Handguns

Defensive Pistols: Low Recoil Options (Page 2)

Recoil sensitive shooters, or those who suffer from hand problems, must consider caliber, weight, size and capacity when choosing defensive handguns.

By B. Gil Horman (RSS)

October 21, 2010

Selecting a handgun for self-defense is always an exercise in compromise. As I mentioned before, each shooter has a unique set of preferences, circumstances and requirements that have to be taken into consideration. The right handgun for you might not be a good fit for someone else. As I look back on my personal experiences, I believe that low-recoil defensive pistols have an important role to play in the self-defense market. Though these pistols fall outside of the current self-defense mindset, they may represent the best, and perhaps the only, defensive pistol options available for someone we care about.


View the Defensive Pistols: Low-Recoil Options photo gallery.

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Tags:  best concealed carry pistols,  concealed carry pistols,  defensive pistols: low recoil options,  gil horman,  handguns,  low recoil defense pistols

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32 Responses to Defensive Pistols: Low Recoil Options (Page 2)

joe wrote:
September 26, 2013

so which pistols have less recoil?

Cindy wrote:
September 18, 2013

The link to the photo gallery doesn't work and I would really like to know what the choices are at the time of this article. Can anybody help with this?

Mike C wrote:
March 21, 2013

I recommend the bersa 380. several of my friends and my father own one. I shoot the gun without closing my eyes because the report and recoil are so minimal. I am trying to find one for my wife right now(for concealed carry) because of the size, recoil, safety features, ease of use, and last but certainly not least price. it is probably one of the most inexpensive guns on the list at 350-390 new. if you can find one. if there were such thing as a one gun fits all, in my opinion, this gun would be it.

Bo wrote:
February 11, 2013

If you are so sensitive to recoil/kickback that you flinch & hit targets poorly, then really your only choice is a .380 Sig P238 @ 15oz, small/conceal/subcompact, 4.25ft# kick, 60% defense rating. You can consider a Ruger LCR .38spl revolver with similar specs but the kick increases to 7.43Ft#. If weight, size, conceal ability doesn't bother you, then you will have better options in the larger calibers but watch those recoil numbers.

Daniele Wheeler wrote:
January 26, 2013

I am 32 yr old female with tendonitis and hands small enough to wear my 9 yr old daughters gloves. I definitely need a low recoil hand gun for personal protection. I also need it to be light weight and have a small grip. I need the slide to be easy to pull and the trigger to be easy to squeeze. I'm not really picky about the caliber. But I am on a tight budget. Could you send me an E-mail with some suggestions. Thank you!

xzfgog wrote:
September 14, 2012

I want one so bad

Ann wrote:
August 03, 2012

This is a great article. This information is just what I was looking for. Thank you very much!

WVGIRL wrote:
May 21, 2012

I just got the SR9C. It's a dream. It has low recoil doesn't weigh a lot and is a lot of fun to shoot!! I was surprised by how little kick there was and how easy to aim.

Cindy wrote:
April 02, 2012

@ Rachel.I just bought a Ruger Lcp and got to shoot it for the first time this weekend. And it has some serious kick in it. I am 5'1 130 pounds and its not overpowering, but yeah, u feel it when done. I shot 100 rounds through it and afterwards, my grippin hand was a little sore. I also just let that ride to it being my first time as well. Its pretty acurate though for such a tiny little gun.

Rachel wrote:
February 16, 2012

Anyone suggesting the Ruger LCP. 380 is a handgun with low recoil have obviously never shot one...

firemoon wrote:
January 27, 2012

This information is very good I would also recommend before making a purchase that you go to your local range and try several models for comfort and ease of use. You need to be comfortable with the gun if you are planning on using it.

