Mom finally is beginning to see the need for a firearm...

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I agree with those saying the 10/22. At this point it's likely to be the gun she handles best and if misses with collateral damage are a possibility (neighbor's house) then it will perhaps mitigate potential injuries.

Second choice would be the 20 gauge with birdshot for the same reason. Neither is ideal, but neither is the situation.
 
There's a lot that can go wrong with the 10/22: both in terms of its manual of arms and the rimfire ignition of the cartridges.
However I agree with others who say one shot of anything is less than ideal. So if that was me I would let her try these two and pick the one she likes best:

1) Double-barrelled 20 gauge shotgun, single trigger.
2) Ruger 10-shot .22LR revolver.

At least in those two cases she can open the gun, load it and pull the trigger until it is empty. Then do the same again.
Seems to me she needs a simple option that guarantees at least two shots.
 
I'd consider a revolver---no slide to rack---something like a 4" S&W Model 10.
Plenty of aftermarket stocks to help secure her grip.
She could even opt to shoot single action if the DA pull is a challenge.
Wadcutter ammo available for reduced recoil.
Very simplified manual of arms.
 
I would give her the 28 ga. for a first strike gun and the 10/22 loaded with hyper velocity rounds for a back up. If they laugh off the bird shot several of the really fast 22s ought to convince them to go away----if they are still able to move. :evil:

The first thing I would worry about is convincing her she needs something a little more defensive than a bb gun and a crowbar. If she's willing then let her make the choice of what she can handle. After all she is the one that is going to be using whatever she chooses.
 
He misnamed the 28 ga. in his initial post- it is not the pump Pardner, but a single shot. The 20 single shot would then be a better choice, but the 10/22 and or the Ruger .22 revolver would be better yet.
 
I am all for training. However, the training industry is shutting down in the immediate future around here. Thus, long term plans are great but if we are worried about short term and you can get her to a range and run through the 10/22 again, I think that's the best bet.

Forget single shot guns.
 
She’s made her decision and can’t be swayed now, she’s going with either the 28 or 20 gauge single shot, I tried to get her to go with my 10/22, but she likes the 28g, she’s shot it before and does well with it, no it doesn’t have the capacity of the 10/22, But she’s familiar with the manual of arms for it, and she’s accurate with it, *AND* it’s a far better option than a BB gun and crowbar...

I did convince her to buy a handgun once the COVID situation clears up, she’s shown definite interest in the S&W Shield 9EZ.

the situation is less than ideal, and I’m not happy with her decision, she would’ve been better off with the 10/22, but I can’t force her to do something she doesn’t want to do, and she doesn’t think she’ll need a firearm anyway, I hope she’s right...

I may just go down there tonight with the 10/22 and see if she changes her mind when she shoulders it...
 
Glad she’s made her decision. I’m late to the party but I would have recommended the Kel-Tec PMR 30 even though it wasn’t on the list. It’s a 22 Mag pistol, relatively light weight, and hold 30 rounds. I think it’s a good choice for those that want self protection but don’t want to deal with too much recoil. 30 rounds is a bonus.
 
Have you shot one? I've seen them at matches and they tend to jam on every mag. Then they have to be cleared. It takes quite a bit of testing to get one and a type of ammo that is reasonably reliable.
 
The 10/22 with a couple of 25 round magazines sounds like the best choice for her. The safest way to store it would be with an empty chamber but she would have to cycle the action to finish loading it. Are her nerves steady enough to get that right when a bad guy is coming at her? One of the advantages of a double action revolver is that the user can just pick it up and start pulling the trigger.

Single action revolver in .22 magnum as second choice. Simple to operate but low capacity and slow to reload.
 
MacTech - it's good that your mother wants to improve her self-defense capabilities. But a single-shot shotgun? In the stress of a break-in, it isn't likely that she will be able to reload the shotgun. So she would be "one & done".
 
