Best, Most powerful very small handgun

[TlWheatley]

The shield in a. 40 Is alittle snappy. Great size great gun.

[Fitch]

Glock 26, 27, or 36. I have the 26 and 36. Also have a 19 but seldom carry it since the 26 followed me home.

Get what you shoot well. If you can't double tap with it, try something else. Handgun ammo sucks. All of it. Being able to get a second shot on target quickly is important.

I double tap 2" apart with the 26 as long as I pull the trigger as fast as I can (~1/4 second splits). If the first shot is in the IDPA COM circle, so is the second. The dynamics of that gun are just right for my hands, arms, and grip. The 26 double taps better for me than the 19 or the 36, but the 36 is new to me and I need a lot more practice with it.

A different gun might work better for you. The only way to know is to try them. Not one or two rounds, but a couple hundred rounds. IMO a 9mm you do good double taps with is better than a .40 or .45 you can't do good double taps with.

That said, a .45 you do good double taps with is better than a 9mm you do good double taps with. And so it goes.

YMMV.

Fitch

[silvia0073]

S&W 500 Magnum in 12 o'clock position concealed. Got the power and sure does attract the ladies.


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[gunnerbob]

S&W 500 Magnum in 12 o'clock position concealed. Got the power and sure does attract the ladies.


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And, in the event the dinosaurs return... you're ready! Lol!

[JimA]

And if you want more pop in your shot, check out the .357sig. It delivers way more ft lbs of energy than a .45 with a lot less chamber pressure (recoil). And the bottleneck cartridge feeds better in any gun.

.357 Sig saami pressure max= 40,000 psi... .45 auto = 21,000 .45 auto +p = 23,000

[JimA]

Try the Springfield XDs.

I own a S&W Shield 9 and a Springfield XDs. They are pretty close in size.The grip on the Shield is longer than the XDs and it is very easy to shoot well. My wife liked it so much that it is her EDC.
The XDs is a bit more of a handfull recoil wise and while I shoot it well and carry it daily, I would recomend you try one for yourself before buying... It takes a pretty strong grip to get the most out of it. Mine has had absolutely no issues of any kind reguarding ammo through 750+ rounds. It is a great tiny .45 and can even be pocket carried in some pants.

[Timothy Bryant]

If you want a strong yet small 45acp you can go with either the Glock 36 or Springfield XDs.

If you're willing to go with a 9mm (which is probably not a bad idea for a "best, most powerful, very small gun") I'd try the Ruger LC9, Shield 9mm, or Beretta Nano 9mm. These weapons shouldn't be as "snappy" as the heavier loads and are plenty capable of laying a hurt down on someone with the use of modern, premium defensive hollowpoints.

[memphis_raines]

If you're not dead set on a semi automatic, you may wanna check into the .38 S&W 442 revolver. I just got one of these for the wife, and she loves it. While it may not have the power of some of the others mentioned here, it is a small gun that still has some power to it, and could be a pocket carry weapon if you choose. And for a S&W, it's affordable, around $375.00.

[cluznar]

I carry either a Bersa Thunder .380 IWB or else a Ruger SR9c IWB, both loaded with Hornady Critical Defense ammo.
Trust both of them completely. The Bersa has a 9 and a 7 round mag, the Ruger a 10 and 17 round mag. If that isn't enough rounds I better be calling 911 on my cell phone and hope I'm alive when police get there.

[JSDinTexas]

Grandma needs a gun that is easy to operate, has power, can be easily concealed, is reliable, and has manageable recoil for a follow up if necessary.
My recommendation is a S&W 638 or 642 in .38 special, using Speer GD +P
And if she has no fear of recoil, and is large enough to handle it, the S&W 640 or 649 in .357 Magnum will always do the trick. But you'd better hold on to it.