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My daughter wants a pistol

Hcidem

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Oct 22, 2008
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RTM Rockford, Michigan, USA
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As I entered the world of pistols, I thought quite a bit about my choices. I settled ona full-sized 9mm. As I made my purchase, the salesman showed me the P3AT he carried. I liked the idea of a small BUG, and thought I might look into it later.

Every now and then I wander onto the Kel-Tec site to look over their product line. I have grown to prefer the thought of picking up a P-11 or P-9. They are still small, but they would allow me to avoid buying a new caliber of ammo while maintaining the higher potency of 9mm over .380.

The only negative comments I hear is regarding shooting large quantities in these small pistols. Evidently they becomes a bit uncomfortable during long practice sessions.
 

AustinTacticalFirearms

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Austin, Texas, USA
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I'm a little late jumping in here, but I'd recommend the Glock 19 or the Bersa Thunder. Couple of reasons for the Glock:

- You can beat them up and they will still fire accurately
- Very simple to operate with few moving parts to break or wear out
- If parts break/wear out, it's easy to find aftermarket replacements on Cheaper Than Dirt
- 9mm has more knockdown power than the .380 with similar recoil
- The G19 isn't so bulky it's uncomfortable to shoot if you have smaller hands
- There are plenty of holsters available for her to carry the Glock, and most do a nice job of concealment
- Your daughter mentioned weight as a factor--I think I read--and the Glock is pretty light due to it's polymer receiver
- 19+1 rounds of 9mm is plenty when the poop hits the fan. Most loose their fine motor skills in combat situations, and having all that ammo on board will keep the reloading to a minimum, and keep her on target.

As for the Bersa:
- Very light and can be dropped in a purse or concealment holster. Galco makes the Matrix that is perfect for this little gun
- The .380 has very controllable recoil
- Ballistics are pretty good with the .380 and would certainly make someone stop doing what they had started which got them shot in the first place
- If cost is a factor, the Bersa is half as much as the Glock. I bought my wife a Bersa for about $220. The Glock is going to run you about $600 (NIB)
- Her experience with the Bersa is pretty important. Sounds like she likes it and it fits her. Gun fit is pretty important to get correct. My brother-in-law couldn't hit the back side of a barn with his Smith 4010. Didn't fit his hand and he couldn't index the gun. He picked up the G17 and his groups IMMEDIATELY improved.
- 7+1 rounds is kind of low, but it beats throwing rocks. Keep an extra magazine handy. You can find aftermarket mags for about $15.
- Blow back design (similar to the Makarov) with few parts. Not sure if it's as indestructable as the Glock, but still very reliable; doesn't jam when dirty.

Now, I'm sure you know this, but I'll say it anyway. It's not enough just to get a gun; she has to be able to shoot it accurately in all kinds of situations. Get her a membership to the gun range as well and have her practice trigger control over and over. A handful of snapcaps will let her sit in her apartment and do dry fire exercises (obvious gun safety practices should apply here). I had a pistol instructor tell me he read a report that said in deadly force situations, if the defender hit their assailant with the first shot, their chance of survival went up to 65%. If they missed, it dropped to the 40% neighborhood. I spend more time dry firing and "firing" a clothes pin then I actually do shooting live ammo. The dry firing pays off when I hit the range!
 

unarmed in westchester

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, New York, USA
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Happy New Year everyone!

You have all given great advice and ideas for a pistol for celtic's daughter.

As we all know, the gun must fit her hand and she MUST be comfortable with every aspect of the gun.

I have a Glock-19 and i love it. However, my fiancee is not a fan of it. Reason being is that she has a small frame, but very strong at the same time. However, she still has a very hard time working the slide, which is no good. I will probably end up buying her a .380 such as a Bersa sometime in the future. For now, she has a Taurus .22 revolver that her father bought her recently. She feels absolutely comfortable with that gun and shoots very well with it. So for now, its a good gun for her to shoot with to better her accuracy and comfort level.

Good luck with whatever your daughter may choose.
 

ecocks

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Bersa is a great gun and if she likes it, she will work more with it and consider it "hers" rather than something Daddy helped her pick out. This is extremely valuable IMO.

Good luck!
 

bordsnbikes

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Nov 30, 2008
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Near Tacoma, Washington, USA
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Glock 19. If that is larger than what she wants (like to keep in her purse) then get a Glock 26.

Don't cheap out on a weapon that may save her life. You can get a good deal on used Glocks with out sacrificing quality.
 

AustinTacticalFirearms

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Dec 30, 2008
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Austin, Texas, USA
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bordsnbikes wrote:
Glock 19. If that is larger than what she wants (like to keep in her purse) then get a Glock 26.

Don't cheap out on a weapon that may save her life. You can get a good deal on used Glocks with out sacrificing quality.
Quick question, have you had a bad experience with the Bersa? One of my complaints is that the safety is super tight. I figured it'd break in, but never did. My wife sometimes has trouble taking the safety off. Otherwise, I've not had any problems with it. Good gun for good price.
 

bordsnbikes

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Not a bad experience as much as it's just not a very good gun. What it comes down to is what's your life worth? If it's worth cheaping out on, then go for it. But I would venture to say that your daughter's life is worth a lot more than that. Get a better than "good enough" gun, especially is you can do it for $500 or less.
 

AustinTacticalFirearms

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Austin, Texas, USA
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I understand what you're saying. If price is a problem, consider a S&W Airweight. Easily concealable, lightwieght, accurate .38 Spl rated in +P. Only 6 shots, but you can certainly reload quick with a speedloader. My brother-in-law picked one up for around $350 or $400. Of course, for an extra hundred or two, you're back in the Glock range.

