# Handgun Purchase Help



## T-Boy (Jun 19, 2012)

Know very little about guns in general. Daughter age 31 has been going to the range and wants to buy a gun for protection. She has settled on a Sig Sauer P238 380. We live in Marietta and looking for a good place to purchase a new gun. The only place she went to on South Cobb Drive had the gun for a little over $500.

Would appreciate any advice on where to purchase and do you think this is a decent gun for her. Basically, the gun will be kept in her home and carried while camping.

Thanks for any feedback as we both are fairly clueless on guns.


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## Richard P (Jun 19, 2012)

Look at several on Gunbroker or other such sites to get a feel for asking prices---generally for a used one.  
The quality of the gun is one issue. The strength of the cartridge is another and equally important. Many consider the 9mm (9x19) to be a good compromise between shootability and power.  
Has she fired any other than the .380 ?  Lots of folks like the minimum recoil of .380s but have to remember it is viewed as almost the lower end of the power spectrum.  
 Tell us more about her capabilities.  There are many previous threads relating to ''first guns for women''.


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## Sargent (Jun 19, 2012)

Go to Ga Firing Line in Kennesaw. 

Get some rentals... IIRC, you can rent a gun for $10 and then swap it out for another one without paying an additional $10.  

Ga Firing Line also gives $25 worth of range credit with every firearm purchase.  Their prices are not the cheapest, but they are competitive.. and the new owners stand behind what they sell.


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## T-Boy (Jun 20, 2012)

First let me correct the gun. Its a Sig Sauer P238. My daughter is only 5 foot tall but is very strong and active for a girl. Hikes, swims, bikes, and an overall good athlete. Strong arms and shoulders for a girl.

I heard about place on Canton Road also that is across from the Cherokee Cattle Company.

Thanks for any help.


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## polaris30144 (Jun 20, 2012)

T-Boy said:


> First let me correct the gun. Its a Sig Sauer P238. My daughter is only 5 foot tall but is very strong and active for a girl. Hikes, swims, bikes, and an overall good athlete. Strong arms and shoulders for a girl.
> 
> I heard about place on Canton Road also that is across from the Cherokee Cattle Company. *This is GA Firing Line.*
> 
> Thanks for any help.



Go to Cherokee Gun and Pawn in Canton, just off I 575. They are probably the best on price in the area. They are good people and are very competitive on prices. The GA Firing Line in Marietta or High Caliber in Holly Springs both have ranges. High Caliber has the better range and rents guns to try. Their range fee is for all day, not by the hour. They also offer training.


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## frankwright (Jun 21, 2012)

A quick check shows $500 is about right for the P238 as it is hard to find and pretty desirable.
Is your daughter trained and familiar enough with firearms to carry a condition 1 (cocked and locked) handgun? That is the only proper way to carry a single action type weapon and have it ready to operate.
I personally would look at the smaller 9mm double action handguns before buying a .380. 
Whatever she buys, make sure she gets some proper training to be safe.
I know and recommend these guys but their are many good instructors.
http://www.atlantafirearmstraining.com/9.html


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## Bill Mc (Jun 21, 2012)

If she looked at the P238 at Adventure Outdoors with the Houge type grips, that's a good buy for $499.99. It comes with mags and a belt holster.

I llke it myself.


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## T-Boy (Jun 21, 2012)

Bill Mc said:


> If she looked at the P238 at Adventure Outdoors with the Houge type grips, that's a good buy for $499.99. It comes with mags and a belt holster.
> 
> I llke it myself.



I think that is where she went and what a very nice man that works there recommended for her. Our main problem is neither one of us have a clue in what single action is to double action and the pros and cons of cocked and locked.

We are going looking and shooting and she will get proper training and certificates. I want to hold it and see the difference and go from there. I'll probably buy something like a Glock 17 for me.  Thanks for the replies  as all were very appreciated and helpful.


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## Michael F. Gray (Jun 21, 2012)

I'm not a big fan of the .380 , but Sig is a great choice. Not cheap, but quality isn't cheap.


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## ross the deer slayer (Jun 21, 2012)

I have a glock 17 and after about 1000 rounds only one of them didn't fire..I ignorantly put the round back in the gun several times not realizing it could..uuum explode. But it must have been a bad round. I think glocks shoot under water. So just incase you find yourself being robbed of your scuba gear or throwing the gun out of helicopters in mud and detonating bombs next to it..you aint gotta worry about if it works or not haha!
My brother has a taurus 24/7 in 40 cal and its trigger is like a rifle trigger..once its set, its short and light..much nicer than a glock trigger and it has a saftey which is ..safe. the taurus has an excellent grip!!!! Like i'm talking..wow! Taurus has nice sights also very similar to sig sauer I think. I'm not sure if the taurus is polymer like the glock(feels like it) but it seems very durable
9mm and 380 are good light high capacity carry rounds. Just get hollow points and you'll be set! Stay safe and God Bless!


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## aragorn1 (Jun 22, 2012)

I would recommend a Smith and Wesson snub nose lightweight or airweight revolver in .38 special.  The revolver is utmost reliable.  Sometimes autos jam and can mean the difference in life or death in the hands of a new shooter.


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## Bill Mc (Jun 22, 2012)

The P238 is smaller than the P232 but both use the 380ACP round.

