Recommendation for an inexpensive handgun for a female?

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Take a look at the Ruger SP-101. It is a good farily concealable revolver that can shoot respectable loads (I recommend Buffalo Bore 38 Special 158 grain lead +P loads). The manual of arms is very straightforward, nice to keep you out of trouble with your gun.

A revolver is a nice knock-around gun that can take more abuse than most semi-autos.
 
SMith & Wesson model 10...
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simple, reliable, effective.

Depending on condition... $275 - 400.
Many to choose from....
Variety of barrel lengths and finishes.
Very well made.
Super reliable.
No safety required.
If the grip is not right for you, there are many alternate grips available.
Practice ammo's cheap.
Self defense ammo for it is... quite effective, google Buffalo Bore.
Buy some speed loaders. Practice using them.

What ever gun you buy I suggest you take it to a gunsmith who is recommended. Tell him the pistol you've brought is going to be a self defense weapon and you want it to be totally functional and reliable. Cheap insurance.

Sorry to hear Abq. has gone to the dogs. Lived there for a spell in the 60's, it was a nice place then.
 
Tucker 2 is on the same wavelength as me. An economical gun will most likely be a used 38 spcl and ammo is comparatively cheap. S&W are favorites and the M10 is just something special. Not quite as concealable but if you can stand to open carry a 4" or 5" barreled gun will be a nice easy to shoot gun with good accuracy and enough power for a close up and personal encounter if God forbid it should ever occur.
 
My recommendation is for a Bersa Thunder .380. My wife started out carrying one before moving up to the 9mm. The .380 is small, reliable, and the recoil is very manageable. Best of all they can be found under $240 new and for $200 used. Ammo is a bit tough to find right now for the .380 but it is getting better every month and I would not let that deter you from looking at this gun.
 
Bersa Thunder 9mm UC. It is compact, yet not too small. It is double action, single action, and has a manual safty/decocker, and exposed hammer. Recoil is negligable. It is a bit one heavy side compared to most of the polymer framed semi autos on the market. It is a single stack magazine that is not a thumb killer to load. Price is in the affordable range.
My girlfriend owns one and carries it every day. She picked it without pressure from anyone. It was her choice.
 
My Advice..

Find a local range that rents firearms for use at their range, experiment with as many as possible in your price range for a session (and don't be afraid to do a few times at the range to expand your horizons) and find a firearm that feels "right" to you for use. I would never presume to advise anyone to use a firearm that I prefer, my hands, and my feel of a weapon is far different than other folks I'm sure. And certainly different than what a female would prefer.

I carry a Springfield XD-9, it feels right to me. My wife on the other hand has an issue with "racking" the slide of a semi-auto, her preference thankfully is a older model Ruger Security Six in .38 Special that I've had for years. Funny though, our son has a Bersa UC-9 that she can rack the slide perfectly, and in the times I've fired his firearm, I've found it to be a great shooter. I like it as much as my XD, and the sale price was pretty reasonable, around $360.00 as compared to a XD selling today for at least a hundred more. I was lucky and got my XD in the $360.00 range last year.

If you find a weapon you prefer, you don't have to buy new, pawn shops have a variety of used firearms for much less than a new one.

But bottom line on caliber, in my opinion, for a self defense weapon is a .380 or larger.

Welcome to the forum, I thank you for your service for our country, and give you a salute for coming to the point you have decided that you're responsible for your own safety rather than counting on someone else (or the cops) to assure your well being.

After you buy one, PRACTICE and seek further education in self defense as often as possible. And seriously consider obtaining a concealed carry permit if after looking at the possible scenarios you could find yourself in it makes sense to you.
 
If it is for home defense and car carry, I would look at the Taurus 24/7 OSS. I bought a 9mm version for $310 on Gunbroker.

It is available in 9mm, 40 and 45. 5.25 inch match barrel, 17 + 1 for the 9mm. Mine is a pleasure to shoot and very accurate.

I have been carrying mine concealed for the past 2 weeks. It is not as uncomfortable as I thought.

I also have a Keltec PF-9. It is a great little gun to carry, but I would definitely take a full sized firearm, since you are not planning on carrying.
 
CZ 52

If a cheap reliable gun is what you want I suggest a cz 52 fast little cartridge!
A very good advantage to it is that ammo is dirt cheap so she can practice plenty without hurting the wallet and the finish is hard enough to take some abuse! Around here you can usally pick one up for around 150 bucks so fairly cheap! They are very reliable thought!
JUST A SUGGESTION!!!!!
 
Kat, just remember the old adage: You get what you pay for. The only exception to this might be some of the recently imported well-made arms from former Eastern Bloc countries who are just plain hard up for cash.

