Well, I guess I'm at a disadvantage here because I'm NOT a small female. I'm a 6'2'' 250 pound guy. But I do have a paralegal in my office who stands almost exactly five feet and weighs 90-ish pounds. She took a beginner course a few months ago, and borrowed my Glock 17 to do it with, and had a ball. I wear a large size glove, and I'm very comfortable with the G17. Some of my friends who wear size XL gloves are less so.

The lady in my office likes 9mm, and examined a Glock 19 while she was taking the course. I would not be surpised to see her turn up with one some day. It might be an attractive choice for you.

Some ranges will rent firearms, and you might try that before you buy one.

I hope this helps.

Sounds like you're asking all the right questions. As FNISHR suggested, you'll want to head to a range and see what pistols fit you well. Grip is very much a personal preference, but is highly important when picking a handgun, as you seem to have figured out already. Although the Glocks are exceptional pistols, I suspect you'll likely find them too large, if you found the Ruger too big. I'm 6'3" at 145 lbs with large hands, and find them uncomfortably wide in the hand. I would recommend looking into guns with interchangeable grips as you mentioned, such as the Springfield XDs. You might also want to consider the CZ-75 series, as I find them to be a little slimmer than the Glocks.

Best of luck picking out your new piece!

KG

Originally Posted by FNISHR

Well, I guess I'm at a disadvantage here because I'm NOT a small female. I'm a 6'2'' 250 pound guy. But I do have a paralegal in my office who stands almost exactly five feet and weighs 90-ish pounds. She took a beginner course a few months ago, and borrowed my Glock 17 to do it with, and had a ball. I wear a large size glove, and I'm very comfortable with the G17. Some of my friends who wear size XL gloves are less so.

The lady in my office likes 9mm, and examined a Glock 19 while she was taking the course. I would not be surpised to see her turn up with one some day. It might be an attractive choice for you.

Some ranges will rent firearms, and you might try that before you buy one.

I hope this helps.

Thanks so much for the information! This definitely helps. I hear wonderful things about glocks. What is your opinion on the baby glock- 26?

If you are looking for a 380 cal. take a look at a Bersa 380. You can see their line of products on Bersa USA and also go to Bersa Chat and read about them from the various owners. This pistol may fit your hands real nice. If you like it also consider buying a Bersa 22 cal. It too should fit your hands and is a lot cheaper to shoot and practice with then shooting 380 ammo which is expensive. You can also read about it on Bersa Chat. Hope that this helps.

I'm new to handguns also, but maybe I can help a little. As was already said, try the guns first if possible. I have a Kel-tec PF9 that is small enough for you. It does have a long hard pull to it though. My wife doesn't like it. Bersa Thunder UC's are nice, but heavier.
Many companies are making sub-compact 9's now. On-line research, and try as many as you can.

The best way is to look for a range that rents out pistols.So you can test them out, Then you will know what works best for you. And get your ccw,If you don't have it.

Look here to look up a range near you. Find NRA Near You

Originally Posted by Deadwood

If you are looking for a 380 cal. take a look at a Bersa 380. You can see their line of products on Bersa USA and also go to Bersa Chat and read about them from the various owners. This pistol may fit your hands real nice. If you like it also consider buying a Bersa 22 cal. It too should fit your hands and is a lot cheaper to shoot and practice with then shooting 380 ammo which is expensive. You can also read about it on Bersa Chat. Hope that this helps.

You can also look at the Bersa UC9, which is a 9mm and holds 13+1 rounds. However the but is thick and might too big for you hand. There is also a Bersa page on this forum.

Originally Posted by Cat

The best way is to look for a range that rents out pistols.So you can test them out, Then you will know what works best for you. And get your ccw,If you don't have it.

Look here to look up a range near you. Find NRA Near You

Yea I hear that a lot. Unfortunately there aren't really any places around me that rent out handguns. Even the public shooting range expect you to bring your own gun.

Originally Posted by eterntyinanhour9

Yea I hear that a lot. Unfortunately there aren't really any places around me that rent out handguns. Even the public shooting range expect you to bring your own gun.

