I'm gonna buy my wife a pistol for home protection and something for the family to shoot on weekends, what is a good gun to cove

[wallofsam]

I'm gonna buy my wife a pistol for home protection and something for the family to shoot on weekends, what is a good gun to cover all the bases and is resonably priced?

[buddyboy564]

.357 magnum is a good gun for sport shooting and protection and you can get them for a pretty reasonable price

[steve182]

I bought a Glock .40s&w for about $500. Not sure what you're looking to spend but it's fun to shoot and effective.

[CPT BRAD]

You can get a Taurus 9mm or 40 for around 300. The are pretty good guns. PT 111

[rrmont]

I bought a Rossi .357 for about $280 new. I think that it would suit your needs rather well. My wife shots it with .38 spls in it. It has a smaller grip on it so it fits her better than it does me.
If you want something different look around for a used one maybe in 9 mm. It's not too big but not too small and she shouldn't have a problem with the recoil.

[MLH]

If there is a shooting range/gun shop around, they might have guns that she can try. If you can get down to Royal Oak, check with Target Sports. They rent all types of guns - listed on their website:

http://www.targetsportshooting.com/shootingrange/

Very professional, serious, and helpful.

Everyone has different experience, recoil tolerance, and abilities. My 80+ year old grandma gave up her .38S&W for a Ruger Single Six .22. May not have been optimal but it was all she could handle ... and you didn't want to be on the receiving end because she knew how to use it.

[DanInArkinsaw]

In my opinion a .357 revolver would be the way to go. I don't know how familiar your wife is with firearms, but the simplicity of a revolver coupled with the reliability can be crucial in a "panic" situation.

[ishawooa]

If your wife is trained in the use of semi-autos I suppose the Glock or Springfield XD in 9, .40, or .45 would be a good choice. If she and the family are not willing to put in the time or money to practice quite a bit with the pistol I would select a medium frame revolver in .357 such as the S & W 686, 586, or 19. Ruger also makes a nice pistol in this size/weight range and caliber as does Taurus although I have no experience with the latter. You guys can shoot .38 specials for practice and fun with some .357s thrown in for more power. A four inch revolver is usually easier to shoot than a 2 to 2 3/4 inch and almost as easy to hide. Grip shape matters but there are so many after market ones available that you can tailor that to the individual hand if you so desire. I would stay away from the newer titantium lightweights due to the intimidating recoil and slow repeat shots they demand. All shooters should wear ear/eye protection, not just new ones.

[HillbillyDeluxe]

I am very much attached to my 1911 .45. I think it is a great gun for home protection and it is a very fun gun to shoot. It is also one of the easiest guns to fix, get parts for, and customize. they run a little on the expensive side, but it is worth the cost. The other thing i like about then is the angle of the grip to the barrel. It is very ergonomic and it allows fast and easy aiming. However, this gun is just a little big for my conceal preferences.

I have shot a Glock and really do not prefer them. I would not recommend a small caliber like a 9mm for home protection either. the bullets are too small and travel too fast to do the damage that is desired in a home protection situation.

But as was recommended before, go to a shooting range where you can test different pistols/revolvers and see what you like best, because you really do need to be comfortable shooting what you have when things are tense.

One last note, and a very important one at that: my concealed weapon instructor told us that unless you can make the decision to shoot and kill someone right now, do not carry a concealed weapon. In a defense situation, any hesitation could allow the attacker to disarm you and use the gun against you.

best of luck picking a gun and have fun.

[BuckTheSystem]

Autos can be tough for smaller people to be able to operate. I would recommend a .38 revolver like the cops used to carry. If you can find a .357 mag that fits everybodys hand, you could go that way. The .38 would be a entry level gun that you will love to shoot for years, and will always add value to any collection.

[2Poppa]

I would think the.380, which is just a shorter 9mm.

The 380 ACP is much more powerful than the 32 S&W Long. The 32 S&W Long was a popular police cartridge for over 40 years.
The .380 ACP will be a good fit for women and those new to the sport. For many, the .380 ACP will work for concealed carry.

Check out the link below, it will be useful for your wife.

http://www.besafeguntraining.com/womens-first-handgun-buy/

Good Luck!

[2Poppa]

I forgot to mention in my previous post, go to your local pawn shop and see what they have to offer.
They always have a good selection of hand guns, especially in todays economy.

Make sure you don't pay the stated price, that's just a beginning number. Be sure and haggle the price down, you will be glad you did.

[teufelhunden]

Kimber .45

[BuckTheSystem]

I have a .380 ACP and my wife has trouble operating the slide. Granted, it can be learned, but the short tight spring on a .380 can be difficult for a beginning shooter. That's why I mentioned a .38 revolver in my previous post. Same thing in a more simple package. I also liked the mention of a .22. Some might not like that for personal defence, but I would rather hit someone with a .22 than miss with something bigger. Plus they are excellent for range shooting (can't beat the price per round).

[jbird]

I'd have to agree w/ the .357 revolver. It's wonderful because you can practice w/cheaper .38 special ammo, and it's reliable. Oh, and teufelhunden, a Kimber 45 is an excellent firearm, but I wouldn't classify it as "reasonably priced". If .45 is what your after, Taurus has several models that are really reliable, and a bargain usually compared to other manufacturers.