Walther PPK
Jenni's eyes lit up when she beheld the classic styling that has ensured the PPK's success for more than 75 years. Alas, the joy was not to last beyond chambering. According to Pierre, many men attempt to buy a PPK for their wives or daughters when they leave home. Pierre insists that the ladies try the action on one first.

Toss-in, strip away: The rubber cleats hold Magtech .38 ammo securely until it's needed.

Here's why: The PPK is a blowback. The weight of the slide and the strength of the operating spring are all that keep that pretty polished breech closed. Even after 30 years of throwing saddles and cinching girth straps, Jenni's hands just couldn't work the action smoothly or comfortably. Once she got it running, it was comfy and accurate but just not right for her. It threw into a tennis-ball-size group and with moderate recoil.

If my wallet had allowed it, I would have bought the PPK myself. I respect the advances of ammo technology enough to trust a .380 to do the job. While I consider myself an acolyte of the 1911 in .45 ACP, certain sensibilities come into play. A concealed pistol must be just that, and no design is slipperier than a PPK.

Kimber Aegis
One of the sexiest pistols on the market, and what's not to like? It possesses perfect fit and finish, superb engineering, big night sights, beautiful checkering, 9x19 chambering--all with a flawless single-action trigger.

Seventy-six years and still going strong: Walther's PPK is regarded by some afficionados as underpowered, but with Magtech's high-energy loadings it comes into its own. Unfortunately, the heavy springs required for the blowback-action design proved too stiff for comfort, even with Jenni's strong, horsewoman's hands.

The three-inch barrel keeps pressure long enough to get almost everything there is out of the hot Magtech defensive rounds we shot for the test. It also ran well on Federal's heavier HS2s. Take your pick; they both ran the two-toned piece perfectly.

Accuracy was excellent--about 2 1/2 inches at 10 yards offhand. Functioning was great, but Jenni had trouble working the mag release one-handed. Kimber retained a .45 thickness in the mag well, simply placing a spacer in the rear of the magazine. This gives the pistol a theoretical reliability advantage in that the slide has an eighth-inch of free running before trying to feed that hitchhiking cartridge. But that extra space was just a tad too much.

Caldwell's hammer rest was used on the two 1911 single-stacks, but grip changes for the others proved too time-consuming. Precision accuracy testing in belly guns was moot anyway.

Springfield Armory EMP
Springfield Armory's engineers completely reworked the 1911 to build their carry 9. The Enhanced Micro Pistol had the mag shortened by about an eighth of an inch, eliminating the need for a mag spacer and reducing the size of the grip. I knew Jenni had a friend after she expertly dumped the mag of screamers into the target, producing another 2 1/2-inch group, then dropped the single-stack mag one-handed.

All the 1911 variants have sophisticated spring sets to overcome the engineering challenges associated with high slide speed and short springs. Their reliability was exceptional, with only one failure to eject due to limp-wristing. Note that limp-wristing isn't a concern with the revolvers.

Jenni selected the right pistol for her based purely on reliability and ergonomics--Springfield Armory's EMP. I didn't tell her the various guns' prices because I wanted my sister to have the gun that works best for her, not the one she thinks she can afford. The EMP is seen here snuggling on an integral gun cozy from Brownells' plush Deluxe Range Bag.

Summary
Both Jenni and her buddy Jean are retired, independent and realistic. They are quite aware that, due to the amount of methamphetamine-related crime in their part of the desert, they could be considered by predators as soft targets. Both took a John Farnum course on defensive handgun use and are regulars at the range.

Jenni was lucky enough to be able to test six different pistols before choosing the one she wanted to buy. Perhaps this description of what worked for her will guide you on your own quest to being armed and independent.