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Random Quote: We could get the money, but it would be WRONG-Richard M Nixon
If you were going to only have one handgun and spend up to say $700, what would it be?
Looking for something for personal protection but not necessarily concealed carry. Nothing huge and nothing too small....
Several issues for you to decide on. I assume from your question you dont have much training in firearms.
If you dont plan on doing alot of training or just a day course and very little range work. Buy a 4 inch revolver in .357 (gives you the option to shoot .38 rounds if the 357 is too powerful). downside not very concealable.
If you buy a smaller revolver they are a little harder to shoot well but are much more concealable but require a little work occasionally
Auto pistols 9mm, 40 cal are good choice but require more training (IMHO). For home defense a 4 to 5 inch barrel are good. If you are going some concealed carry mid compacts like the Glock 19 are a good choice and Glock 26 & 27 are good but a smaller gun will require a little more use to stay accurate with it.
Typically women feel more comfortable with revolvers as they are less complicated and if the limp wrist it they will not jam. Even in Law Enforcement, women seem to have more problems with Auto pistols from limp wristing (just my opinion) but get past it with training...
Good Luck
__________________ "I'm suing the THT and the guy that made it."
Cracker, thanks for educating me about the Limp Wrist factor. When we'd go to the range it would be common for some of us to not get a single jam, then some got most of them.
From what you said, it makes sense that the recoil would be softened (and ejector's action reduced) if the pistol was held like a cue stick instead of like a hammer. Interesting.
__________________ Rick
Alabama's Gulf Coast
Chaparral 240 Signature (Sold)
I have a P239 9mm that is great. I bought a 9mm so I could afford to shoot it more and I have other calibers as well. If it were my only gun, I'd look for something in .40. P239 for carry, or one with a double stack magazine (10-15 capacity) if not.
Several issues for you to decide on. I assume from your question you dont have much training in firearms.
If you dont plan on doing alot of training or just a day course and very little range work. Buy a 4 inch revolver in .357 (gives you the option to shoot .38 rounds if the 357 is too powerful). downside not very concealable.
If you buy a smaller revolver they are a little harder to shoot well but are much more concealable but require a little work occasionally
Auto pistols 9mm, 40 cal are good choice but require more training (IMHO). For home defense a 4 to 5 inch barrel are good. If you are going some concealed carry mid compacts like the Glock 19 are a good choice and Glock 26 & 27 are good but a smaller gun will require a little more use to stay accurate with it.
Typically women feel more comfortable with revolvers as they are less complicated and if the limp wrist it they will not jam. Even in Law Enforcement, women seem to have more problems with Auto pistols from limp wristing (just my opinion) but get past it with training...
Good Luck
I am more familiar with rifles and shotguns than handguns however I have done a day course for handguns and plan on shooting at a range. Definitely want to go the semi auto route. I'll check out the Glock 19.
Thanks
I've got quite a few pistiols in automatic and revolver in calibers from 44 mag down to 22 and my favorite is and inexpensive S & W Sigma 9mm. It was less than $300 bucks shoots well and for and auto simple to operate. I bought it to be left in my vehicle for personal protection but with the cheaper ammo and it's pretty accurate I enjoy shooting it at the range more than some others that costs three times what the Sigma did.
The Glock 19 (9mm) or Glock 23 (40 cal) are both good choices.. Small enough to conceal but big enough to get a man sized grip....I have always used Glocks (trained) and patroled with it for 20 years (only one shooting). They will perform and certainly they are the most popular handgun in the US today for recreational, home defense and LE...
__________________ "I'm suing the THT and the guy that made it."
My go to gun for every day is a Glock 36 (.45 compact). I like the Glocks a lot but I would also look at the Springfield XD which I think are very good pistols and a good value. I am .45ACP all the way but if you are not a die hard pistol shooter I would opt for the .40 or a 9mm.....higher capacity and easier to learn to shoot well.
Anything that fits you well from the good names H/K, Glock, Sig, Ruger, Smith, etc. would be excellent choices. Main thing is it fits you well and by biggest thing is it feels comfortable to you...they will all have a different feel to each individual.
Back when I shot a lot and had a number of pistols; it was amazing to me that each pistol had its own relationship with me. Some shot very well and some I couldn't hit much of anything.
