Can I get some advice on this choice???

Finding a gun that fits her hands, not yours, is a really big deal...and the right grip angle, the right sights, etc....

Some of my younger granddaughters...are very petite...and a couple of guns of mine, they have enjoyed shooting are :

a. Sig 239 ( single stack, 9mm) ...alloy frame, steel slide....

b. a 1911 in a 4" alloy frame in 9mm ( kimber Tactical Pro II model is one gun - but there are many others). The 5" 1911's, all steel in 9mm - are too heavy. Most of the poly frame double stack semi-autos in 9mm are too wide and grip angles are all over the place...

c. a K frame S&W revolver...model 19's or 66's in 4" barrels ( they're chambered in .357 mag / but shoot .38 spl in them ) and they were fine.

and the same goes for the male grandkids when they're young...as they get older and stronger its different. Its not their height and weight that is the issue ...its the forearm and hand strength ..and upper body strength that is the issue / and what fits their hands the best.
 
Carbine in 9mm would b nice. Also my gf is about her size and ha no trouble with things up to 44mag he issue isn't a size one it's a training skill one. She needs to learn from someone experienced.
 
I agree with Venom. Hi-Point carbines in 9mm (or .40, or .45 ACP), are light, handy, (relatively) inexpensive, unobtrusive, and virtually indestructible. If she can be trained to hit a gallon milk jug at 25 yards with a .22 LR, she can be trained to hit a creep in her house at 7 yards with a Hi-Point. I'm not saying this to be a smart-mouth, but if she ends up missing with all the rounds in one, the carbine also doubles as a workable baton/baseball bat (DON'T ask me how I know).

Some defensive training would be valuable, in the context of keeping creeps at bay, so she needn't end up grappling with one. She can learn this in any serious defensive pistol class worthy of the name.
 
Start with a nice (medium priced) .22 pistol for target shooting. It'll be fun for her and she'll learn not to be fearful of the noise and recoil and she'll learn to overcome the involuntary flinching and jerking that goes with it. She'll learn trigger control while getting rid of any fear of guns and learn to respect them. As already stated a self-defense class with practicum would be invaluable. Then, when she's proficient in hitting where she's aiming and knows the manipulation of the gun (by her taking it apart and cleaning it), take her to the range where she can rent different kinds of handguns. 9mm is easily manageable and we know from recent FBI studies there's no appreciable difference in penetration or "stopping power" between the 9mm and the heavier rounds including .45 cal.
 
(she enjoys shooting it, but lets just say even at 25 feet her aim is lackluster at best.
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I think you need to dig deeper and find out why she is not interested in doing better. For some the idea of shooting another human being is not something that they want to do. It would appear you are projecting your feelings on her and should consider what she wants to do. While, I agree that the .380 is not the greatest self defense weapon it is used by ten's of thousands as a concealed carry weapon for their own self-defense.

Jim
 
Unless your wife carries the 380, I would not choose that caliber until she is more experienced. To me, most 25 ACP and 380 ACP are pistols you take to the range and blast a few magazines full at 5-7 yds and say.... "good enough" for home defense..... The same applies to the little light snubbie revolvers such as the S&W 642. But if she wants to learn to shoot, go with a larger steel framed handgun and the S&W M10 would work very well for that in 38spl.

22's are always the place to start when learning to shoot.
 
How big is YOUR house. Longest shot in mine would be just a bit in excess of that 25 feet. From the hallway between the front and rear across the living room and thru the entry to the dining area...

Frankly, clearing a house with a carbine is often cumbersome and there are plenty of areas where it could get hung up trying to maneuver around from room to room.

The mdl10 S&W is simple, no safeties to forget or slides to rack. With most any grip sized for her hands, very controllable w/38spls. A class and practice can make it like a second nature. Decades of female LEOs have proven it's adaptability.
 
Dont overlook the .32 caliber handguns, compact size and with the .32H&R and .327 pretty good ballistics. Easy shooting .32long for practice. Even the .327 recoil is pretty moderate. For home defense the Ruger SP101 in .327 would be a good choice.
 
Frankly, clearing a house.....
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Is a dumb idea for all except experienced LEOs with back-up. You hunker down, lock the BR door and point your gun at the door while the other person is dialing 911. Better to lose your TV than your life.
 
Try a basic, short barrel, 20 gauge, semi-auto, shot gun with #2 shot. The semi-auto tames the recoil. The #2 shot is big enough without excess penetration and is far more forgiving for any lack of practice/skill.
Mind you, if she just wants a pistol, finding a gun that fits her hand is critical. Take her shopping.
 
I will take a different approach. If she is not able to defend herself, and doesn't want to learn, move to a safer neighborhood.
Or get a German Shepard.
 
If a handgun is your preference I would, as others have, suggest a S&W J-frame or Ruger SP101 that can shoot either 38 Special or 32 H&R Magnum (or 32Long). Double action revolvers are simple to operate. They are more reliable than semi-autos with regard to ammo choice and proper grip. The models that have been suggested do not have safeties that must be moved to the "off" position before firing. My wife's hands have been stiffened, deformed and weakened by arthritis but she did not find a lightweight 32 Magnum revolver unpleasant to fire.

TG
 
Another strange option might be a Ruger 10/22 carbine. No recoil, less noise, reliable, much easier to make hits with than a handgun and fun to shoot. I know it's no power house but very easy to use with limited training. A hit with a 22 beats 7 misses with a handgun she doesn't use often.
 
How about the Kel Tec Sub 2000. Small enough for a small person to handle if you can get the Glock version you would have 17 rounds of 9mm or 33 if you don't mind the mag sticking out the bottom. Come to think if it I just might have MY wife get to know mine.
 
I may get a lot of push back on this, but if your wife is weak in the arms I would look to a long gun she could tuck. Not sure what her recoil tolerance is so guessing it may be low. I like shotguns for home defense, but if she is not able to handle the recoil of a .410, I would buy her a .22 rifle. She would be much more accurate, no real recoil and a long gun always has a psychological imposing effect. Use good ammo like cci .22lr. Never seen anyone volunteer to take a .22 round to the chest let alone a whole tube from an autoloader, which she could easily expend. Anyone who shoots a .22 auto loader knows how fast and accurate they are. Just would not be practical for taking to the grocery store. :D
 
The .22 lr FROM A RIFLE is nothing to sneeze at. A good autoloader with a stock that fits (most are too long) and some practice should do nicely.
 
I also think the Ruger 10/22 (semi-auto rifle) 22LR is not a bad choice for a home defense gun. It points very easily even in the normal configuration but you can get smaller stocks and so forth to make it even shorter. You can get reliable larger capacity magazines (steel lips) or load multiple regular Ruger rotary magazines that are very reliable.

A 223 would be better of course as would any larger caliber. But it would be EXTREMELY noisy inside a home (I repeat, extremely). I once shot a 222 rifle at a crow from the inside of my bedroom out the window. The muzzle blast was horrendous. Didn't break any windows but they shook.
 
I agree with the comment above about looking at the .32 H&R magnum or .32 S&W long. Both are acceptable SD rounds, better than a .380, and may fit the bill. I picked up a used S&W model 30 a while back and it is a very nice little gun. My wife liked it too, but stuck with her P238.
 
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