The modern center fire automatics as sold in the USA by first tier manufacturers are virtually all designed to be carried with a round in the chamber. 1911’s, in which the OP is not interested, should be carried cocked and locked. See the extensive writings of Jeff Cooper as to why. Automatics with da/sa lockwork or Glock-style partially tensioned strikers were designed with the idea of being able to draw and fire one handed without having to manipulate slides or safeties i.e be like a da revolver. The shooter need not complicate things with empty chamber carry as all that is accomplished is making the first shot slower.
Whatever else you decide on, buy a good quality piece from a first tier maker. Since this isn’t a range toy or the start of a collection, you want the best. S&W,Browning, Beretta, and Ruger are all good bets. Keltec has good ideas that they execute somewhat shoddily; of the three I own two had to go back to the factory and I had to tinker with the third. Taurus has a reputation for poor quality control. Completely avoid all the cast zinc crap from Hi-Point and others on the bottom tier.
That is really good to hear.
No kids.
Great article. “Hell, Hans, I just want to know when my gun is empty!”
The shortage is probably more likely due to limited production than to high demand. The same was seen in the early days of their single stack 9mm and is still the case with their bullpup .308 (if they are still making it at all).
Keltec uses the consumer for beta testing and it is not a good idea to buy anything of theirs until it has been on the market a few years and is in plentiful supply. Full scale production is the indicator that the piece is debugged; or as debugged as it is going to get, anyway. Early adopters can plan on problems and returning their gun to keltec for each new round of improvements.
George Kelgren is a top tier designer. Keltec is not a top tier manufacturer. Until the term “fluff n’buff” is no longer intimately associated with their products, they won’t be. Visit the Keltec Owners Group website for oodles of discussion by keltec afficionados of all the tinkering the guns require.
If overwhelmed by all this information, a Claymore at the foot of your bed might be for you. Just be sure which way you face it.
I have a claymore! Oh, you didn’t mean the Scottish sword.
Mine is ready to fire when drawn. In a self defense situation, you don’t want to have to take the extra time to rack a round in the chamber. There are no children in my home, nor are any ever here to worry about.
Now that I understand that, it will be a factor in my considerations.
.357 Taurus Tracker is a great option for you. I have a Tracker in .44 that I love. As others have said, the .357 is a great, manageable round which you can always load down to a .38 - good to have options.
I wouldn’t go semi-auto. A revolver is easier to clean and maintain and easier to manipulate. There’s no safety, you point and shoot double action if you need to. Single-action trigger pulls aren’t bad and pulling back a hammer isn’t too hard even if you’re crippled up. There’s no magazine release that you can accidentally push in a fire fight.
Don’t get me wrong, I love semi-autos, but revolvers are uncomplicated and reliable which seems more suited to your needs.
S&W makes scandium revolvers which are very light. I would think the J-frames would be a little small for you, a larger gun would be easier to manipulate. I’ve seen S&W .44 mag’s and .45’s with 4" barrels in scandium. You could shoot .44 specials out of the .44 mag to reduce recoil.
I’m inclined towards a .22, but a lot of you don’t think there is enough “stopping power”.
As a thought experiment, how would you react being shot center-mass twice with a .22?
Reduced recoil #4?
I find that very difficult to believe.
If you are going to go with a .22, consider a .22 magnum revolver. You’ll pick up a little velocity and the ammunition tends to be manufactured to a higher standard than most .22lr stuff. With projectiles this small and light you need to maximize penetration and .22magnum is available in full metal jacket. Bill Jordan, another of the great luminaries of modern shootists, described the .22magnum as “wicked.”
If you opt to go with the .22magnum, please choose a revolver over Keltec’s automatic. The Keltec is, admittedly, a really kewel range toy or small game hunting piece. Nothing I have read about it indicates it has the degree of reliability required from a gun on which you are possibly going to be betting your life. My own experiences with Keltec, as I have already noted, are not such that I am willing to recommend them as anything but a project gun. You, clearly, are not looking for a project gun.
My dad just got a Taurus .22 Mag for trapping. It’s a wonderful, accurate little gun.
I think .22 mag is a little small but it’s a damn sight better than nothing and I sure as hell wouldn’t want to take a round of it.
This pagelists Smith & Wesson’s small frame (j-frame) offerings. If you decide to go with a .22lr, their model 317 “kit gun” is a very, very nice little revolver. The model 351pd, a .22 magnum, is very light (10.8 ounces) and holds seven rounds. The magnum does give up velocity in short barrels, but still exceeds .22lr and the overall better quality of the ammunition is worthwhile in itself.
I think someone who gets shot, even with a .22, is going to at least flinch. That’s when you shoot them again. If I feel it necessary to bring a gun into a situation, I would be comfortable shooting them as many times as necessary to my satisfaction that they were no longer a threat. I’m no tough guy, I’m a lady with a bunch of kids, I’m a crybaby and a scaredy cat.
If I found out someone shot me with a .22 I’d be really mad!
I promise to only shoot bad guys. So you’re safe. 
Well, I went to the range/gun shop and had a lot of fun.
I bought a pistol!
A North American Firearms Pug .22 Magnum. Very small and light. Perfect.
I tried many other pistols and this had an easy trigger pull, the .38’s were too hard to even pull for my right hand. I fired the rental and I see no problem qualifying for a Concealed Carry Permit.
I feel quite relieved.
I have a NAA. 22 magnum that I have in my pocket everywhere it is legal to carry it. They are well crafted little guns. Congratulations on your new gun!
That’s a sweet little gun, I’d never seen one before. Very cool!