re: Pistol for a young lady

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Although I'm a Sig guy - few persons would be underserved, in any capacity a pistol may serve, by a Glock 19.

It isn't pretty or glamorous. It's the basic hammer or screwdriver of pistols. It will seem more like a full sized pistol to small framed folks and there's nothing wrong with that. It is "concealable" with proper holster and clothing. Young women have unique challenges in carrying concealed, but they can be overcome.

At the end of the day, you need to start with a single pistol and shoot the daylights out of that. That muscle memory can be translated to other platforms - the closer to that base skill set the better.

If you just don't like Glock for whatever reason, try the M&P or the Sig 320. If you don't like polymer? Try Sig classic pistols (ow, my wallet) or maybe even Beretta ( - different strokes, though).

But, the knee jerk reaction to putting a novice, small, female shooter into a .380 pocket gun or J-frame equivalent revolver is just terrible, terrible advice, generally. Those are specialty weapons for special situations. The .380 is largely obsolete (as are most revolvers for non-hunting purposes) - while obsolete doesn't mean ineffective, it certainly suggests we should go somewhere else. Outside of a rare case like a Walther PPK (which is a heavy, all metal example of the type), the .380s and 5-shot .38 Specials, regardless of alloy/weight, etc. are unpleasant to shoot and difficult to shoot well - a double whammy because relying on the weapon for your defense demands competency with it. No person is going to voluntarily put thousands of rounds through most .380 pocket autos or 5-shot .38s (Again, the Walther PPK and Ruger SP101 might be exceptions, but those are large for type, heavier for type guns from a better, vanished time.)

So what will work? In today's market roughly a Glock 19/Sig P229 (or equivalent) and adjusting from there, based on preferences with ergonomics, fire control system, etc.

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Smith & Wesson air weight in 38 caliber. Hammer less so does not get hung up in purse, safe because it is a revolver and light in the purse or pocket.

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