Type of gun...?

old fuzz

Well Traci, you have, at least some familiarity with a handgun. My suggestion would be: A Smith & Wesson, Modle 10, .38 caliber, four inch, heavy barrel, fixed sights. This is very much like the old .38 service revolver you once fired. The S&W 10 has been around for 100 years. It is a proven design and a rock solid, dependable gun. A good used one will cost you about $250 to $300. .38 cal. ammo is plentiful and not expensive. Buy lead bullets to practice with. Your personal defense load should be 125 grain, jacketed hollow point. Stay away from the +P stuff, you don't need it.

This is a good gun to learn with. Simple to load, simple to shoot. Find a good trainer and take some shooting classes. Stay away from "Bubba", the good ole boy who knows everything 'bout guns.

This is a full size handgun. But you can carry it in a purse, if you don't mind the weight.

After you feel competent with this revolver you may decide to get something smaller, like one of the snub barrel revolvers or even a compact semi auto. You will find the training you got with the mod. 10 will prepare you for the newer gun.

Myself, I carry a Taurus 145. A compact, .45ACP semi auto. My sister-in-law had me get her a gun when she moved into the country. She has a modle 10 and is getting pretty good with it. My wife packs an old S&W 411, .40 cal. semi auto and is more than competent with it.

My former wife still carries her Ruger SP101, in .357 mag. This is a 2 inch barrel revolver. She used it on two guys who tried to rob her at a highway rest stop. They were smart enough to run when the first round went between them and hit the wall behind them.

bobbo342

Go to a local gun shop and they will get you set up for what you need to have in your local area. They will also help you find a firearm and caliber that will work best for you. But your best bet is to go to a shop. They will have all the laws, permit info, safety and training, and the right people to answer all of your questions.
A lot of people will suggest stuff to you and that will help you get an idea of what maybe you would like to hold onto or take a look at once you get to the shop.

Chris

It depends on what you plan on using the gun for. Most people simply buy a shotgun for home defense. Remington makes high quality shotguns which start for as little as $400. They have a high degree of stopping power, are difficult to miss with, and if you do miss, it probably will not go through your walls into a neighboring house/apartment.

If you are looking to carry the gun with you, get a Sig P229. The gun is designed for concealed carry, comes in several different calibers (which you get will depend on which you feel comfortable firing). I would probably recommend a 9mm because of low recoil.

Trebor

.38 revolver or even a .357 magnum because you can shoot .38s in them. That may work for you. defiantly go to a shop and see about going to a range that has rental guns and see what you like the best. Taurus, Ruger, Springfield, Glock, there has got to be something that you are bound to like. Good Luck and safety first.

MP US Army

If you want a gun to carry my wife LOVE's my Kel Tec P3 AT .380 it is very small, it fits in her hand and has little to no kick.

I used to carry it concealed when I lived in Atlanta because it was so small I could use a pocket holster and wear shorts and a T shirt and no one would notice, even if they were looking.

u4eahvapors

9mm ruger

Bulldog

depends on you (what you like, price etc.)
my suggestion is go to a gun show you can see a large variety of different types and prices and really get a feel for what you want, also take a gun class so you know what you are doing, i don't mean just concealed Carry class you should learn how to operate and handle a firearm before taking a concealed carry class.
feel free to email me if you would like more info
sidebar: i don't personally care for glocks but they are good guns

jerofjungle

A .22, a .25, or a 32. All of which would be light, easy to handle and fairly accurate.

Crazyjester9

There are many different thoughts of school on this, and all of them have their strong points, but let me tell you the best way (in my opinion of course) to go about this is.

Go to a gun shop and handle different guns, revolvers and semi auto alike. Pick out the few that "feel" the best to you, and then find a place you can rent them and shoot them. With that, you will have a much better idea of what suits your situation best.

As far as caliber, I feel that any given person should carry the biggest/strongest caliber that they can reasonably conceal and control (when shooting double taps). I personally use a 45acp because it is a big proven bullet that can take someone down very easily, but that won't do you any good if you have small hands and the first shot knocks the gun out of your hands.

If you can handle the 45, by all means you should carry it. If you can only handle a 40 S&W or .38 special then carry that and so on. You need to find the combination of firearm and caliber that work best for you. A good starting point would be the Sig P229 models, Glock compact models and Springfield XD 4" inch models. They all come in a variety of calibers and are a good size handgun for most concealed carry work.

You'll notice I didn't list any revolvers because I am not a fan of them, however that does not mean there is anything wrong with them and if a revolver happens to be the right fit for you, by all means carry that.

Also do like others have mentioned and take some classes to better learn how to shoot the firearm as well as maintain them. Your local gun store will likely have classes or be able to recommend someone who does.

Good luck with your purchase and stay safe.

Robert Pumpernickel

First get your concealed weapons license. Get something small if being in general public places thats easy to conceal and needing to fire at close range check out a 22 ruger handgun, or for something a little bigger with further range and punch check out a Kahr P9, or Sig P232. But never under estimate the damage a 22 round can do to someone, these little guys will ricochet off the bones rather than going straight in or through the enemy.

http://www.ruger.com/Firearms/FAFamily?type=Pistol&subtype=Rimfire%20Autoloading&famlst=54
http://www.a-human-right.com/p9vsg26.html
http://www.gunweek.com/2001/feature0410.html

To find these guns or similar stop by your local gun shop or pawn shops to check out what they have. Most gun shops can order what your looking for Given on your state laws.

Hope this helps.

Kevy

I carry a big caliber (.45) when off duty, but that is because I am a big guy, 6'4". It is totally up to you, and really only you can decide what you want to carry, it all depends on where you want to carry, (on hip, in purse, in nightstand, on ankle etc.) what you should get. I am not partial to wheel guns, but that is because of personal preference. My suggestion is go to a local gun shop and talk to the guy or gal there about what you want and he should be able to give you a firearm that matches what you want.

robert S

That information is based on how much you want to spend and what feels comfortable to use

20JAN13 End of an Error

Best personal defense weapon I've seen (and plan on getting myself soon) is the Glock 17C hi-cap (17 round clip v. 10 round clip of a normal Glock 17C).

The 17C fires a 9x19 Parabellum round which is strong enough to incapacite a person (but likely not kill) while not strong enough to break through brick - making it great for indoor home defense in an urban setting.

It also has a ported barrel and slide, allowing for much less muzzle climb when firing and thus quicker aim corrections and firings in a fire fight.

All Glock pistols also feature a rail on the bottom, which can hold a combination light/laser made by Glock (and by some after market companies) that can be operated by the middle finger.

And the best part about Glocks is that they have fewer moving parts than most other pistols, making them easier to disassemble and clean and reassemble than comparable pistols from other companies.

Alfred E Newman

Don't get a .25 cal.....If the barrel isn't right on the perps chest all you are going to do is make them mad.....The little 22 is almost unstoppable compared to the .25......

I would suggest a .38 revolver....
A semiautomatic has been known to jam and the last thing you want in a life or death situation is a jammed gun...But the revolver does not jam...If a round does not fire you do it again and there is is a good round in the next chamber!!!

Bill

Get a Red Ryder, otherwise you'll shoot your eye out!

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