If she's firmly decided on a single shot 28 gauge, at least get her a buttstock ammo carrier so she'll have the possibility of a second or third shot.

Next, don't look at the situation as solved. Keep your eyes open for a reasonable weapon that falls within her abilities and budget.

A cheap Hi Point PCC would be a vast improvement over any of the choices on your list (and I dont particularly like PCC's OR Hi Points).

I've been shooting, training and carrying guns professionally for decades and I would consider myself damned near unarmed if forced to use a single shot 28 gauge loaded with birdshot for possible deadly force encounters.
 
GEM, the one I shot did fine, at least when I shot it. The owner was someone I met at one of the local ranges and he told me he and his wife love it. It was typically the gun she carried, at least according to him. Beyond that, I don’t know much more. It was fun to shoot though.
 
I am also of the mind of a .22 MAG revolver as a backup. If that 28 is what she is comfortable with go for it for now. Howells in Gray probably is less picked over as well. Last time there I saw a bunch of 28 in stock. Think there was some buck. The GF ended up with a S&W EZ in 380 and it was a solid acurate pistol that she could rack well.
 
CZ75.
She doesn't have to rack the slide. Hand her a loaded pistol - for practice before she takes it home and then when she goes home - and she is all set.
To paraphrase W.W. Greener, if, by the time she has fired 15 rounds and the situation is not resolved, it is probably beyond help with a pistol.
 
My mother (she’s in her mid 70’s and healthy as a horse) is taking the whole pandemic issue reasonably seriously, she’s sheltering in place and social distancing, but her one deficiency is her lack of a defensive firearm, she jokingly says she’ll be okay with her BB gun and crowbar

she lives in rural Seacoast Northern New England (one of the states with Constitutional Carry), but she doesn’t have a firearm (just no real interest until now, not an anti, but not her thing...)

she has access to my firearms inventory, and I’m going to loan her one of my guns until she can purchase her own (I’d gift her one of mine, but she wants to buy her own finally)

She has limited grip strength and has trouble racking the slide of my 9mm handguns, so that reduces options a bit (she’s interested in the Shield 9 EZ but good luck finding one ATM)

her options are;

H&R Pardner 28 gauge Compact
H&R Topper Deluxe Classic 20 gauge
Ruger 10/22 (heavily customized ‘14 contest winner model)
Marlin 25 bolt action
Ruger Super Single Six .22LR/Magnum
S&W Shield 9 2.0 (my CCW)
CZ-75b

the 9mm’s will be difficult for her to rack so they’re a less viable option, the shotguns have more potential stopping power, but are single shot, the Single Six with Magnums is a possibility, but is slow to reload, I’m thinking the best choice of the poor choices above is probably the 10/22, I can even put it back in the original stock and take off the red dot, to simplify things for her..

none of the choices are particularly good, but I think the 10/22 is the most reasonable compromise, I have 5 10 rounders and two 25 round BX-25’s and plenty of .22LR stored, plus, she can practice in the backyard range.

she’ll most likely never need to use it anyway, but I’d feel better if she had something more substantial than a Daisy Red Ryder and a crowbar (she’s not fighting off headcrab zombies anyway... ;) )

so what would you suggest?
Your list is ok for a man , but it's not ok for Mom , get her a revolver and let her pick it out, and spoil her get her a nice one cause she's mom.....Take care......BB
 
The main issue here, is that she doesn’t seem to have a sense of urgency about getting properly armed and into a defensive mindset, she truly believes in the honesty of people, and I hope against all hope she is proven right, but we all know how quickly things can go bad when the veneer of society is damaged.

