Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Home Defense Pick: Young Ladies

If it's a house gun, why handicap them with a J-Frame, which is designed for comfortable all day concealed carry. In order to make it perfect for that purpose, it gives up massively in the shootability department, particularly for a novice. A K-Frame, especially with after-market grips, is far superior in the shootability department.

The revolvers we have around the house are all K-frames with rubber Hogue monogrips, as they have a shorter reach to the trigger. A 7-shot 686 would be great also, but those weren't around when we got the K-frames.

18" 20 GA. or a 410. that way it makes noise and if they miss no rounds going outside. might leave a big hole in the wall or the object intruding in the house, but the wall can be fixed.

With respect to those posts addressing the Ruger 10/22, Ruger PCC and Remington 870 Youth 20 gauge, consider a few things. The 10/22 is light and can be used one-handed if necessary. The PCC is much heavier and would require a young person to use two hands. It is not as easy to move around. The 20 gauge is about a half pound lighter than the PCC and easy to maneuver, but it has a bit of recoil for a person of small stature. Of course, that one requires two hands to cycle the action, which makes it slower. My son had no trouble with the 870 youth when he was about 12, but he was athletic and tall for his age.

With a 25 round magazine, the 10/22 would sling a lot of bullets with decent accuracy and with relative ease.

(BTW, when this pandemic thing is over, I need to send my PCC back to Ruger due to stovepipe issues. It is an early model.)

For a handgun, I would look at the S&W Shield .380 EZ loaded with something like Gold Dots.

I agree with all of that.

Know the shooter you want to arm and determine what they're best with.

Cheyenne, I've seen some petite women folk around here have success with that S&W .380 EZ.

It may not be as accurate today as it was 30 years ago when a detective friend of mine said, " If someone breaks in on you during the day they are after your stuff. If they break in at night they are after you." I was living in a large city at the time so I outfitted my Glock 19 with a 30 rnd magazine, flashlight, and night sights for the bedside table. One night about 3am a kidney stone made me think I had been stabbed. Grabbed the G19 and tried to find someone to shoot........ :-)
Since then added a 12 ga riot gun under the bed with 00 buck. The little woman likes her S&W airweight 38 snubnose. Carries in her purse and shoots it well enough.

Let the ladies in question try several different guns, and let them pick it.

I repeat, let them pick it

tell them in advance that you are going to let them choose it, but you will steer them away from guns that might be unreliable or of inadequate power.

And then...let them pick it

I would let the young lady shoot several and decide for herself what she is most comfortable with. I must have tried 5 or 6 38/357 revolvers with my wife. Familiarity was great but the heavy DA pull, poor hand strength combination was not conducive to accuracy, as in hitting the target rather close. Right now she is shooting a Ruger LC380, its not a glamorous gun, but the slide spring is weak enough for her to charge it herself, she hits at 21 feet with it. When the 'Rona is dissipated some I want to try her with the SW shield 380 EZ. That is my experience, again everyone is different and may want a long gun, shot gun, 22 rifle, 22 pistol, or revolver. You don't know until they try a few.

Model 60, .38 Special, DAO, 3 inch barrel

Designed for concealed carry, thus gives up a great deal in the realm of shootability. Why would someone handicap themselves that way, needlessly?

I'm always amazed by the amount of men that insist their wives and daughters are deadly with DA, short barreled, J or K frames.

Either that, or, when it's true, you can measure shot splits with a sundial. Use an electric target return to get the target to charge straight at them from 21 feet and they are good for one shot that goes wild. The good ones can get two shots off (and they stop when the target reaches them).

Yea.

I'm sure there are some proficient women out there with DA snub nosed revolvers.

I've just never met one.

My wife is pretty good with a revolver, but she is slow. (She married me.)

For HD.....
Revolver: S&W R8
Pistol: Glock 19 or similar gun available from several manufacturers.

Women don't have to be trained gunfighters to find the motivation and discipline to manage a semi-auto under stress. Plenty of folks shoot IDPA to get their feet on the ground and do just fine. I think that the OP has probably got this team at least halfway down that particular road.


I'd rather plan for the worst case: semi-rural area (per the OP), a home-invasion style event, intruders are multiple gang members who don't flinch at gunfire and who stick around even if they have to return fire to make it happen. Unless we're talking center hits with a 12-gauge, then you'll want the ability to make multiple hits per assailant without a reload.

Six rounds later, you're still a long way from the finish line.


Okie John

AR15 or 22lr. My 10 yo shoots an AR15 but handles a 22lr 10x better. At 14yo - AR15 for sure.

No pistols for HD.

Keep it simple and keep it loaded. Revolver in 38 special and 20 gauge semi-auto loaded with buck shot. Point and shoot. Will suffice for any home invader situation.

Point and shoot with a .38 special revolver?

I'd love to see that.