Yeah, it's only .380 but you're more likely to carry it.
Never fails and accurate enough that you can aim for the face.
That’s a good, well-written guide. It mostly ignores exceptions and special circumstances, but that is appropriate for the target audience.
Anybody here have a suggestion( besides the comedians about losing weight. If I could I would already have done it), for a solution. I know in the past I've seen a Sheriff or two at 400 lbs or more and I know they carried a backup or two. I'm sure that there are a few out there like me that have found a good solution.
He suggests going hammerless, but I’d sure miss the hammer on my S&W Model 36.
I’m a woman with small hands looking at getting my first gun sometime coming up. I want a 22 so I can practice my aim and shoot a lot of round without busting the bank (I may upgrade to something bigger caliber down the road). I would like a revolver (dual action) because they never jam. Not sure what a good make and model would be.....would greatly appreciate any FReeper recommendations...
Glock 19 if you want concealment and high firepower.
Glock 26 if you want better concealment without sacrificing too much firepower.
Glock 43 if you want maximum concealability in a fighting caliber.
Glock 42 for your purse.
There is such a thing as the perfect carry gun. It is a pocket pistol, chambered in 500 S&W Magnum, holds 30 rounds, requires no earplugs, has no recoil and is as accurate as an olympic pistol. Since I’ve never found one, I have instead compromised.
I’m going to suggest a Smith and Wesson M&P Shield. Inexpensive, reliable, accurate and compact. Plus, there are many, many concealment holsters.
Good overview, and a lot of good comments.
The true answer is that you're going to have to become a bit of a "gun person", because there are attendant responsibilities for safety that aren't attainable any other way. The thing isn't a magic wand, you're going to have to practice with it. Because of that, be aware that the very light-weight guns optimized for comfortable carry are NOT optimized for comfortable shooting, rather the opposite. One of my instructors, a world-class shooter and experienced beyond belief, carries a pocketed .357 magnum snubbie that he says he hates to shoot because it hurts - this is a big guy - but if he does have to shoot it, he'll never feel a thing. But you have to practice with something.
There isn't any real substitute for getting a class and trying out multiple handguns. I tell the story too much, perhaps, but I taught a petite lady to shoot and she was all over the paper and getting discouraged when the RO handed her his Browning Hi-Power and she ended up making one ragged hole in the target. Never figured that one in advance. That was just her gun, and she's made compromises to carry it because she knows she can hit with it. And that's the bottom line.
I carry all sorts of stuff - I live in a gun-friendly state and love the things. I never carry anything I haven't had a LOT of range time with, not that shiny new toy or the one guaranteed to take down a Cape Buffalo with a single shot. If I haven't put 1000 rounds through it, it's a new piece and not to be trusted with my life. Bottom line - practice, practice, practice, and then, more practice.
Good sensible article.
Nothing said about laser sights.
All of my home defense weapons have laser grips.
1. I can focus my attention on where the threat is, not being required to withdraw my attention to my gun sights.
2. I can keep both eyes open.
3. I can fire accurately regardless of how I am holding my gun (hand position).
3. I can fire accurately from any physical position (standing, sitting, prone).
Nonetheless; I liked the article.
Thanks for posting this. Very helpful.
Pay for Training
Training teaches you how to practice
Pay for Training that teaches you safe gun handling procedures
Practice
Easily operated with one hand, unlikely to malfunction, no detachable magazine required, enough capacity to handle the vast majority of defensive gun use scenarios, just enough -and in the case of .357 PLENTY - of caliber, and small/light enough to carry in a bewildering variety of locations.
I love my autos, but more often than not the scandium J frame is what I have with me.