9mm vs. .45 ACP

[NicksDad1970]

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This, imo, is a horrible recommendation. Even more so for a woman with sensitive hands. You can't hardly fire 5 rounds from one of these things before your hands sting like a mofo. super uncomfortable to shoot. Of course you won't notice in the heat of battle but you sure do at the shooting range.

IMO you are better off with a Glock 26 for a carry weapon.

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Those lightweight guns usually can't handle +p+ ammunition either.

I also agree this gun will kick so much it won't be any fun at the range. However for self defense if you're ever in a situation where you'll need it you won't even notice the kick. I believe you're adrenaline would be going so much you could shoot a cannonandnot notice it.

[Ray Zee]

this gun is or is just like the 340pd i carry around alot of times. it shoots 357 magnums or 38 specials. so you can have an easy load for target shooting to learn the gun and a strong load for self defense if you want it.
it weighs only about 12 oz. unloaded so its easy to carry or have in your pack or purse.
i also have a glock 19 but carry this unless i want 18 rounds ready.

[J.A.Sucker]

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This, imo, is a horrible recommendation. Even more so for a woman with sensitive hands. You can't hardly fire 5 rounds from one of these things before your hands sting like a mofo. super uncomfortable to shoot. Of course you won't notice in the heat of battle but you sure do at the shooting range.

IMO you are better off with a Glock 26 for a carry weapon.

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Boris is right on about this being a brute to fire. I have one and if you fire heavy 357 loads, it can bruise the hell out of your hand. I would NOT recommend this to people who aren't experienced with handguns. However if you are, this weapon is the cat's meow.

[KilgoreTrout]

Haven't read all the thread yet. I have both but my 1911 rarely gets out of the safe. The 226 parabellum is at the ready and is what I carry when I carry.

No love for .357? Cheap practice rounds, good control, and revolvers are super easy to operate. Can't go wrong with a Ruger 100 series.

[HDPM]

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This, imo, is a horrible recommendation. Even more so for a woman with sensitive hands. You can't hardly fire 5 rounds from one of these things before your hands sting like a mofo. super uncomfortable to shoot. Of course you won't notice in the heat of battle but you sure do at the shooting range.

IMO you are better off with a Glock 26 for a carry weapon.

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Boris is right on about this being a brute to fire. I have one and if you fire heavy 357 loads, it can bruise the hell out of your hand. I would NOT recommend this to people who aren't experienced with handguns. However if you are, this weapon is the cat's meow.

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The j-frame smith is a classic and maybe the most-carried gun. Who knows for sure. I am not a big fan of the expensivium super lightweight ones though. I am also not a fan of the new internal lock stuff. One new enough to take +p .38 ammo but old enough not to have the lock is ideal IMO. Even then, in the airweights they aren't a lot of fun to shoot. For .357 snubbies I like the 2 1/4 inch Ruger Sp-101. It is bigger than the j-frame in length and the grip is better and a bit longer, so you get a better firing grip and it is much more pleasant to shoot. The weight of the gun and the grip makes it much more likely you will want to shoot it IMO. Less likely you will carry it though, and I don't think it works for pocket carry very well. The constant tradeoff I guess. In any event, I think every person who shoots for a while and carries a gun around probably has a j-frame. If a beginner wanted one, I think the best would be a steel one with bigger grips, not a lightweight one with the small grips.

The glock 26 is hard to argue with.

[Boris]

Yea I should have clarified, I don't think the 340pd is a horrible gun; it's not. I think it's a horrible first gun.