The Glock frame is to big for my hand - reach from angle of thumb joint to the trigger is simply too long, and it's hard to drop a mag one-handed for me. In .40 S&W it kicks like a Edit too!

I LOVED the Sig I shot (friend's gun) in .40 S&W, though the recoil was still a bit of a sting - he had "softened" the checkering and that helped a bunch with soring up your hand in practice.

I own and sometimes carry a Colt SA Auto in .380, but it's a pop gun - I always wonder if it would actually stop anything or anybody if the need was there.

My absolute fave auto is my .38 Super 1911, semi-race out of the Les Baer shop. Nice, narrow single stack, lotsa pop and reasonable recoil and it is a tackdriver deluxe. Too darn big for me to carry concealed, though.

Primary carry piece is a .357 Magnum model 60 S&W revolver in stainless, with a worked-over 3# trigger group, 3" barrel, match sights and a Decelerator combat grip. I dehorned all the checkering on trigger and hammer to smooth it all up. It's small, light, lethal, comfortable to wear and easy to conceal (crossdraw, horsehide belt holster of my own manufacture) and it presents a very intimidating picture viewed muzzle-on. I'd a lot rather have the bad guy chicken out and LEAVE than have to shoot the rat!

I am 5'-4" tall, reach from grip to first trigger finger joint is a touch over 3 inches, and i have increasingly bad arthritis in my hands, to add to the data.

Kate
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Buy some silencers while you're at it.

EDIT* you live in Kansas, scratch that

 

My wife enjoys shooting a .380... You can usually get these in frames that tend to fit a womans hand better... I have an old Femru and it is one of the wifes favorite guns to shoot...

Glock is a good solid gun... The Glock 28 has a .380 caliber cartridge. It is a highly concealable, personal defense handgun. It is the same size and format as the GLOCK models 26, 27 and 33.

Then again I keep my AR-15 proped up against the night stand for personal protection!!! Wife loves to shoot that as well!!!

Glock 28 Retail below $500
Sig Arms P232 is also a nice weapon Retail is $573.00

 

The .380 Glock is not available in the U.S.

 

Now I have a question. I am not a real gun buff, but have a few and have carried for the last 35 or 40 years. You are attacked, pull a little 22 cal or 25 cal pistol. He gets a couple of rounds in him. This does not change the nature of the attack?

Maybe I am wrong but as soon as a subject of personal protection comes up, it is like picking a woman, or is Chevy better than ford. Yep you are right, a 45 will take out half of the chest cavity. A 22 puts a little hole in the chest. The .222 round is near a 22 size. Sure a lot more pushing it, but if it is in your chest will it stop you?

My use is a bit different than some. I have to conceal it wearing jeans and a tee shirt while going into Waffle House. I have several, some better. My favorite is as Top said, my Colt Pocketlite .380. Downside is the "**** and lock" safety. hate that feature. I also have a copy of the Browning .25 and it resides in a change purse in my back pocket. How many have heard of the potential robber just getting mad with 3 or 4 25 cal in their body?

I have to load and unload cars from a trailer in the middle of the night, in the worst of areas, Atlanta, Birmingham, Montgomery, etc. This is physicial work, I don't need my pants falling down from the weight, nor is it legal to be in the open on my permit. So something has to go in my pocket.

I have no illusions to being Terminator Too or feel impressed by carrying, it is a safety deal, my life depends on it. Carrying is a pain in the neck, you are open to idiot cops giving a hard time, DOT not liking it and so on. But like many truckers, I have $1000 to $2000 in my pocket and generally three of four more thousand in the truck. Takes that to run today, especially since fuel is six cents more with a card, it has to be cash.

In the past I have tried all kinds of holsters, different guns, gotten a couple of fines for illegal carry in states where my permit did not cover, can't purchase a gun in Walmart because of it or haul hazardous because of the hit on the FBI files. Tennessee gave me a "going armed" charge in the early '70s, now I can carry there legal. All this for having a gun in the truck.

