Daughter wants handgun

[Puckinhead]

.357 may be a good choice. I like the idea of a light .38 to train with and then move up to the magnum. Also revolvers are darn dear as reliable as it gets. Only disadvantage I can see is the round count.

[kenl]

Imho reliability and being able to hit your target trumps round count, although it wouldn't hurt training to reload with speed loaders. Capacity varies from 5 to 8 rounds, depending on the make and model.

[k1dude]

Go to Wild West Guns in Anchorage. They'll tell her what she needs.

I personally use a G20SF or a G29SF with Xtreme Penetrators alternated with hard cast.

Whatever she chooses, she needs to train, train, train, and then train some more. Being fast and accurate in the face of a charging Brown takes real skill and calm nerves of steel.

[Robotron2k84]

Agree with this. Advantage is she can train with .38 specials while working up to her full powered .357mag carry load.

Or she can do the same with a .44mag; train with specials while carrying mags. With a semiauto, 10mm is probably the best. Use .40s&w without a barrel swap or a 9mm conversion barrel for training.

In my Redhawk 4” .44, specials are very soft shooting since the gun weighs 4 lbs.

Even full-house rounds are not that much different than a 1911 +P or snappy 9mm sub-compact.

I would think she could pretty much start there and train with, if she’s handled and shot a 9mm before.

+1 for Hogue tamer grips.

[dmcag69]

She needs a Glock in 10mm and training

[IVC]

The latest info from the senile in command is that 9mm will blow a lung out. I assume it will do the same to grizzlies and moose because, as senile in command assures us, they are much smaller than humans and that's why nobody needs guns for hunting ice cream.

[edgerly779]

I carry an ar pistol in 6.8 spc or my model 29.

[Oceanbob]

[Verdha603]

44mag, 454 casull, 10mm...Are you all high or stupid? This is a NEW SHOOTER asking about a FIRST GUN!

I always recommend starting with a .22lr. Good cheap way to learn, gain confidence, learn proper marksmanship without ingraining a flinch, etc.

Then she should probably get some sort of 9mm. GLock 19 would be perfect since she is already familiar with it.

After some classes and shooting at least 1000 rounds of 9mm in practice, then if she wants a large caliber "bear gun", go for it.

Exactly what I was thinking. If she's a new shooter, she would be much better off learning the basic shooting fundamentals on a .22, moving up to controllable mid-powered cartridge (.38 Special, 9mm, .40 S&W, .45 ACP) handgun afterwards, and then if she's comfortable with that start looking at something big enough to be called a "bear gun".

[elSquid]

https://www.americanhunter.org/content/alaska-outfitter-defends-fishermen-from-raging-grizzly-with-9mm-pistol/

[FeuerFrei]

Not sure that you and I have the same definition of boondocking. I would think that would not be a common sense first step??

getting advice from locals is a common sense first step.

[Jeepergeo]

Brown Bears love Glocks. Suggesting a Glock to your kid is child abuse.

Her first step needs to be to learn avoidance and countermeasures like Bear Spray. Master those first, the consider adding another layer.

Remember, too much gun in the hands of an inexperienced shooter can create more problems than it solves.

[Nvberinger]

Find the 9mm she wants and fits her hands plus get a Ruger PPC in 9mm. She may find a Ruger 9mm with 20 round an excellent choice for home defense.

[norcalAF]

G29 for CCW and pick up a couple of G20 mags with sleeves for OC.

[naz]

Figure out which 10mm semi auto fits well in her hand and then get a 9mm from the same gun family. Maybe order one of the new p320 Xten 10mm and in the meantime get a p320 x5 9mm, or Glock 17 transition to Glock 40

Also, +1 for carrying a shotgun