Wisconsin - NRA Member wrote:
November 24, 2010

Over the years of being trained by different professionals from military experts/special forces to police firearm instructors I’ve heard the same message “Shot placement is king”. A 9mm round (which is currently the caliber used by Navy Seals and Special Forces units) will stop your attacker if you place it in a vital area. If you have a hard time handling/shooting the style or caliber of the pistol you currently have, it will only get worse during a stressful situation. My advice is similar to the above article 1) Find a defensive pistol that is comfortable in your hands 2) Find a caliber between .38spec – or above that you can handle well by placing multiple rounds accurately from a minimum distance of 21’ 3) Practice, practice, practice and when you feel you have gotten really good, go practice some more. In the end there is a very low probability that you will be in a situation where someone is using deadly force against you. However, if you do end up in that scenario you usually only get one opportunity to live through it, so be diligent in your training.

Grandpa wrote:
November 03, 2010

I train my children and their spouses (except the one who is a natural shooter) with low-recoil ammunition in practical stopping calibers. To me, that is 9mm or .38Spl minimum. The key is to remember that when confronting a real-deal bad guy, just as in combat, there is zero perception of recoil. Adrenalin conquers all, at that point. So, Grandpa's advice is to equip your loved ones with a gun of a caliber that for-sure can stop a bad guy, then start them out with wimpy loads as practice, so that they get the get the cycle/function of the weapon down cold. On game day, they will never remember the "kick" they feared would throw them off. A Veteran.

Jack C. wrote:
October 29, 2010

"Up close and personal". Those are the key words in a self-defense situation. Good sights are a necessity when taking the CHL class here in Texas, due to the ranges that you shoot, but no sights needed at 6-10 feet, at night, in the hallway of your house. Caliber is a subject that will never be settled. One must find a handgun in a caliber that is manageable. As a point of information, more people, through firearms history, have been killed with a .22 caliber than with any other. A handgun must fit the person using it, both physically and mentally, or it might as well be a brick that is thrown. I prefer small caliber, small size handguns for concealed carry, such as Ruger LCP in .380, Taurus Slim in 9m/m, Walther PPK/S or a small frame Llama, both in .380. Have been known to carry a S&W Md. 61 Escort, in .22LR. Fits nicely in a vest pocket! What it all boils down to is: fit the handgun to the person; fit the action to the person; fit the caliber to the person. With a personal defense handgun, definitely, one size does NOT fit all! Stay safe.

Bill johnson wrote:
October 27, 2010

There is no such thing as one fits all. Just remember you're talking personal defense, if your attacker is high on drugs you need something to take him out of the game. i prefer 45 auto for all around carry but "Any gun will do if you will do" Front sight motto.

jlp wrote:
October 26, 2010

Most .380's are definitely out because most of them are blow back operated and have very unpleasant recoil. They are often as big as the newer mini 9mm's and often cost just as much. I have often seen women buy automatic pistols only to then sell them because for them they were too complicated to clean and too complicated to learn and remember how to use. They always switch over to the small snub nosed 5 shot revolvers. More simple to load and unload and more simple to clean. This is what I have experienced with most women who have ccw licenses.

Mark M. wrote:
October 26, 2010

When I'm carrying for animals I like my .357 sig in glock; but for general carry (that I never expect to use); I like my walther pps in 9mm. I didn't think much of the 9mm years ago; but I do now. it is very accurate.

Jim wrote:
October 26, 2010

I sure wouldn't recommend the Walther PK380 to anyone. The safety is a joke, the trigger still works the hammer even when it is on. You need a tool to strip it for cleaning, magazine release is awkward at best, and there is no way to hold the slide open. All in all certainly not my favorite gun. Mine is for sale. I also agree with David everyone should start with a 22LR. I know two women who bought self defense guns and were sold the 38 SPl and 9mm. These were their first guns and in both cases just mastering the fundamentals has been almost impossible because of the recoil and muzzle report.

Bones wrote:
October 26, 2010

Hey the Cv-82 ( not the Cv-83) 9x18 makarov is a nice accurate auto-pistol. it shoots accurate even if it is dirty. I saw it used to shoot through a steel helmet and explode the melon inside-nice for close distant defence.

J.R. Carpenter wrote:
October 26, 2010

I didn't see the Taurus model 327 mentioned, though thge Ruger SP101, and S&W 632 are in the gallery. It's a good pocket gun!

