I'd have to say in my case it is the P89 that is the problem. I am a competition pistol shooter, and have a few other handguns that I can print some real, real tight groups with. For a self defense gun it would work alright, as long as your not shooting over 15 feet

My next handgun with either be a glock 19 or a Kimber.

 

My wife took a handgun class 10 years ago. She does not like guns, and has shot just a couple of times since. I am 100% confident she will put the slug where it belongs with a Security Six .38. DA revolver = point and click.

For a while you could get used police stainless steel .38's and .357 for about $200. Buy two or three for the price of a Glock.

The Semi auto is the better weapon for the police or others that carry and train with it regularly.

For someone awakened from a deep sleep who hasn't touched a gun in months, I say revolver.

Working the buttons on the security box while the alarm is wailing, now that is something you have to practice every once in a while.

 

I would highly recommend a Taurus PT92. It is 9mm but you can also get .40S&W I think. They will run around $350-380 for stainless. I have one that I bought back in July and it is a great gun. Never had a single misfire and is pretty accurate for fixed sights. Only downside is that the trigger isn't as smooth as a beretta or sig but it isn't too bad. I wouldn't get this if you are looking for a concealed carry gun because of the size but it is as reliable as anything I've ever shot(including sig, beretta, H&K, kimber, para ordnance and whatever else I've shot that I can't think of right now).

 

I disagree with the knockdown capability. I have several friends that are police officers and none of them carry the 9mm. One of my friends said you can shoot a guy 14 times with a 9mm and they would still show up to court! I would get a .40 caliber if you decide on the Glock. I personally like my S&W 629 .44 mag with a 5" barrel, just need to make my shots count! But the knock down power is no comparison!

 

If it is a self defense gun I'd go with a 40S&W too. Maybe even .45ACP. Bigger bullets make bigger holes and obviously will end a gun fight more quickly. I've never shot the taurus that I mentioned above in the 40 but I'm sure it is just as reliable as the 9mm.

 

I know most are going to say this is not a defensive round but I really like a 32 H&R mag. for small framed women. My wife has very small hands and is recoil sensitive to the point she does not like shooting very much. After much practice with a 22 revolver for confidence, we moved up to a Ruger SP-101. 3" barrel, stainless, in 32 H&R. The recoil is very mild due to the gun weight (about 26oz's), point of aim is good with the 3" barrel and it has 6 shots. The round is a bit light in terms of stopping power when compared to say 38+p but it is close to a standard 38. One day we will make the jump to a .38 and see how it goes.

Main thing is she started shooting it, overcame the "loud bang" fear and is now very confident with it. That is the most important part. There are alot of options to go with. Make sure she is comfortable with it. A gun she won't pick up is no good to her. There is a great site on this type of stuff called
www.thehighroad.org . Lot of good guys asking all type of questions and getting all type of answers relating to guns, concealed carry, home defense, etc..

Some people get hung up on caliber a bit too much. No one has yet been willing to take a shot from a .22, .25, or .32 to see it's effective stopping power that I know of. Lots of people have been killed with .22's (though not a first choice) Shot placement and cool nerves are just as important as anything.

 

I have a Pre ban glock-19 9mm, 18 rd mag. Simple and reliable. A great gun to carry.

A couple thoughts:
Defense:
If you are talking about home defense the best option is a Rem. 870 (or equiv) with a 20" barrel and a mag extension. This gives you a better chance of hitting what you are aiming for. Most home defense shootings occur at night, a shotgun gives you a much better chance of hitting something in low light when you are half asleep. It is every bit as lethal as a pistol. A shotgun gets more lead on target. I use 2 3/4 #4 buck. 34 chances vs the price of one..low recoil.

Knockdown:
This is a myth. The total energy transferred to the bullet and then to the target is no more than what you feel in recoil(less what the slide absorbs to work the action). Death is caused by bleeding or a Central Nervous System disruption (ie brain or spine damage). A weapon with low recoil will allow you to get back on target faster if necessary. Knockdown is usually associated with an involuntary muscle reaction that makes people fall, sometimes. Many times people who are shot are unaware they have been hit. 9mm is plenty lethal and has been killing people for a long time. 40sw and 10mm are great. Being proficient with your weapon is far more important than caliber or its make.


