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What should I buy?

5K views 47 replies 17 participants last post by  gvw3 
#1 ·
I have never owned a gun before, but have shot some of my husbands rifles. I am looking into getting a hand gun. I have looked at quite a few and have narrowed it down to either a 9mm ruger or a .380 walther. They both fit my hand really well. I am open to suggestions to others as well. I just want something with very little kick and good accuracy.
 
#2 ·
Find a rental range and try a few out. Looking the gun in the gun store is one thing, loving it at the gun range is a whole different beast. If you've never handled a handgun before, you would benefit from finding someone who has a lot of experience and is a great teacher taking you out to teach you, if you can't find an instruction class with range time included.
 
#3 ·
I went to the only place near me that rents guns, and they didn't have either one I'm interested in available. They had an older version of the ruger that I shot, but they said the trigger was way different. My husband has lots of experience and will teach me to shoot what ever I get, but the hand gun he has is too big for me.
 
#4 ·
Could you have tried out similar guns? It know someone who has one that you could borrow by chance?
 
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#8 ·
Welcome to TFF
For a second I was wondering if you were my neighbor over at K&M Myers farms, But you are much to young for that nonsense.

Its great your husband is experienced with firearms and can help. Most here would agree that a revolver is easier than a semi-auto to learn with. "Lady Smith" comes to mind
What makes a revolver easier to learn with?
 
#7 ·
I'm afraid "very little kick" could be an issue. Recoil is felt differently in each size/type of gun. Some guns just feel like they kick more or less, so you can't automatically discount any particular cartridge until you actually try it in a gun.

Here's some website links for your reading pleasure:

I suggest that you read all the reviews, try some choices at the range, and then talk it over with hubby.

http://www.wideopenspaces.com/6-best-self-defense-handguns-women/

http://www.range365.com/ten-best-handguns-for-women

http://thewellarmedwoman.com/top-10-guns-women-buy
 
#13 · (Edited)
Hello KMMyers I have a few 9mm and a .380ACP. I carry my SIG P238 almost every day I LOVE it and have ZERO issues, even after running it through all of pistol league the last two summers.

I also have the Ruger LC9S and don't like it much at all, it jams up all the time, and it has been back to Ruger twice for the slide to be replaced and the front sight to be locked into place with a pin. (The front sight was loose as a goose after one shot it would be all the way right or left). I have heard good reviews on Walther, although I have not shot it.

I have however shot the new Ruger LCP2 in .380ACP and it was not bad- more recoil then the SIG, but it is lighter too.
Plastic Ruger more recoil the slide is not super smooth, but it is not bad vs. metal gun SIG less recoil and super smooth slide.

I have the S&W compact M&P, and it shoots great but it is kind of bulky (plus no safety).

I swear guns are as different as people, and no firearm is perfect for everyone I hope you find your perfect fit, and you get it on your first purchase, the goal is to buy and cry about the price once, instead of buy cry and have to buy better later.
 
#14 ·
In any given caliber, recoil is usually higher the smaller/lighter the gun. The only way to find out what the recoil is like in any given gun is to shoot it. The thing is that if you buy a gun, and don't like it, you can always sell it, and buy something else. Most of us started out with a .22LR, and progressed up from there. And just because a particular pistol has more recoil than you like at first, practice can help over come that. Of the two guns you've listed, there may, or may not, be a lot of difference in recoil. The Ruger is the lighter gun if you're looking at the LC9. It weighs in at 17.2 oz., and is the bigger cartridge, with more power. The Walther PK .308 weighs in at 22.4 oz. The Walther with the smaller cartridge, and less power, just might be your ticket to less felt recoil.
 
#16 ·
Do not make the mistake my wife did the first time in buying a handgun that was not heavy. As her husband she would not listen to me she got the lightest gun with a large caliber. When she shot it the recoil was too much for her to shoot accurately. If the gun is small just remember that it will be harder to shoot accurately unless you practice on a regular basis. In my opinion what you like at this moment are great guns and reliable but as has been suggested if at all possible rent them and shoot them to make a good informed decision. Welcome to the forum.
 
#17 ·
I took my wife to a gun store as she wanted her own gun. Everyone I recommended she didn't like. I walked away and told her to make her own choice. She chose a Ruger p95. She made a good choice. She can pull the slide on it with no problem. It is very accurate. Two weeks after she bought it Ruger discontinued the model. To bad they were good guns.

I was expecting her to get some ridiculous waste of money pink gun that would end up in the back of the safe. She made a good choice.
 
#18 ·
I took my wife to a gun store as she wanted her own gun. Everyone I recommended she didn't like. I walked away and told her to make her own choice. She chose a Ruger p95. She made a good choice. She can pull the slide on it with no problem. It is very accurate. Two weeks after she bought it Ruger discontinued the model. To bad they were good guns.

