Willy, I agree with you totally. I don't force a gun on anyone. My daughter is taking the required classes at 43 years of age because she wants to not because I came up with the idea. I told her I would buy her a gun of her choice as long as she does a few things before EVER carrying concealed for PP. There are good training classes (better than the State sponsored stuff) for PP CC. They include anger management, proper loading, unloading of both semi autos and revolvers, defensive stances and point shooting for center of mass, also included is point vs aim shooting, live fire at a range, center of mass practice and yes a discussion on could your really shoot someone. I like that cause if you couldn't, your weapon could easily end up being used against you. She has shot 22, 380, 38 spc, 40 s&w, and a 45. Likes the 380 best so that is why I am buying her a 380. Of her choice.
Fortunately there are a whole host of really great small 380s available today, more than at any other period in my lifetime.
From personal experience with several of the smaller pistols.
The easiest to maintain has been my Beretta Pico. Once I learned how to do take down and reassembly the next easiest has become my Remington RM380.
The most comfortable to shoot has been the Remington RM380 followed by the Sig P290RS.
Best standard sights are the Beretta Pico and Sig P20RS withe the S&W M&P BG380 very close.
Most reliable has been interesting. I'd rank the Remington RM380 and Sig P290RS at the very top. So far they have simply not had any issues at all.
The Pico does not like older Federal JHPs.
The S&W BG380 had a strange habit of dropping the slide when I would drop an empty magazine and has gone back to the Mothership for a Spa Day.
The Ruger LCP does not have second strike capabilities and does have an annoying double reset that has caused me to pull the trigger and get nothing.
The Beretta Pico, S&W M&P Bg380, Ruger LCP and Remington RM380 were all right at or below $200.00 new from an authorized dealer. The Sig 290RS was about $100.00 more.
The Sig and Remington are the heaviest of the group at about 16oz max. That's still lighter than my snubbies. The Ruger LCP is the lightest of the group withe the Pico and Smith in the middle.
Of the group, the Sig and the Remington are by far the easiest to rack the slide and have the smoothest, crispest triggers. On all of the little pocket pistols the trigger is long with a long reset, but that is classic DA. All have true second strike capabilities except the Ruger LCP.
The Remington and the Beretta come standard with ambidextrous magazine releases.
The Smith can be ordered with a safety. The safety does work and I like that since at times I open carry. Having a safety adds just a slight margin should someone snatch my gun, a moment for me to transition to plan B. When carrying open or concealed OWB I also try to always use a holster with some form of retention.
All are 6+1 standard except the Sig. It came with two magazines, a 6+1 and a 7+1.
