The OP might also want to consider some sort of very loud alarm.
Once again I’m with silenus:
Practice, training, practice, certification to carry, practice, practice and then go practice. Somewhere along the line shop around for a Glock Model 19. It’s a 9mm like the Model 17 but on a smaller frame.
The first reply notes a S&W 686 .357. I have one in stainless and it is a GREAT revolver and I use it for home protection and for enjoyment at the range. It is, however, a large weapon and would be hard to conceal unless you plan to use a shoulder holster.
If you are more comfortable with a revolver, there are some ultra light ones now in a composite frame. Feels like a toy pistol, judging by the weight. If you go this route, I’d not get anything smaller than a .357.
Of course, YMMV.
Nic
Without editorialising, this made me laugh.
I have a thought.
Can you travel into nursing homes with a dog? A big ass well trained dog with an imposing presense, too me, serves a better open threat than an unseen gun.
Suggestions for a Big Imposing Doggie:
Mastiff: very large and has a very low activity rate. The bark is dark. Most are docile companions who will guard.
German Shepard: smart, high activity rate. Well trained (even not in protection) is a menancing site.)
And, not exactly to make you laugh, but a chihuahua is one tough mo-fo and has bigger balls than the toughest dog out there. a FOAF has a lunatic chihuahua that is exactly what most people think of the breed: barking, snarling fearless menance. Everyone is scared of this 5 pound dog. The owners two other chihuahua’s are wonderful and less neurotic.
And there would be the bonus of saying, Back of man, I have a chihuahua.
The type of gun you carry isn’t as important as you think. Just get a relaible gun in a respectable caliber (at least 9 mm).
Practice & training are an order of magnitude more important than the type of gun you carry.
Well, the search is over. I just bought a Smith & Wesson Model 66 357 Revolver. It fits my hand very well, the action is smooth and it is small enough to be concealable. I take posession of it on the 18th, and I have signed up for the safety class on the 20th. I hope to heaven I never have to use it for anything other than killing paper targets. However, it will make my darling Marcie sleep better to know that I have it.
Glocks are low maintenance and highly reliable. I have a .45 caliber Glock and it’s great. It’s a full-sized frame, but Glock does make a .45 that has a concealable frame. IMO, the .45 is great: not a lot of kick and, from what I’ve been told, and outstand record. As a bonus, you can get a laser sight that replaces the slide spring thingie, so it’s internal and pretty-much pre-aimed. (So I’m told.)
As an alternative, Taurus (sp?) makes a nice 2" barrel revolver with a shielded hammer. This is great because the hammer won’t get caught up if you have to draw the gun, and you can get a pocket holster that goes right in your front pants pocket.
Hope this helps.
Congrats!!!
Good choice, good weapon.
Now, please, please, get training beyond basic safety training. then Practice Practice Practice.
First practice just your accuracy: sight picture and trigger control.
Then practice your speed. Get accurate with the second shot. and the sixth, shooting quickly.
Then get training and practice drawing from your concealment holster. But get training first. Drawing from a holster without training is an excellent way to put a hole in your leg or side.
Also, if you have kids, please get a safe, gun vault, or trigger lock.
-trupa, proud owner of a beloved stainless .45 ACP 1911
ps. You know you can practice with .38 rounds, right? It will make your first range trips more pleasant and cheaper.
Me? Well… okaaay, but I’ve had a pretty fair amount of practice. I suppose a bit more can’t hurt.
I very nearly settled on this gun, for the very reasons you give. It just didn’t fit my hand very well, though, so I went with the S&W.
trupa, the ability to practice with 38s was a selling point—I hadn’t known it could be done before today, though. As to practice, the local police range charges $11.00 and allows you to stay as long as you like—I do expect to spend some significan time there; it has been years since I fired a pistol.
Damn, too late to recommend the Walther PPK.
LouisB, where are you taking the course? I was impressed with the folks I met recently at Knight Shooting Range near the intersection of US 19 and Bryan Dairy /102nd.
He got one, it goes “BANG, BANG, BANG”.
I was going to suggest finding a gun that fits you well. That and reliability are the two most important aspects of a gun, IMO. The fact that I’m desperately in love with the Beretta Mini Cougar means nothing if you were to buy the gun only to find out that the grip is too short for your hands. We have a Beretta .22 (Tomcat ?) that is a wonderful gun, but it’s about the size of a credit card (seriously, it’s tiny).
I signed up (and prepaid) with the dealer I bought the gun from—Fort Harrison Firearms in Largo. They spoke favorably of the range you mention; I believe it is an outdoor range?
No, it’s indoors. There’s a retired Army colonel there that teaches the concealed carry courses.
Even so, the lady at Fort Harrison Firearms did recommend that range. Smith & Wesson rates Fort Harrison Firearms as a “preferred dealer” or words to that effect. The woman who runs the place seemed very professional so I signed up for the course when I bought the gun.
I’m really getting into the idea of owning a gun and actually target firing the thing. It has been years since I owned a gun of any sort and even more years since I actually fired a pistol. I might start railing about the gun control folks before much longer.
Congrats on the purchase! Now practice, practice, practice, so you never need that 7th shot.
Yeeesss. He is now one of us.
Excelllllennnnt!