Gun for a new shooter

[Chemist45]

Try double hearing protection and starting off with one round in the gun until confidence is gained.

+1 on the double hearing protection to start.

[oljames3]

My wife likes her Walther PPS M2. My son carries a S&W M&P M2.0 Compact 9mm. Both are easy on the hands. It is really important to have her shoot several pistols before you buy the one that SHE picks. Plus 1 on the Shield EZ.

[C-dub]

6 inch 357 loaded with 38 special...

Low recoil, No slide to worry about. And let her name it... When my wife names one of my guns they become her friend...

+1 in this.
I have one of these and shoot .38’s through it. They don’t feel much more than a .22 going through that revolver. I even have the same revolver in .22.

[Abraham]

Kel-Tec PMR-30 if you can find one.

[puma guy]

If you decide on a semi get one with a locked breech design. The slides are much easier to retract. Find a shooting range with a wide variety of rental handguns and let her try them.