ChattyKat wrote:Hello Everyone,
This forum has a wealth of information from very wise and kind people, and I would appreciate any recommendations and considerations you may have regarding a carry choice for a petite 61-year old woman with great health but not the strongest hands who may carry in a handbag. This morning my husband and I went to the shooting gallery. (As a bonus, Mondays are Ladies' Day at a local range, total payout was $8.61 including an extra target.) Surely I am the greenest newbie on this forum w.r.t. carry options (CHL application received at DPS Aug. 26, 2010), and have shot only a few times total, the first time using my husband's S&W 38 Special Model 637 Airweight and the last three times (including CHL shooting test) using his 9 mm Baretta PX4 Storm.
In thinking about what to purchase after receiving my CHL, I was leaning towards a decent-caliber revolver because of its simplicity over a semi-automatic. However, this morning I shot both my husband's models (mentioned above) and made some unexpected observations. First, the double-action trigger pull on the revolver is too hard (previously I had always used it in single-action mode). It seems I will have to find a model to accommodate a little arthritis in my hands, especially in the right-hand index finger. Also, I noticed big differences in geometry between the models (could barely get my finger into trigger-pull position on the revolver). Thirdly, the revolver was much more difficult to aim (although I will probably get a laser sight for whatever I carry).
I appreciate your patience with this elementary-level question -- any thoughts about carry choices for me? If a similar version of this subject has been covered before, please let me know the link.
Thanks for your help! 
-Kat
Everyone has an initial struggle to find a gun that's right for him / her. Most go through a few before they settle down happy, but you can be happy the first time if you do some research and range time with rented candidates before you put down your money.
Everything looks good in the case. The things you don't like are usually discovered on the range. You want to discover characteristics you don't want to live with on guns rented for $10 plus a box of ammo, not ones you paid $500 for and can trade in for half of that on a new one.
Given the trigger pull issues you described, I would suggest you look at semiauto pistols that use the energy of the recoiling slide to partially or fully cock the striker. Examples would be the Glock, the Springfield XD or XDM, and the Smith & Wesson M&P. These have shorter trigger travel length than revolvers, and trigger pull weights of around 5 - 8 pounds instead of the 12 - 14 pounds typical of revolvers.
In terms of recoil management and comfort, a large, heavy gun will be more comfortable to shoot and less comfortable to lug around. A small, light gun will be a delight to carry and will deliver a lot more energy to the shooter when fired because the inertial mass of the big gun isn't there to dampen it. You need to experiment to find your own best compromise.
Arthritic hands will generally be happier with either 9mm or .45 caliber. Most folks with this condition find the .40S&W cartridge too "snappy" and painful. Anything below .38 Special / 9mm should not be relied on for self defense. Don't let folks talk you out of the .45 without trying it yourself. Some women consider it to have "softer" (less snappy and therefore more comfortable) recoil characteristics than some 9mm's.
In order to competently operate a semiauto, you'll need to be able to work the slide. Many women find this a challenge because they are not instructed properly and are shown techniques that require more hand strength than many have.
The Cornered Cat web site is written by women shooters and for women shooters. It contains a huge wealth of well grounded information that I think will answer many of your questions and give you a good start on technique. One of the best tips on the site are about how to use a woman's strongest muscle groups to help work the slide on a semiauto pistol without breaking a sweat. That info can be found
here.
Good luck, and don't hesitate to come back with more questions.
). Practice helps - practicing a good technique helps more. 
Thank you for the link and also for mentioning your spreadsheet. Organizing the data on a spreadsheet is a great idea -- if you're inclined to share, I'd welcome the information.