I stay legal now, I am older, but it has to be concealed and not obvious.

 

You sure? I know the Glock 25 which is .380 is not for sale in the US, but I thought the Glock 28 was....

I could be wrong... It won't be the first time!!!

 

It really comes down to a matter of stopping power. A couple small rounds can sure enough do the job, but will they work quick enough?

Many a bad guy has been found dead some distance from the crime scene, and unfortunately they were also able to inflict a fatal wound before escaping, even though they were mortally wounded.

Having said that, I am absolutely with you in the opinion that small caliber is better than no caliber. And in some cases I also carry a small weapon when my preferred carry piece is my .45.

It really depends on the circumstances and in your case carrying a big slab side is NOT the answer in those situations. Naturally the real solution is to stay out of situations that may require you to draw your weapon. But I have no doubt you already know that and are very aware of your surroundings when doing the job you described.

Sometimes we just have to go with what works for the situation

 

For concelled carry I love my Walther PPK .380, my wife is VERY comfortable shooting it also. Now my newest addition-- A Dan Wesson Pointman .45-this is a beautiful weapon!!

 

Another vote for Glock 19,26

 

Top a .25 is a unique little conceal. As I said it is in a change purse, carry it all the time even if the larger is in the front pocket. One night I was stopped outside a used car lot. Cop wanted to check me out. He asked, as usual, if I had any contriband in the truck. I said no but there is a .380 in the compartment over the driver. He says ok lets have a look. He stood me against the truck and frisked me. Then he looks quickly in the truck, asked me for a permit which I priduced. He then asks if I have anything else to declair, being really computer-like right out of a movie. I said no, just the .25 in my back pocket that you missed. He turned red he was so embarrised.

I get often checked especially when a new cop gets the shift duty and is not familiar with my truck or a new customer. Actually the most sticky situations are not in the bad areas but in the feel safe areas. It generally involves a jacked up Caprice with 22 inch wheels going by several times. I wear my cell phone on a lanyard on my neck also, easy to get 911 in a hurry. A few times I have called, it always works well, cops are nice when you call them for help.

Yes Top a few years of doing this and you see things that would generally be missed. A car sitting a half a block away, same car going by more than once. The law of averages says that sooner or later I will have a serious encounter, a friend got robbed in the north side of Birmingham a few days ago, the got a lot of money. A little tip, never carry a wallet or one of those trucker chain drive wallets. Carry the money in a couple of pockets folded and no licenses with it. Robbers like wallets, puts everything in one place.

 

My carry: Taurus Mdl 85 CH. Load: Corbon DPX .38 spl (standard load).

 

If she likes it, and of course there goes the suprise again...

A wheel gun in .357 (I wish for a stainless S&W myself) with +P .38s in it would likely do the job.

Yes, any gun on your person is better than ANY gun at home. But there are some pretty small 9MM now.


Haulin, try a search for PagerPal holster. If you are somewhat skinny like my buddy it is perfect! I have too much dunlap myself.

Here ya go: http://www.pagerpal.com/

Oh yeah! Someone mentioned .22 against .223

.223 is MOVING when it hits. It tends to splinter and or tumble. A hit with .223 WILL stop a badguy.

 

My wife carries a Kel-tec 380 auto. It is light weight and she is very comfortable (and accurate) firing it and carrying it. It might not have the most stopping power but for now it is the gun she is the most comfortable with.

I don't carry all the time but when I do it is either a 1911 or 357 mag.

Will

 

Yes let me mention.... I read a LOOOOONG article about the best one shot stopping caliber. Magnums, .45, .40 and 9MM all faired pretty good.

When you got down to .223 and .308 all it said was hit 'em.

With a pistol at least two center of mass shots should probably be sent.

 

I also have a small hand and owned a Glock 19. Did not like the way it fit, so I purchased a Smith & Wesson M&P 9C. It comes with 3 interchangeable grips. It fits a small hand great. You can get it in 9mmm or 40.