I was expecting her to get some ridiculous waste of money pink gun that would end up in the back of the safe. She made a good choice.
What's wrong with a pink gun?
Purple Pink Violet Material property Everyday carry
 
#19 ·
Hi KMMyers, welcome to the forums. You didn't say exactly what you were going to use the gun for, or how / if you were going to carry it. Is it going to be house self defense, car, on the body? Always carried? Occasionally depending on the situation? Some of the answers may sway your decision to one or the other as well.
I 100% agree with the others though as far as trying to shoot it before you buy it. My neighbor has a 9mm compact Springfield XD she really likes. It doesn't fit me well, so I don't like to shoot it. I have a Glock 22 in 9mm conversion I carry on the property and when I am working (which I love), and a Glock 42 in .380 I cc when I am out and about. Of course as already mentioned the Glocks do not have a mechanical safety, but my point is they fit me and are comfortable to shoot, so That's what I carry. I do also have a .357 revolver I carry on the property, wouldn't consider it for cc though, it is big!
 
#25 ·
Lot's of people come here and ask this same question. Most of the time you'll get the best answer; Try as many as you can.
That is not always as easily done as said.
If you think that driving a little farther will get you to a place where you can try more, that's a good thing!
That all being said, you can't try them all and one you liked last week, might not be as comfy next week so good ole recommendations can come in handy.
I introduced my wife to shooting and her concerns going in were the same as yours.
Recoil being the foremost as I think it is with most new shooters.
Consideration of being able to operate the slide sometimes come into play too.
My wife started off shooting a .22 pistol. She loved it. Soon she was shooting various full size 9mm's and loving it. One of her favorites is now a .45 1911. A gun, which at first she was scared of.
The point being, your comfort level with any gun is going to go up with experience. Probably pretty quickly too. So keep an open mind. What you start with, isn't likely to be what you stick with.
General suggestions? As mentioned, heavy is good. You're not in combat on a march. You CAN set it down anytime you like. A larger gun is going to keep recoil way down. It has to fit your hand mind you, but between two similar guns, your best choice is likely the larger gun.
A specific gun that I think you'll like? My wife's latest most favorite forever, and I must say I enjoy the heck out of it...A Browning 1911 .380. Mid sized, very little recoil. Easy pull slide. Not much not to like.
 
#26 · (Edited)
Welcome to the forum, from Iowa..

You’ve already received lots of good input. Not much I can add, except enjoy your first firearm, and welcome to the firearm owner community!

Check back and tell us what you choose! :)
 
#28 ·
Congratulations!
 
#29 ·
I hope that Walther (PPK?) .380 works out for you! I happen to use one (stainless) for CCW, and do like it. My son is a much better shot with it than I am, but I have to admit that I am 65 years old and don't shoot as often as I could or should.

Two things I recommend having the same pistol in the same caliber: Buy a box of 95 grain Speer Gold Dots for protection (and fire at least 6 of those expensive little rascals to insure that YOUR pistol will function reliably with them), and 2.) get about 4 boxes of el-cheapo practice ammo and plan on a full day at the range practicing at 7 yard man-silhouette targets with them.

A lot of folks practice shooting at 25 or 50 yards with their defense hand gun. If you are going to use your weapon at that range you are not being 'defensive'. Defense is up-close-and-personal.
 
#34 ·
Yes , me in a gun store, " Oh, shiney"!:oops: Can you believe all my revolvers are old and used? 4 of the revolvers I have picked out and bought are older then me :eek: used but not used up. They made guns good strong and some very pretty back in the day.
 
#35 ·
Oh darlin', you should see the relics in my toy box...most are older than you 'n me combined! The last rifle I bought is from 1919-1920 and the handgun from the early 1940's. Old stuff is often good stuff but, there was some junk made back then as well. At least it wasn't plastic or some space age synthetic that's as cold as the grave.
 
#41 ·
For the same reason you don't get a little kid a 10 speed mountain bike when they are just learning to ride. A smaller caliber usually is easier to learn on, fits smaller hands easier, and doesn't have the massive recoil to scare people away from shooting to begin with. Many people start out learning to shoot "on granddaddy's farm with his old single shot .22" for a reason...
 
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#40 ·
I think a lot of women just don't want to deal with the recoil. The thing is if they practice, most of them do fine with it. I also think many of them simply want to go out and have fun, so why not shoot something small, inexpensive to feed and light on recoil. And if you are learning, you start with something easy and fun to learn with. A lot of the larger calibers also don't fit many women well, so why try fighting with something to make it fit just because it is a larger caliber?
I think anyone should buy whatever they are comfortable with, have FUN with it, get proficient with it, and if they ever want to expand from there they can.
They make lots of fun game targets that are just, well, fun to shoot at. Why would I take out the .45 to do that? The OP already said she just wants to have fun at the range. So finding something that fits and she can enjoy is more important than caliber, imo.
 
#43 ·
There's nothing wrong with the .380, it's a venerable cartridge. I prefer the .40 S&W because it's bigger and faster... In a situation that would require defense by firearm, with the amount of adrenaline being dumped into your system, being able to aim is marginal at best... Bigger faster bullets will do more damage if it's not a good shot.
 
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