Home defense gun for a woman.

[BuckNaked]

I second a 9MM handgun... as for which one, I would shoot a few and go with what you like... my own personal preference would be the Glock 19. I feel the 9MM round is the minimum round one should consider for self defense, you get a wide range of reliable handguns to choose from, and a wide choice of effective rounds to choose from. Round selection is critical in choosing a self defense round.

I would strongly suggest you take a class, and not just the 8 hour basic safety class or what ever is offered. A class taught by a shooter with good credentials will open your eyes as to what it takes to use a weapon in a stressful situatuion.

A shotgun is an effective self defense weapon in capable hands, but using one in a house, especially with corners or tight spaces at close quarters can be challenging due to the overall length. The length also works against a user if an assailant is able to get there hands on the weapon, the leverage can be worked against the person holding the weapon, especially a woman who may already be at a disadvantage in regards to upper body strength.

 

[olds]

My wife has a 20 gauge shotgun. She knows to stand in a far corner and let them have it when they enter the room. That way it can't be taken from her.
I have also been looking at .380s but I am concerned that the spring in the magazine will get weak from a constant load on it if we don't rotate mags.
We will probably end up with either a .38 or a .357 loaded with .38s.

 

[coldmeat]

Originally posted by: daishi5

Originally posted by: coldmeat
I thought you wanted a home defense gun that could shoot two blocks down from the house.

Huh?

I think you misunderstand, some guy shot at someone, and apparently ran and was trying to hide in the neighborhood, from what I understand. I am getting the story from my gf who is currently freaking out, and staying at my parents till I get home.

Edit: She is the one who really wants the gun now, because the guy had a gun, was running from the cops, and she was home alone defenseless (as if me being there would have helped much).

I misunderstood when I read the title is all.

 

[Kelvrick]

Originally posted by: BuckNaked
I second a 9MM handgun... as for which one, I would shoot a few and go with what you like... my own personal preference would be the Glock 19. I feel the 9MM round is the minimum round one should consider for self defense, you get a wide range of reliable handguns to choose from, and a wide choice of effective rounds to choose from. Round selection is critical in choosing a self defense round.

I would strongly suggest you take a class, and not just the 8 hour basic safety class or what ever is offered. A class taught by a shooter with good credentials will open your eyes as to what it takes to use a weapon in a stressful situatuion.

A shotgun is an effective self defense weapon in capable hands, but using one in a house, especially with corners or tight spaces at close quarters can be challenging due to the overall length. The length also works against a user if an assailant is able to get there hands on the weapon, the leverage can be worked against the person holding the weapon, especially a woman who may already be at a disadvantage in regards to upper body strength.

I consider that bad advice. I doubt she is going to get enough training to properly sweep the house, especially without an overwatch. She should be holed up in her room and call the police. Round placement is more important then caliber, .22lr's kill tons of people. Heck, at 300 yards will still go through 3 layers of clothing and a turkey (thanks BrunoPuntzJones for initially showing me the test).

A guy recently killed a cop during a no-knock raid by shooting through a door with a bursa thunder (.380).

That, and considering proper form with a handgun in either bladed or isosceles, a short barreled shotgun would be barely longer then that.

 

[DangerAardvark]

I wouldn't go with anything smaller than a grenade machine gun. Field tested and proven to hold off the Taliban.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: BuckNaked
A shotgun is an effective self defense weapon in capable hands, but using one in a house, especially with corners or tight spaces at close quarters can be challenging due to the overall length. The length also works against a user if an assailant is able to get there hands on the weapon, the leverage can be worked against the person holding the weapon, especially a woman who may already be at a disadvantage in regards to upper body strength.

She's not going to be sweeping room to room, so length doesn't matter. Home defense, not hostage rescue.

As for leverage, that's what the trigger is for. It's pretty hard to wrench a gun out of someone's hands more quickly than they can give you a facefull of BLAM. Again, she isn't sweeping narrow corridors...she's crouching behind the bed and waiting to let 'em have it as soon as they come in the door.

Shotgun is absolutely the best choice for home defense. The only real reason that handguns exist is so that you can have a second weapon secreted about your person.

 

[Kelvrick]

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: BuckNaked
A shotgun is an effective self defense weapon in capable hands, but using one in a house, especially with corners or tight spaces at close quarters can be challenging due to the overall length. The length also works against a user if an assailant is able to get there hands on the weapon, the leverage can be worked against the person holding the weapon, especially a woman who may already be at a disadvantage in regards to upper body strength.

