Help a Newbie Lady out? First handgun purchase...

[firingbug]

Beretta 92FS OR Glock 19 OR Ruger LCR 38 Special??

Confession: Despite growing up in Appalachia, I am just now purchasing my first handgun...

I am looking to purchase my first handgun, mainly to be used in home defense. It will be stored in an under the bed safe, and I will both be taking courses before bringing it home.

Do you have a recommendation between the above? I've spent hours looking online and there is just so much info. Any leads or suggestions will be greatly appreciated!!!!

Thanks so much!

[DubC-Hicks]

If you can comfortably hold a Beretta 92, I would recommend it as it's the softest shooter. But if you can't, I would definitely recommend the Glock 19 over the revolver.

[SSGN_Doc]

Welcome to the website.

Buying your first handgun (or any handgun) is a very subjective thing. How it feels in your hand comfort wise is important. Trigger reach is important, being able to use the controls, such as the safety, slide catch, magazine catch are all important. How it feels to you when you shoot it, and how well you shoot it, is important.

Many people have their own favorite brands and will tout them as the only way to go.

Since you have identified yourself as a lady, many folks will probably recommend the revolver almost automatically, no matter who you are or what your preferences are. For some reason in gun culture a myth evolved that a snub nosed .38 is "the best gun for a woman".

I personally don't beleive in one size fits all for handguns and new shooters. I've taight lots of folks to shoot and many handle and shoot autos better right off the bat.

If you have friends, relatives or ranges that rent pistols, I would recommend trying different types before you buy.

One of my wife's friends settled on a Glock 19. An other liked the Smith and Wesson M&P in .40 caliber, while another liked a 1911 in .45. Then there was the one who really did well with a revolver and ended up with a Ruger GP100 in .357 mag, though she mostly shoots .38 Special rounds out of it.

Each one decided after trying a good cross section of handguns.

Each of the handguns you mention is a decent gun. It will come down to which works best for you.

Good luck with your search.

[jmhyer]

corneredcat.com

Check it out. Lots of good info...for the ladies, by a lady.

[redhologram]

I'm a female and was about to send you over to http://www.corneredcat.com as well. I got the book a few years ago and it was one of the best things ever. To this day it still sits next to my bed.
Find the gun that is most comfortable to you. I went through dozens (probably more!) before I settled on the ones I have now. My favorite gun that I teach with and also keep as my bedside handgun is my Glock 17. It and the 19 just felt good in my hand. I have my Sigs as well however and love them too!
Just start with what feels the best and then what shoots the best for you and then decide which does both.

[Doyle]

You are looking at a couple of "extremes" in terms of size - the Beretta 92FS vs Ruger LCR. Chances are that if one of those feels good in your hand, the other will not. Neither may feel right to you. I suggest you handle and shoot as many different size/brands/etc. as you can before you think about laying down money to buy. As much as I hate indoor ranges, your best bet may be to go to indoor ranges which rent handguns.

[tallball]

Hold them in a store. There may be a nearby shooting range where you can rent different ones.

IMHO revolvers are simpler to operate and possibly more reliable. I recommend them to any new handgun shooter.

[BugCollector]

My wife and I purchased our first handguns in December. We went to a public firing range where they rent guns. We tried out several. I had been interested in a Springfield XD mod 2 which had just come out. After trying that gun as well as a S&W MD Shield and a couple of others my wife tried a Glock 19. It fit her hand so well, and she shot well with it that she wouldn't look at anything else. It fit me well to so we bought 2. We've put a few hundred rounds through them and had great fun learning. We've taken and passed concealed carry classes as well as a gun safety class.

[firingbug]

i will look at these resources for sure! it sounds like i need to go and spend some time at the local indoor range. I was hoping to get the process started, as the state that i live in requires a great deal of time & paperwork. After lots of research, it looks like I'm leaning toward the Glock 19 as a good balance.

[1-DAB]

go to the local range, ask people if you can try what they are shooting. bring your own ammo.

if you approached me at the range, and explained what you are doing, and asked nicely, i'd let you shoot whatever i was shooting that day. i'd even supply the ammo.

ask. you might be surprised how helpful and kind people are.

