GO TO THE RANGE. RENT GUNS.
I can’t stress enough, you need to send some bullets downrange to see what works for you.
I agree with many others that a used S&W revolver is a great choice. Low price, easy to handle with .38s, kick ass with .357 magnums. Plus, easy to swap out the grips to find one that fits your hand.
The smaller S&W 5 shot snubbies are called J-frames and are easy to conceal. You can also find larger 6 shot K-frames.
Here in NC, you can still find decent, barely used of both flavors for $250-$350. Stainless is easier to maintain, blued is easier to conceal.
Shotgun for home defense. Revolver for carry. Revolvers are simple. You don’t need anything fancy...keep it simple.
As far as choosing a first gun, I'd encourage you to to find a range that rents different models so you can find the one that suits you best. Better yet, if you know a gunnie, see if he will let you sample his collection.
A lot of folks have rightly said that a S&W 4" DA revolver in .357 is a great choice for a first gun - simple, dependable, accurate, relatively cheap to practice with .38spl, and a very effective manstopper in .357 mag. The downside to that choice will be concealability if you want to carry. Additionally, if you choose to go with a snub-nose model, you will gain compactness at the expense of accuracy and pleasantness to shoot in practice.
Semi-autos will generally give you more capacity, ease of carry (to a point), and entertainment value on the range, but you will pay for that with a more complicated learning curve and more potential for mechanical problems. There are also several different action types in semi-auto that make a big difference to different shooters.
For the record, my first gun research back then led me to a CZ-75BD in 9mm. It's very similar in function to a Sig Sauer at about half the cost.
ping
ping
There will likely be as many answers to your questions as there are gun owners. But I would advise you to (1) do some internet research and (2) go to a gun range or store and try out those from your narrow list and (3) take the NRA basic pistol course before your CCW course.
Couple of things to remember: There are varying opinions about the smallest calibre that's effective for self defense. Many will tell you to go with the largest caliber you can handle. The larger the caliber and smaller/lighter the gun, the more the recoil and time it takes to learn to use it properly. A gun that's heavy enough to reduce recoil and enjoy practicing/learning to shoot with, and one that's light enough for concealed carry and use by your wife, are two different things.
Novices may like to start with a revolver as it's less complicated/easier to load and use. There's also less chance of failure to fire because the user is not keeping their wrist strong enough, as is required by semi-automatics. Smith & Wesson makes some dandy little revolvers with alloy frames that are great for conceal carry and small hands (see the Ladysmith), but again, these are not target guns.
Personally, I first bought a heavy revolver (S&W 686+, 4 inch barrel, stainless steel frame, Shoots .357 hollow points for defense and cheap .38 specials for fun). There's something about that simple machine that I just find to be aesthically pleasing and fun to handle. A few weeks later, I researched and bought a Smith & Wesson M&P 9C (9mm compact) for concealed carry. I handled Glocks, Sprinfields, Sigs, CZ's etc. and there was just no comparison. I understand that when Smith designed its M&P 9, it had a well known engineer, an ergonmics specialists, and others sit down and brainstorm for 20 hours to list everything they wanted in an ideal pistol. I love the way the 9c version feels, aims and shoots.
Finally, whatever you do, get a small gun safe to keep by or under your bed protect your kids. These have a spring loaded, code-activated door and can be opended quickly in the dark with one hand. The gun store can help you there.
Best of luck.
Get the SIG P250 and choose your caliber(s) and size(s).
Most everyone on here has said essentially the same thing and they are all correct and to the point. I will add my .02$ for what it is worth.
Before you plop down any cash, go to a gun store, take your wife, and browse. Look at something you like, and have the wife handle it as well. It is important that she and you both be comfortable with the weapon. Not too bulky, not too small. Recoil must be taken into account as well, but that you may have to do on the range.
Now, this is the important bit. Find a point in the distance, be sure you have a safe line of sight, and throw the weapon up to the point. Can you get on target swiftly and accurately? Do you find yourself having to adjust a bit here and there to be on? Have your wife do the same. It is vital that you are comfortable with where your weapon points and you are on target consistently. If you and your wife cannot, select another weapon, following this same set of rules.
Go and take lessons from a certified NRA instructor, both of you. The skills you will learn are for safety and practical. I cannot stress to you enough how valuable this information and learning can be.
Finally, remember Molon Labe!:)
Walther P22
bump
I concur with other posters that advise a used Smith & Wesson revolver for the first-time gun owner. Why?
