Slims

I am pretty sure this has been discussed here before at some length.

But to sum up my point of view (though it has likely changed some):

I am not about to dictate what to get your girlfriend, and I don't know her particular circumstances and quirks, but I would recommend you think long and hard before getting her a long gun of any kind, and consider the realities of her level of training, disposition, strength, etc.

I say this with hesitation because there are plenty of country girls out there who can lay waste with a shotgun....but most girls who are not used to firearms are intimidated by them and/or unlikely to employ them in an effective manner. They are large and will likely get tucked away in the back of the closet and forgotten about...even when someone does try to break in. Because they are large and long they are hard to employ from anything other than a standing position (think cowering in a corner). They are also harder to pick up and carry from room to room when you girlfriend is feeling scared or is worried that something is about to happen.

I am, of course, colored by the preferences of my wife. She is perfectly capable of shooting a long gun, but she just isn't comfortable using one. She will leave the shotgun in the safe and grab a pistol when she thinks something is wrong.

A revolver may be a good choice, but many women (and yours sounds on the small side) lack the hand-size or strength to comfortably pull the trigger.

Modern automatics offer easier trigger-pull and a shorter reach at the expense of complexity.



If you decide to get her a pistol, make sure she will be able to safely operate it, and that it is a well-known brand (Glock, Sig, S&W, etc) with a good reputation. Let her personal preference decide the particulars. If she isn't going to carry it around, then consider getting her a full sized pistol: it will recoil less and will hold more rounds.

For Caliber I would recommend staying away from the teensy tinsy chamberings as well as anything large. I personally think 9mm is a good 'sweet spot' for most people. A full sized pistol in 9mm or 38 spc. will have mild recoil and resonable effectiveness. It is mild enough and light enough that a good instructor should be able to teach her how to shoot it without much trouble.

Remember that if she is not a gun person *any* added complexity may screw her up. I took my wife to the range a while back and put her bedside pistol on the bench ready to go, prepped the same way she kept it beside the bed. She tried and failed to fire it until she realized the safety was still on....That would have caused disaster in a self-defense situation because she would have never slowed down to troubleshoot. The safety is now kept off so all she has to do is point and squeeze. Likewise, I don't expect her to conduct reloads, etc.



I think a 22 is the best way to learn... but if you are only going to buy one gun and it is going to be used for defense, I think a more substantial (but still mild) caliber is the better compromise.

Also, after a basic firearms class, sign her up for a concealed carry class. It will teach her a lot of the basics regarding the use of deadly force as well as some basic techniques. If you look around you can usually find firearms class taught by and for women.

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