Newbs first gun?

Best first gun for beginner?

Usually we say Glock 19 or equivalents followed by a quality single stack 9mm's or close to it. Obviously sourcing decently priced quality guns is a bit trickier at this time, but I still encourage people to get them.

In my experience, a lot of people, especially those who wear more form fitting clothing, are unwilling to carry a doublestack often. Even with proper belts, holsters, etc. A lot of people also don't want to carry single stacks, and guns are usually a rare trip to the bad part of town talisman instead of an everyday companion. Many of these people are also not going to practice or train often, if at all. Maybe once a quarter, 6 months, or annually?

Recently, a single mom who's kept an old unloaded Taurus .38 snub with a cracked hammer in her car for protection asked me if I could help her choose a gun to buy. She's never shot that .38 before and is afraid too. She shot a boyfriends glock .40 years ago and didn't like that either. She also wants something easier to carry than the Taurus snub. She probably won't practice much with it, but hopefully she does.

What gun would you recommend she get?

I honestly think the lcrx .22 is a great gun. It's relatively quiet, ammo is the most cheap and plentiful, good rounds will be more reliable and can meet the fbi minimum penetration standards, 8 round capacity, little recoil, not incredibly inexpensive, lighter and a bit thinner than her Taurus, the longer barrel and cylinder aid in the "keel" principle. I'm trying to keep back my inner guncounter Fudd, but I think I should recommend a snubnose .22 for the little lady, perhaps even with pink or purple grips! In fact, it's what I carry when I can't carry a larger gun in npe's.20210204_211904.jpg
 

rudukai13

Pro Internet User
During normal times I would say take her to the store and let her handle the various options herself. She may find the DA trigger pull on the LCR to be a bit too heavy to easily shoot. Other suggestions would be the P365XL or G48 for slimmer, easy to shoot 9mm pistols that aren’t so small as to be difficult to manipulate. Probably about the same size and weight as a 3” LCR with full-finger grip but with greater capacity.

Look for a local store/range that still has some selection and take her to try them out. While stock will likely be low at most gun stores right now, ranges that offer rental guns will still have the rental guns available to handle and shoot. It’ll at least give her an idea of what she likes/dislikes and you can go from there
 

Jake_Disty

Amateur
I've been shooting the Smith And Wesson EZ .380 a lot at the range because I had one that was gifted to me. I actually really like it and think it would work well for a wide range of people. The trigger is decent and the safety features are similar to that of a 1911. I find it much more enjoyable to shoot over something like the Bodyguard .380 or a Ruger LCP just because of the size. I've let some friends who aren't into guns even try it out and they seem to gravitate towards it after firing a few mags through it. It's soft shooting and easy to make hits with. The sights aren't anything special, just 3 white dots. I blacked out the rear and painted the front dot orange and it makes it much easier for my eyes to find the front sight. I think it's a decent option and one that I feel comfortable suggesting to others looking for a defensive firearm. I understand there is a 9mm model, but I haven't spent any time at the range with it and can't speak on that.
 

Brock01

Newbie
First question I would ask is budget...?

From your description, we are talking about someone who probably won't get actual training, unless held by the hand. She also is going to throw it in the glove box or night stand and call it a day (again based off what I am reading).

I would say nothing with external hammers or switches (external safety to flick off). Just one more thing to get in the way.

While my default is going to be a glock style pistol, a Smith & Wesson snubnose, hammerless 22mag with XS Big Dot up front may be a legitimate option.
 
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