Conceal Carry Opinions for a "Small woman"
- Thread starter Tori.F
- Start date
Ok I carry and have been shooting for 50 years like alot of people on here , plus ex law enforcement.... If you think getting shot with a .22 is just going to piss someone off tell them to try it.... A .22 loaded with the correct ammo is deadly , it may not have the knock down power etc of a 9mm but if anybody thinks 2-3 .22 rounds in the chest or face is just going to be able to rub some dirt on it and walk it off is seriously WRONG.... It will require immediate medical attention and a bunch of follow up appointments to survive... In the end you will have your revenge even if your attacker wins....
I would carry whatever you are good with and would rather see you carry a smaller caliber you can get hits fast and use proper shot placement than carry a cannon you will be lucky to get a hit with in a critical situation were your heart will be pounding and tunnel vision at it's best....if you do change to a different pistol just remember the smaller and lighter it is the more recoil it will have so buying a tiny 9mm will be more than a full size... I carry a Glock 19 and my wife's small Glock 43 is absolutely surprisingly close to the same recoil and hits in the same place as the 19 which is a small pistol but not as small as the 43.... Both in 9mm... I actually really like the 43... It only hold 7 rounds but the mags are very small and easy to carry... That being said it means you will only have one less round than a 15 round gun like the 19 if you carry a spare mag and you should with any carry gun if not two spares in my opinion....
My wife shoots the 43 fine with no complaints.... Whatever you decide on you need many many hours of practice to be productive.... Plus 9mm is cheap and everywhere normally compared to .380 etc... I would definitely stay away from the small Ruger LCR revolvers , my wife had one and because of the light weight it kicked like a mule and .38 is expensive to practice with , I hated that gun and sold it and replaced it with the Glock 43 for her.... Plus I don't like small pocket pistols because I actually shoot and like that .38 I have wore them out in a year but I will say I practice with pistol ALOT because I carry it and need to be able to hit with it , usually around 5000-10000 rounds a year in pistol , rifle and Rimfire at least... After working at a gun range for the last five years I can assure you most people don't after seeing their targets , it's scary really to think their carrying a gun....
So in the end buy and carry what you can get positive shot placement the fastest you can... Plus something you can afford to practice with.... A tiny pistol is in my opinion never the best option.... You need it to be absolutely reliable also...I am a Glock guy , sure theirs prettier and there's pistols out there that can do things better but when it comes to reliability , putting bullets were I want them the Glock does everything I want and it does it well without a bunch of weight.... The Glock 19 would be my choice and is... Small enough to hide but big enough to go to war with if necessary.... If the 19 is to big they make small pistols all the way up to 10mm and that's big enough to stop about anything out there...
Glock 19
Glock 43
Glock 26
Would and are my choice and I have zero fear of fighting literally to the death with any if necessary.... Once again no matter what , proper shot placement and reliability are the key to a defense pistol even if you stick with your .22... I agree nobody ever said I wish I had a smaller gun in a gunfight but you can make someone leave you alone with a pellet rifle if you can pump it up fast enough...lol... Please try as many as you can before you buy to get exactly what you need maybe at a gun range where you can rent a few.....One more thing in my opinion don't carry or trust a new gun , any gun , until you have at least 200 rounds through it with zero problems.... also I carry and recommend anybody buy a small very bright tactical flashlight a 3 inch long light will be brighter than a large mag light and it fits in your pocket easily , you need to see what your shooting at , most attacks come in the dark and from behind... Keep your head up and on a swivel just knowing your surroundings is enough to make a criminal look for an easier target....Good luck out there..
I would carry whatever you are good with and would rather see you carry a smaller caliber you can get hits fast and use proper shot placement than carry a cannon you will be lucky to get a hit with in a critical situation were your heart will be pounding and tunnel vision at it's best....if you do change to a different pistol just remember the smaller and lighter it is the more recoil it will have so buying a tiny 9mm will be more than a full size... I carry a Glock 19 and my wife's small Glock 43 is absolutely surprisingly close to the same recoil and hits in the same place as the 19 which is a small pistol but not as small as the 43.... Both in 9mm... I actually really like the 43... It only hold 7 rounds but the mags are very small and easy to carry... That being said it means you will only have one less round than a 15 round gun like the 19 if you carry a spare mag and you should with any carry gun if not two spares in my opinion....