The P238 is a single actin only just like a 1911. (Actually a copy of the Colt Mustang) It must be cocked to fire. If cocked and locked (safety is on), then using the thumb, push the safety down and fire. 

Single action triggers are much more accurate than a double action trigger as less effort and motion is required.

380 rounds have greatly improved for self defense and work fine at close range.

Hornady has developed the "Critical Defense" round which will not clog the hollow point when shot thru thick clothing but will expand.

The "Zombie" rounds are the same as the Critical Defense with the exception of having a green point rather than red. Plus it seems to be less expensive. 

Hope this helps.


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## paulito (Jun 22, 2012)

I like my 380 as well. Shoots good and is fun to take to the range. Easy to carry as well. As far power I ain't found anyone or anything that's real happy about taking even a .22 cal when put in the right place (kill zone). Placement trumps power in most cases. 

make sure SHE is completely comfortable with the gun (feel, fit and fire) and everything else will take care of itself. Seen plenty of women that have a high dollar "name" brand gun in their collection that their husband bought for them that they are scared of or hate to shoot only to shoot the same caliber in something else and fall in love with shooting all over again. I'm just sayin.


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## T-Boy (Jun 24, 2012)

Thanks everyone, lots of great help.


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## Ready 2 Hunt (Jun 24, 2012)

Ga firing line is the store you were told about across from Cherokee Cattle. Might also consider a small revolver


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## Buck Nasty (Jun 27, 2012)

aragorn1 said:


> I would recommend a Smith and Wesson snub nose lightweight or airweight revolver in .38 special.  The revolver is utmost reliable.  Sometimes autos jam and can mean the difference in life or death in the hands of a new shooter.



x2... Revolver is simple, easy, and reliable.  All important for an inexperienced firearms owner.


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## frankwright (Jun 27, 2012)

I use to always recommend a snubbie revolver for an inexperienced shooter for the reasons listed above.
Just pull the trigger and they go bang! No safties to push off or slides to manipulate and if it doesn't fire just pull the trigger again.

But... They are not easy to shoot. Minimal sights, hard trigger pulls and the lightweights kick like heck with anything but light reloads.

A 4" revolver with decent sights is great for a woman's bedside gun but not so much for purse carry.


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## Rich Kaminski (Jun 27, 2012)

I wouldn't suggest anything smaller than a 40 cal. The 380 and the 9mm do not have the power to collapes both lungs on an attacker with just one shot. What you want is killing power. There is almost no recoil in the semi-automatics, so go with the 40 cal .


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## rockman7 (Jun 28, 2012)

here's anouther good place to go to get a idea about prices. thier located on hwy5.go to the bottom of the webpage and click on "on line catalog"

http://www.pannellsfirearms.com/


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## Bill Mc (Jun 29, 2012)

> There is almost no recoil in the semi-automatics, so go with the 40 cal .


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## 1022 (Jun 30, 2012)

Been many a man killed with a 9mm,since the army went that way.For an easy to carry easy to hide weapon a 380 is hard to beat,look also a the Kel Tec and Ruger have had both my wife really likes the Kel Tec,just point and shoot.


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## Michael F. Gray (Jun 30, 2012)

Bill Mc is correct, now that you've clarified the Sig she desires. It's a clone of the Colt Mustang. I have three of those, including a Mustang Plus II which fits my large hands better. For a lady getting her first handgun I'd hesitate giving her a single action. I'm a 1911 man, but it wasn't my first handgun. Colt made a Pony which is about the same size and also .380; it's a DAO, or requires pulling the trigger all the way back each time.[Like a revolver] I have a Pony and a Pony Pocketlite which my bride carries regularly. Well made and most reliable. Earlier someone opined a J frame Smith & Wesson in .38 Special would be a good option. He is correct. I have used a Model 37, 649, & 442 as a backup weapon during much of my career. I much prefer the shrowded hammed versions. The models with an external hammer feature a sharp hammer that's ruined the lining in many of my suits over the years. A model 49,(blued), or 649,(stainless) would be a great choice. Size is comparable, as is weight. Not nearly as problematic to lint, kleenex, and all the "stuff" women carry in their purses as a semi-auto.


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## johnweaver (Jul 4, 2012)

My oldest daughter just bought a Walther 380, she's tiny, fired two boxes of ammo thru it and now wants a 9mm like her husbands HK, more accurate and no noticeable  recoil.  My younger daughter is fighting me for my G23 in 40cal. She says she can take me two out of three, I'm hoping for three out of five, trying to wear her down.  By all means go to a range and try out every gun they have for rental before you buy anything.  A police trade-in Glock is hard to beat for price, and the Glock factory is in Smyrna.  They will recondition any Glock firearm on the premises and hand you back a NEW, SAFE, firearm in less that 45 minuets. No I don't work for Glock.


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## T-Boy (Aug 6, 2012)

*Update*

She bought the Sig P238. She shot it first and likes how it feels and took a safety and how to clean course. Got two clips, a belt holster, and a little lock box in the deal.

We will go shoot it Friday and I probably need to get something as well. Thinking about a Glock 17.

Anyway, thanks for everyone's help it was very valuable.


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## T-Boy (Aug 6, 2012)

Bill Mc said:


> If she looked at the P238 at Adventure Outdoors with the Houge type grips, that's a good buy for $499.99. It comes with mags and a belt holster.
> 
> I llke it myself.



This is the one she bought, thanks.


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