Need help with a gun for my sister

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Hey guys. I am happy to announce I get to supply my sister with her first gun, she has decided to carry and with her living alone in florida I am estatic.

Ok, I am wanting something small and cheap due to economic conditions. My first choice was a ruger lcp my 2nd was a kel tec pf9. I like the brand ruger and have ZERO experience with the kel tec brand but it is a good size for her and what I like about it over the ruger are the sights.

Opinions? Experiences with kel tec? Its gonna be one of the 2, so please throw all opinions at me

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maybe it's just me, but shouldn't SHE be going to a range so she can rent/try different guns and find one that fits her best???

that's what i did for my wife. i just got her a gift certificate for x-mass so she could go to the range and rent the gun case and see which guns she feels best with, and got one of the nicer and more helpful guys at the range to take her under his wing.

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I agree with scorpio.

She must go to the range.

Sure, Ruger may be a nice manufacturer, and the LCP may be a fine gun, but .380 ACP may no be the best round for anyone to carry as a backup. She would be better off with a compact or subcompact auto that shoots something like 9mm, .40 S&W, or even .45 ACP.

But take her to the range! Find out what she likes to hold, what caliber she is comfortable shooting, and what kind of operation she thinks she'll want to have to deal with in an actual emergency. I am not expert, but I would like to say I'm pretty proficient in firearms enough to handling just about anything, but there are some semi-autos out there with safeties and locks and things that I may not be too familiar with enough to handle in an emergency.

She may want or you may want to consider, getting her a revolver. Ruger has the LCR and the SP101 which are both concealable and work very well. Concerned about capacity? Get her two!

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choover - ROAD TRIP - I see you are in Michigan and sis is in Florida, so you will have to do this long distance ... but, as posted already, she must handle and shoot the guns herself.

FloridaGunRanges and you can find one close to her and make sure that she is treated properly, or help her findanother.

Also, has sis signed into OCDO? She also might want to sign up for www.womenandguns.com where she can talk to other women who carry OC and CC. I think both sites are a 'must' for any woman carrying as there is soooooo much good information.

You might also want to look into a FloridaSelfDefense pistol training class (this is different than a basic pistol course.)

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picture of sister or BS.

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If your sister is in the Tampa Area, I recommend Knights Shooting Sports for purchase. They are nice and knowledgeable.

I also recommend that she get her CWP. These folks are great: http://www.safe4u247.com/

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PF9 if I had to pick one.

If she isn't familiar with shooting she might not like either one. Small gun=hard to shoot, less comfortable to shoot.

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Your sister needs to experience a semi auto and a revolver before she can make a decision on likeing anything..

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absolutely she needs to go to a range first to see what she CAN shoot. It don't matter a tinkers damn what the size/caliber is if she doesn't feel comfortable enough to use it when it really matters

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It has been my experience that women are generally easier to teach and better "natural shots" than men, especially when they are first starting out.

My sister, my friend in Fairfax VA, and my stepdaughter are all VERY good shots, and have been since the first time they picked up a firearm.

My theory is that little girls don't get "conditioned" with the "recoil flinch" like little boys to, because generally, little girls don't watch gun-related movies as much, and don't play "cops and robbers" or whatever when they are little.

Without the "recoil flinch" programmed into their heads, young women have a much more naturally steady hand and more stable and secure grip, and so they tend to shoot straighter...

As for the OP, I concur with the other posts--get your sister to a shop or a range that rents pistols, and let her "try a few on". The "fit in hand" of a handgun is CRITICAL to effective use. If a gun is too big to too small, it will be that much more difficult to hold, aim, and control.

I don't know your sister, and what size handgun she could handle comfortably, but most women I know seem to prefer small-frame 9mm or .40's, or else small .38s like a Ladysmith or Taurus 85. A .38 special revolver with a set of nice cushy after-market grips is simple, reliable, easy to clean, and relatively easy to shoot. Plus, from the BG's point of view, the "business end" of a .38 revolver can be VERY persuasive, as there is NO DOUBT what they are looking at...:shock:

Then once you narrow it down fit-wise to a few models, she needs to go to a range with a qualified instructor--preferably another female, and preferable NOT a relative. Men learn from their buddies, but women learn better (in general) from "anonymous authorities"--someone they aren't connected to, but that they feel comfortable with.

Good luck! I think it's great she wants to carry. I wish I could get my stepdaughters to consider carrying, but they live in MD, so it's really not an option for them. One lives in Baltimore City, and I really worry about her. The other daughter is married and has a new baby, and although she lives in a relatively posh part of MD, her husband works long hours, and she's often at home alone with the baby. I pray for their safety every day.

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I Love my Taurus PT145 on a compact frame. This pistol is great for someone with small hands like I do. I can reach all of the controls with my strong hand thumb without any readjusting.