What is the best handgun for a woman to buy? It seems like a simple thing to ask and it’s something I get asked by a lot of women I work with. I hear women tell me all the time they want to earn their carry license for self-defense purposes but have no idea where to start regarding firearm selection. Or my favorite, and sadly the most common example, women that are persuaded by a handgun counter employee to EXCLUSIVELY purchase a light weight, small caliber revolver because it’s something a woman can “handle” (que *major eyeroll*).

So, let me cut to my big idea: I reject the stereotype that this question has a “one size fits all” answer. In fact, I think a good handgun is like a good pair of shoes: it’s all about comfort, fit and wearability! You wouldn’t allow your husband or boyfriend to buy a special pair of shoes for you, would you? Finding the “best” handgun for you, is 100% all about how it achieves YOUR mission.

Dear Fellow Millennials,

I’m a young, single, Pro America, Pro God, Pro Gun, female MILLENIAL. My attraction to the outdoors and recreational sports started when I was a child and it led me to working at a shooting range as a range safety officer, instructor, and EMT for the past 7 years. (I’m also a Native Texan so being stereotyped to mouthwatering BBQ and guns is not that unusual either!) I’ve grown up comfortably around guns my entire life, but after working at a public gun range and witnessing horrible handling skills and etiquette, I’ve decided to accept that just because you are a regular shooter, does not mean you are a responsible one.

To me, owning and carrying a firearm boils down to two serious ideologies: responsibility and training.