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Subject: Girly gun question
Cato    1/16/2006 4:19:47 PM
I'm investigating the purchase of a home firearm. The one criteria for said purchase is that the weapon must be easily usable by a rather small and not particularly mechanically inclined chick. So, sorry guys, the Desert Eagle .50 and broomhandle Mauser are out of the question. I'm thinking of a wheel-gun rather than one of the small-framed autos. Any suggentions regarding calibre and make/model would be greatly appreciated. Personal experience with reccommended weapon would also be greeted with many thanks. Thankee kindly, Cato
 
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Basilisk Station    RE:Girly gun question   1/16/2006 4:26:03 PM
Well they aren't cheap, but FN HERSTAL has a pistol using their 5.7 ammunition developed for the P90 (the gun they use in Stargate SG-1) they are supposed to be very controllable with minimal kick. It's even more expensive ($1400), but you might also want to consider the PS-90 the civy version of the P90. IME it is a LOT easier to hit things with a rifle and the PS-90 is VERY handy with pretty much negligable kick (From what I've heard at least). Check here if you have some questions. Someone should be able to help you out. http://fivesevenforum.com/forums/
 
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doggtag    RE:Girly gun question   1/16/2006 4:31:19 PM
The local surplus/sporting goods store here in my hometown just recently picked up FN's "Nickle Pistol", the "little" thing that fires the same 5.7mm as the P90 PDW. Mind you though, you cannot (as a civilian) purchase the AP-type ammo the 5.7 was originally designed for, but Hornady makes some decent civilian grade ammo for it (so says the boxes at the store). Just what are you looking at the gun for, specifically? Home defense? General plinking? When deciding on a hand weapon, consider how often you plan on practicing with it to gain proficiency (accuracy under stress is of primary importance for a home defense weapon, and sadly, too many handgun accidents in the US suggest not enough people practice enough): the cost of ammunition should be part of the decision process also. If your nearest gun/sporting goods stores have decent sales staff, they should be able to talk your little lady through acquiring a weapon that suits her "feel". I'll give you this though: if the two of you can bond over target practice and weapons cleaning, she's definitely a keeper!
 
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joe6pack    RE:Girly gun question   1/16/2006 4:31:25 PM
Does the "girly" in question have any previous experience with fire arms? The thing about home defense with a fire arm I think is first and foremost a willingness to use it. If said girly just pulls it out and holds it like a "go away evil intruder" magic wand, it's more trouble for the person holding it than the person it's being pointed at. If she doesn't have any fire arms experience, get a 12 gauge shotgun. The intruder intimidation is greater and you are not likely to miss as much and you don't have to worry as much about the rounds going through the wall and hitting your neighbor 3 houses down. At least that's my 2 cents on the subject.
 
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PeregrinePike    RE:Girly gun question   1/16/2006 4:40:00 PM
An AP round like FN 5.7 mm is definately illegal in the US... not to mention Cato's California. So are H&K's UCP rounds. And for the record, my self-defense is the $40 I keep in two crisp notes... plus a general apperance of shabbiness.
 
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Bigbro    RE:Girly gun question   1/16/2006 4:59:39 PM
A good 4" wheel gun in .22 mag. If you think you need more go to a model 19 smith with a 4". That is what my wife likes. and yes she would use it!! 2 cents worth. Bb
 
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Cato    RE:Girly gun question   1/16/2006 5:16:25 PM
Thanks for the input, fellahs. I don't live in a place where people are forced to use firearms to defend their homes (anymore!). The reason is simply to have something fun and easy to shoot, a beginner gun. Of course, with the ability to make an unarmed mob look elsewhere for food after the "Big One" hits L.A. Think we'd look any better than N.O.? Seriously, though, if I walked into the house with a Mossberg Police 12 gauge, I would be told in no uncertain terms that the piece stayed, OR I stayed. Not both. Discreet and unobtrusive are the order of the day. The .22 mag. wheelgun sounds like the right item. Any suggestions regarding barrel length? Thanks Again, Cato
 
