Handgun for my 55 y/o mom

[91 whiskey 209]

My mom asked me to go help her buying a handgun. Is there any particular handgun that you can recommend? She would like to be able to conceal it. She wants it small and probably under $400. No .22's please. I want it to have a little more power than that.

[91 whiskey 209]

Thank you for your advice btw.

[Ripon83]

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/21_49_75/products_id/54585/New+Ruger+LCP+.380

If you think she'd master the magazine and slide easy enough I think a small .380 like this would be fine; if you think that'd be a problem them go with a 38sp revolver.

[Ripon83]

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/73923

Or if she can step up a little its not a ton more money and a decent amount more firepower.

[91 whiskey 209]

That ruger looks promising. How is 380 compared to 9mm? Which caliber is more powerful? I know that a small handgun will limit the amount of rounds the mag can hold so im trying to find a balance between I want a lot of stopping power but don't want it to intimidate her. She will be a brand new gun owner.

[Atekhed]

Probably the best advice is if you can or have one nearby is take her to a range that rents a variety of handguns and shoot a few to see which she might like. If your mother hasn't shot before you might have her look into something like the NRA's Women on Target program or similar to get her some basics before purchasing anything.

You mention she wants it to be concealable. Does your mother want this for CCW purposes or just the idea of something to hide away in the house? If it's not for or she is unable to CCW, then a more full size handgun may actually be more appropriate for her.

In general small handguns are harder to shoot depending on caliber. .380 in a small package can be pretty snappy and a 9mm more so (9mm is more powerful than .380 btw).

You may also need to bump up your budget a bit to open up some options (say more like $600).

Also pistol vs. revolver. Each has their pros and cons but in general with a little instruction women can shoot either one though semi-auto tend to be easier overall.

Also she wants you to help her but involve her and let her choose what she likes or is comfotable with in the end. Mom might surprise you.

Good luck!

[Sunday]

S@W J frame.

[tlcwrites]

If you think she'd master the magazine and slide easy enough

I can't find it right now, but I saw a quote recently about all the mechanical steps a woman has to take to drive her car to the gun shop so someone can tell her autoloaders are too hard for her to operate. :-)

Seriously, I know of no reason why just about anyone - male or female, old or young - couldn't learn to operate an autoloader. Racking the slide isn't about strength; it's about technique, and technique can be learned. My teenage daughter, who's 4 foot 9 and 100 pounds soaking wet, with TINY hands, can operate the slide on a full-sized Glock with zero issues.

And, totally agree that the best thing for the OP to do would be to take mom to a range that rents guns, let her shoot a few different things, and see what feels good for her. No matter what she ends up buying, the confidence that comes from knowing what's out there and making a deliberate choice is priceless. After all, she's much more likely to practice and train with a gun she picked than one that was foisted upon her.

Tammy

PS: To the poster who said "J-Frame revolver"...seriously? With so many choices that are way more pleasant to shoot out there, why a J-frame?

[PM720]

First, do NOT get a new shooter an LCP as a first gun. I own one and absolutely love it and would trust my life to it in a heartbeat if needed. However, I have been shooing for 40 year and have put a lot of work into learning to shoot it well. I have let several friends and family members shoot it and no one really likes it like I do. The trigger takes time to get used to and the sights are VERY hard to see.

I was thinking maybe the LCR but I hear these can be kind of snappy as well. I have an SP101 that I like but ultimately, like Atekhed noted, a full size 4" revolver or maybe a mid sized auto like the G19 or SR9 would be the best choice. The best plan is to get to the range and actually shoot as many guns as possible. Too bad you are so far away, I would let you try some of mine.

Scott

[G-forceJunkie]

Kahr K9.

[paul0660]

S@W J frame.

Or similar. Taurus makes nice revolvers that are point and shoot for about $400 out the door.

[brownfeathermedic]

You do have alot of options. Find a range that rents an assortment of guns and one of my favorites is a Browning Hipower in 9mm. Every gun takes practice to master or to be competent. Just be patient.

[nicki]

Some concerns.

My personal feeling is that armed self defense is a right, however it is also a responsibility.

By your post it appears that your mom is looking to carry a gun for self-defense and I support her right to do so.

That being a self defense gun is only as effective as the user.

My personal feeling is that anyone who is considering carrying a firearm for self defense needs to train themselves so that if they find themselves in a hostile situation, that they will instinctively do what they need to do.

Yes I know that 99 percent of the time no shots have to be fired in reported self defense situations, but you have to prepare for the 1 percent where things just screw up.

If your mom is in a violent encounter, she will be lucky if she has 5 seconds to react, most likely if she has 2 to 3 seconds she will be lucky.

Here is a suggestion, how about you buy a .22 cal pistol and you spend quality time with mom teaching her basic shooting skills.

Moms love to spend time with their children.

Once your mom gets confidence with a .22cal, then how about taking her out and shooting some regular sized 9mms.

The must have requirements of any self defense firearm are the following:

1. Person who is using that gun is competent in shooting it and shooting should be second nature.

2. The gun must have enough stopping power because if your gun doesn't instantly stop an attacker, the end results for you could be disastrous. I view the 9mm as the min caliber, I prefer the 40/45s.

What I am proposing is the low budget way of doing things, but if you life is on the line, is this something you want to cut corners on.

My view is if you are carrying a gun, you must be able to draw smoothly and systematically hit your attackers quickly.

You should be able to draw your gun and hit your attacker within 1.5 seconds and be able to hit additional attackers within .5 seconds.

Yes these are "tough standards", but there is no second place in violent encounters.

Nicki

[rkt88edmo]

PS: To the poster who said "J-Frame revolver"...seriously? With so many choices that are way more pleasant to shoot out there, why a J-frame?

Because they are awesome.

Agree with not buying her any gun she hasn't shot and handled.

How much shooting does she do? Your requirement for a higher caliber may not be compatible with her wanting something small that is still shootable for her.

[movie zombie]

a woman of 55 years may have some arthritis issues and manipulating a slide can be a problem.

start off easy: more people are killed with a .22 calibre gun than any other calibre. don't discount it. the gun most effective her is the one she will practice with because its also about placement, not just calibre power/size.

a j-frame in .38/.357 means she can practice with .38's and have the .357's for defense. the snubby is snappy [i own it] even with .38's. the 3 inch barrel is a sweet heart.

THE J-FRAME LIGHT WEIGHT/AIR WEIGHT FRAMES ARE KILLERS ON THE HAND AND DO NOT BELONG IN THE HANDS OF A NOVICE EVEN IN .22!!!!!!!!! do not ask me how i know this.......

conceal carry: is she going to get the permit? make sure she gets her certificate prior to purchase and make sure she understands the laws in that little booklet apply to her. and make sure she understands that conceal carry illegally has all kinds of problems for her unless she is in her home and/or on her own property.

unless she has vast gun experience, buying a gun she has never fired is a no-no.

this isn't about you but about her: i echo rkt88edmo in saying, "your requirement for a higher caliber may not be compatible with her wanting something small that is still shootable for her."

remember: any firearm is better than no firearm and, again, more people are killed with .22 than any other calibre.