Gun for Mom.

Your mom should be able to handle a 38 Smith revolver or anything like it.

This gun is designed pretty much for "get the heck off me" shooting.

And that means you will likely only be shooting one cylinder-five rounds through it.

I would not get her a 357 in a snubbie unless she is going to shoot 38 rounds in it.

+p preferably.

A larger 357 revolver yes but not a snub.

And it definitely makes someone look at your mom as someone that "oops maybe I just messed up here" when or if they try to rob her or anything else.

I would recommend a hammerless double action airweight or ultralight in stainless.

Looks bigger in her hand.

She can carry it in her pocket (after a ccw class & license),have it at the side of her bed,(but not in the open-just where she can get it real fast) and keep it with her everywhere.

She should train at the range at firing all the rounds right into the upper chest of a -attacker style- target and to reload quickly if possible with a speedloader.

But if you think she would better served with a semi auto and she likes them better,the Smith and Wesson M&P compact 9 or the compact Glock or the XD are all great alternatives.

You never know-you get her to the range and let her shoot any gun she wants-your paying-"Mom try anything-I want you to be able to protect yourself." and she might make going to the range a part of her monthly habits.

I like the M&P Compact but that's just a personal thing-there are many excellent options out there.

It being 9mm will make it easier (less recoil) and cheaper to shoot.
 
skoro My experience with women shooters is that they've all loved my S&W Model 10 with a 4" barrel. They can shoot it well and the recoil isn't bad at all. Plus, it can be left loaded and ready to go for a decade, if need be. And 38+P is an effective load out of that particular gun. The 4" barrel is able to take advantage of the extra velocity that a snubbie can't. I keep mine charged with Remington +P lead semiwadcutter hollowpoints - the FBI load. And I know it'll take care of business if ever called on.

Since your mom will be using this in her home and not as a carry weapon, its medium size shouldn't be an issue.

Just my 2 cents...

+1
For someone who doesn't shoot much a 4" revolver is the way to go.
 
Ruger is now coming out with a polymer framed 38 sp. revolver. IMO a derringer or shotgun is not what I would want my mom to have. I would only want her to have a revolver that is easy to see if it is empty or loaded, has no safety's and think she would be able to enjoy shooting mild wadcutters. A laser would be a big comfort to her and give her a better sense of security.
 
...her neighborhood is getting pretty rough, i've been thinking for a while now "gee, it'd be nice to get mom a gun since she's there all alone on that main street in a brand new house...
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I'm not sure what the situtuation really is here.

If she's living in a neighborhood that "is getting pretty rough", that implies that she's lived in the neighborhood long enough to know that it's "getting" rough.
But if she's there all alone on the main street "in a brand new house", that implies that she just moved in.

Sorry to burst bubbles, but whatever the case, I have (had) only one mom, and the first thing I'd do is to find a nice neighborhood where older people are more welcome.

Because of the baby-boomers now getting older, there are a number of builders who are building entire communities based upon the retirement generation.
One such builder is Del Webb, and to buy a house in a Del Webb community, you have to be at least 55 years old.
Move her out, man, move her out:

http://www.delwebb.com/annuncio/DWPages/DWNationalCampaigna.htm
 
What sensible advice? Grandma shouldn't go all Grand Torino? Make my day?

CDH nailed it - rather than trying to have combat Momma - move. I do also have doubts about the OP too. Very contradictory - a 32 HR N frame?

I think we need less caliber and a total rethink for Momma.
 
I'm not sure what the situtuation really is here.

If she's living in a neighborhood that "is getting pretty rough", that implies that she's lived in the neighborhood long enough to know that it's "getting" rough.
But if she's there all alone on the main street "in a brand new house", that implies that she just moved in.
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Alright, since i guess im not clear of the situation, and beings that all but a few have AVOIDED the main point. (i mean i guess i appreciate the input, but this isnt the input i was looking for)

Heres "what the situation really is here"

My moms dad died in.....1960-62, somewhere around there when my mom was very young, so my grandma used the insurance money and bought over an acre of property and built a house. elsewhere in the town, she also bought a small lot in a fairly good sized trailer park in anticipation of retiring there when her kids were grown and had no reason to have such a large house, so, my mom bought a single wide and put on that property and lived there, and it used to be all elderly people, well, as the elderly people passed on and their kids didnt want to move into a trailer court, they just started renting and selling the units out.......to drug dealers, addicts, troublemakers and just plain scum. so, with moving to another area NOT an option (she would love to live down here where i'm at). she bought the lot from my grandma and built a modular home on the lot.

