Women's self defense handgun

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My gf thinks the bodyguard is too small. In a car or purse, don't get a pocket pistol

I know she could handle a 9mm, she just gets nervous shooting something that's going to kick a little. She's a bit dramatic, but I told her IF she would need to use it, she probably wouldn't feel it.

She mentioned she wanted to come shoot with me Friday, but she changed her mind when she remembered I don't have any small calibered handguns. She's eager to shoot, so that shouldn't be a prob.

S&W Shield 9mm is may be worth a look.

Beretta is just now releasing the Pico, a 380 that has a purple frame. My wife wants one

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Maybe let her start/practice with a.22. That's what I bought for my wife to start with.

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This.

In addition to my CCW classes I (occasionally) offer one-on-one lessons to first-time shooters. I always start them with a .22 LR Glock (using an Advantage Arms conversion kit ). Once they're getting good hits with the .22, and once they're comfortable, I put the 9mm slide on the gun.

I have never had a female first-time shooter who couldn't put every shot in a 2-3" circle at the end of her lesson. The woman who came in today had never fired a handgun before -- she put 67 out of 68 rounds into a 2" circle (was firing one round per second for the 20 rounds). The one shot that fell outside the group was the result of "point shooting," and it was only 2 or 3 inches outside the ragged hole made by the other shots.

The point is, start her with a .22 -- and try to use a .22 that has a trigger action that's as close to your 9mm as possible. That way there's minimal "reorientation" as you swap guns. This why I use an AACK -- the student shoots the same gun, same trigger, same sights, same mag release, etc. whether dry firing, shooting .22 LR or shooting 9mm rounds.

Whatever you do don't start her with a .40 or .45 caliber handgun -- almost guaranteed to produce a flinch in new shooters. And it's harder to get rid of a flinch than it is to induce one.

I would not recommend a small .380 or 9mm for any first time shooter much less a woman. Get her a full size 9mm. Such as an XD, Glock or M&P. Maybe even get her a .22 pistol first and let her get used to shooting that first. The LCP you are thinking about getting her has a tremendous amount of recoil, and she will never shoot it. Just my 2 cents

what about a Bersa Thunder .380 Conceal Carry? I hear they shoot great and it's a DA/SA.