[Bongo Boy]

To me 'home defense' means you're carry the gun on your person when you're in or around the home, except when sleeping. IMO, it's useless otherwise for defending yourself. Daytime home invasions appear easily as common as nighttime home invasions from what I see. Probably the only thing as useless (and potentially far more dangerous) than a gun locked in a safe when you need it is one laying on a table--that the intruder finds before you do.

So, if you buy any of that, my recommendation of the choices you offered would be the G19...IMO it will be more likely you'd wear it.

Also just my opinion, and I'm no revolver expert, but I'd expect you'd need far more practice with a revolver. This is based on my experience with a double-action only pistol (which I do carry)--it's quite a bit of training and practice for me to shoot quickly on the first 2 shots compared to single action/safe action auto pistols. I'd say many inexperienced shooters tend to revert to cocking revolvers and shooting them single-action. A pointless exercise if the intention is personal defense.

I'm very pleased you haven't already decided you needed to go 'small and light', because that's also what I see as a common mistake. In an emergency holding a heavier weapon will NOT be a factor--you'll have the strength to hold any weapon of any weight. But, I'd also say that, if you have a chance to actually hold and shoot a wider variety than you've listed, don't decide too quickly or discount other options, even though those you've listed are just fine.

I think most anyone you meet at the local range or club would have 1-DAB's response; I know I would.

Best wishes and enjoy. After a basic handgun safety course I'd highly recommend on oriented specifically toward personal defense--some cover quite a bit more than just how to hit a stationary target under ideal lighting, etc. That's where shooting is truly a lot of fun for many folks.

[Cheapshooter]

Beretta 92vs...Full size service hi-capacity9MM. Large grip, and a long trigger reach that some with smaller hands find difficult to master.

Glock 19...Compact(not sub-compact) version of the original Glock service 9MM. Still plenty of capacity, possibly a better fit, but no mechanically operated safety as far as user operated. Only the Glock trigger safety. Some people don't care for this system, and prefer a mechanical safety they have to disengage.

Ruger LCR....As the name implies, Light Compact Revolver. Will have more felt recoil than the others even though the 38 Special is somewhat less powerful. Still adequate, but just a little less. But it is also limited to a 5 round capacity. Most likely not an issue in your intended purpose.

Take your class first, get an idea of what amount of recoil you can tolerate. Not just tolerate, but be able to handle, and shoot accurately with follow up shots.
Then it will be time to look, handle, rent, and try out these three, and even more. You may find what works best for you isn't even on your list right now.

[Tomac]

Another vote for both Corneredcat.com and trying as many pistols as possible before making a decision. Don't worry about caliber or action type, you're better off w/a caliber and action you shoot well and feel confident with (even if it's only a .22 revolver) than something more powerful that you don't like and won't practice with. Find what's best for *you*.
Tomac

[jmhyer]

Take the class. A beginner handgun course should include the opportunity to become familiar with and try out several different types and sizes of handguns. At least that's what my wife did. She was able to handle a revolver and several different sizes and configurations of semiautos. That opportunity was very valuable.

[marine6680]

A class on safety and proper use, plus some time at the range renting a few pistols, will tell you a lot. A pistol that feels good in the hand is a good place to start, but firing the gun can tell you other things simply holding it can not... How it feels in recoil, how sharp the recoil feels... My fiance has ruled out a couple pistols that felt good in the hand, after firing them. Things like not enough texture for a secure grip, and more felt recoil were reasons cited.


One thing that some people don't consider is slide manipulation. They feel the grip, pull the trigger, and find something they like, then find that the effort to manipulate the slide is too much.

Being able to quickly and easily manipulate the slide is important. It ensures you can load the pistol properly, and it is important for correcting malfunctions/jams. You don't treat the pistol gingerly during malfunction drills.

My fiance loves her CZ75, but she has trouble manipulating the slide quickly. She can use it well enough at the range, but I would not want her to use it for defensive purposes. We got her a Sig P320 for that... (excellent pistol BTW, worth a look, Running around $550)

BTW... is there a budget?

