Pistol for self defense?

So I am looking at getting my girlfriend a pistol since she is living on her own. I could use some suggestions. I was wondering what round was suggested. I was thinking .38 since she doesn't really like firing pistols with a lot of recoil. Also revolver or semi auto? Does Taurus make good guns? I am looking for something on the lower end of the price range but still very reliable.

I am not a gun guy, but I have shot many different pistols and have also taken my wife to the range.

I think your right on with the .38 and I think a revolver would be best for reliability, ease of use, and simple reloading.

And Taurus makes very good guns.

I carry and very highly recommend the Glock G19 9mm semi auto pistol. Trouble free, hardy and ultra reliable.

Not the prettiest weapon but IMHO the only carry gun worth its salt is the Glock.

9mm is cheap to buy ammo and therefore you can afford to practice, which is about as important as breathing.

aussiesmg wrote: Not the prettiest weapon but IMHO the only carry gun worth its salt is the Glock.

Ehh, not so much anymore. the xD, for example, is every bit the gun the Glock is, maybe more.

i second the glock.. i have one, my wife shoots it with no problems.. great gun.. no complaints at all.

It won't be a carry weapon since she is a teacher and she pretty much goes to school and her apartment. I know I can trust her with a gun since she taught gun safety for several summers. One other silly thing it would be great if it was pink.

I love my Ruger Service Six. Its a simple revolver that fires .357 (big kick) and .38 special (not so much kick).

If she isn't carrying why not get a shotgun? Most girls have a hard time racking the slide of a pistol.

KelTek has some decent .380 pistols that should not kick too much, and I believe they even have pink ones, for those of us that are confidant with our manliness.

Osterkraut wrote:

aussiesmg wrote: Not the prettiest weapon but IMHO the only carry gun worth its salt is the Glock.

Ehh, not so much anymore. the xD, for example, is every bit the gun the Glock is, maybe more.

Why Glock?

http://www.03designgroup.com/technotes/why-glock-why-9mm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yr_cM8kvig

93EXCivic wrote: I know I can trust her with a gun since she taught gun safety for several summers.

I’m honestly not trying to be a jerk but if she taught gun safety, wouldn’t she know enough about them to decide for herself?

Does she want a handgun?

is she able to hit what she shoots at..??? if not then lots of practice with whatever you get... but my 2¢ would be a Taurus Judge.... all you gotta be is in the vicinity ... although the very sound of a pump shotgun quite often makes those bent on doing someone harm fall to the floor crying like a baby

RX Reven' wrote:

93EXCivic wrote: I know I can trust her with a gun since she taught gun safety for several summers.

I’m honestly not trying to be a jerk but if she taught gun safety, wouldn’t she know enough about them to decide for herself?

Are you buying this for her as a present or something?

aussiesmg wrote:

Osterkraut wrote:

aussiesmg wrote: Not the prettiest weapon but IMHO the only carry gun worth its salt is the Glock.

Ehh, not so much anymore. the xD, for example, is every bit the gun the Glock is, maybe more.

Why Glock? http://www.03designgroup.com/technotes/why-glock-why-9mm http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yr_cM8kvig

Why Glock indeed...

For home defense, nothing beats a shotgun.

The only thing a pistol is better at than any type of long gun is concealed carry.

What doesn't matter as much as comfort and familiarity with the weapon. Whatever you decide to get, practice with it at least once a month, more if you can.

Glocks are easy to shoot. .38 snubs aren't. You would need a lot of practice to be able to hit anything at more than point blank. I have a Ruger LCP that's not too hard to hit things with at self defense distances. It's also reasonably easy to conceal. There are several brands that are pretty similar and there's some religious discussion about them.

RX Reven' wrote:

93EXCivic wrote: I know I can trust her with a gun since she taught gun safety for several summers.

I’m honestly not trying to be a jerk but if she taught gun safety, wouldn’t she know enough about them to decide for herself?

She knows a lot about shooting them and etc but she doesn't really know much about the different gun brands. I was thinking pistol in case because she doesn't really enjoy shooting shotguns as much as pistols. I want her to have something she can shoot for fun but also for self defense. I would be getting it as a present but she would go with me to look at guns so she could find one that feels comfortable to her. I am just trying to get suggestions on calibers and brands and semi auto vs revolver for self defense.

If she's not good at cleaning and whatnot, get her a wheel gun. I really like my XD45.

If recoil turns her off, a revolver may not be the best choice. Generally speaking, most any common mid-size caliber will be quite serviceable for her needs. Sounds like a shopping trip to your closest range is in order - beats mall shopping!

she may not like shotguns.. but for home defense, they are best. I forget the shot you use.. but there is one that does not penetrate drywall.. but will still put a hurting on a person.

In a home setting.. a shotgun is point and shoot, no need for careful aim because of the closed confines

I like the XD over the glocks. It looks a bit better and I feel its a more accurate shooting gun. Having said that I prefer all steel guns.

But can she reliably rack the slide? It's hard to argue against the simplicity of a revolver. A Taurus .38 would be a sensible choice, but let her try handling several guns and let her choose.

Have you thought about pistol caliber carbines? Recoil shouldn't be an issue, and if she doesn't need it for conceal carry, the size won't matter as much. Most have short LOP, something that is usally an issue for women with long guns. Keltec's Sub2000, Beretta CX4, or Hipoint 995...