Stick with a good revolver... the Smith's are over-priced right now... it'll cost you 400 bucks for a decent 5 shot snubby. Too much, considering that the Taurus is every bit as good.
Don't get a lightweight revolver. It'll recoil too harshly and she'll not like that. Follow up shots can be difficult with a light gun.
This Taurus
http://www.taurususa.com/products/product-details.cfm?id=293&category=Revolver
would be the best bet.
Advantages:
Price should be right around 300 dollars, maybe even less.
Heavy enough to absorb recoil of the .38 special round.
Rubber grips absorb recoil and make the gun more comfortable to hold and shoot.
Must be fired double action, so the possibility of cocking the hammer and accidentally firing the gun is nil.
Since there is no exposed hammer, it clears pockets and purses smoothly with no snags.
Totally reliable, natch, it's a revolver.
Black finish will not gleam and attract attention if she needs to have it ready in a darkened vehicle.
No safety to worry about, just point and pull the trigger.
You never have to ask yourself "Is there a round in the chamber?"
No buttons to accidentally push in the heat of a stressful situation and find out you've mistakenly dropped the magazine from the pistol, rendering it either inoperative or a single shot at best (depending on model).
Easy to carry in a purse or glove box.
Will operate just fine, even if fired from inside a purse or coat pocket (semi-autos and hammered revolvers may not).
Lifetime warranty...
And it's purdy.
This is an easy decision. Just realize that a gun is a tool, and the tool which is best for any job is the one which works and is easiest to use. The .38 snub revolver has never gone out of fashion because it works.
Oh, and one more thing. I'm
totally right about this. So listen to
me.
Dan
