Handgun for my girlfriend for home defense

Fyredup...

If your g/f likes the Mossberg best, that could be your best choice. You could help her pick out a suitable handgun for carry when that time comes.

I do agree with "let her pick it out". Rent and have her shoot as many different options as you can. If you have friends with handguns, organize a range party. I have held several revolvers and semis that seemed to fit, then find out in the range they're awful for me.

Racking the slide: Pax said as soon as we can figure out how to get my video emailed to her, she will post an alternative girls way to rack a slide that I learned from one of my favorite gun store/range employees. Semi's may still be an option.

In spite of what a LOT of people think about it, I like the Taurus Judge. We have a blued 4" barrel Judge, chambered for 2.5" .410 shells. The barrel is short enough to give a decent spread pattern with shot at close range, and is fairly accurate with .45LC. It's big and heavy, not nearly as much recoil as a .357 or .38+p snubby. I think it's a blast to shoot.

Good luck.
 
Depending on her build and ability to handle recoil, you might want to consider the 20 ga. The 12 ga. is a real hand full but the 20 (at SD ranges) is plenty stout to put down a big perp. However, you can disregard any advice offered suggesting you don't have to aim a shotgun. At 10' a 12 ga. will have a pattern about 4" across and at 20 ft. its about 6", so failure to aim can get you killed. My Rem. 870 sports a combo tac light and pulsating laser and that combination should enable me to put that 4" of shot right smack COM.
 
I'm not knocking revolvers but let me relay a problem my wife has with my .38 S&W revolver:

It's very difficult for her to shoot it double-action with any resemblance of accuracy.
The heavy double-action trigger-pull is just too much for her tiny index finger.
 
It's very difficult for her to shoot it double-action with any resemblance of accuracy.
The heavy double-action trigger-pull is just too much for her tiny index finger.
Click to expand...

Three words: Wolff, fluff 'n' buff

You can take at least a pound, if not more, off the pull by polishing the internals. Wolff springs work wonders, too. I got a set on my Taurus and it's a different gun from the original.
 
GET her what SHE wants, if she wants a shotgun and is familiar with it, get it TODAY> then let her try other things as time goes on....

This is not about what you know best, its about what she feels comfortable and safe with. Many women get coerced by well meaning spouses and Bf's into using guns they are not comfortable with, and end up either NOT using it when the time comes or they misuse it and do something wrong because its not what they are used to .


Get the shotgun, let her shoot some clay birds using bird shot just to get the hang of it, and then load it with some good HD loads, no mags, no 3 slugs, but BB or 4 buck for inside the house. Its all she will need.
 
If my wife wanted a 12ga pump shotgun, I wouldn't be able to get to the store fast enough! Though I second "HoraceHogsnort" about switching to a 20 ga. Plenty of power but a little easier to handle.
 
I am getting her the 12 gauge shotgun she picked out. She wants the Mossberg Tactical. It has an M4 style stock that she can "custom" fit to her.

I wouldn't dream of getting her a pistol without her picking it out from a selection of what I feel fits the bill for her needs.

Thanks for all the help...Keep it coming.
 
the shotgun pattern will not spread like in the movies. Unless you live in a VERY large home, the pattern of a 12 GA across a bedroom is mere centimeters in diameter and will not allow your girlfriend to be a foot off and still make a hit.
Click to expand...

It's too bad more people don't understand this simple concept. You have to aim and be precise. That should be the prequel to shotgun defense 101.

The only person who should ever keep a 12 ga. pump for SD is one who has used it extensively and is thoroughly familiar with it. Had a friend with a new 870 who short shucked his continuously over a weekend bird hunt.
 
The Mossberg tactical is a nice choice. She has good tastes. I would suggest that she keep it stocked with reduced recoil buckshot. The recoil is surprisingly lighter than standard loads. They also seem to pattern better. The few officers that I know in this area keep their shotguns loaded with Remington reduced 12ga buckshot. My home defense shotgun also has that in the magazine tube.
 
You really need to let her hold and, if possible, shoot several different guns. I also recommend the Ruger SP101.... but some girls don't have the finger strength needed for a double action revolver.
 
I fully intend on having her pick out the one she wants. When you have a woman that is a shooter AND loves you it is prudent to keep her happy because I simply don't think there are enough of them to go around!!

She is so much of a shooter that the last time she was at my house we were walking around the pond and she looks at me and says why aren't we carrying the guns down so we can shoot while we are out here? I just smiled and said let's go get them. That my friends is one hell of a woman!!