Is there a store by you,That let people test them be for buying.if not.... Next best way is to put a new pistol in your hand,
And see what feels the best. Take your time,And take notes.

Well, if you have shot the SR9 and liked how it shot, then why not check out the SR9c?

Check out the Springfield XDM compact. Same size in 9 or .40.

Originally Posted by eterntyinanhour9

Thanks so much for the information! This definitely helps. I hear wonderful things about glocks. What is your opinion on the baby glock- 26?

I've never fired a G26, but I've heard nothing but compliments about them. I mentioned a G19 in my earlier post because you had indicated a wish to use one on a range as well as for defense. The 19 is bigger than a 26 but smaller than my 17, and I see people of both genders on the range with them a lot.

imo the suggestion to go to a range and try different ones is the best. all the little so called mouse gun have terrible triggers, lcp,lc9, s&w 380, etc. try a glock 26 or 27, 9mm and 40 respectively there is not a whole lot of difference in size and weight from the mouse guns and they have a great trigger. example:lc9 6 inches long, glock 26 or 27 6.29 inches long. lc9 weight 17.10oz glock 19.75oz. lc9 is a little thinner and shorter in height but the glock will carry 9,10, or more rounds. warning; you will fall in love!

I'm with Deadwood. Take a look at the Bersa Thunder and Firestorms. Surprisingly little recoil. A wide variety of grips and mag capacities. East to rack, clean, and accurate for small guns.

You should contact either NRA or State gun org. to find a basic pistol safety and they can direct you to a range that rents in your state. The smaller the handgun the greater the the recoil good luck on a life long search for the perfect handgun for you mine started in 1963 and still looking and will until I die, I heard rumor they won't sell toto a dead man but I'll still try.

How do you plan on carrying? On-body carry or in the purse?

Though the LC9 is nice to handle, the small size and the major caliber may make for more recoil than you may be comfortable with to begin. I like a slightly larger weapon for beginners. I usually suggest something like a Walther PPK in .380, but since you have declared a 9mm minimum, then I would suggest a Glock 26 SF (Short frame) in 9mm (assuming it meets your concealment criteria).

Starting with too big of a gun can lead to recoil-induced flinch; which if you let it takes hold can last a long time and be difficult to overcome. For that reason I would normally suggest a lighter recoiling weapon for to begin with and then you can trade in and move up later on. But going to a .380 in one of the super compact weapons like the Ruger Lcp won't yield a very light recoil as the small size will cause quite a bit of recoil.

Bersa makes a nice .380 in a medium size that is easy to shoot (and resembles the Walther PPK at a lower price). The Beretta Cheetah is nice too, but the double stack may be a bit much to hold onto. There are many others. Or a S & W J-frame (small frame revolver) in stainless steel will allow you to start with .38 wadcutters (target ammo, light recoil) and then later move up to normal service-level .38s and then to .38 +P without ever changing weapons. Revolvers make excellent first weapons as they are simpler to "make safe" and require no safety, and they never have "limp-wrist" induced failures, a common problem with inexperienced shooters.

The PPK is a terrible pistol. It has a horrid trigger.
The Glock's OK.
Heavier pistols recoil less. Smaller pistols recoil more, even if they're heavy.
The 9mm presents a sharp, jabbing recoil impulse, while the .45 ACP presents a softer, longer push.

The gun you learn best with is not a gun that is easily carried. Thus, you must make compromises.
That's why the best plan is to go out of your way—maybe even far, far out of your way—to find a place that will rent pistols for you to try out. Try everything they've got.
Select your purchase from among the pistols which feel best in your hand as you shoot them. Accuracy is not an issue: all the guns you'll try will be accurate enough.

After you have learned to shoot effectively, be prepared to buy quite a different pistol for carrying.

Hi....You might want to look at a Ruger SR 9 C as it might work since you liked the SR 9 and if you want to go to something a bit higher end then check out Sig Sauers, especially the P250 sc in 9mm as it has a small grip (comes with it) and higher capacity and lifetime warranty, priced around 375-425 and have been around long enough to get any kinks worked out and are totally reliable, will have less recoil than a glock and much better ergonomics.

