Help! I'm clueless and want to find a carry gun!

[Katie]

Hey I am posting here following my boyfriends advice. He is currently a member here and carries a M&P9c which is the first gun I have really gone to the range and shot.

He has been trying to talk me into carrying and I am thinking about it. We have looked at the Sig p239 & Sig p238, Kahr pm9 & p380, and Walther PPS in .380 but I don't know nearly enough to make a decision. The smaller the better. I'm small (5'5" 130), and I won't be able to easily conceal anything large.

Anyway I'm looking for suggestions as to which guns to look at, they need to be small, I don't think I want a revolver, and nothing bigger then 9mm. Any advice, suggestions or other info is greatly appreciated!!

[CHEMICAL]

A lot of my female friends own and carry a ruger lcp. they love it. Welcome to PAFOA.

[iMoses14]

Welcome to the forum.

Like your boyfriend, I also carry a M&P9c. It's an awesome and very reliable carry gun.

I would suggest for you to go out to a range and rent the guns you mentioned. I'd also suggest a Ruger LCP. People often bash it for having a "long" trigger pull. But, it is very reliable and very accurate for it's size.

Hope it helps.

- iMoses

[VinF88]

Sig P230 or 232 with a Hogue grip. Trust me - try it and ill bet you'll buy it.

[CHEMICAL]

People often bash it for having a "long" trigger pull. But, it is very reliable and very accurate for it's size.

To touch on this, for a pocket gun with no safety a long trigger pull is exactly what you need. Good point.

I can definitely not recommend the micro eagle for you. I love it but it is completely relentless and unforgiving. Your hand will hurt from 2 magazines (12 rounds)

It is definitely a gun you shoot just enough to verify reliability and nothing more, but know it will work when you need it to and pain isn't a thought.

[Connal]

There are some small problems.

With a lighter (smaller) gun, recoil is more pronounced. I could give 100 different models, in 20 different calibers, and it might not be the best bet for you.

What I would honestly suggest, is to make it to one of our group shoots, (I believe your info says you are in allegheny?) and ask some of the members to bring some "smaller" pistols for you to try out. Or, if a range near you will let you rent some pistols.

[thelemite]

Welcome to the forum!

There are so many options for you. I would suggest you try before you buy anything if at all possible.

It depends what you are looking for. A pocket gun? One to be carried inside the waistband?

Pocket guns have somewhat limited sights normally. They recoil more (weight) and have limited capacity.

Subcompacts are slightly larger, easier to hang on to and have higher capacities.

There is a give and take.

[mythaeus]

Third on the LCP. Wife carries it daily after trying out many other small guns. By trying, I mean owning. She went through 4 other guns, all of which were sold, before settling on the LCP.

Her priority is daily concealability, which means minimal weight and size. There are some disadvantages with the LCP, but she worked through them all.

1. Small caliber: .380ACP is not shabby, but it's not 9mm or bigger. It's an acceptable trade off for overall size and weight. A carried .380 is much better than a 9mm left at home.

2. Difficult to shoot: with the long trigger, small size, and light weight, the LCP is a BEAST to tame. It will take you several trips to the range and a few hundred rounds to get use to it. The sights are hard to see, take some white paint and paint at least the front sight. It took my wife 3 trips to become comfortable with it, but she's very accurate with it now.

3. Not a fun gun: the LCP is meant to be carry gun, not a plinker, fun range gun because it's not a pleasant gun to shoot. The ammo is almost 2x as much as 9mm. My wife shoots other guns at the range and practice a few mag full of the LCP each trip.

Best of luck,
Al

[cigarmanpa]

I'm sure there will be no shortage of people here who would be willing to take you to the range and let you run their guns

[rwb1500]

You mentioned a Sig P239. I'm a big fan, actually in the market for one myself. The gun is large and heavy enough to soak up the recoil and make it plesant to shoot. It may be a difficult gun for a lady to conceal without a traditional inside the waistband or outside the waistband holster.