Any advice on purchasing a new handgun for home self defense. I am a bit limited with a weaker grip. Thanks!

maybe you should be looking at a revolver..

Why do you say that, I have not shot a revolver

Do you know the limits of your grip? Can you handle a 9x19 (standard 9mm)?
If not you can look into either a 380acp or 9mm Makarov.

A polish p64 is a great kind of small HD gun. There is a good amount of high quality HD rounds as well as dirt cheap steel cased stuff to practice with. The smaller size of the gun should let you easily get a good controlling grip on it while also it being very rugged and pretty cheap. You can sometimes snatch them up for under 300-250 dollars. 

Joy,

 

PM sent........................

I have tried a 9mm, it was a bit hard on me. I could do it, but fatigued easily.

 

JT, not sure how to find PM here, just signed up tonight

JT, found an email. Thanks

I would probably look into a 4" revolver. You don't have to worry about racking the slide, much easier to load, and will absorb the shot better than polymer, although a little heavier.

4 inch 357 that you can shoot 38's out of..  will greatly help with weak hand.

 

This is a large frame 357 with ported barrel.. this would be a very good starter gun for you. also has a skinny grip that is a little wider spread which i think would help you..

Shooting 38's out of this would be a breeze and good training you can then work up to a heavier load.

 

http://www.taurususa.com/product-details.cfm?id=249&category=Revolver&toggle=tr&breadcrumbseries=LF2

Joy,

 

PM sent........................

Just wanted to let you know this bothers me when you do this..

 

not that you are doing the wrong thing..

I would suggest a S&W 686+ (7 shot), with a 2.5" or 3" barrel max for someone with weak hands. The 4" starts to get nose heavy and the extra weight is not needed for shooting 38 special rounds.

My wife's Glock 17 (9mm) has very little recoil, but I guess its all relative. I would recommend going to a range that rents guns and shoot a couple different types of pistols and see what you like. Welcome to the site!

I'd suggest a revolver because failure to grasping an auto loading pistol may cause it to fail to cycle properly. 

4 inch 357 that you can shoot 38's out of.. will greatly help with weak hand.

 

This is a large frame 357 with ported barrel.. this would be a very good starter gun for you. also has a skinny grip that is a little wider spread which i think would help you..

Shooting 38's out of this would be a breeze and good training you can then work up to a heavier load.

 

http://www.taurususa.com/product-details.cfm?id=249&category=Revolver&toggle=tr&breadcrumbseries=LF2

 

Shooting 38s out of a nice solid 357 is a step above shooting a 22 as far as recoil goes. Weight of revolver eats up much of the recoil. My wife can shoot my GP100 with no problem. It's what I start new shooters out on as well.

I'd suggest a revolver because failure to grasping an auto loading pistol may cause it to fail to cycle properly. 

Definitely no polymer guns, small steel framed ones would work, but soup nazi is definitely right if u want total reliability.

A weak grip comes into play not just to rack the slide or to make a semi-auto function properly, it also means she will be easily fatigued by the recoil - even the recoil of a .38 Spl.

 

Given the little we know and assume, I'm good with the recommendation of a revolver (big surprise, I know), but specifically a S&W Model 48 with a 4" barrel. That is a K-frame chambered in .22 Magnum. Several manufacturers are now loading SD ammunition in this caliber (Speer, Hornady and Winchester). The factory grips would most likely need to be changed to something slimmer and made of rubber.

 

I think that .22 Magnum is a viable home defense caliber - not one that I would choose for myself, but I think it ideally suits the circumstances in this case.

 

JMHO

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

A weak grip comes into play not just to rack the slide or to make a semi-auto function properly, it also means she will be easily fatigued by the recoil - even the recoil of a .38 Spl.

 

Given the little we know and assume, I'm good with the recommendation of a revolver (big surprise, I know), but specifically a S&W Model 48 with a 4" barrel. That is a K-frame chambered in .22 Magnum. Several manufacturers are now loading SD ammunition in this caliber (Speer, Hornady and Winchester). The factory grips would most likely need to be changed to something slimmer and made of rubber.

 

I think that .22 Magnum is a viable home defense caliber - not one that I would choose for myself, but I think it ideally suits the circumstances in this case.

 

JMHO

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

I agree with you bob that is a good viable option, Ultimately what Joy really needs to do is take a womans course at like say gun for hire where a professional trainer can evaluate Joy's capabilities on range and also has said firearms for testing..

 

Gun for hire is in the   vendors page you can PM him from their services,  I also see JT's pmed you he may have already offered these services to joy and she should take him up on it if he did..

 

http://njgunforums.com/forum/index.php/forum/82-gun-for-hire/