to ask yourself one question: does your wife have much smaller hands than you?
If the answer is yes, you need to buy two guns. His and hers.
I have that situation here, so we went with the Ruger GP100 and Ruger SP101, both in .357 Magnum. The .357 gives you the option of using either full-house magnum loads (lotsa recoil, noise, and flash, especially with the smaller gun), or you can shoot .38 Special ammo, including +P or +P+ loads.
For around the house, make sure you get some high-quality factory self-defense loads (Hornady is a good choice, along with Federal, Remington, Cor-Bon, and others)..
Doesn’t matter what you get.
Practice.
A lot.
Glock 9mm, 17, 19, or 29 for CC or smaller hands...
Has stopping power, especially with the right ammo. Durable, dependable, no frills, and moderately priced.
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
If they can's chamber a round in a semi-auto, then I would go with a small grip .357, such as the Ruger Security Six. If they can't stand a .357, then try a .38 +P in the same gun. Another wheel gun might be a small frame .44 special. An unwanted guest in my house will get the Colt Combat Commander in .45 with a 200grn hp whether it comes from me or the wife. My daughter is a Sheriff Deputy now and will use her .357 Sig because it is issued to her and she doesn't have the money yet for her own .45 and she can't have mine.
If you plan to visit the range quite a bit, eh....maybe not so much. Good, personal firearms training might be more in order. This pistol has no safety; a bit heavier trigger pull (without hammer cocked) and the slide is somewhat resistant. In other words, you will notice none of that in the "heat of the moment". You will notice all of it in a controlled environment.
If you plan to visit the range quite a bit, eh....maybe not so much. Good, personal firearms training might be more in order. This pistol has no safety; a bit heavier trigger pull (without hammer cocked) and the slide is somewhat resistant. In other words, you will notice none of that in the "heat of the moment". You will notice all of it in a controlled environment.
All I can do is suggest, as experience varies from person to person. My personal home defense choice would normally be a 12-gauge, BUT:
My present floor plan is not open enough; there is too much of a risk of having my shotgun or rifle taken away, or at least having a struggle over it. A pistol affords the opportunity for more control.
Buy the highest caliber you can be accurate with and will want to keep shooting. My pistol - a Springfield XD-40 subcompact - is a joy to shoot. It doesn’t lay neglected in a drawer somewhere because I hate shooting it.
For a simple gun that simply goes bang - think about a revolver.
This is what I have as my duty home defense pistol in this configuration:
http://media.photobucket.com/image/glock%2021%20sf%20lasermax/longbough1/G2101a.jpg
The magazine capacity is 13 rounds and I use CorBon 200 grain .45 +P ACP rounds which give you 1,100 fps muzzle velocity and 500 ft/lbs of muzzle energy. A nasty reception for intruders.
Get a bigger wife and then you can get the .45 and the 12 ga.
...Given all the requirements you're looking for this is probably a nice happy medium. You and your wife can start training with it firing .32 S&W cartridge which is a mild cartridge and one that will allow you both lots of range time without excessive recoil and discomfort. For home defense usage, and as your comfort level increases you can work your way up to full power .327 federal magnum cartridges in the same firearm, which is quite a hot cartridge, and while perhaps not the ideal home defense round is certainly better than anything smaller, and ballistically going to rival conventional loadings in .38 Special or 9mm.
His and Hers
You always need one more than you already have.
;-)
My weapon of choice is the S&W M&P 45 ACP. My wife is petite and less experienced so I got a really pretty H&R model 942 22 Cal revolver. I had her train with the 45, so I know that, in a pinch, she can still fire off a shot or two with it.
If you’re inexperienced, call around to your local sellers and find one that will let you try out a few.
You should consider a revolver. The 357 can also fire 38 so you can save money while you train. Also consider the Taurus Judge, just because!
Happy shooting!
My ex-wife (about 5' 95 pounds) could fire this pistol very effectively, with some training. But then all pistols require training, and then lots of practice from the shooter.
Full size 9mm (easier to control) Glock 17
I'd pickup a 20 Gauge mossberg or Remington 570 with 00 Buckshot & Slugs as well.