Suggest that you find a range or gun shop that rents pistols. Use a number of them until you find one that shoots well for YOU. It might be a revolver or an auto, but try them all and surprise yourself.
My very best shooter was a S&W revolver in .45LongColt. Worst shooter was a S&W 9mm. My son now has the 9mm, because its the best shooter he's ever had...
__________________ Rick
Alabama's Gulf Coast
Chaparral 240 Signature (Sold)
Although I do like auto pistols, I have to agree with Cracker. If you want a larger revolver the 686 S&W is avaliabel in both 6 & 7 shot .357 or if you want something a little smaller the Mod 10 S&W is good in .38 spl and would be better for most women. The ammo is relatively cheap and widely avialable and although not as well respected today as the larger bores, they have a long history in law enforcement, military and home defence.
__________________
"Of all tyrannies a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good
of its victim may be the most oppressive." ~ C.S.Lewis
I suggest the Glock G32 .357 Sig, high velocity, very loud, will make you crap your pants if your on the other end of the barrel.
I would never recommend and oddball caliber for a first/only pistol. Stick with a caliber where ammo is cheap and easy to find. 10mm trumps .357 Sig all day long, and my Glock 29 shoots very well, but it's hard to find ammo for, and when you do it's very expensive. Stick with 9mm or .40.
Glock 19 and 23 are great guns. I want a 19c next. Sig pistols are top of the line in my book. My P239 is an excellent gun and shoots very well. S&W is cheap and decent. I personally had bad experiences with the Sigma series and consider them to be garbage. My S&W 910 shot well, but left something to be desired.
In my experience, you can pick up a new Glock for ~$500. Sigs are more expensive in the $650-700 range. I got a steal on my Sig, used for $550.
Sig 239 or 229 in .40S&W are my 2 go to guns. The 220 in .45acp is also in the safe. I love my custom Colt .45 but they are not a great carry gun (safely) IMO.
The .357 Sig is a flame thrower on the line but ammo can be hard to get sometimes.
The Sigs allow you to carry one in the chamber with the hammer down. First shot is DA and the balance are SA. The decocking lever is a great feature.
Lots of Glock fans out there but I'm not one of them.
I'll be looking for a S&W 642 when the prices come back down to earth. There's a great grip that hooks over your belt allowing the gun the be carried inside the waist band with only a piece of the grip under your belt. Great way to carry that 5 shooter. I'm not willing to pay inflated gun and ammo rates at this time and I don't have to. I have plenty of both (for now) but don't tell my wife I said that.
I think the 220 needs some fresh air.
__________________ 2003 Boston Whaler 255 Conquest w/ twin 200 HPDI's
I've never been a racist. I don't like the white half either.
My go to seems to be my S&W 686 with 4" barrel. Use .357's if you are feeling up to it or use some semi wadcutter .38's for plinking. Shoots well, fairly easy to clean and built like a tank IMHO.....
Average gun fight is 6' so it does not make a whole lot of sense to get large caliber,large mag. hand guns a .38 revolver will do the job. The question was for home protection not carry or combat.
__________________ Living in South Carolina, fishing any place. "People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf". G. Orwell
Average gun fight is 6' so it does not make a whole lot of sense to get large caliber,large mag. hand guns a .38 revolver will do the job. The question was for home protection not carry or combat.
I completely disagree on caliber. You shoot the biggest of the defense calibers you can shoot well. .38 is widely considered the minimum defense round.....I don't think any of us want to have the minimum.
A shotgun is hard to beat for pure home defense....but he said personal protection not home defense. That implies something for the car or truck also.
I agree, if I had to pick what round to get shot with, a .38 would be my 1st choice. If I shoot, I want something that will stop the perp. .357 with 4.5" barrel in wifes nightstand and pump 12 ga. 1/2 step from my side of bed (00 buck). Her extra bullets are in that closet too in case I need to toss her some for reloading. Probably won't need them though, she's pretty good at hitting center mass.
A couple of good suggestions on the S&W 686. I'd look for either a 586 or a 686 used that is pre-lock (flame suit on). I just picked up a nice 686 a few months ago for $500.
__________________ The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
Handgun Recommendation 
