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I always advise again pocket-sized pistols for beginners, and I've never understood how they came to be thought of as "ladies' guns".

- They're harder to handle.
- They're harder to shoot.
- Controls are harder to operate.
- With less room for purchase, they're harder to rack the slide for loading/unloading. (Tip-ups are an exception.)
- Within a given caliber, recoil is far worse.
- They tend to have horrible sights, and are usually inaccurate (which discourages beginners).

I recommend starting shooters with an intermediate to full-size handgun in a light-recoiling caliber. You don't have to go Desert Eagle, but any standard-sized .22 will do.

What OverEasy says above.

Start her out with a comfortable .22; e.g., Ruger MK II, etc. and let her overcome her fears of firearms while building her confidence and abilities. Then, let her try other pieces , at her pace, until she picks her own cannon.

Been there and hopefully...done that.

KBCraig wrote:I always advise again pocket-sized pistols for beginners, and I've never understood how they came to be thought of as "ladies' guns"...I recommend starting shooters with an intermediate to full-size handgun in a light-recoiling caliber. You don't have to go Desert Eagle, but any standard-sized .22 will do.

I would have to agree with you. You have to have some experience to master the small weapons. If you don't have a good grip you'll get FTE/FTFs and the recoil just seems greater since the pocket pistols lack mass. A full-sized 9mm is easier to shoot in many cases after getting the basics with a .22...

Tom

I would type out a long answer to this question but everyone has pretty much covered the topic very well!

I did send a PM though!