What caliber?

[measureman]

My wife who is 66 years old wants a gun for personal protection.
She is going to take a class in firearms safety.
Semi or revolver?
Something small to toss in the hand bag or pocket and under $400 if possible.
For caliber I was thinking .22 .32 or .380.
This would be for close up protection not an all out gun fight.

 

[JohnnyG]

.22 is too small for that job. These days there are plenty of good .380's around (minimum caliber I'd go with) and some 9mm's that are not too big.
They even have some 9s made so that the slide works very easily if hand strength is an issue.

Take a good look at the SIG 365.

 

[supton]

I would take her to a range that has gun rentals and let her try a bunch. Focus more on comfort and ease of operation than caliber.

I would vote for 380, very popular but it will likely be a handful in a small platform. But that is assuming too much—she may like it, she may hate it.

 

[DuckRyder]

Gun Store Miss Adventures | Cornered Cat

 

[spasm3]

My wife who is 66 years old wants a gun for personal protection.
She is going to take a class in firearms safety.
Semi or revolver?
Something small to toss in the hand bag or pocket and under $400 if possible.
For caliber I was thinking .22 .32 or .380.
This would be for close up protection not an all out gun fight.

You have to think about how she will access this weapon if needed. I personally think a purse is always a bad idea. Too slow to access, too much stuff in there, and if purse snatched, there goes the gun.

Better to have it on your person. If pocket carry, what holster? ( what holster will work for her?) . You should never have a firearm in a pocket ( or purse) without a holster that protects the trigger, otherwise negligent discharge is a high risk.

I think .380 minimum. But any is better than nothing. I would find out what she can shoot. If a 22LR is what you can shoot, then that's what you carry.

 

[wpod]

Right off the bat you don't put a gun in a hand bag

 

[Chris142]

She needs to shoot several guns,calibers,revolvers and semi autos and decide for herself what works best for her. What works for one person does not work for another.

 

[pbm]

For a newbie....I'd stick with a small 38 caliber revolver like a S&W, Ruger or even Taurus if money is an issue.

 

[Chris142]

A .22 is too small to stop most problems unless you get a good head shot. Most people can't get a good head shot in a panic situation.

 

[MRC01]

For someone who is not a regular shooter, who is not into guns as a hobby, a small DA revolver caliber .38 or larger seems best. Simple & reliable.
Good for her, taking the class. If after learning about liability and lawful use of deadly force, if she still wants to carry, as others have mentioned, never carry in a handbag or pocket (the class should cover that). Always use a holster made for the specific gun that fully covers the trigger. Also have a secure place to store it in the house when it's not being carried. Even if you live alone, you may have guests or children who occasionally visit.
Remind her to get out to the range and practice once in a while. It's a tool that won't help you, and can be used against you, unless you are proficient.

 

[Al]

For a newbie....I'd stick with a small 38 caliber revolver like a S&W, Ruger or even Taurus if money is an issue.

This. Only a wheelgun.

 

[MParr]

What you think will work for you may not work for her. She needs to try several different calibers in both revolver and semiautomatic. The older we get, the harder it is to rack the slide on a semiautomatic pistol.

 

[4WD]

Gave wife and daughter a similar model S&W .38+P …

 

[tc1446]

Start with a 22. You are more apt to find ammo for it, at least enough to practice with, than other calibers.
A 22 has almost no recoil. Move up to a light weight purse size gun in 380, 38, or 9mm and they have considerable recoil that might well intimidate a new shooter. A revolver rarely ever misfires. An automatic is more problematic, especially if you have not shot it a LOT to determine its functionality.

 

[AZjeff]

A Kimber pepper gun. Seriously.

 

[Astro14]

What caliber?

A caliber* that she can shoot accurately.

Shooter, weapon and caliber are a system. The whole system has to work together. You can’t pick one element without validating that the system works with all the elements.

So, time to have her try out various guns, at a range. The recommendations here are good, but they represent only a starting point for consideration, and her performance with both the gun and that caliber, are what truly matters.

*There‘s an old saying that a hit with a .22 beats a miss with a .45. If she can’t hit the target with a particular caliber, then carrying it makes no sense. That said, the minimum I would consider would be .380 ACP. Anything smaller is unlikely to be effective. 9mm or .38 Special would be even better.

 

[UG_Passat]

The one she has the most control with shooting multiple shots.

Wound ballistics don't matter if you cannot hit the intended target.

 

[GoldDot40]

Absolutely agree with letting her go to handle and even shoot several that feel good in her hand. Example, my mother-in-law is widowed and lives alone. Her grandson (my nephew) kept insisting she get a small semi-auto pistol. She wanted me to take her to shop for one. Got to the store...she couldn't even pull the slide back to chamber a round. We tried all brands they had in stock. Most I could pull with ease...she could only pull ½ way back.

Ended up with a Taurus .380 revolver. From a distance of about 15 or less...she did hit the target well enough to stop most any intruder.

 

[totegoat]

My wife is very accurate with revolvers..........from .22 to .357. Best case is your wife will never have to fire at a human.

 

[KJSmith]

Sig P238.
.380 semi auto

May be a little more than you want to spend.
She needs a gun she can operate and feel comfortable shooting.
Small 9mm are not good, to snappy.