in the market for a new handgun?

For personal defence the tried and tested man stopper round is the .357 Magnum. You can use the lower power .38 Special ammo if recoil is a problem. Very short barrels are hard to shoot accurately and I would recommend 4 inches rather than a snubby. Go for a revolver for simplicity and reliability

Stick with the major manufacturers like Colt S & W or Ruger, all offer an excellent range so find one that fits your hand well.

Don't forget to get to the range and practice with it, including the full power magnum loads.

Properly looked after it will last a lifetime.

Ian M

I would get either a used 5 shot Smith & Wesson 357 magnum or 38 Special. I would use Gold Dot +P ammo for self defense. The orther option would be a used Glock 19 auto loader with 15 round magazine. either if you shop around can be found around $400 used. Check your area pawn shops, they may have one. In the 38 special revolver make sure it is rated for +P rounds, some of the older ones are not.

Revolvers are more "forgiving" than autoloaders in the sense that they aren't as prone to jamming, since they DO NOT jam. Operation of a revolver quickly becomes obvious to those inexperienced with firearms. For those not really "into" firearms, the revolver is a good choice.

Downside of a revolver, if any, lies in the fact that an unloaded gun can't be brought into action by most people as quickly as can the unloaded autoloader. Accurate follow up shots also tend to be easier to make with a single or double action autoloader when compared to the revolver.

For personal defense, the .357 Magnum in 125 grain jacketed hollow point is a handgun round that achieves the "one shot stop": nearly 96 percent.

Greatest drawback of Magnum revolvers, to some, is the perceived felt recoil experienced by the shooter. The perception of recoil can range from moderate to punishing, depending upon the size and weight of the gun and the weight of the bullet in the cartridge. A heavy gun with a long barrel will take the edge off felt recoil. Shooting a heavy bullet will tend to increase it. Small or light weight guns will increase it.

You can buy a new Glock for about $470.00 from Glock World, but…

First go to a range take a basic pistol class, after training rent a weapon and try it, do this with several. You need to feel comfortable with your handgun. Most of them as a first firearm got a Glock 19 (9mm), it is compact in size and you can get HiCap magazines for it. It has a safety-action system which is safe and good for new shooters! This weapon is very mainstream, with lots of after market options available. A large variety of holsters are available. The addition of an Ameriglo Pro Glo Front sight that is designed to shine with a orange circle in the daylight and has a glowing green dot at night will help you keep your eye on the front sight, important in order to aim properly. You will need a good holster to cc with; this is not the place to save money. A custom IWB holster that fits your handgun and has a sweat shield, together with a reinforced mouth is a good investment. Custom holsters fit you better, and last 4 to 5 times longer than production ones in my experience. After you are comfortable with your handgun and how it functions take a home defense class.

As to ammo use a hollow point round (Gold Dot +P) as your defensive round. While some may feel a caliber larger than 9mm will work better only you can decide what is comfortable to shoot.

Check out GSSF for events and information on Glocks and shooting.

Hope this helps, remember practice is what builds your comfort level and improves your shooting skills

I persomally like the S&W Sigmas. Yes, they're not as refined or compact as some of the other CCW's, but it's really the most bang for your buck in your price range. My wife and I both have Sigma's, and while it's not as fancy as my Glock or Kimber, it was also only 1/2 the price and I don't really have any complaints. Actually, I've put a few thousand through mine and it's still going strong. Another good pistol that I like is the Springfield XD .40. It's a little more than you're looking to spend, but don't we always spend a few more bucks than we intended to when shopping for out toys?

Look around for a good used gun in 38,357 or the cheapest gun that is of quality new is a Taurus.....but, many of those are in the 350+ range. I recommend a 38spl or 357 concealable snub nose revolver for first timer. A .357 will be more powerful and stop some one easy...but the recoil is more.

Guns have gone up post Obama and in the last year. Many guns are not in stock so you have to get what you can......

For a first-time pistol user, I've always recommended a double-action .38 Special revolver, usually from Smith & Wesson, though Colt's Manufacturing, Taurus, Ruger, and some European companies make some OK revolvers, too.

With these revolvers, there are no safety levers, slide releases, or magazine release buttons to get mixed up in case you ever have to use the weapon to save your life.

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I would look for a used .38 special such as the smith & wesson airweight or the taurus m85. The .38 will suffice for defense as long as you can hit your mark.

s&w 40 cal. ve. 400$

a .44 magnum leaves a hole about the size of a baseball in a pig(ive hunted with one for 3 years) the recoil doesnt hurt bed...or at least to me it dont...try a rossi .44 magnum

Ruger LCP, .380ACP, 250$. VERY small double action pocket freight train.