What kind of safety do you prefer with a handgun?
410142
decocker. :)\n\nyour husband is going to love it.
169927
A complex question. First, most states have gun education courses, and if not, contact a local representative of the NRA. If you are buying a gun for protection, you want a gun with the highest stopping power with a single torso hit on the target. A colt .45 ACP automatic has a knockdown score of 95 out of a possible 100. A .44 special also fallos in that range. Avoid magnums and 9mm as they tend to be too penatrative, and most of the bullet energy is not obsorbed by the body. My personal favorite is the .45 acp automatic, and many manufacturers offer this weapon. Stick with single action, as a double action automatic is an ingenious solution to a non-existant problem.
1015328
Ladysmith .38 (Smith & Wesson)\n\nRevolver, easy to load and operate. No exposed hammer to get caught on clothing or in purse.\n\nOh, not much of a recoil either.
470479
get a concealed weapons permit, and a good pistol that your handle, powerful enough to kill a mountain lion if you have to.  At least .40 caliber I prefer the Springfield XD, But I usually carry a 1911 .45 caliber pistol.  \n\nI don't trust pepper spray due to the possibility of back spray where you could end up with pepper spray in your face, Tasers might be ok but you have to factor in if an attacker is on drugs and there have been issues of tasers killing people.\n\nI think that it would better knowing that your going to kill someone than be surprised.  It would be easier to deal with
1053961
The recoil will be similar to the .40 The weight of the gun makes the biggest difference.\nIf the .357 sig is lighter than the 40 you will feel a little more recoil. If it is the same gun you might not notice.\nI prefer the SIG 229 or SIG PRO if you want a compact auto.\nI had a few Glocks but the SIG has a better "FEEL" to me.\nMost  can be switched from .40 to .357SIG all that is needed is a different barrel. Action and magazine are the same. The .40 is a little cheaper to shoot.
813552
My favorite is the second from the top.\n\n\nMy weapon of choice is a Smith and Wesson .357, with a 4 inch barrel, built on the K frame.\n\nReliable, quality, serious
1157001
Best answer i can think of is go to a gun shop and look at several different pistols and see which fits your hand the best.   you will also want to get a pistol that you can handle.  while a 44 special bull dog may fit your hand well you probable wont want to shoot it enough to get good with it,   must remember that when you pull the trigger that bullet is going to go somewhere and you will want to practice enough to make sure it goes where you want it too.   some ideas for self defense calibers would be 32 acp, 32 mag, 38 special, 9 mm, 40 s&w, 357 sig, and 45 acp.   Your choice will depend on your body size and what you feel comfortable with.
1057707
I have carried my Ruger P95 for ten years. Why would you want to carry something else? this is one of the most reliable guns made. I out shoot cops on their qualifying course with it. \nI don't know many people who can go to the range and shoot any ammo with NO problems. Dead reliable. \nI have shoot most handguns and like many, but I would never part with my Rugers. \nSometimes I carry my P85, but most of the time its my P95.
972785
If it's a first gun light weight is the wrong way to go because of recoil.\n\nGet a 1911 powerful and incredibly easy to use.\n\nAnd I aggree learn about them before you buy one.
971075
Thankyou for asking your question\n\nMany people ask this question all the time, they have long guns, but need a light a portable one. I think we all know a shotgun is the best. But, you want a backup or another gun a pistol is nice too. \n\nI recommend for the expert and non-expert no matter who to consider the revolver. A smith and wesson lady smith. I carry this model even though I am a man, because it is a nice revolver. Mine is in .38 spcl and my main carry gun is a Springfield 1911 .45 GI. Anyways the revolver is really simple, no confusing safeties and that junk, no jams etc. The .357 mag are nice because they don't really kick that much and my wife can handle one, plus you won't really notice in a firefight, you could always put in .38 spcl and shoot the assailant a couple of times. Another caliber to consider is the .41 magnum as that is a really nice round, but I have it in a Taurus tracker with a longer ported barrel so I don't know what the recoil is like in a shorter firearm. The .44 spcl is a good round to consider too, for revolver, as it is a great heavy bullet, and if you handload you could always load reduced recoil loads that still have a lot of power. \n\nIf you wanted to go with a semi-auto...\nThey are great too, but make sure as with every gun you practice with it especially if it is you house gun. Practice in low light and around obstacles and on the floor in awkward positions, because that is how it will be used. \n\nI don't recommend Glocks, I have had jams in them and think they are unsafe, I have heard of and tested the drop firings and feel more safe with my cocked and locked 1911. That is not a comparison of bad with bad, I feel really safe with cocked and locked I have seen 1911s dropped and the hammer bent and the guns don't go off unintentionally. The jams occurred  with 9mm and could have been cheap ammo, but i don't like the feel of the polymer and the grip angle. Doesn't mean they won't do what they are intended to do. I would still trust my life to it, and I own one.I also feel the glocks sometimes have more recoil. \n\nI would recommend the .40 s&w but outside of your preferences the .45acp is the best. I don't like the 9mm, heard lots of things from the military and police. The .45 is used by special forces, and now in my hometown most of the departments use .40 s&w. My friends son is going through the academy and they all use  the .40 mostly due to the druggies. The 9mm just goes through them. The .45 does not recoil alot. That I think is a myth of the .45. In the 1911 models recoil is really nice and they point very