[Charlotte M. Corday]

Your suggestions are much appreciated.

[stainlessbanner]

bump

[Puppage]

but not easy to discharge accidentally

The only way to get that feature on a gun, is to get that feature in your brain.

[cweese]

...i'd recommend a .357 revolver with 4" barrel. ruger make several models which have a frame that fits female hands better. you can load .38 special and/or .357 loads which will stop just about any methed out intruder...

[sickofthehandouts]

Smith and Wesson 40 caliber revolver

[RiflemanSharpe]

Check out a glock, for handguns. I carry one myself. But for home defense I keep a 12 ga pump shotgun loaded with 00 buck.

[Last Dakotan]

What would you suggest?

Moving.

[stylin_geek]

What I would recommmend is going to a local indoor shooting range, and renting some of their firearms, and seeing which one you are most comfortable with. Make sure you talk to the people there, and they can probably help stear you in the right direction.

[facedown]

A Ruger SP101. My wife's favorite pistol.

[Tijeras_Slim]

A small to mid-frame revolver in .357 or .38 Special.

Joe, could you call on the assembled wisdom please?

[Bikers4Bush]

It's a comfort thing. You should go to a range and try a bunch of different stuff to see what feels best in your hand and feels best when shooting.

[Core_Conservative]

I policeman friend of mine suggested using a shotgun with 00 buck. This will stop just about anything in it's tracks and you don't need to be an expert marksman. Most handguns require much more precision, and I don't know about you, but if there was an intruder in my house, I might not be as accurate as I'd like.

[nevergore]

Yeah...the Tucker Coach and son was a true tragedy.....

I'd recommend a .357 revolver....you can fire both .38 rounds for target practice and defense as well as the more powerful magnum rounds. Simple, no safety and reliable.

The smaller shorter barrels are easy to conceal and I would recommend you getting a concealment permit from the County Sheriff....Fairly easy in Georgia...

[eastforker]

I would say a .38 revolver. The kick is not bad and it is very safe and more reliable than a semi-auto.

[captbarney]

definatly go to the local range,talk with the people(they will certainly be helpful),try various weapons, THEN CHOOSE A REVOLVER (ease of use and safety)

[ladyrustic]

Hi Charlotte- Are you going to be carrying this weapon with you, or just leaving it in the home? The answer to that question will affect the size weapon you choose.

I would recommend a revolver as the safest weapon to have in the home, or to carry. If you will carry it and worry about accidental discharge, just leave one chamber empty and there is no way the gun will go off unless you pull the trigger with a good amount of force.

And Charlotte, even though you're small, I'm certain that with a little practice you could handle and enjoy shooting any pistol caliber you choose.

[The Toll]

I live in the area that you are referring to also. The suggestion to go to a local range and ask for help is very good advice. I suggest (American Classic Marksman) on Peachtree Industrial. It is free for women on Thursday's. Plus the guys there will be more than happy to offer you instruction.
If you have little experience with guns I would suggest a revolver. Taurus makes a .38 Ultra Light that is smaller and I think it fits your situation. Plus they are not terribly expensive.

[Hammerhead]

Please do not listen to these knuckleheads who are telling you to get a semi-automatic. The just like to get excited hearing themselves talk.

go get a .357 revolver with a short barrel and load it up with +P+ .38 ammo. You wont be able to handle a .357 load.

[from occupied ga]

You say nothing about how big or strong you are. Makes a difference. Since you obviously don't already have a gun you should start with a revolver. A Taurus titanium .357 with a 4 inch barrel is a nice all purpose handgun. It's light, and if the .357 recoil is too much for you , you can go to .38. I got the best price at Dave's Gun Room on Bufford Hiway, but I think that the management has changed since I got mine, so call around.

[MediaMole]

You should consider a shotgun.

If are going to get a handgun, then I would recommend getting a .357 revolver and loading it with .38 special ammunition.

If you want an automatic, make sure you can try any model before you buy. You need to make sure you can..

1. Hold it comfortably and consistently pull the trigger. Some grips are large and the trigger pull is long.

2. Rack the slide. Some slides are very difficult to retract, so you may not be able to clear a jammed cartridge.

3. Handle the recoil. Lighter guns have more recoil, but heavy guns can be tiring to hold.

My personal recommendation would be a Browning High Power in 9mm if you want an automatic. It has many safety features. Firing pin safety, magazine disconnect and a safety on the weapon.

Get good training, both in handling the firearm and in the legal aspects of self defense.

[OXENinFLA]

http://www.thearmedcitizen.com/infolink.htm#women