My wife and a friend of hers are considering buying a pistol, learning to handle the pistol from me, and taking the CHL course.

I am tasked with deciding what pistol for them to buy. They both want external safeteys. I was considering a Taurus Millenium Pro. I don't want to get subcompact because they will have a hard time hanging on to it (like a Kel-Tec or LCP). I was thinking compact would be just right, women carry purses and can therefore carry a larger pistol than I can conceal. I'm leaning toward .40 cal or 9mm. "Show up with enough gun."

Anybody have any experience with the Taurus? I was also thinking Springfield XD.

my pop just bought the spring field xd, cant tell u how it shoots or anything being that ive looked about 20 times for mmo and cant find any.... but it seems to be about the right gun for ur situation, but i dont think it has an external safety, but it does have to have ur finger on the trigger and on the handle...... again all ive done so far is held it.

One of the most popular carry guns is the little Bersa Thunder .380. It's an Argentine-made gun with a barrel that's mounted into the frame which improves accuracy. I own one and love it.

The only problem is finding one, being as popular as they are.

If that's what they like and want, those would be good choices I think. A hammerless snubby might appeal to them if it will be a purse gun. You're certainly right about them learning to use it, because caliber isn't the answer. To borrow that slogan on some tee shirts: Gun Control....don't miss.

hammerless snubby airwieght

ruger is coming out with an lcr sometime soon

I recently bought my wife the Taurus Millenium Pro 9mm...perfect purse gun in my opinion. Small enough to fit in her small-medium purse. Good fit in most womens' hands. I can't say enough good about the gun!

I like the Taurus Mill Pros and the Bersas as far as little guns go but I think anyone should carry a .40 or a .45 so my answer here would be a compact M&P or a compact XD. If they like and can shoot a heavier gun, Id go with a compact 1911 or a compact Sig. I wouldnt recommend an inexperienced person carry a revolver to begin with...or a Glock for that matter. I think the extra manual safeties AND the extra training that should go along with the manual safeties are a must for any new shooter/carrier. Safety first.

Thanks to everyone who replied.

I showed my wife a S & W hammerless compact. She didn't like the fact that it didn't have a safety. So that's out.

I would love to buy her and me a compact 1911, but it's cost prohibitive. I understand that the XD has a grip safety, hammer safety, and brain safety. I don't know if that will be enough for her. That's why I was thinking about the Taurus. But I've never owned a Taurus firearm and didn't know if it was an accurate reliable pistol.

Keep em comin.

Revolvers don't have safeties due to the design of the gun. It's a long hard double action trigger pull, so you're not going to "accidentally" pull the trigger. Very safe to carry loaded.

BUT, revolvers are hard to shoot well for anyone. Much less someone with limited handgun experience.

The best bet would be to take her to a gun range and let her shoot a few different guns and see which she likes best and shoots most accurately with. Most people are suprised by how many women will chose a full framed 1911 .45 over a subcompact .380 or 9mm.

The Taurus Mellinium Pro is a handful in .40 cal. I bought it for my wife and she said it had to much recoil, so I shot one mag through it and traded it off. I have owned the same in 9mm and it was not to bad. PLEASE shoot it in .40 cal before you purchase.

My wife has shot my Glock 21 and did pretty well. I understand that's a full size .45 versus a light weight pistol, but still a serious pistol for her to handle. So I have some confidence in her. I will probably get her to try a 9mm though, just so she has plenty of confidence in herself.

I will garuntee you that little pro in .40 bucks harder than that 21.

If you go with a 9mm, I would stick to the glaser safety slugs or other frangibles so theres no overpenetration and it will have the energy of a bigger gun. She just wont be able to shoot through doors, glass, or other obstacles. Its a good trade off, especially if it makes the difference in her carrying or not carrying.

I think I would find a range that allows you to rent pistols and let them try a couple, especially in different calibers. If your in the Metroplex, the Range over by the Winchester Gallery in Ft Worth rents pistols it is at 820 and Lancaster.

Unless your wife is very comfortable with firearms, a hammerless revolver is probably the best bet. Most women do not like and cannot deal with the complexities of an auto.
That being said, if you qualify for a chl with a revolver, then you are only allowed to carry a revolver. Not so, if you qualify with an auto. If you get an auto, probably best to get a double action that can be loaded and then the lady has to only draw the weapon and squeeze the trigger.

I would also recommend a trip to a range with rentals before making a purchase.

Good luck with whatever you do.

Sometimes people have problem pulling back a slide on autos. Revolvers are the best bet for people not familiar with firearms. Take your wife and friend to a range that has rentals. Let them try out several different guns before buying.

Its always funny to see how many different opinions we all have. The best thing is we're all right for our own reasons. All of our concerns are legitimate. It comes down to what works for you, or her. I think we all like the idea of renting different guns before deciding one just one though. Just make sure you work her till shes sick and tired of "being safe" with her pistol of choice then make her practice some more. There's no greater threat than an inexperienced and/or untrained handgun carrier. Good luck.

Ditto on trying different handguns. I don't know what is up your way - but located over here in the 'better side' of the megaplex is Winchesters Shooting Gallery at 820 and Lancaster - lots to try. Also - there is a complete section devoted to women and CHL on the Texas CHL Forum.

I own a Colt Diamondback 38 w/Packmayr grips. I never liked the 38 specials because I didn't like the grips - it always felt like it was going to jump out of my hands when I fired one. But when I came across this one, it was perfect! And I am deadly accurate with it. I've been considering getting my permit to carry and when I do this is my gun of choice.

Wife carries a S&W airlite .32 H&R Mag. Great little gun. Also, she keeps a Sig 226 handy. Modern 9mm self defense loads are a lot more lethal than fmj. The horror stories about the 9mm being a poor stopper are, for the most part, outdated.

I beleive if someone put 9mm gold dot in my chest I would definately buzz off at minimum......

The only problem with smaller calibers like the 9mm are not their lethality but their stopping power.

I figure if your going to go to the trouble of buying, training with, carrying a firearm, and being prepared to protect your life, as well as your loved ones lives', with lethal force you would want the most likely means of stopping an attacker and not just killing him.

The most likely means of stopping an attacker is with the largest projectile moving at the correct speed for that projectile and the intended target. I am simply advocating maximizing your chances at protecting yourself and loved ones.

And, of course, there is always personal preference to add into the equation so I'm not necessarily trying to knock smaller, easier to carry and handle guns. It's purely statistics I'm talking about.

I support anyone who takes the time and effort to be proficient with and carries a gun ot protect themselves no matter what they choose to carry.

More responsible gun carriers = less criminals

It's my understanding that a 9mm overpenetrates; as it will go through your intruder out the other side and thru the wall into the next room. A police officer friend of mine once said a 45 cal was good because it was slower out of the chamber and would stop in your target or at least in the sheetrock if you missed.

.45 aint gonna stop in sheetrock and think about how useless it would be if it would.