My wife shoots the 43 fine with no complaints.... Whatever you decide on you need many many hours of practice to be productive.... Plus 9mm is cheap and everywhere normally compared to .380 etc... I would definitely stay away from the small Ruger LCR revolvers , my wife had one and because of the light weight it kicked like a mule and .38 is expensive to practice with , I hated that gun and sold it and replaced it with the Glock 43 for her.... Plus I don't like small pocket pistols because I actually shoot and like that .38 I have wore them out in a year but I will say I practice with pistol ALOT because I carry it and need to be able to hit with it , usually around 5000-10000 rounds a year in pistol , rifle and Rimfire at least... After working at a gun range for the last five years I can assure you most people don't after seeing their targets , it's scary really to think their carrying a gun....
So in the end buy and carry what you can get positive shot placement the fastest you can... Plus something you can afford to practice with.... A tiny pistol is in my opinion never the best option.... You need it to be absolutely reliable also...I am a Glock guy , sure theirs prettier and there's pistols out there that can do things better but when it comes to reliability , putting bullets were I want them the Glock does everything I want and it does it well without a bunch of weight.... The Glock 19 would be my choice and is... Small enough to hide but big enough to go to war with if necessary.... If the 19 is to big they make small pistols all the way up to 10mm and that's big enough to stop about anything out there...
Glock 19
Glock 43
Glock 26
Would and are my choice and I have zero fear of fighting literally to the death with any if necessary.... Once again no matter what , proper shot placement and reliability are the key to a defense pistol even if you stick with your .22... I agree nobody ever said I wish I had a smaller gun in a gunfight but you can make someone leave you alone with a pellet rifle if you can pump it up fast enough...lol... Please try as many as you can before you buy to get exactly what you need maybe at a gun range where you can rent a few.....One more thing in my opinion don't carry or trust a new gun , any gun , until you have at least 200 rounds through it with zero problems.... also I carry and recommend anybody buy a small very bright tactical flashlight a 3 inch long light will be brighter than a large mag light and it fits in your pocket easily , you need to see what your shooting at , most attacks come in the dark and from behind... Keep your head up and on a swivel just knowing your surroundings is enough to make a criminal look for an easier target....Good luck out there..
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This is the full size my kid packs around. ( it’s a bit much)…
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TheOtherZilla
Pull my finger
All I can say is there are a lot of people in the graveyard that were killed by a 22. When I was a kid in Boy Scouts, we had a fire arms class the the local police came to and gave a class on safety. They had numerous photos of people killed with a 22. One kid was killed because they took the slug out and replaced it with paper. A super spitball so to speak. Kid shot his buddy and the buddy died.
That's all I got to say about that.
That's all I got to say about that.
Prose
Silver $$ Contributor
There are cartridges between 22 lr and .380 acp that you could consider like 25 acp and 32 acp, 32 S&W, and others.
Myself, I carry a S&W .380. I love carrying it but hate shooting it! I'd have no objection at all to carrying a smaller cartridge and frame knowing my capability to put rounds on target.
And F-Off to the guy that criticized your choice. What a dick.
Myself, I carry a S&W .380. I love carrying it but hate shooting it! I'd have no objection at all to carrying a smaller cartridge and frame knowing my capability to put rounds on target.
And F-Off to the guy that criticized your choice. What a dick.
DaveTooley
Gold $$ Contributor
I carry a Ruger LCP and a Sig 365. Not for their stopping power but to just change the conversation. An armed citizen quickly changes their demeanor.
Dusty Stevens
Shiner
This right here is my sentiments. I carried a full size 1911 for most of my life but now carry a hellcat WHEN i actually carry something in a holster. When i dont feel like it (most of the time, i live in a pretty much crime free area) i put the bobcat in my pocket. I wish i could find a bobcat in 25acp but the 22 with stingers in it works pretty well for me. Always check reliability of your ammo in a bobcat though since its blowback only. It needs to stay clean
There has been and will be much discussion about the caliber one should carry for self-defense, I agree with a lot of what has been suggested.
Just remember it is the Indian, not the arrow, six hits with a .22 is far better than six misses with a .45, the size of the bullet only matters if it hits the target.
As others have stated shoot what you shoot well, to me that means being competent with the operation of the firearm and being able to put rounds on target.
