Ever since this whole COVID-19 thing started, we’ve seen a few run on guns. Several of those purchases were made by new gun owners. By several, I mean millions of first time buyers. Of those first time buyers, over 40% of them were female. This data seems to suggest a reason for the increase of women soliciting advice on what their first handgun should be via social media posts.
I’ve responded to several posts and thought for a while to write a post suggesting my top picks for female self defenders. But, I resisted the urge since I’m male and my perspective isn’t the same. So rather than assuming I know what gun is best for a woman, I sat down with my wife and asked her for her top picks and here they are.
Honorable Mention: Kimber America 1911 Custom II
When we were talking about her favorite guns, she went back and forth on her number 3 pick with a full size Kimber America 1911 (chambered for .45 ACP). While she really loves the 1911 and finds it fun to shoot and easy to operate, she mentioned it certainly has more kick than the others on her list. For that reason, she left it off her top 3 list but thought it was worth mentioning.
Also, she’s never had the desire to carry it because she thinks the weight of the all steel gun would be too bulky.
#3 Sig Sauer P365
In the number three spot, my wife picked the Sig Sauer P365. She described the P365 as providing a real good balance between being easy to shoot and easy to [conceal] carry.
The grip profile makes it easy for somebody with small hands to get a really good grip on which, in turn, makes this gun easy and enjoyable to shoot. The small form factor makes it easy to carry without getting noticing any extra bulk.
#2 Glock 43
I was a little surprised by this pick, but it’s her list and not mine. She went for the Glock 43. The G43 has a very similar profile to the P365 in terms of size, dimensions, and weight. However, it has about half the 9mm capacity of the P365 (which is why I was surprised). She picked the G43 for the exact same reasons as the P365 – easy to shoot and easy to carry. When I asked why she liked it better than the P365, she said “because I just like it better.”
So there you have it, the Glock 43 is her number two pick.
#1 Springfield Armory XD-M
My wife’s number one pick was a Springfield Armory XD-M chambered for 9mm with a 4.5″ barrel. It looks like this specific model is no longer in production, but has been replaced by the XD-M Elite 4.5″ 9mm handgun. Several other family members concur with my wife’s number one pick, it’s certainly very popular around these parts.
While she mentioned that this gun was big compared to the other ones she picked, it is by far the easiest and funnest to shoot. While it’s large, it’s not difficult to get a good grip and get to work with it. She described the kick as very mild. She is also a big fan the 19+1 capacity. From a carry perspective, she is willing to deal with a little extra bulk given it’s her favorite handgun to shoot.
I went from a Kimber Solo to a Glock 43 to a SIG P365. I liked the Kimber, didn’t care for the Glock, and love my SIG. I’ve also carried a SIG P320, but the 365 is easier for my body-type to conceal.
Thanks for sharing! I haven’t had a chance to try the Kimber Solo or P320 myself, but it’s awesome that we have so many good options to pick from so we can find what works well and what we like.