J. Klawitter wrote:
October 26, 2010

Godd article, very interesting. I saw a few examples in the "photo gallery" of weapons I wuold have chosen to meet this criteria. Keep up the good work.

Frank Fox wrote:
October 25, 2010

I would take a Charter Arms or a Ruger over ANY Smith and Wesson. I get third of hearing "S&W" this and that, I have a friend that has a S&W PPK-38 that only works about 1/2 the time. Stove pipes the empty. The old S&W were OK but the new stuff is junk. Frank

Stuart Sonne wrote:
October 25, 2010

Excellent article! I agree with his basic premise that "What goods a weapon if you can't fire it accurately." Each member of my family uses a different handgun. My wife & daughter both carry a S&W .38+P which fits into a special purse they carry. I carry a Beretta .32 in my pocket. My son carries a .40 Warthog or Sig .40 in a belt clip holster. Each one of us has different preferences. I like ease of carrying a very compact gun in my pocket rather than one in a holster. I sold my son his Warthog because it had too much recoil for me. I'm happier with a maximum of 9mm. IMO a good gun salesman should fit the gun to the shooter! There's no such thing as One Size Fits ALL!!!

Joe Henderson wrote:
October 25, 2010

How do you get your hands on a PMR-30?

mt wrote:
October 25, 2010

goood well thought out comment. the 22Long rifle was the bullet of choice for the the wars in chicago in the 70's. so if they use that rounf it can'y be all bad. 7 shots fron head to groin will do the job with hollow points,

Gordon Heggenes wrote:
October 25, 2010

I believe that first of all, a gun must feel "right" before it can ever be a useful tool. If one doesn't like the way it feels in his hand, it will never be of any use. Then the proper grip has to be taught. Once these are both accomplished, the gun should be fired on a range. If the gun feels right in the hand, and the proper grip and wrist control are known, almost any caliber will probably be good. I'm a "little" guy, with small hands, but I love my Star PD, .45 Auto. I could fire it all day and not get tired of it.

Dave wrote:
October 25, 2010

It has been my personal experience that BLOWBACK .380 pistols are really unpleasant to shoot, all out of proportion to their modest caliber. If the desired gun is a blowback, go with .32 ACP version if available (just as Mr. Bond did), or go with a locked breech .380 I feel a Ruger LCP is much more pleasant shooter, tho' the KelTec .32s would be another viable option. I'm a certified NRA instructor, and the comments about fitting the gun to the shooter are well taken.

J.P. Jones wrote:
October 25, 2010

I agree with much the writer says--except for the sights. I do think decent sights are important, but defensive situations often occur at very close ranges. Think about it; a person defending him/herself isn't going to be in a position to hold the gun out, take a good sight picture, and squeeze the trigger. That would be a great way to have the gun taken away. Combat shooting, target shootin, competitive shooting, hunting, ect. all necessitate good sights. Defensive shooting is going to be up close and personal.

Michael Jones wrote:
October 25, 2010

"Equivablely written"

Mike wrote:
October 25, 2010

Your photo gallery was missing the Walther PK380. Great pistol with a mild kick. Very comfortable to shoot.

Alexander Diamond wrote:
October 25, 2010

This is the best most well thought out piece on the question of what defensive handgun is best. It also occurs to me that the idea of using smaller caliber ammo didn't come about until the ammo shortage hit. Then, .380 became so popular virtually overnight that the shelves emptied quickly. There's a moral to this story somewhere.

David wrote:
October 25, 2010

I think "everyones" first pistol ought to be a 22LR Rimfire. Their easy to operate, lowest recoil, cheap to buy and shoot, fun, and very useful. A person should learn the basics with a 22 rimfire pistol before moving up to any larger caliber. And I think you sell short the defensive nature of this round. Yes, they won't knock down a drug crazed SOB, but that might take nothing short of a 45ACP. No person I know would want to get shot with a 22lr, the noise is big enough to scare and hurt the ears, and 6 or 10 holes from a 22lr could easily get the job done in a close quarter self defense role.