She's not going to be sweeping room to room, so length doesn't matter. Home defense, not hostage rescue.

As for leverage, that's what the trigger is for. It's pretty hard to wrench a gun out of someone's hands more quickly than they can give you a facefull of BLAM. Again, she isn't sweeping narrow corridors...she's crouching behind the bed and waiting to let 'em have it as soon as they come in the door.

Shotgun is absolutely the best choice for home defense. The only real reason that handguns exist is so that you can have a second weapon secreted about your person.

Only reason for a handgun is to get to your rifle.

 

[0roo0roo]

naw two pistols pwn. one for backup🙂
depends if she plays t or ct, i prefer the usp🙂

 

[Squisher]

.38 revolver

Later on you can always load it with P+ rounds for more stopping power.

 

[naldo]

Get one of those olympic or bushmaster "pistols" that fire rifle rounds.

 

[edro]

Originally posted by: compman25
If it's for her get her a 380 and lots and lots and lots of practice.

Yeah, any 380 should work well for a woman.
She definitely needs to be comfortable with it though.

That new Ruger LCP is pretty badass.

 

[lokiju]

Taurus 9mm Revolver

It's what my wife uses.

No external hammer on it and easy to use.


I think this is the one she has.

It's a .357 though, but basically the same thing.

 

[jjones]

Along with a new gun I'd suggest you both get a few lessons in firearm safety.

 

[BurnItDwn]

First choice: Shotgun. 20 gauge birdshot or buckshot. Least likely to penetrate through walls and hurt an innocent bystander. Probably more intimidating to any intruder than even the scariest of handguns.

Second choice: revolver (least likely to jam, easiest to operate, generally safer for novices than pistols) For a woman without a huge frame, a 38 is a good size. There is not very much recoil, and the round is still capable of taking somebody down. Another option would be to get a .357 magnum. They can fire both 38 and 357 rounds (exact same diameter). 357s have about double the powder and can pack a real punch. I would recommend something like a S&W 686 with a 6 inch barrel, the gun has some weight to it, but it's aim is true and the mass of the gun helps to lessen the noticeable recoil. That said, something like that's going to run around $700-$800. You can probably pick up a used 38 for $200 or maybe even less.

Third choice: 9mm semi auto. Something like a Ruger P series should be pretty affordable and reliable. I am usually not a fan of Taurus, but their 9mms don't seem like a bad choice either. If you're willing to spend a bit more, there are MANY options, as just about everyone seems to make a 9mm. Law enforcement generally use either 9mm or 45acp.


I know you said you live in Il, and that you do not live in Chicago.
If you live in the NW or W burbs I'm gonna recommend that you check out Gat after you get your FOID. http://www.gatguns.com/ They carry a large selection of new and used firearms. Their range is indoors, great for handguns. If you do opt for a shotgun, then you'll have to find a different range to practice. Their staff is generally pretty knowledgeable and helpful as well.

 

[rasczak]

I've thought about getting a shotgun myself for a couple of years now. we live in a nice area, but there are a couple of drug dealers who live on our street as well as some thuggish kids. i've had my car broken into twice and fear someone trying for the house. ( one house was robbed down the street. noone was hurt) i'm a fairly big guy but my wife is tiny, 5'2 110 pounds, plus we have two small children and she's extremely anti gun because of it. if i were to get a gun or shotgun what would you guys suggest? i imagine taking classes would be mandatory no? or just a good idea? and are there firing ranges for shotguns to practice or just go out in the sticks?

 

[thepd7]

Originally posted by: compman25
If it's for her get her a 380 and lots and lots and lots of practice.

Originally posted by: daishi5

Originally posted by: compman25
If it's for her get her a 380 and lots and lots and lots of practice.

380? I hate to sound like an idiot, but I grew up in anti-gun central. Until I recently read the John Lott book, I hadn't even considered owning a gun, so I do not know what you mean.

.380, it's a round slightly less powerful than the 9mm but much easier to handle. Since it's not going to be a carry gun I would say 9mm or .380 is fine, but if the gun is primarily for her I would definitely go .380. Easy to handle and you can rapid fire accurately.

Who the hell suggested an xd-40? Seriously? A scared woman shooting a .40? Come on.

