I am a 68 yr young female and I'm looking for a small gun that has three dot sights, 4"" barrel and ammo that does not cost a lot. I have fired 22, 9mm, 380. The 9mm was hard for me to load and the 380 was also. I am thinking a 22 might be the way to go. The Walther PQ 22 sounds pretty good.

Question

I am a 68 yr young female and I'm looking for a small gun that has three dot sights, 4"" barrel and ammo that does not cost a lot.  I have fired 22, 9mm, 380.   The 9mm was hard for me to load and the 380 was also.  I am thinking a 22 might be the way to go.  The Walther PQ 22 sounds pretty good.

James G. · Answer

Holly, I would skip the 22. There is a handgun that was specifically designed to be easy to load, easy to rack and easy to shoot. It actually has EZ in it's model name. It is equally easy in 9mm or .380. My daughter has the 9mm and love it. The 9mm gives the best stopping power in a defensive scenario. (https://www.budsgunshop.com/search.php?q=shield+ez&type=)   ------------- Video demo here  :  -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHpZCtM-QXQ

Neil S. · Answer

First off dont let anyone tell you what they think you need or should go with.  First, if you have experience with 9mm 380 and 22, go with what you are comfortable with.  Then consider what you want it for.. target, ccw, home defense etc. Then consider your budget and go from there.  Walther and ruger sell a pretty decent 22 semi auto that have 3 dot sights.  Good luck

Harry D. · Answer

Greetings Holly. As one who has spent a fair amount of time "fitting" handguns to people, I do have an opinion to offer. If loading the 9mm and 380 were difficult, and wanted to stay with a semi-auto, I would recommend the Rock Island Armory XT 22 Magnum.  People almost always comment on "oh, don't go with a 22". However a 22 Magnum with Hornady Critical Defense rounds would be deadly. As an added bonus, the ammo is usually less than $20 for a box of 50. I wish you the best.

Ask the Community