Inexpensive handgun

[Clavicula_Nox]

The security situation of my home is developing and the time is now to begin preparing a defense. I am looking for an inexpensive automatic handgun that can be customized with night sights and would be small enough for a woman to fire comfortably. I have been looking at Glock. Any suggestions? *edit* I am looking to spend around $450.

[mcgyver]

Glock is a good piece...UrbanMissionary is the Glock guy and he'd be the one to talk to about it.

The only Auto I have is a Colt Combat Commander in .45

[RabbiKnife]

I really like to Glock.

But for home defense for a female who may not have the experience with a handgun, I recommend a nice shotgun.
Point. Shoot. Repeat.

Won't kill the kids in the next room, either.

[Firefighter]

Neither will a Glock with Glaser Safety Slugs...

Glocks do not have ANY traditional safeties that other autos have, making it a perfect defense weapon for a female, who in all likelihood, is not going to spend the range time needed to put disengaging the safety into their muscle memory. It also provides them with more shots than a shotgun, less recoil, and less flash than you would get from a "home defense" length barrel.

That being said, night sights are useless. You won't use them in a fire fight, and if you do, you won't be able to see them after the first shot in low light conditions anyway. I personally carry a Glock 23 (.40 S&W 13+1) everywhere I go.

DO NOT limp wrist a Glock!!!

[Slug1]

The security situation of my home is developing and the time is now to begin preparing a defense. I am looking for an inexpensive automatic handgun that can be customized with night sights and would be small enough for a woman to fire comfortably. I have been looking at Glock. Any suggestions? *edit* I am looking to spend around $450.

I'd go with RK's suggestion. Just the psyop effect of a pump shotgun chambering a round in a quiet and dark home is enough to send anyone who is not serious, out the door. If they stay, you know that you have a threat in the home and will want the maxium effect that the shotgun offers.

[Firefighter]

What must one do to rack a round into an empty pump shotgun Slug???

[Slug1]

What must one do to rack a round into an empty pump shotgun Slug???

I have a Remington 870. There's little do-hicky ya push and it releases the slide if the bolt is in the chambered position. Charge it, chambering that first round.

[KATMAN]

I'd suggest a S & W .38 special with a 2" barrel.Small enough to conceal and small enough to handle,yet big enough to get the job done. It's not a automatic,and a used one you can get for $300. If you're looking at a semi-automatic,a decent 9mm will work.

[Buck shot]

I have a Remington 870. There's little do-hicky ya push and it releases the slide if the bolt is in the chambered position. Charge it, cambering that first round.

I grew up with one of these....NO CHOKE.... really cool and yep, press that little "do-hicky" and you can slide it with the greatest of ease and have lots of fun with the guys...as long as the women don't think we are 'playin' with the guns in front of the kids!

It definitely draws all attention in a dark quite room

[Clavicula_Nox]

I'm looking at a Glock 17. She has fired Beretta 92fs before, and she is eager to put in range time "weekly", though I suspect that by "weekly" she actually meant "monthly". Shotguns really aren't an option at this time: I don't want one, she doesn't want one. And I guess night sights are out, I'm glad to know they're useless; I'd rather not waste any money on stupid crap.

[RabbiKnife]

I'm looking at a Glock 17. She has fired Beretta 92fs before, and she is eager to put in range time "weekly", though I suspect that by "weekly" she actually meant "monthly". Shotguns really aren't an option at this time: I don't want one, she doesn't want one. And I guess night sights are out, I'm glad to know they're useless; I'd rather not waste any money on stupid crap.

The Glock 17 is a nice weapon. Very reliable, very intuitive point and shoot. If she is training for home defense, I would have her shoot at no more than 7 yards without ever looking at the sights. She needs to put enough rounds downrange with a basic grab, point, and shoot until it is intuitive.

I don't like people walking through a house looking over the sights. Screws up your field of vision and prepares you to drop the hammer on the first human form you see. I prefer teaching walking through the house with weapon down at the side and ready to fire. Identify the threat, then point and shoot in one smooth motion.

The decision to fire must be made before the sights hit the target.

[Clavicula_Nox]

The Glock 17 is a nice weapon. Very reliable, very intuitive point and shoot. If she is training for home defense, I would have her shoot at no more than 7 yards without ever looking at the sights. She needs to put enough rounds downrange with a basic grab, point, and shoot until it is intuitive.

I don't like people walking through a house looking over the sights. Screws up your field of vision and prepares you to drop the hammer on the first human form you see. I prefer teaching walking through the house with weapon down at the side and ready to fire. Identify the threat, then point and shoot in one smooth motion.

The decision to fire must be made before the sights hit the target.

That's a good way of putting it.

I can train her reflexes by giving her a flashlight and pretending to be a bad guy in the home at night with the instructions that she is to identify me as a threat, snap te light up and on me. Hmm...though I don't want to train her to aim a weapon at me.

She's actually not a bad shot. Very naturally fell in with the Beretta, but it is too bulky for her hands (and uncomfortable for mine, I must admit).

[Reynolds357]

Neither will a Glock with Glaser Safety Slugs...

Glocks do not have ANY traditional safeties that other autos have, making it a perfect defense weapon for a female, who in all likelihood, is not going to spend the range time needed to put disengaging the safety into their muscle memory. It also provides them with more shots than a shotgun, less recoil, and less flash than you would get from a "home defense" length barrel.

That being said, night sights are useless. You won't use them in a fire fight, and if you do, you won't be able to see them after the first shot in low light conditions anyway. I personally carry a Glock 23 (.40 S&W 13+1) everywhere I go.

DO NOT limp wrist a Glock!!!

I will keep right on carrying my "useless" night sights on my duty weapon. Maybe my eyes are just real good, but I can see them just fine after the first shot at night.


I agree that in many ways a Glock is a good handgun for the inexperienced shooter. I have also seen way too many accidential discharges from Glocks in the hands of experienced shooters. I have done a few incident reports on people unintentionally shooting their car with their Glocks.

[Reynolds357]

The Glock 17 is a nice weapon. Very reliable, very intuitive point and shoot. If she is training for home defense, I would have her shoot at no more than 7 yards without ever looking at the sights. She needs to put enough rounds downrange with a basic grab, point, and shoot until it is intuitive.

I don't like people walking through a house looking over the sights. Screws up your field of vision and prepares you to drop the hammer on the first human form you see. I prefer teaching walking through the house with weapon down at the side and ready to fire. Identify the threat, then point and shoot in one smooth motion.

The decision to fire must be made before the sights hit the target.

I look at everything either through a set of pistol sights or a red dot; depending on what equipment I have. It takes way too much time to raise the weapon, obtain sight picture, and shoot. Train yourself to keep the weapn sight traveling where your eye travels and you will get the shot off in 1/6th the time of bringing weapon up from your side.

[RabbiKnife]

For an experienced shooter, I'm fine with that.

Just seen too many people shoot the good guys in video games because they were sight focused and squeezed the round off at the first human form regardless of threat profile.