Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Looking for home defense pistol, Glock???

And on the Sig/Beretta go with a DAO trigger set up rather than the DA/SA. I wouldn't recommend a S&W auto for what you are wanting other than the new(er) M&P line. Very good ergonomics, seem reliable from everything I have read, and if the rare problem should happen to pop up you will likely find S&W's customer service much better than Glock's. Although by going with a 9mm you are lessening the need for it, even with that I have seen a G-26 that was probably short chambered that went back to Smyrna and was never fixed so the marketing claim of perfection isn't a damnable offense in and of itself, but the behavior when the claim fails definitely is.

Priorities - a .50 Browning with the charging handle racked once and mounted to cover the hall is a good man stopper. So is a 12 gauge, but I used to know a little boy who lived in Ontario, OR who is dead now because his 10 year old brother blew most of his head off with a 12 gauge that was kept loaded and easily accessible.

So if it needs to be kept out of the hands of a couple of small children then that priority might override other desirable features of a self defense weapon.

Best advice I've seen so far is to get what you and your wife are comfortable with, not what pleases someone else's personal preference. Don't let yourself be swayed too much by all of the hair splitting here. It's pretty common on all of the 24hcf forums when anyone asks "I have basic needs - what should I get?" to be answered that is absolutely critical to get what the answerer believes is the perfect solution to HIS wants and desires, not yours.

For your wife just make sure it's not too heavy and does not hurt her when she fires it. Women don't have some macho image to live up to, they do not like hard kicking guns. Make sure you can both reach the controls. Make sure it points pretty much where you're looking for both of you.

Main thing is, get something that inspires confidence in both of you. Action type, brand, model, caliber (within reason), and all the other niceties really are secondary to something that lets you put the bullet where it will do the most good. If you and you wife both like the Glock, go for it.

Hey, at least on this thread most of the responses have more or less addressed the question that was asked, rather than the question people felt like answering.

A good idea would be to go to a rental range and just tell them what you want to rent. While you will likely get someone who will show you the basics of how it operates that will also likely drop in some of their own personal prejudices for or against, it will likely be less than if you borrow someone's stuff at the range.

Mine are in favor of semi-auto pistols with the same trigger pull from shot to shot and preferably shorter reset distances on those. While a revolver is less complex to operate in theory, even that goes out the window if you have an ammo failure beyond a simple failure to fire, by some odd chance you have to reload, and there is always the opportunity to short stroke the trigger. In short, you have to practice with a revolver also.

I dunno, but I don't think that's it. I agree with you assessment of Colt triggers, but it seems like women that have trouble are pulling the trigger up into the frame or down into the trigger guard - more of a hand geometry problem then a spring problem.

I can live with that

Yeah I know, Sean is a real subtle...but we love the hell out of him...even if he is a "bleep"-hole

Yeah this is a tough one I've struggled with also. I've found the most female friendly setups for revolvers are the SP101 with a touch of action work, mostly in the form of lighter springs and most Rugers need to be smoothed up in the DA department. The next is a round butt K frame wearing Pachmayr Compac Professional grips, the one's with the open backstrap. And lighter springs are always a help also. If I'm arming my wife with a revolver, it's a 3" HB RB K frame, Wolf springs, Pachmayr Compac Professionals, mill off the front sight and replace with a dovetailed tritium front sight and BOOM baby, we're good to go.

But my wife prefers autos, so it's either a Kahr P9 or an Astra A70 (a great pistol that no one ever noticed)

Kevin, this might be awful sudden, but will you marry me?

Yep - that's what works for my wife. And I kinda like shooting it too. OTOH - she also did well with the Browning Hi-Power.

[quote=JOG

I dunno, but I don't think that's it. I agree with you assessment of Colt triggers, but it seems like women that have trouble are pulling the trigger up into the frame or down into the trigger guard - more of a hand geometry problem then a spring problem. [/quote]

1+ on the hand geometry problem. I have smallish hands and tend to pull the trigger down into the trigger guard with certain handguns. Fit of the grip and ability to reach the controls is critical.

As to all the shotgun reccommendations, I agree.. they are a great home defence weapon. However, I don't want any chance of my kids getting a hold of it while I'm not around. I would rather take the chance of not being able to get to it a few seconds faster than have some neighbor kid visiting, or my own, do something stupid with it. After viewing several options, I think I'll be settling on a Glock 17 with night sights and a crimson trace laser sight in 9mm and a quick access bedside safe.
Since I hand load, and I've heard of some glocks blowing up because the case isn't fully supported...How strongly would you recommend getting a new, more fully case supporting barrel?? Though it seems like the 40 cal's seem more prone to this problem than the 9mm's. What say you, glock handloading experts??

Aftermarket barrels can somewhat compromise reliability. Tighter chambers and other critical dimensions are often "tightened" to get better accuracy at the expense of reliability. If you intend to use it as a practice / training barrel, then there's no real reason not to if it makes you feel better. I don't have a problem developing jacketed 9mm loads for use in the factory generation 2 and generation 3 Glock 19's that I have. The Barsto barrels that I have for them are a bit picky about OAL when using LRN handloads. The aftermarket barrels I have do offer a tad more case support, but not trying to make 2000 fps with a 9mm or 40 has quite a bit to do with blowing up most any pistol. Proper load development gets you function and accuracy without excessive pressures.

If you are going to handload, get the aftermarket barrel. If not, load factory fodder and rock on with the factory tube.

For me, the S&W M&P series points better than either the Glock or XD line. I prefer Kahrs the best, but those are more of a carry gun for me. The bedside gun for me is the M&P, full size in 9mm with a good flashlight. I have a PM9 with tritium sights that is in the drawer as well.

On the other hand, I have a S&W M60 with a 3 inch barrel that my wife shoots well with .38 Spl +P ammo and she prefers it to any of my autoloaders

Getting one handgun to really fit both you and your wife for good control and accurate rapid combat type shooting probably isn't going to be easy.

S&W M&P

That model name has become ambiguous. No one knows if you're recommending a no-frills .38 Special revolver or a wonder nine.

Why not a shotgun?

With a handgun, you can use it effectively with only one hand. This leaves the other free to dial the phone, lock the door, use the flashlight, etc. It is also much harder to wrestle a handgun away from someone than it is a shotgun. And at indoor ranges the pattern of a shotgun is small, making it no more likely to hit.

The one advantage the shotgun has is power. It is going to be far more lethal at indoor ranges than the typical handgun. Birdshot is all you need in confined spaces.