Yet another handgun question.

[253862656971]

Ok I'll keep the details short on this one.  Saturday morning around 3 AM some SOB tried to break into our house.  He had already tried the neighbors house across the road and next door.  He also went through my vehicles and the neighbors vehicles.  My mom heard him at the front door trying to get in.  Not thinking it was a burglar she opened the door to see who it was.  The guy bolted like a shot and my brother and dad took off after him with my brothers sawed off pistol grip shotgun and my 44 mag (I wasn't home at the time).  The cops have since caught him. 

Here lies the problem.  My brother, Dad, and I can all handle the bigger guns like the shotguns, rifles, and large caliber handguns without any trouble at all.  My mom however can't handle any of the large caliber guns.  We want to get her a handgun that she can use if none of us males are home.  Soooo... now I need to do some shopping and I have no idea what to look for in a small hangun.  I have always went with the notion of you can never have too much.  What I want to find for my mom is something that is potent yet has a small frame so she can hold it and also have a minimum of recoil.  It has to be simple to operate so I'm leaning towards a double action revolver so all she has to do is pull the trigger but a simple semi auto pistol will do fine too.

So all you fellow gun fanatics, what is your suggestion?     

[Lowprofile]

The first gun that comes to mind is the Ladysmith series from Smith & Wesson. Small, lightweight, no hammer to get snagged on anything. 38 Cal +p ammo, small handgrips. Very easy to handle. Check the S & W website.  Good luck!

 

[B5 Charger]

I would agree I would be looking at a small frame .38 DA revolver.  Easy to handle and if it mis-fires all she has to do is pull the trigger again.  No complicated clearing procedures to deal with like on the semi auto's when they malfunction.

[Wakko]

They chased him?  Yikes...dangerous and not legal if they shot him.

As far as your mom is concerned, the DA revolver is a good idea if the trigger pull is smooth enough and light enough.  She would also need to dedicate some time to learn to point shoot and be familiar with the weapon.  I would stay away from the Airlight pistols as the shock might hurt her hand during practice and make her not want to use it.  Make sure you use +P ammo in lead hollow point so if she misses the guy it will get defeated in the interior walls of the house alot better than jacketed hollow point or FMJ rounds.

There are plenty of semis that have a good reputation for reliability and are pretty inexpensive.  I bought a used Taurus .40 at a pawn shop for $100 that I keep as my home protection weapon.  I also have a KelTec .380 that's small, light and accurate.  $250 new.  The most important thing is that your mom won't be scared to use it and will use it correctly.  How would she do with a 20 gauge shotgun?  Ain't nuthin like sending 9 projectiles out instead of 1...and nothing llike hearing a shotgun rack when you're in someone's house!

[73dodge]

They chased him?  Yikes...dangerous and not legal if they shot him.

As far as your mom is concerned, the DA revolver is a good idea if the trigger pull is smooth enough and light enough.  She would also need to dedicate some time to learn to point shoot and be familiar with the weapon.  I would stay away from the Airlight pistols as the shock might hurt her hand during practice and make her not want to use it.  Make sure you use +P ammo in lead hollow point so if she misses the guy it will get defeated in the interior walls of the house alot better than jacketed hollow point or FMJ rounds.

There are plenty of semis that have a good reputation for reliability and are pretty inexpensive.  I bought a used Taurus .40 at a pawn shop for $100 that I keep as my home protection weapon.  I also have a KelTec .380 that's small, light and accurate.  $250 new.  The most important thing is that your mom won't be scared to use it and will use it correctly.  How would she do with a 20 gauge shotgun?  Ain't nuthin like sending 9 projectiles out instead of 1...and nothing llike hearing a shotgun rack when you're in someone's house!

Okay since we've had to firearm related threads I am not going to start a third. and sorry for hijaking your thread 253862656971. But I just got my CCW permit I am looking for a small gun to carry when I am going to carry. What do you cops on this board recommend and a good conceal weapon?

But in relation to this thread, if mom can handle it I would suggest a 20 gauge shotgun too, nothing like the site of a little ole' lady sportin a shotgun to scare the snot out of any would be robber.

[Wakko]

73Dodge...Keltec P3AT in .380!!!  I keep mine in my back pocket and nobody knows it's there.  Accurate at 10-15 feet, 6+1 rounds, double action only, inexpensive and light.  My father carries the same weapon.

[Ponch ®]

i'm a big fan of the sig sauer p226

[Wakko]

Good for the house, big for concealed carry, IMO.

[bull]

The first gun that comes to mind is the Ladysmith series from Smith & Wesson. Small, lightweight, no hammer to get snagged on anything. 38 Cal +p ammo, small handgrips. Very easy to handle. Check the S & W website.  Good luck!

 

These are all great guns for the ladies or anyone who doesn't want to worry about trying to figure out how to get a round into the chamber under stessful situations. Small and light yet carry a big punch. I have a Ruger P94 .40 cal, it's a great gun but I don't like to carry it because it's too big and heavy.

[SuBLimE 69]

Lady Smith might have too much recoil for her.  I'd buy her a Glock Model 27 or 19.  I'd tell dad it's better to be a good witness next time and let us catch the fella.  Home burglars are very rare at night....thats kinda odd.  They usually stick to cars and businesses at night.

[John_Kunkel]

Walther PP in .32 or PPKs in .380.

[bull]

Walther PP in .32 or PPKs in .380.

Isn't that the James Bond gun?

[253862656971]

All good suggestions guys, thanks.

A 20 gauge shotgun would probably be too much for her to handle.  A .410 however would probably be ok but we'd have to have her try one out first. 

We know that you can't shoot someone if they're not in your house here but that doesn't mean we can't chase him down.  No offense to all you cops but our cops didn't catch the guy until he got to Mitchell 2 days and almost 300 miles later.  I sure would feel better knowing I had the guy under control right there so the cops could come get him and not have to wonder if the guy was coming back tommorow night.  The guy was fully aware that he was being pursued by a 3 guys (the neighbor had joined the chase too) with guns so maybe that will be a bit of a deterent in the future.     

[bull]

All good suggestions guys, thanks.

A 20 gauge shotgun would probably be too much for her to handle.  A .410 however would probably be ok but we'd have to have her try one out first. 

We know that you can't shoot someone if they're not in your house here but that doesn't mean we can't chase him down.  No offense to all you cops but our cops didn't catch the guy until he got to Mitchell 2 days and almost 300 miles later.  I sure would feel better knowing I had the guy under control right there so the cops could come get him and not have to wonder if the guy was coming back tommorow night.  The guy was fully aware that he was being pursued by a 3 guys (the neighbor had joined the chase too) with guns so maybe that will be a bit of a deterent in the future.     

If you want to go the .410 route you could always get a Thompson Contender.

[Plumcrazy]

73Dodge...Keltec P3AT in .380!!!  I keep mine in my back pocket and nobody knows it's there.  Accurate at 10-15 feet, 6+1 rounds, double action only, inexpensive and light.  My father carries the same weapon.

Same here.