With an ever changing world full of violent crimes, people feel more insecure than ever. More and more people choose to protect themselves with firearms. Women, in particular, are leaning towards self-protection. Whether a woman is traveling to work early in the morning or coming home from work late at night, she can easily find herself in a vulnerable position. Many women are single and live alone or live with small children and predators prey upon their situation. Protection with a pistol may be the answer. Maybe a woman should carry a gun in her purse at all times.

However, the choice of pistols for women needs to be taken very seriously; not just any gun will do. Something else to consider is that most states have requirements for carrying a concealed weapon, requiring safety classes and obtaining permits for such.

If you are a woman and you decide to start carrying a pistol, you need to make your purchase wisely. Without prior knowledge and/or experience, the purchase of a firearm can be confusing. First, go to a gun shop, look at all of the handguns, and choose guns that are small and light, and are easy to handle. Ask the clerk to let you hold several guns to find one that feels comfortable.

A steel gun is not recommended for beginners, because generally pointing a gun at an intruder will make you nervous and your hands will sweat. Sweat on the steel will disable your accuracy. A plastic gun (such as a Glock) is easier to control. Next, you want to be able to comfortably bring your other hand to the gun to steady your aim.

For self-defense, a 9mm would be a good choice. It is one of the least expensive hand guns, and the ammunition is inexpensive as well. It probably won’t kill your intruder, but it will harm them enough to send them running or put them to the floor. A double-action gun is also a good choice because you won’t have to cock the hammer between shots if more than one shot is needed. Also consider having laser grips installed on your gun. This is a laser device and it will place a red dot on your target for a very accurate shot.

Now, keep in mind that choosing a pistol that is easy to load is very significant. Most importantly, you want a hand gun that is easy to use. Be sure you have a good understanding of how to use the safety device, and how to easily clear stoppages. Remember, you won’t have a lot of time to think about what you’re doing in a bad situation. You also want to understand the assembly and disassembly of your gun for cleaning. Using a clean gun is very important.