 

[thepd7]

Originally posted by: jjones
Along with a new gun I'd suggest you both get a few lessons in firearm safety.

yes please. A knee jerk reaction to something bad is the WORST reason to get a gun. Please both of you get educated first. Also, are there any children in the house/apt? If so let's go for a fingerprint safe.

 

[PrinceofWands]

First step: Training, training, training.

This includes learning the laws (not that I'm suggesting you should put yourself at risk in order to obey them, but it helps to at least know them), and seriously considering rather or not you (or your girlfriend) are willing and able to take a life.

I respectfully disagree with many of the comments here on one very important issue: this is a gun primarily for a woman. Not to be sexist, but women generally have small hands so a glock (or any other blockish handgun) is the worst possible choice.

The best home defense weapon is usually a shotgun, but not all women are going to be comfortable with that option. I recommend looking into it, and choosing a very small frame tactical if you decide to go that route. A number of companies manufacture shotguns specifically for women, and though most are sporting in nature you can find tacticals if you look hard enough. Make sure you CAREFULLY scrutinize the gun laws on this, as they vary widely. Also if you go this route, TRAIN, TRAIN, TRAIN, TRAIN, TRAIN. In my opinion good shotgun use takes more practice than good handgun use.

If you go handgun you need to balance frame size against caliber and recoil. The MOST important thing is to find a gun that fits her, and then worry about caliber. Hopefully you'll be able to find a .40 she can shoot comfortably, but if not there's nothing wrong with a smaller choice (9mm, .380). S&W makes the ladysmith series, Taurus Milleniums are excellent small frame semi's, and there are a number of other options. Don't buy anything until she tries 3-6 options made for smaller hands and finds what she's ok with. Finish it up with training, training, and more training.

Mind you, all of this presumes she isn't an amazon. If your girlfriend is 6'2" and 220lbs, well, never mind.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

Originally posted by: Jaywire
I'm not understanding the lack of serious answers. The best gun for your application would be a Glock 19 or perhaps a Springfield XD40. Before you assholes go apeshit about Glock, shut up. Glocks get alot of bad hype because a few of the older 9mm models were known the explode. Welcome to the 21st century, they are alot better. By the sounds of it he isn't going to be doing crazy tactical competition shooting, so for home defense a Glock would be plenty good. If your crazy about the shitty rep then go for a Springfield XD series. The XD40 doesn't have a ton of kick, but no gun will have like absolute zero kick unless you drop alot of money.

Sorry, Glock 37's are experiencing the issue aswell, they are champered in .45GAP. The issue is due to Glocks design. They incorporate a non fully supported chamber. Higher pressure rounds like .40S&W and .45GAP are more prone to blow out or kaBoom!

The Springfield XD is a good pistol ( I like my .40SW). If this is for home defense only, then I would suggest a good 12G shotgun. A Remington 870 or Mossberg 590 or Maverick. They are under $300 around here, but thanks to Obama, they are probably more $$$ up in Ill.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat
My wife has a 20 gauge shotgun. She knows to stand in a far corner and let them have it when they enter the room. That way it can't be taken from her.
I have also been looking at .380s but I am concerned that the spring in the magazine will get weak from a constant load on it if we don't rotate mags.
We will probably end up with either a .38 or a .357 loaded with .38s.

Unless it's a crap mag, the spring wont go bad. I've had a 1911 mag loaded that I keep in my car, that's been loaded for over a year and the spring is fine.
If you get a .357 load it with .357 for defense. When it comes down to it and you do have to shoot someone, you'll be so hopped up on adrenaline that the recoil won't matter, and at that point you want to do as much damage as you can to the BG in order to STOP him.


Also, to address the Glock issue, the Glock has an odd grip angle. Many people find it to be uncomfortable, yet others like it. When it really comes down to it, guns are like shoes. You just have to try them out and see what fits you best.

 

[ahurtt]

Here's the thing about a shotgun. . .I assume people are talking about shotguns making it easier to hit the target because they are thinking that the shotgun would be loaded with scatter shot of some sort as opposed to a slug. Yes, that might make you less likely to miss but it also makes you more likely to hit more than what you intended to as well. . .a pet. . .a spouse. . .a child. . .
You never know what the conditions or scenario might be in a home invasion where you have to use your gun to defend yourself or your family. Personally I'd opt for a basic 9mm handgun and lots of practice time at the range. You don't want to use the policy of spray n' pray. . .life isn't a video game.

