Can I have a recommendation??

[BrianGarms]

hey guys,

Im fairly new to guns but Im about to turn 22 and I want to get my Conceal license in a year. Currently I dont own any guns and have only shot my friends' weapons. I want something that I can shoot at the range but that is still concealable. However, I am physically disable (minor cerebral palsy) and I dont have the best balance in the world so I dont want to carry around a huge cannon. I have it narrowed down to either a .380 or a 9mm. I dont want a gun that recoils so hard that it will knock me over and I want to practice regularly, so it needs to be fairly easy to shoot. Do you all have any recommendations?

Thanks,

Brian

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[GreenHorn]

I recommend that you take one of the NRA first steps class on gun orientation. They go over choosing a gun that is right for you.

Check out your local gun store and range and try shooting a few rentals during a quick lesson and see what you start to like as far as size and caliber.

Good luck!

[sigmanluke]

Welcome from Utah.

As far as a .380acp I would suggest a Sig P232. It gives you 7+1 capacity andis light and very accurate, reliable and very high quality. As far as 9mm, look at the Sig P239, It gives you 8+1 capacity, and a great trigger. Both are very easily concealable. Ther are MANY other great guns out there, these are my first choice in these calibers, they may not be right for everyone though.

[Team American]

Welcome aboard, Brian! Some excellent advice from GreenHorn...

[sigmanluke]

I agree with GreenHorn, take a class and learn about guns. The best way to know what you want and like in a gun is by going to your local range that rents guns. Hold and get a feel for lots of different guns and find out what fits/feels best. Then go shoot the ones that feel good, this will help you know what is comfortable to shoot. And it's a lot of fun!

[cmidkiff]

I agree with the general trend... go out and shoot. Borrow or rent as many guns as you can, find out what you like and what works for you, and go from there.

Taking a defensive pistol class is a great way to do this... many instructors have a variety of firearms that you can try.

Don't neglect wheel guns in your search... a trusty snub nose revolver might be just the thing for you. Smith and Wesson's 642 is the most popular carry gun around, and there is good reason for it!

Best of luck with your search!

[rednecksport]

Cant Choose for you but what u described sounds likt my Bersa Thunder 380.Look around though and choose for yourself, you might not like my guns as much as I do.Good Luck

[AZ Husker]

My G/F has a severe left hand injury and arthritis. No way she can rack a slide. We looked at Beretta tip-up barrels (didn't like the caliber), and many revolvers. The limitation of 5 or 6 rounds turned me off, plus the recoil on the lighter ones is brutal. We finally chose a Glock 19. No need for her to rack the slide when practicing, I'm there with her. I load her gun for her before she carries. If she needs more than 16 rounds, adios.

[Super Trucker]

Check local ranges too see if they rent guns, then you can find the one you like best.
Maybe look at a S&W 642 which is a .38 revolver. It is a point and click devise, very light and small to carry and not too bad of recoil.

[SubNine]

As mentioned before, go out and try as many guns as you can, either shoot them and/or handle them. You can never go wrong with a Glock 19 or 26, but I would suggest the 19 if you want to shoot at the range often. Recoil with the 9mm is very low, and is plenty for defensive use. Other popular choices include the Smith & Wesson M&P and XD series, which are striker fired like the Glock. If you take a basic handgun course all that stuff will be explained to you.

Good luck and welcome to Defensive Carry!

[obxned]

Any hands-on experience or training will go a long way to help you make the best choice for you. That said, if you want a .380, check out the Bersas - either single or double stack . If a 9mm is your choice, get a Ruger SR-9.

All of these are reliable, accurate, pretty easy to conceal, and provide great value for the money. Bear in mind, .380 ammo is going to cost you about half again as much as 9mm, and practice is vital to developing skill.

[BrianGarms]

I appreciate all the advice and recommendations. I do plan on taking a local CCW class next month; a lot of the guys out here seem to really know what they're doing..

[MNBurl]

Welcome to the forum.

I think of one gun almost everyone likes. Bersa Thunder 380.

It is one of my wife chosen carry guns and it is easy to shoot and rack the slide on it. Very reliable and under $300 so very good option IMHO.

Another is a J-frame wheel gun like S&W 60, 640, 642 or Taurus 605 (you can even get this in 9mm).

Hope this helps.

[FlyboyLDB]

I have both and like both. I do not think you will find the much difference in recoil between the two - more the make/model of gun that will bear the recoil differences. It appears the larger capacity will reside with the 9mm. You can find conceal carry is very easily found in both calibers.

[ExSoldier]

Check local ranges too see if they rent guns, then you can find the one you like best.
Maybe look at a S&W 642 which is a .38 revolver. It is a point and click devise, very light and small to carry and not too bad of recoil.

That's too light a frame, too heavy a trigger and waaay too brutal a recoil for this medical condition.

It's not ideal but you might consider a a revolver in .22WMR. Then she's got to train for head shots. That's all. Head shots and rapid fire ones at that. Use the eyes as aiming points. I'd look for something with a 3 or 4 inch barrel. If needed you could get a trigger job to smooth things out. Rimfire shouldn't suffer from the "light strike" problems.