Guess I agree with bordsnbikes, the Glock is probably your better purchase.
 

ecocks

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bordsnbikes wrote:
Not a bad experience as much as it's just not a very good gun. What it comes down to is what's your life worth? If it's worth cheaping out on, then go for it. But I would venture to say that your daughter's life is worth a lot more than that. Get a better than "good enough" gun, especially is you can do it for $500 or less.
I find the Bersa to be an excellent firearm. Ithas made an excellent alternative when I need a smaller gun. Google for reviews and make your own decision.
 

tdyoung58

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I think maybe the Bersa 9mm might be a better choice, it would be something she's comforatbale with from shooting the .380 and most 9mm ammo is cheaper than the .380. You can also get better defense ammo in a 9mm compared to a .380
 

Eeyore

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Aug 25, 2007
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the meanest city in the stupidest state
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My wife likes my Taurus PT111: compact, good for small hands, 12 rounds of 9mm, available for about $300-350 new.

Worth consideration....


ETA: I hesitate to mention this, but since it's for your daughter.......the PT111 is available with a pink frame at Gander Mountain stores.
 

JDriver1.8t

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Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
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Glock 26 w/ grip extension or Glock 19 would be my vote.

Small, easy to handle, extremely reliable.

I would never recommend a pocket gun for home or primary SD, but something is better than nothing.
 

Liko81

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I guess this is kind of late, but some questions really need to be asked...

- What will be this gun's primary role? OC, CC or HD? There are guns that do well at all three (Glock compacts/sub-compacts, officers' 1911s, etc) but in general if she wants to OC or keep it in her nightstand, I would recommend a full-size pistol, not a "pocket pistol" like a .380. If she wants to CC, size/weight become a consideration. Regardless, remember that you will want your daughter to practice with it; if it has too much recoil or isn't ergonomic, it won't be fun on the firing line. Sounds like you're in the market for a good all-around; that means slim, decent weight, good capacity, yet full-frame and good ergos.

- How much experience with firearms does your daughter have? If taking her out to figure out what she can handle was her first time firing a handgun, you're underestimating her ability to learn to control a defense-caliber handgun.A .380 is a great little gun for deep concealment, but to hear you tell it, she may awaken in the middle of the night to find a druggie looting her apartment. In that situation (any really, but especially when your assailant has an increased threshold of pain) she will need a round that will immediately incapacitate the bad guy with a COM shot, and that means a 9mm at least.

I would recommend you find or rent the following guns for her to shoot:

- Glock 19SF - Glocks are Glocks; if you like the way they hold, draw and shoot, there's really no other option. This one's a full-frame compact with a slightly slimmer frame making concealment a touch easier. 9mm, I believe factory cap is 18 rounds so she'll have plenty of lead available.

- CZ 97 SP01 - This is a reasonably priced full-size pistol that is well-liked for its ergonomics and accuracy. It is a TDA, and the SP01 has a decocker (other variants usually do not). The grip is slim enough for small hands while still large enough for a double-stack mag; I think it's 17 rounds.

-Ruger P95 - Inexpensive FFC,15-round magcapacity, accurate, and rock-solid reliable out of the box. Conceals like a brick though, and the grip may be a bit big for delicate hands.

- Ruger SR9 - They had a recall on these, but the problem has been fixed. Find one with the trigger latch much like a Glock; SR9s that have the recalled problem do not have this trigger. This is a slim, easy-to-hold, easy-to-fire FFC 9mm that still holds 17 rounds factory.

- S&W M&P 9mm Compact - This is a concealable gun for most, an easy-to-handle gun for all but the most bear-pawed of us, and provides excellent ergos in an affordable package.

If you go through these, and she absolutely cannot control a 9mm, then get her the Bersa, a Walther PPk, or a Smith& Wesson compact .38. I would advise against a Kel-Tec or other mousegun as her only weapon; those are designed as backups, and are not comfortable to shoot, have limited capacity, and are not very powerful. But I beg you to have her get a little more trigger time behind a 9mm or better. A .380 is a weak 9mm; same size, hole, less depth of wound. If she shoots an overweight guy COM I would fully expect the guy to be able to continue on his way, and that means he could overpower your daughter despite being shot.

All that said, anything is better than nothing. Get your daughter a gun she's comfortable with and can quickly put lead on target with.
 

Bravo_Sierra

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Jul 5, 2007
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Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
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Taurus850CIA wrote:
Bravo_Sierra wrote:
Bravo, is that a random video you found, or is it a home video? That is impressive... My daughter is 8, and she shoots a Cricket .22 single shot bolt action rifle. She's learning the basics, and doing a commendable job. Her accuracy isn't bad, either, for a newbie! :D


No, that came from another board I post on.
 

celticredneck

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Jul 23, 2008
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Amelia County, virginia
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Well, my daughter bought the Bersa. since she got it, she has done some shooting at my place, and averages going to a range where she lives in Roanoke 2 to 3 times a month. She has become quite a bit more proficient with the added practice. Actually, she probably shoots a bit more than I do, in spite of the fact that all I have to do is walk out the back door and put up some targets. As for handling her gun, when she first bought it, I had her bring it down to my place. The first thing I did was to give her some elementary training in proper handling, i.e. muzzle control, clearing it everytime she picks it up, as well as having her field strip it and clean it before I allowed her to load and shoot it. It was not the first time she had ever shot, but, most all of her previous experience was as a teen ager. She is now in her mid 20s.
 
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