 

[FDF12389]

Originally posted by: Jaywire
I'm not understanding the lack of serious answers. The best gun for your application would be a Glock 19 or perhaps a Springfield XD40. Before you assholes go apeshit about Glock, shut up. Glocks get alot of bad hype because a few of the older 9mm models were known the explode. Welcome to the 21st century, they are alot better. By the sounds of it he isn't going to be doing crazy tactical competition shooting, so for home defense a Glock would be plenty good. If your crazy about the shitty rep then go for a Springfield XD series. The XD40 doesn't have a ton of kick, but no gun will have like absolute zero kick unless you drop alot of money.

Thats not a good choice. not to be sexist or anything but a freaked out GF shooting a .40? Not smart.

I suggest a 20 gauge shotgun, seriously for a shooter that will only be using it in home defense, its your best bet. I wont give you any models, go to a reputable shop and have her pick out one that is comfortable, depending on her size the buttstock may need to be shortened.

Take a course, and practice shooting often after the purchase. Do it all or not at all.

 

[FDF12389]

Originally posted by: ahurtt
Here's the thing about a shotgun. . .I assume people are talking about shotguns making it easier to hit the target because they are thinking that the shotgun would be loaded with scatter shot of some sort as opposed to a slug. Yes, that might make you less likely to miss but it also makes you more likely to hit more than what you intended to as well. . .a pet. . .a spouse. . .a child. . .
You never know what the conditions or scenario might be in a home invasion where you have to use your gun to defend yourself or your family. Personally I'd opt for a basic 9mm handgun and lots of practice time at the range. You don't want to use the policy of spray n' pray. . .life isn't a video game.

I assume since he didn't say "The kids and my GF are at my moms house", then its just the two of them, and i also assume they sleep in the same room. If its at night have her stay in the room, don't fire in that direction and sure as hell don't let the attacker fire in that direction. If its during the day it will be just her, she wont have to worry about hitting him.

All the scenarios and training will be brought up in the class they take TOGETHER, BEFORE they purchase a firearm.

Right daishi5?

 

[OS]

Originally posted by: BuckNaked
I second a 9MM handgun... as for which one, I would shoot a few and go with what you like... my own personal preference would be the Glock 19. I feel the 9MM round is the minimum round one should consider for self defense, you get a wide range of reliable handguns to choose from, and a wide choice of effective rounds to choose from. Round selection is critical in choosing a self defense round.

I would strongly suggest you take a class, and not just the 8 hour basic safety class or what ever is offered. A class taught by a shooter with good credentials will open your eyes as to what it takes to use a weapon in a stressful situatuion.

A shotgun is an effective self defense weapon in capable hands, but using one in a house, especially with corners or tight spaces at close quarters can be challenging due to the overall length. The length also works against a user if an assailant is able to get there hands on the weapon, the leverage can be worked against the person holding the weapon, especially a woman who may already be at a disadvantage in regards to upper body strength.

get a bayonet

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

Originally posted by: ahurtt
Here's the thing about a shotgun. . .I assume people are talking about shotguns making it easier to hit the target because they are thinking that the shotgun would be loaded with scatter shot of some sort as opposed to a slug. Yes, that might make you less likely to miss but it also makes you more likely to hit more than what you intended to as well. . .a pet. . .a spouse. . .a child. . .
You never know what the conditions or scenario might be in a home invasion where you have to use your gun to defend yourself or your family. Personally I'd opt for a basic 9mm handgun and lots of practice time at the range. You don't want to use the policy of spray n' pray. . .life isn't a video game.

A shotgun is the ultimate in home defense. The spread of the shot is going to be about the size of a quarter out to around 12-15 feet, which is about the range you're going to have to shoot someone in your home. Any pellets or "shot" that miss will slow down or stop completely in walls and studs. The length of the weapon is going to make aiming it much easier, thus making sure you hit your target.
A hand gun round can go through a lot of dry wall. Shooting in dark conditions under stress you are more likely to miss with a handgun.
A rifle is the worst thing to use in a home defense situation unless you do not have any neighbors within a mile or so.

BTW, Stop preaching .22 for self defense. If it was such a great round for self defense then why do no police dept in the nation carry it?
Shot placement is important, but understress, shot placement is going to suck. Read up about police shoot outs. Police, tend to hit maybe 10% of the time.
Show me one person of note that says a .22 is good choice for self defense.
Untill then, I'll take the word of Massad Ayoob