What is the best handgun for personal protection?

Question

I want a reliable gun that I can count on. Preferably revolver because I dont trust semi or autos. I also have small hands so I would need A small grip and close trigger length

Answer 1

Bound's hubby here:

The best gun for personal protection is the one that you will carry and not leave behind because it's too heavy or bulky.

I would suggest a real steel snub nose revolver such as the Smith & Wesson Model 36/60 or an old Colt Detective Special. The steel revolvers are a little bit heavier than tha alloy revolvers that are becoming popular today and they will dampen recoil better.

While there are Tauruses and other snub noses on the market, I have and do trust my life with a Smith & Wesson. I would suggest shooting .38 Specials over .357s in revolvers that will fire the magnum round. Magnums in small revolvers may inhibit you (because of recoil) from pulling the trigger when you need to.

Always use factory loads for self defense, never hand loads, because of the legal implications. Because this is a defense revolver, always consider buying new, because you don't want to find a used revolver has a flaw when you need it most.

Semi-autos are good. However, under stress if you are not fully familiar with the semi-auto the operation could become more complex and an accidental discharge may occur. Over time you may move to a semi-auto when you feel comfortable.

You will find carrying a handgun will give you confidence in a bad situation and you may find you may never have to use it. Many times criminals pick their victims because they think the victim cannot or will not fight back. The mere presence of the revolver in your hand may be all it takes to get a criminal to back down.

Good luck.

Answer 2

A good choice. Folks say that sem-auto's are the best for self-defense, I disagree. Revolvers still have a place for self-defense. A good place to start is determining what kind of self-defensive handgun you need. If it is for your home, I would recommend a shotgun, but if you do choose a handgun I would look at the .357 magnums with a 4 inch barrel. I prefer the GP100. Its is reliable, easier to clean than a Smith & Wesson, and can shoot milder .38 special rounds. If you are looking at concealed carry (providing you have a permit to do so). The Ruger SP101 is my favorite. I prefer the 3 inch barrel over a 2 incher. If the grips don't fit very well, you can look at the S&W model 60 in concealed or a model 65 or 66 for a house gun. Taurus makes some decent guns, but the springs a bit weaker and either need to be replaced or at least monitored closely as they don't always allow the hammer to strike hard enough for reliable ignition of the primer.

Answer 3

A revolver is fine, but you really can trust a modern semi-auto. Law enforcement would never use them if they weren't extremely reliable. Be sure to keep it clean.You can't purchase an "auto", as that is a machine gun and illegal.The most important thing with any handgun, especially a semi-auto, since it is a bit more complex, is being totally familiar with it. If you are not willing to put in the time with a semi-auto, perhaps a revolver would be a better choice. On the other hand, if your not willing to put in the time, perhaps carrying a handgun is not the way for you to go.
If you decide to get one, go for a quality brand name. Also, have an experienced person test shoot it for accuracy. For some reason, you can't hit the broad side of a barn if you were standing inside it with some handguns. If you can't hit what your shooting at, you may be better off not having it.
As for caliber, well, 9mm is commonly used by law enforcement, but many feel it is not large enough. Get the biggest caliber you feel comfortable with.

Answer 4

my wife has small hands and has been looking at purchaseing her first handgun. So far she has liked the s&w ladysmith and the model 10. dont count uot the semi autos either, some are very reliable. I have a beretta 92fs (9mm) and have put about 500 rounds of different ammo through it without a single jam/misfeed. I even tried to limpwrist it and still couldnt get it to jam.Whatever you decide on do some homework, look it up and read some reviews. I have found brand specific forums to be very helpful, and whatever you do don't believe all the "gun store commando" stuff you hear.hope this helps.
-k

Answer 5

Smith 442 with a laser for sighting. Automatics regardless of the model WILL JAM. If you do not shoot a whole bunch you will not be able to clear a jam. For a woman a revolver is the only choice. Most women do not target practice enough for an automatic. I much prefer an autoloader but I shoot a BUNCH. You must shoot what your are COMFORTABLE with. I am a Retired Professional Operator and I NEVER carry one in the Throat! This is not the wild west, well Most of the time it isn't and you can usually figure if you need to be locked and loaded. If need be carry it ready behind your back along your thigh in your hand. I will reiterate autoloaders are not good for any woman that does not shoot much. A revolver is simple, Point, at center mass pull the trigger until it quits making the banging noise and the Bad Guy will be fairly pacified.

Answer 6

Although most people don't seem to agree with me, bigger is not necessarily better. A .22 long rifle will make an attacker just as dead as a .44 mag. The question noone seems to be addressing is what kind of area do you live in? Are there close neighbors? If so, then you should consider a slower round that'll still do the job to avoid accidental injuries to innocent bystanders. The .32 auto, .380 auto, and .38 smith are reliable, more than adequate to stop a human (or other mid size predator) and don't pose as much risk to other poeple in the area. Ask your local dealer about velocities and energies of the various sizes, and pick the one thats most comfortable in your hand. Big magnum class calibers will do the job fast and reliably, but tend to penetrate walls and people beyond those walls as readily as your target.

Answer 7

REVOLVERS ARE ALIVE AND KICKIN'!!!

Don't believe the hype that revolvers are outdated and useless. They are reliable and serve the needs of most normal defense situations.

You don't need 13+1 rounds unless you are raiding a crack house. In most personal defense situations you will run out of time before you run out of bullets. My friend shot an intruder about 2 months ago. He was able to get three shots off. 2 hit the intruder and one in the door frame.

i have small hands too. a 1911 is a great semi auto for the house, but too big for me to carry easily. i prefer a j-frame by S&W or even better a Ruger sp101 in .357.

go to your local gun store and pick up a Ruger sp101 and see how it feels in your hand. .357 is not whimpy and will serve your personal protection. i think the 5 rounds are plenty. a new sp101 will run about $400-450. you can find all kinds of .38+P or .357 rounds to fit your recoil tolerant.

Answer 8

Tarus has a revolver I'm thinking about. It's called the Judge. You can use .45 Long Colt or the .410 shotgun. It appears to be pretty effective for self-defense

Answer 9

actually revolvers are being fazed out now due to the popularity of the semi auto< I reccomend going to a reputable gun dealer, and checking out the inventory, as well as trying out a few, and yes most gun dealers do have demo models,

also sign up for firearms safty classes, as well as fining a local firing range to practice at, just because you have a gun does mean you can just shoot it,, you have to get used to the recoilf, feel of the gun, weight of the gun, as well as differnet stances and hand holds.

And remember, just because you have a gun, doesn't mean the bad guys are scared of you, becuse most of them have guns too, but if you get the proper training, etc, that one millisecond you need to safe your life or someone elses, will be there

Answer 10

Smith&Wesson has their Lady model packaged in the 44 Mag. I carry a 44 Mag., and tried differnet rounds. It really doesn't seem to matter how hot of a load, a 44 will stop just about anything. My all time favorite was PMC 240Gr. TCSP, but since PMC has devoted their time to the war effort, I was sold on the Hornady 300Gr. JHP/XTP.