I can see how it would be confusing that "she bought a new house" would have led someone to think that she moved into the area......

It just didnt have anything to do with my my main point, so i didnt clarify it.
 
okay, so, in the spirit of most replies seeming (at least thats the way i've taken it, sorry if i'm wrong) overly condescending, and upon my own research and some of the things SOME of you have said, i've narrowed down my caliber to .38 special or possibly 9mm, NOW i will do some research and have her handle some guns.


and another thought.........if everyone/anyone could just UP AND MOVE AWAY, without a second thought........then why do people stay in bad neighborhoods, tornado alleys, flood areas or with abusive spouses??

Easier said than done.
 
You might want to look at a heavy 9mm like the Taurus PT92 or Beretta 92FS. The Taurus has 17+1 round capacity, and, because of it's weight has very manageable recoil.
 
My grandpa's gun that he takes with him whenever he leaves town is a little S&W .32 HR, i believe its an N-frame, but im not sure, small little grip and my mom seems to like it, but it brought me to ANOTHER conclusion.......i'd like her to have a crimson trace laser, mostly for the accuracy reasons
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First of all, I think you may be a bit confused about S&W's frame sizes. The N-Frame is their second largest and is usually chambered in calibers like .44 Magnum, .41 Magnum, .45 ACP and other big bores. You say this gun is rather small which leads me to believe that it's more likely a J-Frame or at the largest a K-Frame. That being the case, this seems like a good choice

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&productId=86957&tabselected=over&isFirearm=Y&parent_category_rn=

This would seem to be fairly close to the gun that you already know she likes. .32 H&R Magnum can be used as a subload in this gun (similar to .38 Spl in a .357 Magnum) and laser grips for S&W revolvers are quite common.
 
okay, so, in the spirit of most replies seeming (at least thats the way i've taken it, sorry if i'm wrong) overly condescending, and upon my own research and some of the things SOME of you have said, i've narrowed down my caliber to .38 special or possibly 9mm, NOW i will do some research and have her handle some guns.


and another thought.........if everyone/anyone could just UP AND MOVE AWAY, without a second thought........then why do people stay in bad neighborhoods, tornado alleys, flood areas or with abusive spouses??

Easier said than done.
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I agree!

I think your going in the right direction.

Sorry I didn't read all the thread's, as to how you mom's physical abilities are? (Can she rack a slide?) , "is she weak or strong or something in between? Does she have moxi, or is she a frady cat?

A lot of those factor's may play a roll on what she should do to protect herself.

Maybe she just needs pepper spray, and a "ZAP!!!" gun!

.02
 
I always get a kick out of the 'Armed Citizen' page in the AR when some granny unloads on the boyz in the hood with a .22LR revolver, sometimes one bleeds out most are in hospital. could hardly go wrong w/a Taurus 9 shot loaded w/Stingers.
I bought my Mom a .32acp Beretta she likes the tip-up bbl. I made a cartridge holder out of plastic to hold 3 rounds and linked it to the trigger gaurd so she don't have to fumble for a round to load.
 
gun for Mom

A smith K frame ,Model 10 or k13 , 3- 4 in very handy, smooth, cost effective and well balanced. I rebuilt one for a friend and after test firing.....250rnds later I didnt want to give it back. Shot everything from 148wc to 125+p like a dream There are some victory models out there that are very inexpensive and just need a little refinishing. Basicly whatever she is comfortable with and CONFIDENT with. Good Luck CW
 
Even though you don't want to use .357 magnum, I'd go with a .357 anyway, just because you can load it with all manner of .38s. Take your mom to the range, see how she does with different +p and +p+ .38 special rounds, and then load her gun with the most powerful .38s that she can shoot accurately.
 
guns

You need to let her try the gun before you buy them.

Female can be very picky since they have smaller hand and grip!

Let her make the call!~

(wise words from TFL last month!):D
 
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