1) Simpler to operate. No safety to fumble with. No slide to pull back (particularly if you have weak hands). No magazine to fumble with. No forgetting and wondering whether a round is already chambered. If a round fails to go off, just squeeze the trigger again. Revolvers are more intuitive to load and use. Just aim and squeeze the trigger.
2) Safer for you. No forgotten round in the chamber waiting for an accident. No fumbling with safety or slide when a thug is coming at you.
3) More reliable operation when your life is in danger. No problem with ammo misfeeding, stovepiping, ejecting. Far more forgiving of any type of ammo (solid point, hollow point, various bullet weights, hi-velocity) that is designed to fit your caliber. If you are shopping for a used pistol at the gun shows, it is easier to evaluate a revolver for funtionality than a semi-automatic.
4) More affordable. Used revolvers are not “sexy” in today’s market and in less demand than before. Used common models are the best deal out there and there are lots to choose from.
Buy a .357 because you and your wife can practice with the milder .38 Specials until you are comfortable and ready to upgrade to the more powerful .357 ammo.
I recommend a 4” barrel as the best compromise for portability, weight, shooting comfort and accuracy.
Go to a gun range to meet people and ask questions before you buy anything. Some ranges offer rentals. Most gun enthusiasts are very evangelical about their hobby and will practically beg you to try their gun if you show the slightest interest. It helps if you dress and act decently and don’t come across like a thug or oddball.
I don’t know much, but I’d get a 12 gauge shotgun, it fits your budget and is multipurpose, good for hunting and home defense. You can even swap out barrels easily/cheaply. The wife can use low-recoil ammo. But you said concealable, so I guess I’m not fitting the requirements
Your restrictions are rather tight. For instance a CCW weap is not necessarily the best gun for prtection in the home. Nor is it going to be ideal for your wife as well, particularly if she has never shot either.
The price is somwhat limiting though not the biggest issue.
What is your body size? A larger individual can conceal certain weaps easier than others. More important than body size is hand size. Are they large or small? Some handguns just do not fit ... either tooo small or tooo large.
The subcompacts in autos are great for concealing, but I cannot carry one. My hands are too large. The other aspect is mass. The composit materials have done wonders for weight reduction, however there is a trade off. Mass also gives the shooter more control. I am deadly with a full frame 1911 45. Para’s compact 45 is a beautiful piece, but I cannot hit the broadside of the barn with it. size and weight.
I am unashamedly a 45 acp guy. I have a 9mm P250 Sig, which would be a great choice other than it falls out of your price range. (around 725) What makes the P250 attractive is it is modular. Modular in that you can change grip from sub compact to full size in 3 steps. The frame is also modular in that you can swap internal mechanism from 9mm, 357, 40sw, or 45 acp and the beauty is that the serial number does not change. Advantage is in 9mm you have 15 rounds and unsurpassed reliability. downside ... for me it has too much polymer (less mass) and accuracy suffers in my hands.
I now permanently carry a Sig P220 elite, 45, incredible trigger system and accuarcy is just as good as my accurized 1911. Limits 8 rounds, but I believe in 2 shots only. Knock down and insurance. It is why I live at the range .. other than it is fun. I could not carry the p250 until I lost weight. It has a prominent beavertail and with a roll of fat, and my carry choice is “smart carry” the beavertil was beyond uncomforatbl.. Loss of 30 lbs fixed that.
Taurus makes a nice 24/7 series in 40sw and 45acp. I have one in 45 and it has never jammed. And, it fits my wifes hand perfectly. Closer to you price range ... I bought mine dicounted at 425 several years ago.
40sw was a result of FBI wanting a better knock down round than 9mm. There is only one drawback to it is its weak case and high prssure. I am not knocking Glock, they make a fine weapon, but in their 40 models they opened up the ramp for better feeding but in turn it does not suppost the bottom casing of the 40. Having a casing blow a magazine out of the frame is a bit unnerving. I have witnessed it once, and just recently a poster here told me had experienced it twice.
Again .. remember my atttachment to 45.
Revolvers are the most reliable and simple of any handgun, and many within your price range. Downside is I am not a fan of 38 special or 357 mag. Not a pleasant experience with flash in a short barrel. 38 is fine and controllable, but then again I do not care for that small of calibre.
There are a host of revolvers that are excellent. Taurus again make an incredbile revolver(s) within your price range. Charter arms is adequate ad well within you price as well. many others. I would suggest a hammerless model
My advice is go to a gun shop that is a referral to you and find what fits in your hand comfortably. Take your wife as well. Also find what is comforatble to carry.