Thanks for all the advice, keep it coming. Also thank you to everyone for keeping on topic and keeping it civil. I do appreciate it.
 
The best gun, whether shotgun or handgun is the one the idividual picks out for his or her self. Nobody can pick the best gun for someone else.

Let her try as many as needed till she finds the ONE.
 
Time to revive this to ask a question.

My youngest son and I were talking handguns the other day and I was mentioning that I needed to take my girlfriend to get a psitol for self defense and that I was going to get her a revolver. He says GEEZ, just get her a 1911. I explained the reasons for getting a revolver and he said well then get her a .45 revolver.

Well, I have to admit this set me to thinking. How practical would that be? Short barreled .45 ACP revolver filled with 185 grain hollow points. Would the recoil be excessive compared to say a .38 hollow point? If this is a stupid idea just say so.

Thanks.
 
Great thread. She sounds like a heckuva woman. Does she know how hard a 12 gauge kicks?

45 ACP is a good personal defense cartridge, but it is also a bigger penetrator than a 38 Special. Not everyone likes them. Let her rent one and shoot it and decide for herself. Do you have something in your collection that is similar? If not, I'm sure someone here does. Another option would be to hook up with someone local and shoot their guns.

I'm in northern IL. I have the following guns she could try if you want to meet up at a range local to me some time: Bersa 380, Ruger SP101 in 357 w/ 3" barrel, Charles Daly Hi Power in 9mm, Ruger Redhawk in 44 Magnum. I also have an old 12 gauge pump shotgun, if she doesn't know how that feels yet.

If I'm recalling the stats properly, 357 Magnum has the best record for one-shot stops in handguns, followed closely by 45 ACP. 38 Special is down the list a bit, but still considered effective. 45 ACP from a pistol is much easier to shoot than 357 Magnum from a medium-to-small revolver.
 
Home defense? Why the short barrel? It's more difficult to shoot/hit your target with a snubby. How about a Model 10 or 67? The easiest shooting things ever. Easy to hit, easy to master, easy on recoil, etc. Model 10s are all over the internet for less than $300. If you want a .45 revolver, how about a S&W M1917 in .45ACP? They're available online.
 
Oh, one other thing...

Make sure she knows that in the unlikely event that you break up, YOU keep the guns.

I had an girlfriend for whom I bought a Walther P99 when they first came out. Sweet gun. Towards the end, she cheated on me with a married man and got knocked up. That's all fine & well if that's what she wants. We'll just go our separate ways.

But then, she kept the gun (which cost about $700) and sold it to help buy a new car for her illegitimate little family. That hurt. I didn't intend to let her have it, but she searched while I was at work one day until she found the key to the cabinet, and took the gun back to her parents' place. By the time I noticed, it was too late, and she wouldn't give it up.
 
Sounds like she wants the shotgun and you want a new handgun :)

You should take her tot he range and let her try some stuff out, you might find out she cant shoot a DAO revolver. My girl always wanted a revolver but really hates the intaial DA pull on my 239 and all the other DA guns she has shot. That leads me to beleive she might not be a big fan of the revolvers. It might ruin the element of surprise for a gift but giving some a gun they cant shoot is never any good.
 
Okay, let me restate the intent of this topic. I am buying her the shotgun because SHE wants it. I love this woman and I am going to do what I can to keep her happy because a woman like her doesn't come around every day.

The pistol is MY idea for her to carry when she goes out to tend the horses at night on the days I am working at the firehouse. I thought that a revolver would be a better choice than a semi-automatic in this circumstance because if it fails to fire she justs pulls the trigger again, no clearing a dud round or a jam, just pull the trigger til it goes bang.

I was pretty well set on a 2 or 3 inch .38 until the conversation with my son. I like the idea of a .45 ACP revolver. But NOT if she won't be able to handle it.

IT IS NOT ABOUT ME WANTING A NEW TOY. IT IS ABOUT GETTING HER SOMETHING SHE CAN CARRY TO PROTECT HERSELF WHEN SHE IS ALONE OUT BY THE HORSES AT NIGHT WHEN I AM AT WORK.
 
Whoa, I can see why you called yourself "FyredUp" hehehe.

He was jus teasing, take it easy. He even put the smiley in there...

We do a lot of teasing around here.

As for the others, not everyone bothers to read the whole thread before replying. I try to at least read all the posts from the original poster, but not everyone does. Some folks just read the title and do a "Post-and-Run." It's all part of internet forum culture.
 
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