Others pistols to look into, all fitting between $500-650:
Walther PPQ
Smith and Wesson M&P
H&K VP9
Springfield XD/XDm (I have seen the original XD going cheap on some sites, as there is a new version just released, and they are dumping old stock)

Some cheaper but still good options:
Canik TP9 SA
S&W SD series
Ruger SR series


For the ones you mention...

As was said, the Beretta has a long trigger reach, it can be hard for some to use due to that. If you can reach the trigger in DA mode, and can pull it smoothly without straining, then it can be a good pistol.

If you go with a DA/SA like the Beretta, be sure to practice in both modes of fire.


If this pistol is not for concealed carry, then look at the Glock 17 as well as the 19. The 17 has a longer slide and grip. Adding capacity and sight radius, it has a little extra weight so that can help recoil. The 19 is chosen as a compromise most times, as it is large enough for a full grip, but a little smaller for better concealment. If the grip has changes other than length that would affect the feel, I do not know, I am not a Glock guy...

Look into the Gen 3 and Gen 4 Glocks. The gen 4 has a smaller grip, and adjustable backstraps to alter the feel. Some just prefer the Gen 3 though.


A revolver can be a good choice, but don't get an light weight version unless it is for carry. A medium or large frame .357 can be a good choice, and you can use milder/cheaper .38 for the bulk of your practice.


If you go semi, I recommend 9mm, its effective as a defense round with proper ammo, its cheaper to buy so more practice, and it has lower recoil and higher capacity. (unless you live in a state forbidding hollowpoints, so a larger round may help... but they all are handicapped, more so without HP ammo)

45 pistols tend to be on the large side, and harder for some with small hands to use. A 1911 can be comfortable for most people though, but I don't recommend one for a novice shooter.

[softmentor]

try before you buy!!
My wife picked out a hand gun at a shop (Smith and Wesson Bodyguard, a small frame revolver), but when we got out to the range and tried shooting it, she found it made her hand hurt after 10 rounds. Proof that the idea that women need a small gun because they are smaller is NOT a good idea. She now owns, shoots and likes a larger frame S&W model 64. Much better for her hand and much less felt recoil.
More over, we went to a GREAT training place in NV and it was fantastic! She is way more confidant with it now. (PM me if you want to know more about the training site. So go to some place like that where they have GOOD training,
Also try at least half a dozen different guns, big, little, revolver, semi-auto the one you want is the one that you shoot best with. It may or nay not be: cool looking, the size you thought you wanted, the caliber someone told you to get, or the brand you expected. but the one you hit the center of the target with... that's the one you want.
and again GET TRAINING any gun will do if you can use it, No gun is good enough if you can make it work in an emergency.

[rt11002003]

There's a lot of good advice given above. I'm a 77 year old man with small hands. Grew up with revolvers. I still have several, especially fond of a pair of .357s which are part of my home defense system. I've discovered after all these years, a revolver seems to have more recoil than the same caliber in a semi-auto. Try it yourself.

I never cared for the 1911 .45 when I was younger. Now, I have two of them. But, much prefer the 1911 in 9mm. The single stack magazine makes for a handgun that's easily held with my small hands and has reasonable recoil.

With that being said, I have a H&K Mark 23 .45 and a SIG p226 X-6 L1 9mm, both of which are HUGE handguns with double stack magazines. They seem to fit me ok.

Try as many different pistols as you can lay your hands on. Best of luck!

[histed]

FWIW - my wife when through this dilemma last summer. She shot everything I could get my hands on, pistols and revolvers. She didn't like the revolvers, especially the the LCR-type snubbies. Too much snap, they hurt her hands. After shooting for several weeks she THOUGHT she wanted a Bersa .380, but that, too went by the wayside. She now shoots a SCCY CPX-2. As a new shooter, I'd give you the same advice as all the others here. YOU will be using the weapon, so it has to work for YOU. Good luck (for me, deciding is at least 1/2 the fun)

[lee n. field]

Beretta 92FS OR Glock 19 OR Ruger LCR 38 Special??

Confession: Despite growing up in Appalachia, I am just now purchasing my first handgun...

I am looking to purchase my first handgun, mainly to be used in home defense. It will be stored in an under the bed safe, and I will both be taking courses before bringing it home.

Do you have a recommendation between the above?