I carry with a “smart Carry” system .. see smartcarry.com ... not pushing them, but I carry 7 days a week, without being uncomfortable. If it is uncomfortable you will not carry .. that defeats the purpose.
I am 6'5”, 330 lbs at 7% body fat. Hand size to match .. I can carry a full size 1911 comfortably with Smart carry .. but againg the beavertail does give some problems.
Hope this gives some help .. biased without a doubt to an extent
Take a hand gun specific class or find an instructor to give you some pointers. Check online forums if you want to find local classes or instructors. (FYI I am a certified instructor) Everything about handguns VERY subjective. Everyone’s hands are different. Even the way people perceive recoil is different.
If you are serious about all this I would recommend shopping around for a .22 pistol that fits your hand. Lots of models are out there for under 300. Take that out and practice a lot. But you and your wife will love it. From there you will build skills and knowledge to know what you really want. If you get a .22 you can use that in the shooting portion of a class.
Also find out if any of your friends or family are into handguns and see if you can try any of theirs.
My generic advice is this:
-Go to gun show. or store with large selection.
-Handle every gun in sight.
-Make a list of the top 3-5 that fit your hand well. If needed ask the clerk for advice for how to grip them properly, that can change the ‘feel’ a lot.
-DON'T BUY!
-Go home and research each of those models you identified. Find you what people say about them, but don't believe everything you read unless you read it in more than one place.
-If at all possible borrow/rent those models and shoot them.
-From this you should know what you want to buy.
Keep in mind the following.
+ Many guns have replaceable grips.
+ Many models are available and different calibers. They might look nearly alike at a glance but the difference in caliber can make one fit your hand and one not. Check carefully and try all the different ones.
If you want absolute reliability plus ample power, I’d go with a S&W .357 magnum. I have a model 686 7 shot, and it’s awesome. Granted, it’s too big for conveinent carry, but you can get similar weapons in a medium frame with 5 - 6 shot capacity.
Revolvers are foolproof, whereas even the best semi-auto could jam when you need it most...
This is the advice I gave my niece when she became a corrections officer and she took it and is very happy with the choice, this is 10 years after I gave her the advice.
To follow up the post suggesting another look at a shotgun, here is an excellent resource for research and ideas.
http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/index.php
http://www.gundirectory.com/more.asp?gid=20162&gun=Pistol
The 357s, and and 45s are great, but to carry one around all the time is tiring. Eventually you leave them at home, and then what good are they? I like concealability. A very light gun that can be in a pocket of in a small holster. But yet not so light that it spanks your hand at the practice range. The Tomcat fits my purpose well. Nice safety features too, for those with small kids.
First of all, don’t be ashamed of your lack of experience with firearms. Many of us have had to start later in life. You’re smart to seek advice and I congratulate you on taking responsibility for protecting yourself, your family and your property.
I recommend, as a next step, that you pursue this further by taking some kind of firearms training. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. An NRA first steps pistol course would be a great start.
Also, I see in the first few posts that someone has advised you to visit a local range that rents guns and to try a variety of firearms before you make an investment in any one. That is excellent advice! Had I followed it myself I would have saved myself, literally, thousands of dollars in firearms that I shot a few times, left in the safe for a few years and then sold at a loss.
To your question about which gun, I’m not sure that my answer will satisfy you because it sounds like you are looking for something in a caliber typically deployed for self defense and/or home defense. However, I think a new shooter can’t do much better than to equip himself with a version of his intended firearm chambered in .22 Long Rifle.
So, for example, if you determine after several visits to a range with rental offerings that you are most comfortable holding and shooting a .357 magnum revolver, go buy yourself a revolver chambered in .22 long rifle and then “shoot it ‘til the wheel falls out.” Plan on putting 5,000 to 10,000 rounds through it over the course of a year or two. That sounds daunting but, even at today’s prices, that’s pretty doable with .22 long rifle ammo. Then, when you’re completely comfortable with your weapon system, throw a traditional defensive caliber into the mix.
If you find that you like one of the popular semi-autmatics, there are .22 long rifle conversions for many of them on the market today. If you determine, for example, that you just love the Beretta 92, buy yourself one and then purchase a .22 conversion kit for it for preliminary training purposes. The only problem with this approach is that it might bust your $300 budget.
Good luck, have fun and be safe.