[FateAmenableToChange]

For women just starting out with a firearm, check out the Smith & Wesson Model 317 AirLite, 317 LadySmith Revolvers.

In the article, she relates her love affair with the Taurus .454 Casull. She also says she's not going to carry and wants a full-size. If she goes the revolver route, any k-frame in .38+P or .357mag would better fit her needs. Or even one bigger in .45LC or .44 special. The .38 special (normal load) has about the same recoil on a steel k-frame than the .22 does on the 317 with its light aluminum frame. For even more kicks & giggles, a 3" Ruger GP-100 or similar N-frame s&w would sit totally rock solid in her hand and shoot .38's with the same recoil as me spitting watermelon seeds. Ok, maybe a little more, but you get what I mean.

[Yosemitest]

After they've fired a few rounds, I try to talk them into a S&W .38 special revolver, 5 shot.

I prefer the older models, with no safety.
Then I tell them ... don't put your finger on the trigger unless you mean business.