SSL
Gold $$ Contributor
I would add as a caveat that the .25 ACP is as close to useless as is possible with a firearm round. Roughly two-thirds the energy of a decent .22 LR round (average of roughly 91 foot-pounds for the .22 versus 66 for the .25 from pistol-length barrels) and the .25s jacketed bullet that is nearly sure to not expand, it makes a good noise maker and I certainly wouldn't want to be shot with one, but it should never be on a list of serious defense cartridges. .32 ACP, while still not really serious, is the smallest I would even consider over the .22 and would still choose the .22 for its usually larger magazine capacity. A good, in depth comparison of the .22 vs the .25 ACP can be found here: https://www.ammunitiontogo.com/lodge/22lr-vs-25-acp/
Pretty much explains why the .25 ACP is considered to be the worst self-defense round option.
Pretty much explains why the .25 ACP is considered to be the worst self-defense round option.
JMayo
Silver $$ Contributor
My petite (ex) girlfriend couldn't or didn't have the grip to handle a double action trigger. So for her the shield size type, there are 3 if i remember the article correctly, was the best choice.
I like a safety with a after market light trigger. S&w shield is my carry choice.
I like a safety with a after market light trigger. S&w shield is my carry choice.
JEFFPPC
Gold $$ Contributor
Some good insight, but more of what I like (a man) and can shoot. I am at the same place with my wife. She is has problems with her hands. Yes, she can move a couch to run the sweeper but hand strength is not good and add arthritis in . The quick snappy recoil of the 380 or 9mm hurts her hands. Of my handguns , the less snappy recoil of a 45 she finds less painful but it's heavy for her. So, the lowly .22 with almost no recoil , a good trigger , and the size similar to many wonder nines suits her. She can shot 5 or 6 rounds faster and more accurate with it than 2 rounds , or maybe even 1 round of the rest. If you take the time to look up how effective the .22 is against humans, you might be really surprised. What we like and want does not matter, what a women can handle and fire ACCURATELY and reasonably QUICKLY is what might save her life. So on this same line a fellow of a club I belonged too many years ago was degrading trap loads.....said he would bare his butt to one at 100 yds....which he did. Took awhile to pick them all out at the ER. True story, just proves "You can't fix stupid".
Dusty Stevens
Shiner
drop_point
Silver $$ Contributor
Another consideration besides poor terminal performance, .22lr tends to be less reliable prone to malfunctions and misfires at a much greater rate. If you can do more than 22 you really should.
Go to a gunshop with a range....have her try out all types of handguns...experience each guns operation and trigger pull that fits her hand.
Let her decide after shooting...a 380 that fits well with an acceptable trigger pull will probably be her choice, as it has less recoil than a 9 mm but after owning the 380 for sometime she could possibly graduate to a 9mm ...not a fan of revolvers for female beginners, long hard trigger pull of double action revolver will pull them off target when shooting fast, in an emergency situation, and Confidence will be lost in a hurry. Training with a compent female trainer is also a good start. No macho BS to contend with...hitting center mass continually, confidently, and with ample speed, is the goal....just the facts.
Let her decide after shooting...a 380 that fits well with an acceptable trigger pull will probably be her choice, as it has less recoil than a 9 mm but after owning the 380 for sometime she could possibly graduate to a 9mm ...not a fan of revolvers for female beginners, long hard trigger pull of double action revolver will pull them off target when shooting fast, in an emergency situation, and Confidence will be lost in a hurry. Training with a compent female trainer is also a good start. No macho BS to contend with...hitting center mass continually, confidently, and with ample speed, is the goal....just the facts.
even though I am a larger guy a few years ago I bought a sig 365 which has been mentioned here already and I really like it. It shoots good and very easy to hide with its small size. Even though I own quite a few other pistols and have carried a 1911 at times and a ruger sp101 357 snubby with 2.5 inch barrel which was first pistol I ever bought. The sig is the first choice to be able to hide, only thing I noticed with my bigger hands if I shoot allot at range where the grip stops it tends to dig into my palm after so long, but that is long range sessions. But for self defense when you need it I trust it.
Pretty good advice from a lot of knowledgeable folks. If the Bobcat is what you’re comfortable with, keep carrying and practicing with it. If you feel like you need more power, TRY before you buy. I also cast a vote for the P365. But G43, S&W MP, P938 and yes, the S&W 642 all have merit.
Good luck in you search for you answer!
Good luck in you search for you answer!
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