well. If you go with a polymer or plastic pistol the recoil is worse in .45. I have had some 9mm cal pistols recoil more than a my 1911 for example. \nDon't be scared though you can always get reduced recoil loads. I recommend the Sig Sauer pistols in .40 as they are really good, I also personally like best the browning hi-power. My Browning Hi-power is in .40, the hi-power is thinner than most hi-capacity 9mm/40s and points real well too. I recommend it for your wife and my wife loves it too, but I took it back :) \nThe 1911, hi-power, or sig sauer can be found used and some new for that price range, the sig sauers are more expensive but can be found used for cheaper. Probably the 1911 is the only one in that range (Springfield), but the hi-power might be found new. The revolvers definitely can be found in that range, with the plethora of smiths and colts around. I recommend Smith and Wesson or Taurus as I have always been pleased with them. I recommend the .45 or .40 in semi-auto and .44spcl or .41 mag or .357/.38 in revolver. \n\nRemember a house gun shouldn't be light and handy for carrying, so don't worry if it is bulky or a bear to carry, just make sure you like the feel, and you shoot it without flinching, and your wife can shoot it too, then you should be good. My grandma was petite and she shot the .357 mag load in a s
484626
Any question you can ask in the realm of handgunning will generate a host of opinions -- none of which may be the same.  The 9mm is a fast round but may overpenetrate in the area of self defense but this may happen if you use a + P load in 38 caliber.  I usually carry a 357 revolver (which of course also fires 38's) since I don't have to worry about a safety if I have to use it.  For a long time the 38 was the preferred round by many law enforcement agencies before the 40 and the 45 ACP came into favor.  The drawback for the 38 is it is primarily a revolver round while the 9mm is used mainly in autoloading pistols.  It is also used by the NATO forces.  Many people like the idea of having 10 or more rounds that can cycle through and fire quickly as is the case with the 9mm -- assuming your pistol doesn't jam!  With a 38, you are limited to 5 or 6 rounds from a revolver and your ablity to reload quickly with a speedloader you trust and are proficient in using.  As far as stopping power, both are fine rounds and vary according to what kind you get (higher pressure +P loads, jacketed hollow points, etc.) and where you place the shots.  Both are fine rounds for out on the range.  If either round hits a person, I doubt it will tickle!  Both have been around a long time, since about 1902 and are among the most common cartridges made so finding ammo in either caliber is easy no matter where you go.  I think both are fine rounds, as I have fired both.  The recoil of both is about the same in my opinion.
729938
I prefer a 9mm\n\nCoach
464526
AS a member of both the ATA and the NRA I have several. They are all secure. My family are all well trained in their use and safety. We are more competition target shooters rather than hunters, though I generally get my own Goose for Thanksgiving. I am also an ex-Air force 45cal marksman that darn strait can protect my home and family.\n\n\nSam. I know you are young and naive. Since nearly every state in the union has passed a right to carry law, gun crime has gone WAY down. The "mainstream" left leaning media seldom reports the many cases when a ordinary armed citizen thwarts a criminal element because they support the anti gun lobby.
343894
my parents are both lifetime members of the NRA. I like shooting handguns like .357 magnums or 9mm or bigger caliber rifles. Hi fives for liking to shoot!
792524
well, a little more information about what you want to do would be helpful, but here's a thought or two.\nWhen someone says "Double Action", I always thing revolver first.  As a first handgun it's hard to go wrong with a 4" .357 magnum revolver.  You can shoot .38 Special ammunition through it (.38 Spl is cheaper and less recoil) as you're getting started and developing your acuracy.  Once you're proficient you move up to the Magnum loads.  Either cartridge is adequate for self defense should that be a concern, and .357 can be loaded for hunting as well, if you want.  The 4" barrel will give you acceptable accuracy at pistol ranges without excessive recoil or excessive weight.\nIf you want a semi-auto gun it's a little harder.  You really need to handle, and preferably shoot, several different guns and see what fits your hand.  I generally advise AGAINST Glock for a new shooter.  Glock firearms do not have an external safety, and I at least am insistent on that with a new shooter.  The revolver doesn't have a safety either, but you can look at the cylinder and SEE if it's loaded, which you just can't with an auto.  Single action/Double action is less of a concern with an auto gun than with a revolver, and most DA autos are really DA/SA (first shot double, shots after that single).\nIf you go to test out Autos, I cannot strongly enough recommend you try a Browning Hi-Power, even though it's a single action pistol.  The generally best feeling, best shooting handgun I have ever owned is a Hi-Power.
714159
Most under locked up in a fire proof gun vault. \nOne hand gun to protect against intruders in nightstand by bed.\nLive in the country. Have big cats, coyotes, an occasional bear, an occasional wolf as well as poisonous snakes. Carry handgun with me when any distance from the house for protection against said above.\nIf they start getting too close normally a warning shot scares them off especially the cats.\nCoyodogs (cross between coyotes and dogs) and wild dogs are the most troublesome. They have no fear of man and kill anything just to be killing. They will attack a man given the chance.
1085075
Would it make you feel better if they called it "Usually non-lethal"\n\nIn many situations for law enforcement, the taser is still the best option to resolve a situation, i.e. take a violent suspect into custody, without having to shoot him or beat him half to death.