She’s happy with the shotgun, simply because she honestly believes she won’t need to use it, and I know she decided to get it out of my old gun cabinet mainly to shut her “silly son” up, she thinks I’m overreacting about the situation and I hope she’s right, I gave her permission to laugh at me and say “I told you so” once this situation has resolved.

she is planning to move to a smaller house closer to town at some point, and she has said multiple times how she does want to get some form of home defense handgun at that point, but right now, she’s humoring me about home defense

I tried dropping off my 10/22 with her last night, but she said not to bother and she’s fine with the shotgun, even though I went over the pros/cons of each multiple times.

she just hasn’t reached the point of taking it seriously yet, and I can’t force her to see things my way, nor would I want to, she needs to come to this conclusion on her own, I’m there for her every step of the way, I’ve got her back, metaphorically, even though I’m a half hour drive away physically....
 
None of yours.

Kimber Micro 380 with good training as it is a single action auto.

Easy to rack. Easy to shoot.
 
A lot of this would come down to experience. Long guns are easier to shoot well than handguns, and more powerful. But if all were equal I'd take a lot of peace of mind the capacity of the CZ. If I and mother felt she could handle the recoil and not limpwrist, I'd rather she have more chances on tap to end the fight than one chance before a reload was needed. Either way, an encounter is likely to be over quickly if the gun goes empty or goes down, so might as well have a higher capacity magazine.
 
And her options for buying a firearm just temporarily got a lot smaller, as the Maine governor has determined that Kittery Trading Post is a “nonessential” retail establishment and must obey the temporary shutdown in Maine, biggest factor apparently was a larger percentage of New York and Massachusetts plates in the parking lot...
 
And her options for buying a firearm just temporarily got a lot smaller, as the Maine governor has determined that Kittery Trading Post is a “nonessential” retail establishment and must obey the temporary shutdown in Maine, biggest factor apparently was a larger percentage of New York and Massachusetts plates in the parking lot...

That is a great store. I only went once and ended up getting a large Winchester evault there that held all my handguns at the time for quite a few years. The woman I was dating at the time hated the place. Had too much fishing and gun stuff. That should have been a good sign for me to head to the hills then. It is probably the biggest dedicated hunting and fishing store I have ever been to.
 
A 10/22 loaded with 25 rounds and a backup 25 rounder is plenty potent at self-defense distance. Would easily poke a 5” hole pattern in most anybody.

That was my thought too, provided the 10/22 is clean and lubed and those mags work as they should, plus ammo the particular rifle functions properly with.

People who say .22LR is totally inadequate for defensive use have never been hit with one, let alone a 25rd mag dump or two. (I'm sure somebody somewhere will depart from context and argue for .50BMG as the minimum.)

A stock 10/22 is a nice lightweight handy sort of a carbine that'll do a lot for you in a variety of situations.

I saw where the OP mentioned sights... removing the red dot to simplify it... wonder how his mother would feel about a ghost ring... quick and don't get much simpler.
 
She’s made her decision and can’t be swayed now, she’s going with either the 28 or 20 gauge single shot, I tried to get her to go with my 10/22, but she likes the 28g, she’s shot it before and does well with it, no it doesn’t have the capacity of the 10/22, But she’s familiar with the manual of arms for it, and she’s accurate with it, *AND* it’s a far better option than a BB gun and crowbar...

I did convince her to buy a handgun once the COVID situation clears up, she’s shown definite interest in the S&W Shield 9EZ.

the situation is less than ideal, and I’m not happy with her decision, she would’ve been better off with the 10/22, but I can’t force her to do something she doesn’t want to do, and she doesn’t think she’ll need a firearm anyway, I hope she’s right...

I may just go down there tonight with the 10/22 and see if she changes her mind when she shoulders it...

Much as I'd lean toward a 10/22, we all hafta be confident in our chosen platform/round. I was just remembering Clint Smith did a tv spot several years back where he showed how to run a Topper, as well as other low-speed high-drag [/sarc] guns everybody might have, in the defensive role. A load of 20guage buckshot, backed up by 4 or 5 more on the side of the stock, is nothing to sneeze at. Nor is #5 turkey at indoor distances. Simple is good too.
 
I would go with the Ruger 10-22. Also, my mom was anti-gun for many years and she finally changed!
 
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