I would make two suggestions quite different from those above. First, check out the Browning Hi-Power. Many women like the feel of this pistol and it is slim and makes a very good range gun. The HP is my wife's favorite gun to shoot above all.

Second, check out the Kahr CW9. It has a long trigger pull and takes some getting used to (so does the Glock). You would probably only be shooting factory ammo in any gun so you shouldn't have any problems with the Kahr. I think you will find the grip much to your liking. The CW9 isn't really a full fledged range gun but it will do fine for occassional use as such. No matter which gun you choose, you need to practice to get good. Just remember, a hit with a .22 is better than a miss with a .45.

Originally Posted by Steve M1911A1

The PPK is a terrible pistol. It has a horrid trigger...

You've said this before. But my PPKS was fine. I don't think the "S" variant had any influence over the trigger pull; it related to magazine capacity. I bought mine in the late 1980s and it was produced in Portugal (but said "made in Germany").

Perhaps earlier or later versions behaved differently. My gun was accurate and easy to shoot. It had a nice grip that fit my hand well, and the angle of the grip and the trigger reach were good too. It was always reliable with every brand of ammo I used (but there were far fewer ammo makers back then).

I thought it was a very good back up gun for ankle carry or a primary deep concealment weapon. (In the 1980s there were really no small 9mm weapons available; the small 9s are a recent developement.)

The PPK is a terrible pistol. It has a horrid trigger.

Correction, YOUR PPK has a horrible trigger. My wife bought herself a PPK/S, I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was.
To the original point: You might wish to examine the "compact" range from the various makers. Small enough to be controllable, yet large enough to be a decent range gun.
CZ 75 compact or something of that nature.
Glocks- grips, love em or hate em. No middle ground.
You might do well to look at the S&W M&P series or any others that feature an interchangeable back strap.
Spend some quality time at a gun shop with a large inventory and see what you like. Take your time, get it right.
Stay away from the itty bitty guns unless you get to shoot it first. Typically they are unpleasant to shoot.

I have a Glock 26 it's what I carry. I love it. I once sold a 26 and missed it so much i bought another. Great carry gun, great range gun. Very reliable as well and practically invisible under on my belt.

Originally Posted by jfrey

check out the Kahr CW9. It has a long trigger pull and takes some getting used to ....You would probably only be shooting factory ammo in any gun so you shouldn't have any problems with the Kahr. I think you will find the grip much to your liking. The CW9 isn't really a full fledged range gun but it will do fine for occassional use as such. No matter which gun you choose, you need to practice to get good. Just remember, a hit with a .22 is better than a miss with a .45.

I would also suggest the CW9, This is a fine weapon that is built very solidly and is small and accurate. If the LC9 fits you pretty good the CW9 Kahr will surprise you how good it feels. The SR9c is also a pretty dang good suggestion, if the SR9 is one you like the SR9c may be just the ticket. The G26 is a nice weapon tried and true and easy to find! Some one suggested teh CZ 75b compact, It is a bit heavy but will last you for ever and your boyfriend will be jealous of your weapon.

I have kind of talked in circles and picking a gun is a very personal thing I own every gun I mentioned here and if I were a 95 pound women I would buy the CW9. Heck I am a 190 lb man and I own and carry one almost every day of the summer. Winter I switch over to the CZ. Hold the CW9 you won't be sorry!

RCG

Go to a range that rents guns and try several of the suggestions made here. Shoot before you buy. Then decide on a Glock - either the 26 or the 19; their size and weight are quite close, they have what I think are great triggers but that can be easily modifed to your taste, are accurate, super reliable, and easy to strip and clean. The smaller single stack 9's like the PM9 or the LC9 are small and light but not nearly as much fun to shoot as the Glocks. Legend has it that the FBI issued the Glock 19 for it's female agents - not sure if that is true or not but I can understand why they would do it.