Anything purchased should 1)fit your budget, 2) fit your hand, and 3) be appropriate for the purpose.

Only you can answer about the first two.

For the third ("fit for the purpose"), any of your suggested guns will work. The .38 snub is specialized for concealed carry, and had the (arguable) shortcomings of low capacity and being somewhat more difficult to shoot well (especially for a newbie).

[BigJimP]

Almost 100% of the time, when I talk to new shooters...that have purchased their first gun before a class...or before they fired a lot of guns...they have figured out they don't like the first gun as much as a lot of other alternatives...

Get to a good local range that rents guns....and shoot everything they have in the 9mm rental case....and make notes as you go thru the guns in the case...about :

a. can you reach all the controls without moving your grip / a lot of double stack guns are not the best for smaller hands ( male or female )...
b. how does trigger feel as it breaks....and as it resets..( wobble, slack, etc )
c. grip angle... when the gun comes up on target...does it come up on plane...or do you have to roll your wrist to get it "on plane"....
d. shoot the same kind of ammo in all the guns ...( 115 gr FMJ ) and evaluate how the gun feels if you rapid fire 3 shots...recoil, etc...
e. ergonomics ...is it ugly or do you like the look of it.../ sights, etc...

9mm's come in a lot of mfg's pacagages....from 1911's in steel....to a variety of single stack - and double stack guns in poly frames / and compare all of these 9mm's to some of the revolvers available in .38 spl or .357 Mag.

and don't worry about Cost ....make Cost your last factor / save some money to get the gun you want vs buying something that is cheaper that you don't like...( and have fun with the process ! )...

[ritepath]

Take a look at the CZ p-07....all the great attributes of the SA/DA hammer fired pistol in a G19 sized package.

Accurate, Reliable, soft shooting, interchangeable back straps, all at a great price.

[BWM]

FIND a gun range that will let you shoot there gun's. That way you can find one that you like. The Revolver would be the eases to load and it can be used single action or double. Double action the trigger is easier to pull that makes it more accurate. If you have some friends that has guns they can help you out. Try both auto and revolver before you buy. GOOD LUCK

[tahunua001]

well, first of all welcome to the forum.

the best advice I could give you would be to take a trip to a local shooting range that rents handguns and try as many different models as possible to see what you like and don't like. depending on the size of your hands a glock may be a bit large, even the model 19. I know women that prefer glocks but they are much taller with larger hands than your average female.

while in the navy, women qualified with the M9(same basic design as the beretta 92) all the time. I never heard any complaints about the size or feel but then again most women that join the navy don't have any firearms experience and wouldn't really have anything to compare to. I think you would be fine with it but be aware that it's manual of arms, is complicated compared to many other more modern handguns and as it is a metal frame rather than plastic frame like the ruger and glock, it will be heavier. it is also a non compact while the glock is a bit of a mid sized and the LC380 is a compact.

I have no personal experience with the LC380 myself but the general consensus is that the trigger pull is quite long which may be an issue if you have short fingers. 380 is basically a 9mm that has been shortened so it has the same projectile but less energy and is quieter which is good for home defense as discharging firearms indoors is like lighting off a flashbang grenade in the same room you are in, the quieter round the better. however keep in mind that you should always be practicing with your defense gun, at least once a month and preferably twice a month and 380 ammo is quite a bit more expensive than a lot of the other basic handgun calibers like 9mm, which can add up after a while of owning the handgun.

as much as I hated the M9, the beretta 92 is what I would recommend, but really it all comes down to what you feel comfortable with and what feels good in your hand.

[sigarms228]

I too agree with those who recommend taking a beginners class. My local gun store has them all the time and IMO they are well worth the modest cost. Then you will be in much better position to choose an appropriate pistol for yourself.
From your choices I would say very likely the Glock 19 Gen 4 would be maybe the best for you. It has changeable back straps unlike the other two pistols that can help you get the correct grip for your hand/finger size.

Good luck!

[SARuger]

LCR! Light, dependable, easy to use! My girlfriend loves hers and carries it easily. I have several pistols and she always reaches for the revolvers when she heads out the door. My lady is of a smaller frame, 5-2, 120 and handles the recoil of the .38 just fine.