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Horsesoldier    RE:Girly gun question   1/16/2006 5:27:51 PM
What's your price range? Also, how big are the woman in question's hands? Some of the double-stack semi-auto pistols, even in 9mm, can be a bit of a problem for people with really small hands. Like Joe6Pack said, shotguns are really good for home defense. Be sure to get a pump action, since the sound of that pump racking a round may be entirely adequate to make bad guys bebop on out of the house without even setting eyes on the weapon. Definitely have her try out the prospective weapon at a range, if possible, and if the 12 Ga. is too much, consider 20 gauge as well -- less recoil may make it preferable since a 12 gauge fired while flinching and closing ones eyes is more of a noisemaker than a weapon. Consider lighter loads than 00 buckshot in either case, but especially if you go with 20 gauge -- #1-#4 buck have more projectiles of smaller caliber, which (arguably) is preferable, since 20+ quarter inch holes have better odds of messing up something(s) vital than 8-10 one-third inch holes. Plus a shotgun plays better with the media and such than taking out badguys in your house with, say, an AR-15 kitted out to Delta Force specs . . . For pistols -- I'm not personally a revolver fan, but a double action 38 or 357 is pretty idiot proof (not to suggest you or your wife/girlfriend are idiots, but when fight or flight kicks in from a sound sleep at 2 AM no one is really on the top of their game . . .). There are a bunch of semi-autos out there that are basically as idiot proof as a revolver, so long as you're willing to keep one in the chamber. Glocks are relatively cheap industry standards and utterly reliable and effective (if kind of ugly . . .). Again, going back to hand-size, the Walther P-99 and HK P-2000 are both excellent weapons also and have adjutable backstraps so you can adjust the grip size. Taurus is less expensive, but their P 24/7 is not a bad weapon, and is a compact grip even in the 45 ACP incarnation -- I've heard their polymer frames sometimes crack with heavy use, but Taurus does a lifetime guarantee on their products, so if you buy one new they'll fix it or replace it for if a problem arises. I would not go with the FN 5.7mm round -- it has its strengths and weaknesses, like any round, but I personally don't think it is what you need in the middle of the night when dealing with some bad guy(s) in your living room. Minimum of 9mm with good hollow points, 40S&W or 45ACP even better (again, dependent on the comfort level of everyone who can expect to possibly use the weapon), 12 gauge with buck shot best of all. Unless you plan on being visited by gentlemen wearing body armor . . . The other thing I'd be big on with any weapon intended for home defense are good tritium night sights. And some practice with the weapon in question to get a decent level of proficiency and familiarization -- preferably in the context of some sort of defensive shooting course rather than just plinking at the range, if you can find that sort of thing for less than an arm and a leg in your area.
 
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Horsesoldier    RE:Girly gun question   1/16/2006 5:32:52 PM
>>Seriously, though, if I walked into the house with a Mossberg Police 12 gauge, I would be told in no uncertain terms that the piece stayed, OR I stayed. Not both. Discreet and unobtrusive are the order of the day.<< I work with a guy whose wife is not entirely gun friendly. He gets around this by collecting Glocks. She knows he has one, but since they all pretty much look alike and he keeps them locked up she has, apparently, not realized he actually owns something like a 8-9 different models, since they're all the "black, boxy pistol" according to his wife . . .
 
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Yimmy    RE:Girly gun question   1/16/2006 5:33:52 PM
Just for my 2 cents, have you considered a short winchester lever rifle? It is easier to shoot a rifle than it is a pistol, while Winchesters are very simple and light, they are also cheap. If you got one in .357 magnum, it would give her a powerful round, but one easily controlable in a rifle, and would also allow for .38 special to be used, which would have no recoil. For the home defence intimidation value, cycling the action would work just as well as a shotgun.
 
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doggtag    RE:Girly gun question   1/16/2006 5:50:58 PM
Another thing to consider, Cato: if your girl really wants to get involved with firearms, perhaps she should also consider furthering her education on gun safety to include perspectives from other women who've taken up shooting and gun collecting. Here's a good place to start: http://www.womenandguns.com/history.html (please guys, leave any flannel-wearing lesbian jokes out this, m'kay?) Don't just rush out and buy her a weapon because the two of you feel she's vulnerable by herself. Consider it as important an investment as buying a car: you should be concerned with personal safety as well as practicality and economy of operation, so do your homework first, preferrably more than just asking all of us here our own personal opinions. Also, since most areas will require permits and training (proof of passing a gun safety course), checking with your local law enforcement might be the best place to start (especially if your girl can speak with some of the police females, which most likely would provide better decision-making for a woman's choice weapon than most of us guys here).
 
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