Does this seem like a good deal?

[slickest]

I guess I will start from the top. My girlfriend is really starting to enjoy shooting with and really enjoys firing my browning buckmark and is becoming a very proficient shot with it.
She was scared to shoot my glock .40 but I walked her through the steps on proper grip, stance, etc. I load a single round into a mag for her and told her just focus on her grip and stance for the first time shooting it and just aim in the direction of the burm. After she pulled the trigger she said right away that the pistol moved in her hands. I asked if she loosened the grip at all when she pulled the trigger and she had said no. I loaded one more single round into the magazine and this time I very closely examined her grip, elbows, and stance. Everything looked great asked her to squeeze off the next round and she said right away that the grip slipped in her hand.
My first thought was the glock grip might of been to big for hands and I might need to go a single stack magazine. The more I thought about and and watching her grip the gun I believe I came to the conclusion that the .40 just has to much recoil for her. I have the 9mm conversion barrel but haven't bought any ammo for it since I had stocked up on .40 first. I think this coming weekend I will have her shoot the 9mm and see if it makes a difference.
GETTING TO THE POINT
I want to buy her a handgun she can call her own. I have no problem that she shoots mine but I would rather have one with her all the time. My main goal is to buy a used one that is still in good shape for around $350.00 before taxes. I have been scouring the pawn shops quite a bit and this is what I have come up with.
 
Ruger P95DC one mag-299.99
 
Berreta PX4 storm two mags-359.00
 
New Ruger LC9 micro one mag 359.00
 
Bersa Thunder 5 mags-399.00
 
All these are 9mm of course. I have to say that the Berreta and Bersa caught my eye right away and I dont know much about either of the rugers and if any of these prices are good in the first place. Thus the reason for posting the topic
Do any of these seem like a good deal to you and is their any specific models and brands of handguns I should avoid buying used? Also what should I be looking for as far as defects go in buying a used handgun?
Thanks.

[Graybeard]

Or Kel-Tec PF9 about $260 from Bud's.

[Empty Quiver]

An arguement can be made for or against each gun you have listed. i think your best bet would be to have your lady pick the one she wants from the ones you have pre-screened. She may find she cannoit rack the slide or reach the trigger on the one she likes even. I'm voting you take her to choose one.
 
For my money the PX-4 Storm is the best bargain there, and the one I would choose.

[hardertr]

I have to agree with Graybeard.  The PF9 is a really great pistol, and especially for the price.  My PF9 is my primary CCW, and my wife enjoys shooting it whenever we go out.


With that said.... I would suggest you keep in mind who you are buying the pistol for.  What YOU like, and want her to like, could be quite different from what she is comfortable with.  You are doing her a disservice if you don't take her to a gun shop to handle a few different guns.  If she already has in her head that she is going to be scared of anything more than a 22, you won't be able to break her of that by buying her anything else.


Find a gun shop (or fellow shooter) near you who has something else she can shoot....and WANTS to shoot.  Sounds to me like the idea of recoil is her biggest enemy at this point.  If you get a chance to have her shoot a 38 revolver (something comparable to a S&W 686 with a 4 or 6 inch barrel), she might realize she doesn't need to be scared.  They still have that intimidation factor with looks alone, but the recoil is much more manageable than any of the smaller pistols.


Just my opinion of course.....but it worked for me when I got my 3 nieces started out.

[spruce]

Why rush it?
 
It doesn't sound like she's quite ready to make the jump up from a .22.  Buy her a Bersa Thunder .22 (about $275 new), an extra mag, a magazine loader (the magazine spring is stiff and the button on the side is small!), a few bricks of ammo to start and let her just have fun with it. 
 
By the time she becomes proficient with that and also tries a few other guns along the way she will have a much better idea of what SHE wants.  If she likes the Bersa one obvious step up would be the Thunder .380, which is exactly the same gun as the .22.
 
If you want to go the revolver route then the same thing could be done with, say, a Charter Arms Pathfinder .22 and later move up to a .38.  Other brands would work too, but most would be out of your budget range.
 

[PAHUnter04]

Allot of GOOD ADVICE here. I don't know where you live, but if I can be of any help or assistance please let me know.
 
Regards PAH

[SHOOTALL]

the Ruger LC-9 new would be about your budget , wife likes mine. I would suggest no mater what you buy for her let her hold it and dry fire it etc. before putting your money down. Women are not impressed with brand name or magazine hype as a rule they will see how it fits their hand etc. Don't ask how I got this training !

[Mike in Virginia]

LC9 for sure.  Absolutely the closest thing to a perfect carry gun ever created.
Although Graybeard is never wrong, DO NOT BUY A KEL-TEC.  Lordy.  I'd rather be plagued with a Glock.
What kind of word is that anyway?  Glock.  Glock.  It's like something First Officer Spock would say.  Let's try not to use either of those words here.  Kel-Tec and Glock.  It ain't fittin'.  You never know when children might see it.  And how would we like that?  Our children growing up thinking Glocks and Kel-Tecs are something more than curse words?  Ain't that something?  Our own kids!  I mean they could even say that to their friends.  Let's all do our part for America and quality American products and never ever say Glock or Kel-Tec.  I think Obama has a Glock. 
 

[Lloyd Smale]

both the rugers you listed are good guns. they may not be tack drivers or have the fit and finish of a 1000 dolllar gun but there going to go bang everytime you pull the trigger and in that price range you cant ask for more then that. Me id go with the p95 just because i know there a good gun and dont have alot of experience with the lc9. Its a little on the large and ugly side but as realible as they come.