Czech made CZ-82s are a good buy for under $200.00. Hungarian PA-63s are another good buy for under $200.00. The various Makarovs are all well made relaible guns for (generally) under $200.00, but they are slowly starting to creep up. Polish P-64s are another serviceable option and well under $200.00. All of those guns are chambered for the ex-Warsaw pact 9x18 Makarov round which is still pretty cheap and available.

Don't know what your budget situation is, or size requirements, but here's a suggestion for you: Go to Wal-Mart and buy a copy of Shotgun News and look at what J&G Sales (Prescott, AZ) have to offer and at what prices. There are a lot of police trade-ins on the market as well at fairly decent prices.

One thing you are going to encounter: If you go into a gun store, Mr. Macho Know-It-All Salesman is going to assume that, as a woman, you don't know what you are doing (much like car dealers and repair shops), so you need to be prepared to get a lot of smoke blown up your butt. Don't be afraid to walk out if you're not happy and, as always, there are many knowledgable people right here on the boards that will be more than happy to give you advice.
 
Personal Defence Gun

First, thank you for your service
Second, I am with those that say you cannot do better than a Smith & Weson Model Ten;(K frame .38special)
They have been in production for 100+ years- There is a reason for this, think about it.
Reliability is unmatched by any other firearm
The effectiveness of the .38 spl, which has been considered to be a reliable self defence round since its inception, has been greatly enhanced by recent offerings from several cartridge manufacturers.
It is one of the easiest Guns to learn how to operate safely.
You can purchase one that will serve reliably in good condion for $300 or less and be secure that it will perform as expected when you need it most.

To sum it up, As a former Range Officer and Action Pistol Competitor, My Wife carries a four inch Smith&Wesson Model Ten in .38 Special with 125gr. Hollowpoints on our farm because she can shoot it well and effectivley. And out here we can only count on ourselves.

Bill Henderson
 
Kel Tec PF9 comes to my mind
Click to expand...
I have one of these and it is very simple to operate and has proven to be plenty accurate and 100% reliable so far (maybe 500 rounds). Otherwise, I'd agree with others, a snub nose .38/357 can't be beat for ease of use under stress and reliablity. Also, a Colt 45/410 Deringer like the Bond Arms line comes to mind (I'm thinking about getting one of those myself). I think a 410 shell with 4-5 buckshot pellets would be pretty devistating at close range.
 
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The Ruger SR9 is a great gun, and is only $370. It certainly is far less than a Beretta. And it has a nice thin grip that is easier for smaller hands to hold.

What exactly is your budget?

Anyway, consider the Ruger for an inexpensive option:

pix1116297453.jpg


See:

http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=139531303


If you really like the Beretta 92 a lot, Taurus makes a less expensive clone of it that is basically identical. You could get one of them at a low price. It is not a bad looking gun:

pix777011781.jpg


See:

http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=139167572


I have no idea why so many folks are telling you to buy a .380 pistol. .380 ammo is:

1) More expensive
2) Less available
3) Much less powerful

than 9mm ammo.

Definitely don't buy any pistol in .380

--
 
I would, as others have recommended, The Ruger Sr9, as well as the Bersa 9mm or even the .40 or .45. Since you seem to be relatively experienced with firearms through your military time I would suggest trying out a 1911 type pistol in 45, or many other calibers if you choose. As others befor have said try to find a range that rents different handguns for you to test. Best of luck in your search.
 
Katnip, is your life worth a "cheap" gun ? We're talking possibilities here, you don't need the biggest, most expensive but you will need reliability and you vary seldom find that in a inexpensive gun. Take a look at maybe a S&W .38 Air weight. Been around for years, reliable, small, light weight, and will most certainly do the job if and when you may need it. And welcome to TFL. ;)
 
Kat -- Ron Petersen's Guns down on Central in ABQ should have a nice selection of handguns that you can go down and look at and handle. Make an informed decision and pick out one handgun and then, if it doesn't "fit" you can sell it off and buy another until you find your "perfect" gun. You might want one for the house and another for carry. I never found much at a reasonable price at the ABQ gun shows so I would stick with reputable gun shops until you have a little more experience. Welcome to the forum and good luck on what can be a never ending quest!
 
Handstrength issues

Kat, I have seen a lot of ladies get frustrated by hand-strength issues in relation to operating a semi-auto. There are good revolvers in 0.38/357 caliber from S & W, Ruger, Charter Arms, and Taurus. You can find their web sites pretty quick.

If the budget is tight, don't be afraid to buy used, just expand the scope of your search. If you buy out of state then the seller should be able to find a local FFL to ship your gun to.

These are good guys here, many at TFL have gotten deals,

http://www.cdnninvestments.com

http://www.budsgunshop.com

http://www.jgsales.com

http://www.aimsurplus.com

www.gunsamerica.com
 
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