Hello from AZ

[suztor]

Hello, I'm Sue.

I'm very, very new to guns. I've gone shooting only once so far because I decided it was time to get over my fear of guns. We had a friend come out with us (me & my boyfriend) and give me a total run down on guns safety and all of that and I do feel more comfortable now around them. Shortly after that we've had some strange people coming around our neighborhood looking in windows and being rather bold about intentions, police showed up asking questions and kindly warning the neighborhood.

I'm a very petite 4'10'' 100lbs lady and I am missing my 3 smaller digits on my right hand (from a car accident many years ago) my index finger has limited mobility but it works plenty to pull a trigger, given it's not too hard of a trigger. Basically my hands are smaller than the average 10 year olds and I'm missing fingers. Yay being small!

I didn't shoot many guns when I went out but I did shoot a (sorry in advance if I say these things wrong) a .22 revolver then switched out the barrel and shot a few rounds with a magnum bullet, I can't remember if it was a 22 or not. I felt pretty comfortable shooting the Revolver but it definitely didn't pack any kind of wallup, sounds like a cap gun lol. Then I shot a small 'purse gun' it fit my hands great, was super light, but I did not enjoy shooting it. The trigger and the top sliding thing was difficult to pull and the recoil freaking hurt. In addition to those handguns I shot a few rifles which was fun, but that'a about it.

Long story short I'm NOT looking for a carry gun but a home/self defense handgun, my boyfriend is often out of town and with the recent happenings, I need to be able to protect myself. I want something that I don't have to empty the magazine/barrel to stop 1 person. I plan on practicing with it and taking classes to properly learn to shoot and learn all of the laws that go with it.
Oh, also we are going to a gun club this weekend to try out some guns the bf is considering.
Any suggestions? Thanks in advance!

~Sue

[DJ Niner]

Welcome to the site!

I would think that the hands-on experience at the gun club will be invaluable in your case, so you can get an idea of how each gun feels in your hand, and whether or not you think you'll be able to control it. Unfortunately, powerful calibers (that hopefully won't take many shots to stop an attacker) usually have more recoil and barrel bounce/flip than the less-powerful calibers.

I would encourage you to select a gun and caliber that you can shoot well, even if it's only a .22, over a more powerful gun/caliber that you shoot less-well. Shot placement (hitting your target in a vital zone, even under less-than-perfect conditions) is one of the few things that most folks agree is absolutely critical, when discussing the relative effectiveness of various guns and ammunition in personal defense. Whether you're target shooting or defending your life, misses don't count.

[chessail77]

Sounds like you did enjoy shooting the revolver, might want to take a look at a S&W or Ruger .357 with a 4 to 6 inch barrel and then practice with a softer shooting .38 in the same pistol. Easier to learn and get a good skill set than a semi auto would be.....and when loaded with the .357 HP will stop an attacker for home defense.....JJ

[chessail77]

OOOOOps I forgot ...Hi and welcome neighbor.....JJ

[Harryball]

Welcome.

[beretta9mm]

Welcome from Jersey

[sgms]

Hi and welcome indeed,it sounds like you are going in the right direction, you may also want to think about basic safety and gun handling classes as well. You may also find the web site corneredcat.com a help as well.

[Easy_CZ]

Hope your trip to the range was beneficial. Welcome to the forum.

Single stack guns like the S&W M&P Shield, Colt Mustang, Sig P938/238, Springfield XDs, etc. make great guns for short-fingered folk.

Check out these sites:

http://www.corneredcat.com/

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/ayoob131.html

[suztor]

Thanks for all of the replies. The shooting range was great. I was a little nervous at first being a total noob worried that people would be snickering at my terrible shot. But i was happy to see that any critisism I got was constructive! It really helped make the experience. I tried out a 38 revolver(not sure what it was) a glock 22, USP .40 and.45. As far as shooting I was suprisingly comfortable with all of them. But my favorite was the USP.40 . The kick was totally manageable, the grip was fantastic for my finger situation, and it just felt right. My only issue is I need to work on pulling the slide. But it has an auto locking one so that takes my biggest challenge out of it.

Lucky for the bf that was the gun he was looking at, so it looks like when time comes that's going to be our purchase.

I definitely plan on taking some handling classes and getting a concealed weapons permit even though you dont need it in this state, I want to learn the laws clearly and be proficiant.

Thanks so much everyone!

[Themajickman]

Hello Sue, welcome to the forum from Stone Mountain Georgia. It looks like you found the right pistol that you can shoot and will serve as a good home defense weapon.

[jasmine2501]

Everyone was a newbie at some time. Sounds like the folks at your range realize that, which is really good! Here in Colorado, sometimes people at gun shops are a little rude when you ask beginner questions, but the guys at the ranges are always nice about that kind of thing. They see a lot of beginners and as long as you are being safe, they won't reprimand you for anything, and are usually very helpful when you ask. I've had only one experience where a guy basically came up behind me and said "don't do that" something about my technique, and I didn't find that very safe because he startled me while I was handling a gun!

But yeah, welcome to the hobby! Everyone started where you are now.