Training/Choosing a Gun

Question
I am 26 year old female in Morris County NJ who lives alone. I have shot in the past, but only socially on people抯 property and it has been a number of years. I would like to take firearms training course, and could take a week off work to do so, to be competent with a handgun. I could travel within the US for this.  I am wondering if you could recommend a make/model of handgun which would be best for a female user and a sort of training camp where I could learn to use it. My primary goal is personal safety but I have enjoyed shooting in the past and would enjoy joining a shooting club up here.
Thanks very much!  

Answer
UPDATE:

You also asked about the type of gun that would be best for a female. I didn't recommend a specific gun because it all depends on a lot of factors which have nothing to do with your gender. Major factors are hand size, hand and arm strength, when and how you plan to store / carry / use it, if anyone else might have to use it, and what types of usage do you plan (home defense, carry, target practice, etc.)

In general I recommend that novice shooters start with a revolver, usually something with a 2-4" barrel, and in a caliber such as .38 Special or .357 Magnum. I have a Taurus revolver just like this which most shooters in my class (experienced and novice) prefer over all of my other guns. It is reasonably priced, lifetime warranty, easy to load / shoot / unload / clean, and performs well for a variety of uses.

But I wouldn't go out and buy a gun yet. Take 1 or 2 classes first. The NRA Basic Pistol class will teach you everything you need to know to make a good selection. In most cases you will come out of that class knowing a lot more than the guys behind the counter at the gun stores. I often have women and children in my classes and they usually shoot better than the men so don't be afraid to sign up. I sure enjoy watching a dad get upstaged by his wife and kids... :-)

Good luck!

_______________________________________________

Hello Katherine.

I did not receive the initial notice of your question from the All Experts site but I did just receive your reminder notice today. There may be technical issues with the site so I hope this response makes it back to you.

There are several types of firearms training to consider including gun safety, basic handgun fundamentals, concealed carry, and home defense. Once you get started you may decide to enroll in other training as well such as competitive shooting, reloading, or advanced tactical defense courses. Based on your current experience level I would recommend taking the following classes in the order shown:

1 - NRA Basic Pistol class (minimum 10 hours with 2 hours on the range)
2 - Personal or Home Defense class (time varies but is usually 8 hours with or without range time)
3 - Concealed Carry Permit class if applicable in your state (time varies but is usually 8 hours with 4 hours on the range)
4 - Advanced Carry or Defense classes if interested

The first class is critical because nearly all other firearms classes will assume that you know everything there is to know about handguns. The NRA class is very comprehensive and includes gun safety, action types, parts and functioning, handgun selection, ammunition types and components, targets and shooting aids, loading, shooting, unloading, cleaning, storing, and much more. I teach that class often and I have had military, law enforcement, and veteran shooters with more than 20 years experience in class but they all learned things that they didn't know previously. You may be able to find a good local NRA instructor in your area or you may have to travel. Here is the link to search for the NRA classes:

http://www.nrainstructors.org/searchcourse.aspx

The second class is important because it will teach you about the laws, common scenarios, and how to protect yourself and family members before, during, and after a shooting incident. The NRA has some good classes here as well - check out the tool I listed above.

The third class is valuable even if you never plan to carry a handgun because it will cover additional details for the topics listed in the second class and it usually includes valuable practice time on the range.

The fourth class is optional but you may find yourself really enjoying the training and shooting time. These classes allow you to get more valuable practice on the range and they allow you to hone your shooting skills to the point that they become automatic instinctive reactions rather than something you have to think about or struggle through when a stressful defense situation arises. Plus they are just plain fun!

I can't endorse any specific classes or shooting schools other than the NRA classes because the content and quality of the classes can vary greatly depending on the authors and instructors. I do recommend several local instructors to my students after they have completed the NRA course so if you are ever in the Nashville, TN area then drop me a private note via this service. Some other popular schools to consider would be:

http://www.gunsite.com/

http://www.frontsight.com/

http://www.sigsaueracademy.com/

Most people have limited time and budget to invest in firearms training. If you are unable to take all of the classes or if you just want to expand your learning even further them consider buying several good books and videos. Once again the content and quality varies significantly depending on the authors but the following sites will provide a lot of good options for you to consider:

http://materials.nrahq.org/

http://www.gunvideo.com/

http://www.midwayusa.com/

You should also check with your local police, shooting ranges, or gun clubs for additional resources that are available in your area.

I hope this helps. Feel free to ask other questions as needed.

Bob