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He means there's no slide to rack, magazines to mess with, or safeties to unlatch.

Oh.

I agree with DeFlave above.
NEVER grab a handgun to fight with if you can have a rifle instead.


A 10/22 is actually an excellent defensive weapon for homes because of it's good accuracy, recoil-less use, quite muzzle blast indoors and good reliability as well as the fact that someone can be trained to use it very well in just a short time. But any long arm if FAR easier to use well then a handgun for even the most expert hand-gunners let alone the average young lady. a few years back I could do a lot of "showing off' with my handguns and it was common for me to shoot some birds in flight with them. I am still not bad despite my eyes getting old. So I can say in 100% honesty I was quite good at my job when I did those jobs, but at NO TIME IN MY LIFE, as a US Marine, as a military adviser with DOD, or as a body guard would I EVER use a handgun if a rifle was just as fast to grab, and with me I am not speaking from a standpoint of mere theory.

Handguns are to carry. If you are not wearing it you need to go get it at the time the alarm goes off in your mind and getting a rifle (or shotgun) is WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY better in such a situation then a handgun

Remember long arms are a LOT easier to make hits with, and every shot you fire is going to hit.......................something.

You (she) will be responsible for all shots fired. Hitting is the key. A hit in the body of a bad guy even with with a 243 or 25-06 deer rifle is going to be a lot less dangerous to someone down range after it exits the enemy then a total miss (usually several) with a 9mm that goes wide and is under full power when it strikes. So the argument of "over penetration" is far more an issue of proper training .............to fire when you are aiming correctly and ending the contest in 1 shot. For that a rifle is a LOT better tool.

It's also much safer in the legal actions that will follow for 2 reasons. #1 it's a common rifle used by millions for hunting so no stigma is attached to many of them and #2 ending the fight by making the 1st shot means you don't have the blazing gunfight that is not only possible with handguns but more common then not.

Going through this same thought process for my youngest daughter. Shes 24 and knows her way around guns in general, shes shot most of the guns in my safe. I'm going to buy her a birthday present (July) and am leaning hard toward a smaller Glock in 380. Shes only 5ft 2 and isnt petite but is pretty small. She manages a horse farm here and is no stranger to hard work.

The incident that threw me over the edge happened a couple weeks ago. The owners were on vacation for a week. She goes in every day at 630 AM and is usually the first one there. She called me on a Weds and said someone was apparently setup house in the hay loft of one of their barns - sleeping bag, water bottles, food items. My first thought went to a homeless person. I told here to call the owners, inform them of the situation, and call the police. She did all the above and discovered it was one of the workers hanging out for the weekend. Turned out all good but reinforced my thought that every women needs to carry. I dont care how tough a women is, they aren't going to win with the average dude. A pistol evens up the game.

A couple points I'd like to add.

I don't find the 10/22 to be horribly intuitive to operate. If you don't agree with this, hand one to a 30 year old dude and tell them to lock the bolt to the rear, drop the mag, and activate the safety prior to completing these things. It may take a while.

This was never an issue for me because once my kids came of shooting age I had them sit on the couch and lock and unlock the bolt and fugk with the safety while they watched TV. No I'm not a psycho. I just found that familiarity with the rifles while we were on gopher fields translated into our enjoying our time together that much more. In this regard, the 10/22 has worked. For me.

Handguns and UBER light carbines like the 10/22 have a huge advantage due to their weight. If you have to find your way through and out of a building, M4's and shotguns can fatigue the uninitiated very, very quickly.

TRH, for me that isn't a handicap at all my M60 DAO has the 1 7/8" barrel when it was new it was used by the NYSP and is marked that way. They traded them off for SW semi auto 9's. Simply one of the finest DA s shooters I've ever shot,point and pull you bet. Carry piece and on the night stand right next to the AR and 870. MB

I'm with you in being a fan of the S&W J-Frames, but you and I are in a different category than the people we're talking about.

Damn it trh your right. A Glock or cock is what most women need and that is as far as I'll take that statement. MB

odd how women cannot manage a semi auto pistol but have no problem with an automobile, BLT sammich or Nina pressure cooker. Of course revolvers are easier to understand, easier to load, much more reliable...feeling confident in knowing how things work, but reliably missing 6 shots and then all you have left is the firm knowledge that you know how the gun works. I don't think this knowledge will be of any help towards a criminal bent on bodily harm. Its just is not as effective as shooting the criminal a few times until they decide they don't want to play anymore..I personally would fear my wife with a glock 19 in her hand a hell of a lot more than with a snub nosed 38.

How about a slick K-Frame .38? Not much range work required to become competent with that at room distances. But a J-Frame is an expert's gun.

Pretty much right there too, a set grips to fit HER hands and lots a practice can make one a force to be reckoned with. My favorite is a M 13 roundbutt with the 3" HB, damn gun is hot piece of action waiting to happen. MB

The FBI configured Model 13 (like you describe) was my daily carry for many years.

I'd recommend pepper spray and a handgun. Just try and make sure it's secured so a bad guy wouldn't get access to it while you/she was away and have it if you/she were to come home....

If it doesn’t have to be a handgun let them try a Ruger PC9 carbine. They’re a hoot to shoot and if they enjoy shooting it, they’ll be more comfortable with operating it.

I agree with the couch time and similar tinkering to build familiarity. Just like a beginning shooter benefits from a scoped rifle with no bolt (or air rifle) to practice field positions around the house and yard. Good way to develop habits.