IMHO

 

your friends might need a little more range time, trust me a double tap to the thorasic cavity with a corbon 115 gr. +p hp 9mm will cause imidiate auto involintary shut down, in other words the only thing the guy is showing up for is his funeral.
as far as the mags go yes, they have great stoping power,stoping a person that is, the problem is they dont stop. they go through the perp, through the wall behind him, through you kids bedroom wall...well you see my point. if your gun is for home protection use light loads with big hollow points(i use corbon in everything)

 

I have three shotguns and I am looking for something that I can have fun with, yet, is capable enough for the future wife to use for defense. Thank you for all of your help.

 

Good luck:
H&K
Sig arms
Para ordiannce
Springfield Armory
and Glock

all make fine weapons. If a woman is going to be using it I would recommend the one she likes the most. Sig and glock both make good compacts. My wife keeps a glock because it is simple. point, shoot. The holster is the saftey. Make sure you get her plenty of range time. If she has never shot, use a ruger .22 to teach her. Less recoil, will prevent her from getting a flinch. Then switch over to what you/she are going to carry.

Be sure to famalarize her with local laws on self defence. They very a good bit state to state.

good luck.

 

> Shot placement and cool nerves are just as important as anything

I agree, not to many people walking around after getting hit square in the head with a .22 at close range. At the very least, the bullet will circle around inside the skull and hollow it out.

 

I shoot guns more than any normal human should, and I would personally have no problem using my MK II Target for personal protection. From what I read most criminals split once they see a firearm get pulled on them anyway. In my opinion any caliber will work as long as you know where each shot is going to hit.

I have heard those horror stories of people surviving 14 shots from a 9mm. That is all a matter of ammo selection, like someone else already mentioned. If I shot someone 14 times with my 9mm they would be hamburger.

 

I'll go ahead and put my first post ever in this thread:

Many in-door shooting ranges will allow you to rent weapons. Either ones they have just for rental, or one you may be interested in buying. Go and see what you like. If you like the little 2-shot .22 LR and can hit anything with it, it may be better than the .50 AE Desert Eagle that you cant hold steady because it's a monster.

Bullet placement is much more important than power or caliber.

I'll throw in that I very much love my 1911, and have liked many of the clones out there. Some articles say that the clones, like Kimber, are more accurate and reliable. They are higher priced than a real Colt, and the Colt can be brough up to par for some money. There are even some cheap, fairly well built Argenteen models out there.

But, what I feel is one of the better weapons out there for this would be the good ol' HK USP.

It can be had in many good calibers. 9mm, 40HK, and 45ACP. It's a reliable, accurate weapon. Of course, provided the previous owner didnt tweak the sights because he obviously shoots better than the weapon does, you'll be able to hit what you want. High cap magazines are easy to get, as well as many cool, useless things like lasers and lights.

One of the better upgrades you may want to look for in ,whatever your choice is, would be Tritium sights.

Also, keep in mind, as others have mentioned, energy transfer. There are many, many, MANY articles written on this, but the general thoughs are, a 9mm with little penetration will do better overall than a .45 ball slug that just goes in and out.

Hydro-Shoks and the various BlackTalon knock offs are a good round to research, as well as the Corbons that were mentioned earlier.

Whatever your round/weapon combo is, be sure that you put some rounds down range at regular times so you can be sure you'll hit what you need to. Inside of a house is no time for unintentional warning shots.

-Dave, the rambler.

 

One of the ranges in my neck of the woods has this. I will most likely end up going down there and see what they have to offer. thanks

And Welcome to FTE!

 

In your price range and for the Mrs, I'd stick with a 38/357 revolver especially if her exposure to firearms is limited. I hadn't realized it but my wife had a huge amount of trouble working the slide on my P89 (seems common on this thread). So now the Security Six is loaded with Safety Slugs (Glazer?) in the night stand. For home defence Safety Slugs are the only way to go, over penetration with even a 9MM is common and Safety Slugs will make hamburger out of any soft tissue it hits. I believe one manufacturer even advertised for a while that no person had ever survived a torso shot with their ammo.